Jewel Haven Mexican Riviera Photo Review 1/3/16

[3kidsncats]

Excellent singing!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Awww, thank you! I'm his number one fan!

[3kidsncats]

I was a bit nervous about the exit from the water taxi at Lovers Beach. I'd heard some stories. I had the camera secured, so even if my tote bag got dunked, our phones, and the camera were in drybags. When we arrived at the shore, there are a few guys waiting to help hold the taxi, and help passengers out -- they will grab your beach bags and take them to the shore as well -- I was a bit shocked to see my DH hand over my camera bag and watch it walk off to be set on a rock. It's not a cheap camera. We had to hop out, and the waves obviously come in and out at intervals. If you are lucky, you hop out during a lull and only get your feet and ankles wet -- or maybe you are not bothered by that. On a non-photo taking day, I wouldn't care, but this time I was preferring to stay dry. I was not so lucky, as I was doused to mid-thigh, lol. But, the good news is that no one fell in the water. I came close though, as the wave that hit me knocked me off balance a bit -- luckily the guy helping had ahold of my forearm and steadied me. Be prepared to tip these guys -- the hats will be quickly offered for some cash. They totally deserve it, I just wasn't prepared in the moment with many small bills.

 

The tide on Lover's Beach was particularly high while we were in Cabo -- assuming that is the norm in the winter? I've seen photos with a lot more beach area present, but no matter -- it was crowded, and we went off to Divorce Beach. The sun was way too bright overhead, the sand was hot, and we made a beeline for the shade at the north end where the cliffs are creating a nice big cool area.

 

So a couple tips for outdoor photos, especially in harsh light. Try to find a patch of open shade, near a sunny spot. The shade makes even light on the subjects face that won't make them squint, and the sunny spot reflects enough light (usually) to give a good exposure. Since I wanted ocean backdrops, I had some issues getting enough light -- the sunny spot was behind my subjects in order for the ocean to be behind them - so I used a 5-in-1 reflector to bounce some light. It folds up into a compact container, and they run around $20 or so. You do need a helper to use it, as the wind will blow it away, and it won't stand on it's own anyway. If that's something you are interested in, you can find lots of natural light tutorials online to show you how it works.

 

Here are some of the shots we took -- BF is apparently not a fan of the beach, so they didn't participate as much as everyone else, but still managed some photo time with them. I'm going to group them by subject and location -- the ocean shots, and then the cliff shots. The cliffs and sand created a soft light box effect, so no reflector was needed for those pictures --the light was super flattering on its own.

 

 

DD3

 

 

DD2

 

 

DD1 and BF

 

 

The agony of posing for Mom's endless photos

 

 

Making Mom happy ;-)

 

[3kidsncats]

 

 

 

Luckily we have a budding photog in DD2, and a good reflector assistant in DD3 to get some shots of us!

 

 

 

A little ocean view to mix it up! I did shoot with a polarizing filter, which makes the blues really pop

[3kidsncats]

 

 

The positioning of this photo had a particular purpose - I wanted a "cover" photo for a certain social media site that we all know and love. If you have a site like that, keep in mind to create a picture with proportions that will work as a cover photo. Unfortunately, since we needed one person to press the shutter button, we shifted off, and BF kindly took one for us, and then DH took one so BF could be included as well.

 

 

 

 

[3kidsncats]

Sorry, kind of never ending, but I can't help myself :-) You may have noticed we are color co-ordinated -- white is a traditional beach choice, and pretty flexible as most of us have something white already in our closet. I love the freshness of it, and how it compliments the natural environment. But I also really love how a contrasting color makes the blues and golds burst so gloriously, so I grabbed pink tanks for the girls at a steal of $3.50 each at a local store. Forgot to tell DD1 to bring hers, so she stuck with straight white. Salmon pinks also look amazing against the blue ocean. I would say pick whatever you love, but solid colors tend to look cleaner and don't distract the eye as much as prints and logos, imo.

