Best Ship for Mexican Riviera

[drush]

We are plannng a cruise for early October and since it will still be hurricane season in the Caribbean we are thinking about a cruise to Mexico. We are considering the Princess Diamond, HAL Oosterdam (which we have sailed on before) and the NCL Sun (this ships does a 8 day cruise and goes to Acapulco).

 

Which ship would you recommend?

 

Thanks,

drush

[MSN-Travelers]

I guess everybody plans a cruise based on different criteria. I don't start with the ship. I look at the ports and see what interests me the most. Then I look at the various itineraries that would take me to those ports and I find the ship/itinerary that will give me the biggest bang for my travel buck.

 

On a personal note, I'm not a big fan of traditional dining. I like the personal choice/freestyle concept. I'm also a big fan of Princess due to the overall quality of their product. I would rank the ships you listed in this order: Diamond, Sun and Oosterdam a distant third.

 

Enjoy!

[beckyrxtech]

Hi I have been on the diamond princess to the mexican riveria, out of las angelos, its a nice cruise but if you like longer port days try something else, cabo san lucas is less then 6hours not enough time to do much of anything .

We are planning on going on the Carnival Spirit next year in october out of San Diego, on an 8 day exotic to the mexican riveria with ports like accupolco and IXtapa and some others I dont know how to spell, and I have read alot of great reviews of the Carnival Spirit since we have never been on Carnival before, we have been on princess twice, RCI twice and NCL once, we have done both the anytime dining on princess and the traditional seating on princess, so we prefer the traditional seating, so we can get to know the same people and talk about our day and things of that nature, its 10/21/07 or 10/29/07 and its very reasonably priced so far, it can go down, let me know what you think, thanks , Becky

[Family Man]

We sailed Sapphire Princess (sister to Diamond) last November, and are sailing the Carnival Spirit this November to the Southern Mex. Riv., and RCI Vision of the Seas November 2007. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them, but so far, Sapphire Princess has definitely set the standard for us. Beautiful ship, excellent service, good food, great fun! If you are by chance concerned about price, the Vision is very hard to beat. Are you sure you didn't mean the NCL Star doing the 8 day down to Acapulco?

[becca23]

Past shipmates with many many past cruise under their belt like the Mercury and the Celebrity experience.

[pickpart2]

We are plannng a cruise for early October and since it will still be hurricane season in the Caribbean we are thinking about a cruise to Mexico. We are considering the Princess Diamond, HAL Oosterdam (which we have sailed on before) and the NCL Sun (this ships does a 8 day cruise and goes to Acapulco).

 

Which ship would you recommend?

 

Thanks,

drush

 

I am planning a Birthday at sea celebration for my Grandmother turning 100 years old. We are going Oct. 15 7 day on Carnival Pride. My first choice was Princess Diamond, but when I found out it was booked for the gay and lesbian I decided to go with pride. PLUS TA gave me a $600.00 pp inside room price COMPLETE AND free photo and sports bag.

NOW don't start the hate mail or bashing. While I PERSONALLY would not care, grandma was born in a different time! Even filling out the 'fun pass' the drop down box for date of birth does not go back 100 years. I don't think she would understand. She does not even know what email or internet is. My only point is you may want to look at any large groups booked on the ship at the time your loooking to go.

[STUR]

We are booked on the Celebrity Mercury out of San Diego January 29th 11 Night to Mexican Riviera

 

Stur Dayton,Ohio

[becca23]

..

We are booked on the Celebrity Mercury out of San Diego January 29th 11 Night to Mexican Riviera

 

Stur Dayton,Ohio

 

Nice choice!!! You will ejoy everything about the Mercury. The 11 night cruise stops at some fun ports.

[Maggie Mae]

We were on RCI's Vision last year and enjoyed it so much we signed up to do it again next year. The ship is a manageable size, well kept, the food was good, ports and times in each were enough, the staff was the best I have ever met and they had a great respect for their captain. The captain was everywhere! I have never seen a captain so visable before. It was a great trip and would highly recommend it, by the way, we have never signed up for the same cruise before.

[BobbyG]

We sailed on the Diamond Princess to the Mexican Riviera when it was brand new (March 2004) and took it to Alaska in July 2005. We will be on her again in March 2007 to the Mexican Riviera. We too like the Personal Choice Dining.

 

In all of the sailing, we have been in either Mini-Suite E728 or E731 on the Emerald Deck. There are only two of this category ("AE") on the ship. Check out a deck plan; they are on the Emerald Deck which is cut slightly under the Dolphin Deck and they are on the aft side - not rear - with double the normal mini-suite balcony and completely private.

 

We had a bad experience on the Zuiderdam - sister ship to the Oosterdam - so I wouldn't personally choose it.

 

BobbyG:cool:

 

Next Sailing: Diamond Princess (3rd time) - March 24, 2007 - Mexican Riv.

[mich2]

We did the NCL Star to Mexican Riviera....best cruise we ever took

 

We did the Oosterdam to Mexican Riviera....best cruise we ever took

 

We're taking the Carnival Spirit to Mexican Riviera....what do you think?

 

Cruising is the funnest thing in the world, no matter where, when or how! We are lucky to even be talking about it.

[amynkeith]

We cruised the Norwegian Star the first time we went to the Mexican Riviera and thought it was the best trip EVER.

