Princess in Mazatlan?

[kath00]

Forgive me if this was recently discussed. I searched and saw new updates about Princess returning to Mazatlan or doing the double Cabo dip in the Fall? We booked the Sapphire today for Thanksgiving 2012 and I see that Mazatlan is on the itiniary instead of 2 Cabos for that sailing. I am just wondering if they truly have plans to return there or if this is just an error on Princess' behalf with the updating of their website.

 

Frankly, I would love to go back there or do another PV day since my elderly parents don't like to tender and Cabo's waters are also much cooler in the winter. But I am not getting my hopes up.

 

Thanks for any new info! Katherine

[Kruisenut]

Looks like things are starting to open up again in MX, we just booked NCL to Cabo, Maz & PV in April 2014. Nice to see NCL return, still love Princess but enjoy the suites on NCL.

[Pam in CA]

I would recommend that you remain flexible. This is a situation that is in flux and can change, even at the last minute. I was on a HAL cruise last April and we were supposed to spend an overnight in Cabo and a day in Puerto Vallarta. After boarding, we received a revised itinerary that we were spending the overnight in Puerto Vallarta and a day in Cabo.

[kath00]

Looks like things are starting to open up again in MX, we just booked NCL to Cabo, Maz & PV in April 2014. Nice to see NCL return, still love Princess but enjoy the suites on NCL.

 

No kidding! What ship!?! That's great news. We just like to have a choice. Right now it's the Sapphire or the Splendor. Sapphire is only part time too since they are doing so many Coastals and Hawaii runs.

[kath00]

I would recommend that you remain flexible. This is a situation that is in flux and can change, even at the last minute. I was on a HAL cruise last April and we were supposed to spend an overnight in Cabo and a day in Puerto Vallarta. After boarding, we received a revised itinerary that we were spending the overnight in Puerto Vallarta and a day in Cabo.

 

Now that would make me REALLY happy! I always thought PV is way more fun than Cabo! Plus no tenders...

[swedish weave]

No kidding! What ship!?! That's great news. We just like to have a choice. Right now it's the Sapphire or the Splendor. Sapphire is only part time too since they are doing so many Coastals and Hawaii runs.

 

The NCL Star is supposed to return to San Pedro.

[kath00]

Wow, I am giddy at this news! Not that I love NCL (one cruise -- didn't appeal to me and my family), but this is great news for the future of the LA Harbor and the MR cruises. My worst nightmare is Princess pulling the Sapphire out of the area permanently! Seeing another ship coming means some bean counters think that there is a chance that we will bounce back in CA once again!

 

Katherine

[lovevacadays]

Forgive me if this was recently discussed. I searched and saw new updates about Princess returning to Mazatlan or doing the double Cabo dip in the Fall? We booked the Sapphire today for Thanksgiving 2012 and I see that Mazatlan is on the itiniary instead of 2 Cabos for that sailing. I am just wondering if they truly have plans to return there or if this is just an error on Princess' behalf with the updating of their website.

 

Frankly, I would love to go back there or do another PV day since my elderly parents don't like to tender and Cabo's waters are also much cooler in the winter. But I am not getting my hopes up.

 

Thanks for any new info! Katherine

 

Katherine,

My cruise 1/13 on the Sapphire also lists Mazatlan. I think Princess is hoping to return there. However, I would suspect that they will play a wait and see game as things unfold in 2012. I'm with you - if they end up skipping Mazatlan, I hope they do two days in Puerto Vallarta. I have always enjoyed my time in Cabo but I like PV more.

[senior lady]

wouldn't count on it, as there was a Canadian women severly beaten at the Riu resort yesterday. All over the news here. She was found in the elevator. :(

[kath00]

wouldn't count on it, as there was a Canadian women severly beaten at the Riu resort yesterday. All over the news here. She was found in the elevator. :(

 

Oh no. Crimes do happen everywhere but targeted tourist areas are a different story.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

[jbobst]

I just read in that post that the NCL Star will be coming back to the MR. While it's great news that there is another choice of cruise line available out of California, why are they sending the Star back instead of a different ship? And for that matter, why don't the cruise lines put a variety of ships each year doing the same routes? Princess (and NCL and other lines) bring a bunch of different ships up the west coast each year for the Alaska season. Why can't they provide more variety of ships for the same routes? The Splendor, Sapphire, Oosterdam, and NCL Star have been based our of California for years. Whey can't they mix up the ships a little more? (I know the Oosterdam is supposed to leave I believe).