 

 

And don't be afraid to get really close up -- it's wonderful to really see people's face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aren't those cliffs massive? So beautiful. There is a pathway between Divorce Beach and Solmar Beach, if you dare, and have the right shoes for it. DH was itching to try it, but I wasn't up for dealing with a broken ankle, so talked him out of it ;-)

[3kidsncats]

Just as the light was heading into prime photo taking goodness, we had to go back to Lovers Beach to meet our taxi. I could have arranged to stay longer, but the family was all smiled out, for pictures at any rate. I had debated beforehand doing the outing a bit later than we did, but I had no idea how the tides would impact the return times and I didn't want to get stuck out there! I'm sure it can be arranged, but on my first visit, didn't want the stress. PLUS, I had the bright idea a few months before the cruise that the ship would be perfectly positioned in the bay to watch the sunset, and Land's End would be there in all its glory. So back to the ship we went.

 

 

 

 

The two missing love birds, lol. She better not complain that there aren't enough photos of her!

 

 

Back at Lovers Beach, waiting for our taxi with the beautiful Jewel in the bay.

 

Our water taxi arrived right on schedule (they give you your taxi's name and then when the taxis arrive, the guys call out the name, so you have to listen and watch for them) and we climbed aboard. Easier said than done. DH, for some reason -- I think he was focused on (hah, no pun intended) getting the camera safely aboard for me -- but forgot that we might need help ourselves. DD3 and I ended up being last, and although the guys were there helping to hold the taxi, they weren't helping get you on the boat. The waves were coming in pretty good, and I struggled to help DD3 get aboard. Got her on, but then had to somehow get myself aboard with no help. YIKES. These soon to be 49 year old limbs weren't too excited about that! I had to sort of hop with one leg over the side -- don't know how I made it, but I did. I also got wet again, lol. So ladies, make sure to be first in line back to the taxi so you can get some help! And be prepared with the tips again.

 

Our taxi operator offered to take us on a free tour of the arches -- earning himself a bigger tip in the process ;-)

 

 

[3kidsncats]

 

"Window to the Pacific"

 

 

 

 

 

Great shot by DH -- his was much better than mine of the sealions!

 

[MamaMia2]

3kidsncats, I'm really enjoying your review. As with everything else, I am a little late coming into it. Haven't finished yet, but it's like a good novel, hooked from page one. :)

 

MamaMia2

[3kidsncats]

 

 

The short tour was a lot of fun, and I definitely suggest it, unless you aren't comfortable bobbing up and down. Definitely a lot of movement out there in a little boat. The taxi guy kindly dropped us near the main dock where we could catch the tender back to the ship. Since it was pretty early to be heading back, there was no line. We had to go thru a security check point, and NCL had a little covered area with a beverage and much appreciated cool washcloth. We waited a few moments, and then were able to board a tender.

 

Before I leave the beach completely, I forgot to mention about swimming on Divorce Beach. DON'T do it. That side is very dangerous, and there are no lifeguards. I was so surprised to see a lot of people swimming there, including kids. There is an area on Lovers Beach separated from the water taxi that you can swim in if you like.

 

Once on board, we had some lovely down time. My one and only time to enjoy the Courtyard hot tub (not sure how that happened??) Len came to see if we wanted drinks -- which we did! I had the Mango Meltdown, but I think they forgot the alcohol as I couldn't taste it, and never felt it. Not a problem, because after we dried off and changed, had some snacks in our cabin, we got champagne and made our way to the sundeck. (In all honesty, DH handled getting the champagne and bringing it up --love that man). We were the only ones up there -- it was breezy, but still nice. The sun was setting over the marina, not Lands End, but it was still beautiful. There was a playful sealion swimming next to the ship, and the kids had fun watching him/her. When it got too cold, we retired to the cabin to relax and freshen up before our dinner at La Cucina.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 15, 2016 by 3kidsncats

[3kidsncats]

3kidsncats, I'm really enjoying your review. As with everything else, I am a little late coming into it. Haven't finished yet, but it's like a good novel, hooked from page one. :)

 

MamaMia2

 

 

Yay!! So glad you are here. You know, this would be the PERFECT place in the review for some whale photos........

[june123]

Thank you for taking the time to write your review i`m really enjoying it . I don`t want to " flip to the end of the book " but were you delayed getting off the ship ? i`ve heard it can be a nightmare sometimes and i`m booking my flights from Lax soon so i would appreciate some inside info thank you x

[3kidsncats]

Thank you for taking the time to write your review i`m really enjoying it . I don`t want to " flip to the end of the book " but were you delayed getting off the ship ? i`ve heard it can be a nightmare sometimes and i`m booking my flights from Lax soon so i would appreciate some inside info thank you x

 

You are most welcome :-)

 

We did not have any delays getting off. I think custom took a slightly longer time than usual to clear the ship (just based on announcements from Sin) but no real delay. BUT, we were in a suite so got to skip the line to get off the ship. Once off, we were in the same line for customs as everyone else. We left our cabin at 8:30, and an hour later were in our car exiting the parking.

