Excursion advice

[Postman1963]

My wife and I are going on the Star to the Mexican Riviera Jan 17 2009 and we are looking for advice on shore excursions. I want to see a tequila factory, sit on a beach, and do some snorkeling. She would like to most of the same but also some touring, eating local, and some shopping. Also where can I go to buy local tequila and find an inexpensive pharmacy.

The Ports are Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.

 

AJ

[VoyageVirgin]

Might I suggest you try the Ports of Call board from the main CC Board link

scroll down a bit and you will see the link to Ports of Call.

 

Tons of information there on the Mexico Cruises. Enjoy

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=203

[terrymtex01]

To us, the only MUST DO on the Mexican Riviera is the Las Caletas Hideway. That was a fantastic excursion. A bit expensive at $92.00 PP, but well worth it. It included a great lunch and the facilities are wonderful. Of all the excursions we have been on, Las Caletas is one of the top ones we recommend to every one.

[lasnev]

We were there a couple of weeks ago and it was more of a last minute deal so we didn't have time to plan everything in advance and also didn't want to put ourselves on a schedule that much. In Puerto Vallarta, right there as soon as you get off the ship there is a booth and they organize van tours of 6 to 8 people for $25.00 PP. It can last between 4 to 5 hours and it takes you downtown where they stop for about 40 min. for photo ops on the malecon, then it will drive close to the south end where the "Night of the Iguana" was filmed, stop at some shops along the way, take you to a tequila museum/store where they carry premium brands of tequila and offer samples and finally take you up through the rain forest where the streets are really narrow and big buses can't go. So we did that and it gives you a good feel about the place and after we were dropped off at the port we walked over the Kristal through the beach entrance behind the market place. We stayed on the beach for a while. Being so close to the port the water was pretty bad. So we asked the bar attendent in between the beach and pool if we could use their pool, which was pretty nice, if we ordered something. They said no problem, the resort is open to cruisers whether you buy a drink or not. We stayed a few hours and relaxed knowing the ship was right there and wouldn't be late.

[terrymtex01]

My DDP asked if I had mentioned this.. and I hadn't .. so posting again. One excursion we recommend you stay away from is NIkki Beach Bash. Of ever excursion we have ever been on it is literally the worst and the biggest waste of money. The staff at NIkki Beach (a hotel by the way) make you feel second class as you are not staying in their hotel. They were literally the ruddest people we have ever encounted on any cruise or vacation we have ever taken. Considering the time of year you are going we would recommend you take maybe on of the whale watching excursions. The bay will be full of whale both in Cabo and P.V. .

 

You didn't mention if you are new to cruising or new to NCL, etc.. but just want to make sure you know although there is a price difference between booking through NCL and private tour companies that are onshore, you run the risk of being left on shore if you go with the private tour companies. If anything goes wrong and you are late getting back, the ship will have sailed without you. If you book through NCL, they will wait until you are back before they leave port. For some people it is no big deal risking it. For us it is well worth the difference in cost to feel secure we are not going to be left behind. Our last cruise if we had not been on an NCL excursion at Prince Rupert, we would have been left behind as our excursion was 20 mins or so late getting back to the pier.

[IWORK2CRUISE]

We were there a couple of weeks ago and it was more of a last minute deal so we didn't have time to plan everything in advance and also didn't want to put ourselves on a schedule that much. In Puerto Vallarta, right there as soon as you get off the ship there is a booth and they organize van tours of 6 to 8 people for $25.00 PP. It can last between 4 to 5 hours and it takes you downtown where they stop for about 40 min. for photo ops on the malecon, then it will drive close to the south end where the "Night of the Iguana" was filmed, stop at some shops along the way, take you to a tequila museum/store where they carry premium brands of tequila and offer samples and finally take you up through the rain forest where the streets are really narrow and big buses can't go. So we did that and it gives you a good feel about the place and after we were dropped off at the port

We were in PV 1 1/2 weeks ago onthe Sun and did a similar tour. We had a wonderful and kind driver named Ramon. We had been told that it was an approximately 3.5 hour tour and the cost was $25 pp.

One other couple and a pair of women joined us on this tour. None of us knew each other beforehand.

Ramon could not have been nicer and kept us out for more than 5 hours.

At Eden Falls, Ramon hand made little gift boxes out of palm fronds for each of the ladies. He explained that this is often done at Christmas time and the boxes would contain small gifts.

We could not have asked for a better day.

 

We were completely appalled on our return when the two women each handed Ramon $20. Not only did they not give him the previously stated rate of $25 pp, they had NO TIP!.

 

Please people, remember your manners when visiting foreign ports and do not take advantage of perfectly nice people.