 

Living in Arizona makes the California and Mexican Riviera cruise the best possible option for us as airfare to other parts of the country often rivals the cost of a cruise! We of cruise mostly because of the ship itself, not the ports, and it sure would be nice to have more variety. I understand there really isn't much of a market here, and that one ship per line is all they will offer, but it would be nice to have a different ship each year from each line.

[Kruisenut]

I had dinner with the Captain NCL Star spring 2010 and he informed us a great deal of $ and time was spent on outfiting the Star with shore power for the West Coast and he would be surprised if the Star was relocated for any length of time. So not surprised to see the return in 2014 and booked the OS right away, love those suites. Love the Princess suites as well and looking forward to the GS on the Sapphire in May.

[kath00]

I just looked at the suites on the NCL star and they all look like they are really high up (12-14 decks)? That has me worried since the seas can be rough coming and going to MX. I also see suites in the very front of the ship, which also moves a bit too much for me.

 

I wish the nice suites would be midship too, like most other cruise ships! Bummer. I LOVED the Pearl. I too wish they brought her back here.

 

BUT, I think they keep the same ships in the general area because the ships work well based on size and number of passengers. Look at the Mariner for example. It had enough room for 3500 people. They couldn't fill the ship so RCCL pulled it. That's in contrast to the Sapphire and Oosterdam, both smaller ships (2000-2500pass). I bet those are optimized for the market, for the fuel cost to drive back and forth (and to Hawaii), etc! I am sure the cruise lines have this figured out to the tee.

 

For example, I had dinner with the captain of the Mariner of the Seas about 2 months before they pulled her out of LA. I already figured they were going to be leaving because our Jan/Feb cruises were cancelled. I asked him why they didn't just do Hawaii runs like the Golden. He said the Mariner was too fuel inefficient to make the long run to Hawaii and back every 2 weeks. Not something I would have thought about until he told me (Capt Johnny).

 

K

[jbobst]

... I think they keep the same ships in the general area because the ships work well based on size and number of passengers. Look at the Mariner for example. It had enough room for 3500 people. They couldn't fill the ship so RCCL pulled it. That's in contrast to the Sapphire and Oosterdam, both smaller ships (2000-2500pass).

 

 

K

 

Is it really true they couldn't fill the Mariner of the Seas? We went on it once and it was completely full. My Mom and sister went on it another time, and they said it was full too. During the time the Mariner was home porting in San Pedro, the Swine Flu thing happened, but even then, it seemed like the ship was full based on what I was reading and hearing at the time. Obviously they moved the ship, so there was some reason not to keep it here...and most likely you are right. I loved that ship, and wish that it (or any RCL ship for that matter) was still based out of Southern California. With Princess only offering a few of the Pacific Coastals, it seems like that would be a perfect fit for Royal Caribbean, alternating between the MR and Coastals. I suppose they have their reasons for pulling their ships, but Princess is charging a fairly high cost for their coastals, and it seems like they are all filled. I am a total cheap skate when it comes to cruises, but I am so happy there are other options out of LA now, that even I paid the higher price for the coastal cruise! :)

[kath00]

Is it really true they couldn't fill the Mariner of the Seas? We went on it once and it was completely full. My Mom and sister went on it another time, and they said it was full too. During the time the Mariner was home porting in San Pedro, the Swine Flu thing happened, but even then, it seemed like the ship was full based on what I was reading and hearing at the time. Obviously they moved the ship, so there was some reason not to keep it here...and most likely you are right. I loved that ship, and wish that it (or any RCL ship for that matter) was still based out of Southern California. With Princess only offering a few of the Pacific Coastals, it seems like that would be a perfect fit for Royal Caribbean, alternating between the MR and Coastals. I suppose they have their reasons for pulling their ships, but Princess is charging a fairly high cost for their coastals, and it seems like they are all filled. I am a total cheap skate when it comes to cruises, but I am so happy there are other options out of LA now, that even I paid the higher price for the coastal cruise! :)

 

Supposedly, that's what they said! But each time we sailed, they were 105% full also! I think their concern was that they were very heavily discounting the cabins so they were not making money. I dunno. Disney just pulled out too!

