Puerto Vallarta

Our Lady of Guadalope

     Puerto Vallarta was just a sleepy fishing village before John Huston decided to film "The Night of the Iguanas".  He a very famous star named Richard Burton who brought his mistress, Elizabeth Taylor, to accompany him during filming. The rest they say is history.

    Puerto Vallarta is located on the Bahia de Banderas (one of the largest bays in the world). It contains old world charm with modern conveniences. Cruise ships pull into the terminal that is approximately  3 miles from the famous downtown Malecon. A $3 taxi ride will have you there in about 10 minutes.

Puerto Vallarta Malecon

     Along the Malecon there are plenty of shops and restuarants. As you stroll along the Malecon you will view the spectacular Bahia de Banderas. Along the shoreline there are sand sculptures. As you conitnue south you will come to the central plaza and gazebo. Here you will find artisans selling their paintings and crafts. This is also where the iconic church comes into view.

Sand Scultures

     As you stroll south along the water you will come to a bridge that overlooks the Rio Cuale. This is my favorite part of downtown Puerto Vallarta. Take the steps down and walk along the shaded river. Here there are fine restuarants and local vendors. The prices for souvenirs are lower here. If you look carefully into the trees you will notice that you are surrounded by iguanas. Once you are able to spot one you will be amazed.

Rio Cuale

          There are some amazing excursion that are available. Puerto Vallarta has some of the finest oceanside golf courses. Outside the city you will find tequila factories giving tours and samples. If you venture further into the jungle hills you can go ziplining. I must say this was probably the coolest shore excursion I have ever done. My wife and I thouroughly enjoyed the experience. From the ride out of town to sailing through the canopy 70ft in the air the experience was breathtaking.

Ziplining

         Here is a little trivia about the Mexican Riviera. The ports of Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta were the destinations cruised to by Captain Stubing and "The Love Boat" crew. That television series introduced cruising to the masses and made the Mexican Riviera a must see tourist destination. I am looking forward to my next cruise to Mexico. The people are warm and welcoming and the scenery is stunning. Well until my next post Bon Voyage.

Cabo San Lucas

Los Arcos

     The iconic Los Arcos greets cruisers when they arrive at Cabo San Lucas. If it is the last port of call then it is directly across from the bow of the ship with the beautiful morning light playing on the rock face. If it is the first stop then climb on deck and view the Baja coast as the ship cruises around Land's End before droping anchor. Either way it is an extrordinary site.

     The first time I visited Cabo was in 1997. Then it was still a sleepy resort community. The timeshare boom had not begun and the first shopping consisted of a dusty flea market before you arrived at downtown. Now it has a modern cruise port where ship's tenders drop off passengers and then the shopping begins.

     A stroll through the shopping and restuarants along the harbor will bring you to the downtown area and from there you can keep walking to Medano Beach or just hang out aroung the harbor. There will be plenty of vendors trying to vie for yor business. The most prominent are the water taxis that will take you to Medano Beach or out to Lovers Beach. The round trip is about $7 per person.

Lovers Beach

      Lovers Beach is definetyl worth the the taxi fare. There are no facilities at the beach so bring your own water (or other beverage of choice) and a towel and be prepared to enjoy a few hours in the sun at this natural wonder.  Lovers Beach is located on the Sea of Cortez side of the Baja Penisula. Through the gap in the rocks you can walk over to Divorce Beach which faces the Pacific Ocean. Why the different names you might ask? At Lovers Beach it is possible to swim and snorkle in the relative calm of the Sea of Cortez waters. Divorce Beach is another matter. Here the water of the Pacific crash against a beach that has a steep drop off. The rip tides that are created are extremely dangerous and swimming is out of the question. Hence if you are looking to "dump" a significan other just push them into the Pacific.

     The weather in Cabo is wonderful in January with high temperature usually in the low to mid 80's and the lows in the mid to high 60's. In the morning the Sea of Cortez is typically smooth as glass and the sport fishing boats are headed out to open ocean. In Cabo fishing for marlin is a way of life. Also, from November to April the humpback whales are present in these warm waters feeding and calving. From the cruise ship you can watch for whale spouts.

Frigate Bird

      Overhead you will find Frigate Birds circling. There are the everpresent sea gulls and some of the most beautiful Pelicans. Seals line the rocks heading out to Los Arcos and they have been known to follow the water taxis. You will also spot dolphins.

downtown Cabo

      So what do you do with your time. Cabo has plenty of duty free shops were you can buy anything from t-shirts to fine jewelry. Here you can find some wonderful Mexican Vanilla but I would suggest waiting to purchase tequila until you visit Puerto Vallarta.



shopping plaza



      If you get thirsty there are plenty of places to purchase reasonably priced libations. You can usually find a Pacifico for $1.50 a bottle. Typically meals are also vary affordable. The people in Cabo are friendly and willing to help point you in the right direction. I am looking forward to spending 2 days in this port. My wife and high have a snorkle excursion planned to Chileno Bay and Santa Maria Bay. Next up Pueto Vallarta.            