 

Then we sailed Vision of the Seas...it was amazing. We had such a fantastic trip with them and even booked it again for this October. I know it's not on your list, but you may want to consider it! :)

[melika091900]

NCL star to mexico is great for the price, food,entertainment and the ports... FREESTYLE DINING @@@@ a++++ for that we are hooked now

if you could do longer you can try celebrity mercury for 10=11 days

but NCL by far was our best cruise weve taken

acapulco, ixtapa,Puerto vallarta and cabo

 

good luck deciding

melissa

[MTemple212]

We are going on Mercury out of San Diego for a 14 night Panama canal cruise which includes mostly the Mexico ports of call. I must say that after just coming back from a Baltics cruise on Princess that Celebrity has them beat hands down!! Especially in the area of Organization!! The food was just so-so and the entertainment was ok, about the same as Celebrity. Also I believe the Celebrity ships are just about the right size, not too big and not too small. Most of the Princess ships are too BIG! And too many people! I was told on the Princess ship by past Princess cruisers that the Princess product as taken a step for the worse since Carnival Corp acquired them a few years back.

[Lurkyloo]

We took the Pride to the Mexican Riviera - had the time of our lives! Loved the Pride so much, we decided to take her sister ship, the Spirit, to the exotic Mexican Riviera next March!

 

8 days on the sea! YAY!!!! We can't wait!

[goat rancher]

We took the Pride in September 2005......Had a fantastic time and enjoyed everything about it......so we have ALSO decided to try her sister ship, the Spirit, in January 2007...We can't wait. The wraparound aft cabins are the way to go, if you can snag one........:p

[Family Man]

As mentioned above, we have been on the Sapphire Princess (Diamond Princess is sister ship) and our time share in Puerto Vallarta, and have the Carnival Spirit and RCI Vision booked. We LOVE Mexico and don't think you can go wrong with Mexico. I would only be concerned about NCL Star based on what I have heard. The reviews on her have NOT been favorable compared to the others.

[hommebronze]

Photoshow of Mercury Cruise Ship

 

http://www.photoshow.net/watch/yP8Cx2Kq

 

 

 

Photoshow of Princess Cruise Ship

 

http://www.photoshow.net/watch/iA8yJ2dZ

 

Hope the pics help you decide...if you have time do mercury, otherwise princess is very memorable thought skimpy on cabo port time but if you love mexico then do 11 day cruise...

 

 

We are plannng a cruise for early October and since it will still be hurricane season in the Caribbean we are thinking about a cruise to Mexico. We are considering the Princess Diamond, HAL Oosterdam (which we have sailed on before) and the NCL Sun (this ships does a 8 day cruise and goes to Acapulco).

 

Which ship would you recommend?

 

Thanks,

drush

[emilygrace]

Glad to see that some people mentioned RCL Vision of the Seas. We just booked this ship for Oct. 2007. We were booked on a Canada/NE cruise on the RCL Jewel (10/07) and it was cancelled and we wanted to keep our OBC so we moved our booking to the Vision. It looks like we have a good amount of time in each port. I've toured the Vision so I know it is a very nice ship, but it's good to read positive comments about the crew and captain.

[Merry_Sea_Witch]

We are plannng a cruise for early October and since it will still be hurricane season in the Caribbean we are thinking about a cruise to Mexico. We are considering the Princess Diamond, HAL Oosterdam (which we have sailed on before) and the NCL Sun (this ships does a 8 day cruise and goes to Acapulco).

 

Which ship would you recommend?

 

Thanks,

drush

 

Princess if you like big new ships and NCL Star if you like freestyle cruising and dinning and want the extra day to go to Acapulco:) I like the ships that give you a choice for dining:D

[Cruise_More_Often]

Princess if you like big new ships and NCL Star if you like freestyle cruising and dinning and want the extra day to go to Acapulco:) I like the ships that give you a choice for dining:D

And the NCL Star gives you 10 choices for dining. Formal night is optional, and you can wear resort casual for every meal!! We absolutely loved the ship when we were on her last summer, and we've booked her for our Mexican Riviera cruise in February.

[MTemple212]

You will like the vision of the seas. Was on that ship on a circle the caribbean 10 day cruise and it was very nice. They have a beautiful atrium. I don't think you could pay me to go on NCL again unless they have changed quite a bit in the last four years. They just seemed a notch below RCCL and a couple of notches below Celebrity. We have been on 5 different cruiselines in the past 7 years or so and Celebrity is by far our favorite, especially their Millenium class ships! We also went on Mercury once and it was also a very nice ship and not too BIG! I guess my wife and I are the exception now when it comes to dining. We like having the same waiter every evening so that way he knows what you like and dislike.

[emilygrace]

We are fans of traditional dining too. There's something about coming together each evening with the same people and talking about your day and what you did. And having your assistant waiter bring your iced tea without you having to ask for it.

 

Been on RCL, Celebrity, Cunard and Princess and so far RCL is our favorite, with Celebrity a close second, if not a tie. I'm trying NCL in January just because it's our annual chick cruise and we're going on the brand new Pearl.

[MTemple212]

We too also enjoy RCL and would definately do them again someday. It's funny how you mentioned the ice tea thing as that is exactly what I like them to do when we dine in the dining room. Sometimes it would already be on the table when we sat down for dinner or like within a minute of sitting down.

[Cruise_More_Often]

Our assistant waiter on our last RCI cruise (Monarch of the Seas) couldn't remember that I didn't like cream in my coffee. Somehow it got in there without my knowledge on the first night, and I asked him if I could get another cup, black. From then on, every night, I had to put my hand over my cup right as he started to pour in the cream. :eek:

 

Also, we have been seated with THE STRANGEST people I have ever encountered. The first time was at a table for 4, and the other couple didn't talk. They'd answer questions with monosyllables -- yes or no -- that was it. The next time we asked for a large table. Big mistake. Four of them were too looped to eat, and the wife of the other couple never stopped talking. I have no idea how she ate.

 

Isn't it nice that we now have choices in cruising?