[RickEk]

Supposedly, that's what they said! But each time we sailed, they were 105% full also! I think their concern was that they were very heavily discounting the cabins so they were not making money. I dunno. Disney just pulled out too!

 

From what I understand, RCI pulled Mariner of the Seas because of low yields (folks weren't spending enough onboard...). That, coupled with low fares meant that they weren't making enough money. Disney pulling out is probably due to the fact that their fleet is small and they want to explore other markets.

[kath00]

From what I understand, RCI pulled Mariner of the Seas because of low yields (folks weren't spending enough onboard...). That, coupled with low fares meant that they weren't making enough money. Disney pulling out is probably due to the fact that their fleet is small and they want to explore other markets.

 

Disney is going to Miami?!

[DrivesLikeMario]

Carnival Corporation has decided (about 6 months ago) that Mazatlan will be safe later this year. Don't ask me how they know that, but they've put it back on the schedule of almost all of the West Coast Mex. Riv. itineraries (Princess, HAL, Carnival, etc.).

 

I think they must have some kind of crystal ball... :D

[caribill]

Carnival Corporation has decided (about 6 months ago) that Mazatlan will be safe later this year. Don't ask me how they know that, but they've put it back on the schedule of almost all of the West Coast Mex. Riv. itineraries (Princess, HAL, Carnival, etc.).

 

I think they must have some kind of crystal ball... :D

 

Actually, hoping it will be safe.

 

If not, the itineraries will change before the sailings.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I'm sure it will be. I'm also sure it was a financial decision and not a safety issue because some of the other ports (Cabo) have had more problems lately than Mazatlan did and they've stayed on the schedule not only for 1 day, but 2 per cruise. I betcha Mazatlan has decided to 'negotiate' the port charges just to get Carnival Corp. back there. It's almost always about the profits and not the safety, although they like to spin it that way.

[casavaha]

Acapulco has some of the highest port fees of any port. They also have a fairly high

crime rate. Yet I notice they are on our South American cruise in Dec.

 

Our friends just went on the Coral, trans canal from LA. They went to no Mexican ports.

 

Holland still does PV, Huatulco and Chiapas. Why not Princess? It seems that the

cruise companies of Carnival PLC make their own decisions. There are so many better

ports on the Mexican Riviera than Acapulco.

 

The Osterdam is leaving San Diego and going to Australia. Not much on the West Coast.

 

Greg

[Pam in CA]

My March cruise on the Star was scheduled to stop in Acapulco and then Cabo. They've substituted Manzanillo instead of Acapulco from 7:00am-1:00pm. Not much there and very little time; not sure I'm even going to get off as I understand the ship docks in a commercial area. At least we get a full day in Cabo.

[dchip]

Pam, you may get lucky in Manzanillo and dock at the new pier. We did on HAL last year and it was great. Quick walk into town. We have enjoyed both our visits to Manzanillo. It is a fun town. In fact, we were there a year ago today on my DH's birthday. The bay was full of whales. It was super. Wish we were going back there instead of two days in Cabo!

 

Cheers, Denise

[kath00]

Pam, you may get lucky in Manzanillo and dock at the new pier. We did on HAL last year and it was great. Quick walk into town. We have enjoyed both our visits to Manzanillo. It is a fun town. In fact, we were there a year ago today on my DH's birthday. The bay was full of whales. It was super. Wish we were going back there instead of two days in Cabo!

 

Cheers, Denise

 

Totally agree. We were there on the Disney Wonder in December and stopped in Manzanillo. The new pier is very nice and the weather/water were the warmest and nicest of the stops. We did a catamaran excursion to Elephant Rock and everyone enjoyed it. As a matter of fact, it was the highlight of our trip, which included 2 days in Cabo plus a day in PV.

 

I really don't like 2 days in Cabo either. I would LOVE 2 in PV or adding Manzanillo. I really don't understand why cruise ships don't listen to passenger feedback. Most people didn't even bother to get off the 2nd day on Cabo. I think the tenders and the early leave on 2nd day really turned people off. Plus, there really isn't that much to do in port to justify 2 days.

[Pam in CA]

Thanks for the input re:Manzanillo. :) I'll be doing a whale watch in Cabo but we've been seeing whales for the past couple of weeks in Laguna (I'm there several times a week.) I'm doing another whale watch a few days after getting home. That should be enough whales for me for a while. :)