[ocaladee]

Do you need passports? I talked to NCL yesterday and was told no for CA residents. We live in FL and have them no problem, but thinking of surprising husband with trip with his daughter, son in law and 2 grandkids next January. I will need to contact her and need to let her know what they need

[amarvel]

Loving this review!!! And its funny I also told my family that I get Cabo for photos and they will just have to deal with it :-)

[3kidsncats]

Do you need passports? I talked to NCL yesterday and was told no for CA residents. We live in FL and have them no problem, but thinking of surprising husband with trip with his daughter, son in law and 2 grandkids next January. I will need to contact her and need to let her know what they need

 

They don't require passports, but I personally recommend them. If you or anyone in the group had to fly home on an emergency, you have to have them. Plus, we would have had a problem getting BF aboard if we hadn't insisted he get one -- because it turned out the birth certificate he had wasn't the required kind -- it was missing info and I wouldn't have known that ahead of time, and he had no idea. Going thru the passport process triggered the State Dept to request a full BC, which we had to send away for, etc. So at the bare minimum, make sure that the BC everyone has are full copies, that have a witness signature, in addition to the County Clerk signature, have the address/location of the birth, etc. You don't want to arrive at the port and be turned away.

[3kidsncats]

Loving this review!!! And its funny I also told my family that I get Cabo for photos and they will just have to deal with it :-)

 

So glad I'm not the only one!! But just so you know, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta also offer some good photo locations, as you will see. I was good, and didn't pester them too much in those ports, but still managed to get a few more snaps ;-)

 

More photo tips for those that are interested: You can get a dry bag set at a big chain store that is everywhere (hint hint), for $10. Just look in the camping section. It came with three sizes, the largest of which is plenty big for a large camera and big zoom. The other sizes fit smaller DSL (DD2 had a Canon Ti3 Rebel and moderate size zoom in the middle size bag) and phones, small cameras fit in the smallest bag. The quality wouldn't be enough for rugged water excursions, but fine for added protection in case of brief dunking. The polarizing filter I used had the added benefit of protecting the lens from salt spray and sand -- and be sure to use a lightly damp washcloth to wipe down the camera once you are back on board.

[3kidsncats]

We love Italian food, but really didn't know what to expect from this venue. First off -- it's really hard to find!! You have to go thru the buffet, then hook a right down a non-descript hallway before you get to the Great Outdoors. We arrived on time, and were immediately taken to a large table at a window. One of the sad things about all of the specialty dining venues, at least in the winter, is that the window seats are useless during the times the venues are open. Seems like wasted space. I think NCL should consider opening them more often for lunch, especially on sea days, and with all the dining promos they are offering-- that way more people could enjoy the venues and the views.

 

Our service was excellent -- attentive, prompt, but not rushed. One of the funny things that happened during our meal, was that a few of us ordered the romaine head salad -- but didn't get it that one gets a head of romaine literally.

 

 

This was a disappointment to some, although I'm sure it tasted the same, lol. And it pretty much said it in the title. I ordered the Minestrone soup, with the chorizo option. It was good -- not amazing, but enjoyable. They bring out the bowl with some ingredients in it, and the come pour the actual soup in (the same in Le Bistro with the mushroom soup)

 

 

And I had the Caprese salad -- again good, but needed more flavor. It is served with a Balsamic drizzle, which didn't do anything for me-- olive oil, garlic and basil would have been better for my taste. There was also some bread, and they offer everyone at the table olive oil and vinegar for dipping. I didn't want any of the entrees, so intended on ordering a pizza -- two of the girls also wanted pizza as an appetizer (they had no idea how big they were) so I just had some of theirs. The waiter had a hard time accepting that I wasn't getting an entree, but it was the right call for me. The pizzas were the pancetta and the one with mozzarella/artichokes. Very tasty, and plenty big. BF ordered the chicken parm with pasta -- he said the chicken was bland, but the pasta was good. Someone ordered vegetable lasagna (again, bland, but ok), DH ordered the seared salmon (the bomb, it was so good) and DD2 asked for a custom pasta -- basically wanted pasta with alfredo and they made it up for her. I may get meal photos from the kids at some point -- I know they took some, but for now just have the soup and salad.

