PV/Mazatlan/Cabo with kids, advice please

[dolphinwyo]

Hello

We are booked for Jan 18 on the Pride. Looking at firming up excursions now...have been researching and would like to run ideas by anyone with experience or input on these port activities. We are traveling with 2 children, ages 4 and 7 - so want to keep them happy too...

1) PV - we have been there 2x on land vacations, so have already seen the malecon, etc., thinking of the Sea Life Park for the day, not the dolphin encounter/swim, just the water park for the day, will wait until the kids are older for the dolphin swim.

2) Mazatlan - I am deciding between the show/shopping/beach day or Stone Island, leaning towards Stone Island. Really just looking for a good beach day - playing in the sand and water for kids. Can you get a good view of city on the way over to Stone Island? Hate to miss out since we have never been there.

3) Cabo - Lands End tour, and then Cabo Wabo for lunch - have to do this as we love Sammy! Have to say been there, done that!:)

This is a short day, so that is probably it there.

 

Anyone with input - I am reluctant to go on our own without booking tours since we have kids, want the ease of packaged trips...

How does Stone Island tour thru Carnival compare to one of the tour operators excursions? Does anyone know where Carnival tour has lunch, and is that area just for the tour?

Would appreciate any advice, I did search the best I could, kept getting errors...

Thanks!

[FP4BMO]

Hi there,

 

we have come back off of the Pride on Oct 26, travelled with 2 small children, age 3 and 6.

 

We did the Sea Life park in PV, we did not do it through the ship, we found a taxi at the entrance to the pier and negotiated a price for $25 to take us to the park. The 3 yr old did the routine with the Dolphin with her dad, total cost about $80, the mom paid the park entrance fee of $18. We three only did the park entrance fee and played on the slides all day $18usd each, i have posted a review on the site where the gnome roams. A great day, do it on your own, no need to pay extra cash to the ship to arrange transportation.

 

In Mztlan, we did Stone Island on our own, i think it was $60 per person the ship and we did it for our family of 3 for about $50, drinks, food, water taxi. A great day, easy to get to. Once you come off the ship in Mztln, a tram will take you through the terminal with all the ship containers. Walk out of the enclosed area and turn left on the street, you will walk the equivalent of 4 - 5 blocks and arrive at a dirt path, follow the path to a blue building, pay $2usd for adults and $1usd for kids, the water taxi takes you across the inlet to a point. Walk over the point and there is S/I, we walked about 150-200 yrds down the beach to Pili's, a great day and Rudy the owner was very hospitable. A taxi ride in one of the golf cart type taxis from the pier entrance to the water taxi hut was $5usd one way. We took this on our return back to the ship as the kids were tired. The beach is beautiful and waves are great to splash in or else build castles. Any excursion that would be included in the tour, IE ATV/horse ride etc, can be booked right there on the beach. Save the cash, you will never be able to drink enough to offset the savings in doing it yourself vs the ship tour.

 

We did not do anthing in Cabo, were there in April and basically stayed on the ship.

[Batch007]

we sail on the Pride Nov 30 with our 3 and 6 yo kids.

 

May do the Sea Life water park (sans dolphins) in PV - but will do it like FP4BMO - on our own.

 

Plan on doing Stone Island on our own as well (will probably take the golf cart both ways to avoid whining though -LOL!!) Will head to Victor's here as I understand the Shrimp is fab and if we want we can rent water toys from them.

 

Not sure yet about Cabo, but will promise to post a review on the family board of our activities and how we found them - probably mid to late Dec it will be posted.

 

Cheers :p

[mattsters]

My wife and I went to Mexico the week of the 18th.

 

I have a great suggestion for Cabo. My wife and I booked a sailing trip through cabosail.com based on a CC review. They have two beautiful sailboats they take out on snorkeling/sailing/whalewatching trips maximum of 15 people! The tours through the ship were huge. My wife and I were really lucky and were the only 2 booked on the day we were there. We had a private charter for the group price ($56 a person). They took us to a snorkeling point and provided us with nice gear to use. After swimming for awhile we got back in the boat and toured lands end, the seal colony and the arch. We then opened up the sails and sailed. They included open bar and a nice lunch. You and the kids will have a blast.

 

I definitely agree that Stone island is a great place to go in Mazatlan. It was a higlight of our trip. We dined at molokay's and really enjoyed it. The food was great, drinks were cheap and the restrooms were clean. They also have free boogie boards for the kids to use. They can also arrange Atv rides, horseback riding or bannana boat rides at the fraction of the ships price. My favorite part was that they had a makeshift fence and kept the vendors out of the area. The vendors tend to be agressive even to kids.

 

Have a great trip

[dolphinwyo]

I appreciate all the input, especially from others who have traveled with young kids. I always feel I should stick to the ship excursions for ease when traveling with the kids, but sounds like the things we are interested in are not too much hassle on our own. Would love to save money for other things!

[dolphinwyo]

Did you feel the water taxis are safe with children? That is one thing I was concerned about - the water taxis vs. the larger boats that the excursions take over to SI. Thanks...