 

I had been reading how salty the food is at La Cucina, and I have a feeling that maybe an effort was made to cut back on the salt, but to the point that they cut it back too much? Since it is easier to add than subtract salt, I think that's not a bad thing.

 

We were so full, that we ordered our desserts to go -- tiramisu, rhubarb panna cotta, chocolate torte, and lemon curd. All were excellent. Dinner was just over an hour, and as I mentioned, the service was excellent. It was another early night for us, which was the norm the entire trip. DH and I weren't sleeping well at night -- he often doesn't, and I sometimes am the same. We did have noisy neighbors one night -- the doors in their cabin are right next to the head of the bed in ours, apparently. And they were having a good time going in and out, but fortunately just the one night. We also loved the coziness of our cabin. Something about it just made us want to snuggle in, and forego the nightlife. I would say it's because we are getting old, but the kids did the same thing, lol. The 14 year old stayed out the latest, attending some Entourage events on various evenings.

[3kidsncats]

Woke up early as we had plans to disembark quickly today. Today we had booked massages at 10am for the whole family. The plan was, order breakfast in-suite, then head off to the Catedral de Mazatlan for a bit, walk to the spa, then walk the historic district of El Centro before returning to the ship for lunch, and a 2pm pub crawl on the ship with the rollcall group.

 

First order of business was coffee and photos on the balcony. The weather was warm and balmy, and the views were lovely

 

 

 

 

Not sure how DH took this one, but it looks cool.

 

 

 

[3kidsncats]

 

 

 

 

Our escort

 

 

Breakfast was requested for 7am, but Richard checked in to let us know there would be a little delay, as some the things (all of the things?) we had asked for were not off the room service menu, but the Haven breakfast menu, which opened at 7. The delay was minimal, and Richard arrived with an amazing spread of food. I was too distracted to take photos (smh) - but I had asked for 4 eggs sunnyside up (got 4 orders of two eggs each, bacon and pototoes!!), two orders of lox with bagels/cream cheese, an omelet for BF, the vanilla challah french toast for me, and waffle with cream and berries. The kids weren't around when I filled out the card, so I just got an assortment. Did pretty well, only the waffle went untouched (and boy would I love it right now!!) The service was wonderful -- the kids ate at the table with white table cloth set up, and DH and I enjoyed the balcony. Hopefully one of the kids will be forthcoming with photos. I'm trying not to bug, because DD1 and DD2 missed their first week of classes, and I know they got hammered with extra work on their return. BF and DD3 didn't start class until after our return.

 

 

We didn't get any info about priority disembarkation (for Cabo, there was an notice with where to go given the night before) for Mazatlan, so we went up to the previous days meeting point, and bumped into Joaquin, and he took us down to the right place. Good timing!

[3kidsncats]

 

 

The ship docks right in the middle of a freight area, so when you get off, you take a free shuttle over to the port entrance. It's quick and easy, and they run several constantly.

 

 

 

 

Getting off at the port entrance

 

 

If you click on the picture above, it will take you to a video of the inside of the port entrance. Basically you walk from the shuttle up the green ramp in some of the photos, inside the building which has the usually tour operators seeking your business, as well as some stores -- you go thru the little mall like area, and outside to a festive courtyard (where the taxi drivers are now hawking their services). The video shows the outside courtyard.

[SuiteTraveler]

Wanted to let you know I'm enjoying your review. We have not sailed this itinerary, so it is very interesting to read about what you did and see the photos! Thanks for doing this, I know it is a lot of work.

[3kidsncats]

You can see DD2 taking video as well in DH's video; which she did throughout the trip -- eventually, when school work and her job allow, she will edit it into a trip video, which I'll post a link to. I don't expect that to be any time soon, though.

 

We opted not to hire a taxi -- they wanted $20 one way to drive us the 3/4 of a mile. NOT! Mazatlan has done something really cool for tourists -- they have painted a blue line in the middle of the street showing the way to El Centro, also known as the Historic District. All along the way, there are police stationed for security. And at the one busy street, they have several officers to stop traffic so you can cross safely. The sidewalks are privately owned, and there is no city provided sewage system, so the sidewalks are high -- you also need to watch for doggie surprises as you walk. Also, there is a great group of Ex-Pats providing volunteer assistance to visitors -- look for them in the blue tee-shirts. The have maps, will answer questions, and won't try to sell you anything. Huge THANK YOU!! to those wonderful volunteers.

 

Here is the port entrance from the outside -- so what you see as you return to the ship:

 

 

And walking into town following the blue line. It's an easy walk, and we felt comfortable the whole time.

 

 

The blue line ends in front of the Angela Peralto Theater (sp?) and right next to the Plaza Machado -- which is lovely. I didn't take any photos, thinking I would on the return -- but the light was completely wrong on our way back, and everyone was hot and hungry. DD2 did take some while I was talking to one of the volunteers, so those will be along eventually. So photogs out there -- head into town early, walk the blue line, and take Plaza Machado pics in the beautiful early morning light!!!

 

We were given directions to the Cathedral, and also to the Athina Spa where our massage was going to be. Both easily accessible from Plaza Machado.

 

The Cathedral is right next to the Plaza Republika, with shaded areas, benches and several stalls with goods to buy. We did purchase a few necklaces and earrings there -- one vendor in particular we really liked. He was a courteous older gentleman, who didn't pressure us at all. For that courtesy, we bought several things, and didn't haggle. His prices were fair anyway --90 Pesos for the necklaces I liked. The quickest way to get me not to buy something from you is to be overly pushy - needless to say, I skipped a lot of vendors on this trip, lol.

 

Plaza Republika with the Cathedral (DH took these as I had an 85mm lens with me for portraits, not scenic shots )

 

 

 

[3kidsncats]

Wanted to let you know I'm enjoying your review. We have not sailed this itinerary, so it is very interesting to read about what you did and see the photos! Thanks for doing this, I know it is a lot of work.

 

Thank you so much!! Glad you are enjoying it, and it's so motivating to take the time when you know it's helping others, or just fun for them to see. I was indifferent to the itinerary before we left, but would love to do it again.

[3kidsncats]

The Cathedral was built in the mid 1800s --finished in about 1887 if I remember correctly. The church ran out of money before it was completed, and the Jewish community donated the needed funds to complete it. In gratitude, the church included the Star of David in the upper stained glass windows.

 

These shots are on my camera, as the lens has a large aperture to allow pictures at low light. No tripod, so not as sharp as they could be, but do show the interiors well enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[3kidsncats]

 

 

These are quite large -- at least 18" in diameter.

 

 

 

 

 

Next up was our massage. We had emailed the week before and made an appointment. It was 350 Pesos (about $22) each for an hour long relaxing massage. DH ended up getting a Combo massage, which adds in some deep tissue elements for an additional 125 Pesos. The spa was clean, and relaxing. No photos unless the kids took some, but sometimes you just want to be in the moment, and a massage is one of those times. They sell some spa products, but did not push them at all. The massage was wonderful, and worth every penny. I gave the 70 Peso per masseuse tip to the desk clerk, who told me my 20% tip was on the low side, then shows me his computer screen with the 20% 100 Peso tip suggestion. You do the math -100 Pesos is 35%. But since I have a feeling the masseuse only gets paid the tip amount (pure guess on my part) or very little of the hourly rate at least, I gave the 100 Peso pp tip as it was still a huge bargain. I just didn't like the approach. Would have preferred the suggestion up front at booking. Sometimes it is how it is done, that that it is done.

 

As I came out of the massage area, and into the waiting room, I discovered two of our rollcall friends waiting for their turn -- had a nice catch up chat. Next we were off back towards the Cathedral, and past it to the Mercado -- shopping market. That is quite the experience. The front section is the usual touristy selection -- dresses, leather goods, jewelry, glassware, etc. If you wander back further you hit the meat market -- not a pleasant area, so don't take the kids. The pig heads might traumatize them, and the aroma was not as nice as the spa. The vendors are beyond pushy, so be prepared to fight them off. DD2 got the first of several hats, DD1 got a chess set, and DH and I got some shot glasses. Think that was it. Prices were better there than anywhere else on the trip - so worth going if you want some touristy souvenirs.