Cabo Restuarant

Final Video



     So here is the final video from my 2006 cruise to the Western Caribbean.  The final 2 ports that are on this video are Belize and Costa Maya. I must say it is hard to believe that it was 6 years ago that I was on the Carnival Miracle. The Miracle is a Spirit Class ship whose sisters include the Carnival Spirit, Carnival Pride and Carnival Legend.

    I am very excited because the Miracle is repositioning to the West Coast to replace the Splendor on the Mexican Riviera itinerary. I look forward to being aboard her again. Well enjoy. 



Ports of Call

Costa Maya Mexico

          Where would you like to visit? How long would you like to cruise? These are a couple of  questions that cruisers have to ask themselves. From the warmth of the Caribbean to the spectacular scenery of Alaska; the ancient ruins of Greece to the canals of Venice. Of course there are always those who don't care where the cruise because the ship is the destination. Three days, seven days, ten days, fourteen days or how about a 103 day cruise around the world.  There is a cruise length and itinerary for everyone.

Belize

     In January I am headed to one of my favorite destinations the Mexican Riviera. Though it has been much maligned in the news it is still a very safe and beautiful destination. Since I live on the west coast in beautiful Oceanside California it is easy to drive to Long Beach, San Pedro or San Diego to embark on a 7 day cruise. Just load up the luggage and head for the cruise terminal without the extra stress associated with flying.  

San Diego

   

     I like to research the port stops and decide what I would like to do while there. With limited time it pays to have a game plan. Since I have been to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta several times I usually play it be ear and just kind of hang out. However this year my wife and I have booked a snorkle shore excursion in Cabo. We are going to Santa Maria and Chilean bay. My wife is an avid diver and I enjoy snorkling so we are looking forward to visiting this marine sanctuary in the Sea of Cortez.

     In latter posts I will go in to greater detail about my up coming ports of call. In the meantime enjoy my next installment of our cruise to the Western Caribbean.





    

Cruise Ship Evening Activities and Excursions



     So after a day of laying in the sun, eating at the buffet, laughing at the hairy chest contest, playing trivia, contributing to the Casino fund or line dancing, the time has come for the night time excitement.  Most cruise lines continue the tradition of elegant night. On a seven day cruise there are usually 2.

     I know a lot of people complain about having to get dressed up on vacation, however, I am not one of them. I love putting on my tux (yes I own one) while my wife puts on a great evening or cocktail dress and strolling the ship before dinner.

     The ship's staff has several photo stations set up and they take the best formal pictures. It is a joy to watch couples, friends and families smiling as the pose. The next day you can go to the photo area and look at your pictures and decide whether to purchase them. I know several people who wait till they are on a cruise to do formal pictures.

     Of course on elegant night the ship's chefs prepare a wonderful feast. Our favorite it Lobster night. The courses are prepared to perfection and are presented with an artistic flare. Add a nice bottle of wine and it makes for a grand evening.

      After dinner it is time to head to the show and then some dancing to burn off the calories. I am often asked why I enjoy dressing up for the formal nights. In our busy lives I believe we don't take enought time to enjoy the finer things. This is an opportunity outside of a wedding or a funereal to get dressed to the nines and have fun.

     People cruise for a variety of reasons. Exploring new places and sampling other cultures is one of my favorites. I have cruised the Mexican Riviera and visited Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco, Iztapa and Manzanillo. In the Caribbean I enjoyed Cozumel, Grand Caymans, Costa Maya, Belize, Grand Turk, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Princess Cays. I experienced the majestic beauty of the Alaskan Inside Passage with stops in Ketchikan, Juneau, the Glacier in Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway and Victoria Island B.C.

  I have taken shore excurison and explored on my own. I must say that Lyndelle and I decide to try ziplining in Puerto Vallarta. It was one of the best experiences we ever had in a Port of Call. The guides were incredible and the views were spectacular. At the end of all of the zipling we had to repel from a 70 ft platform. I don't know if I would ever be physically fit enough to do it again but I sure would give it another try.

     I hope you have time to check out the video below. It  begins at the end of the hairy chest competition followed by the first formal night and captain's cocktail party. It ends with the first half of a shore excursion on Grand Cayman. Enjoy.

Cruising on Carnival

   So what is a Carnial Cruise like. Well it depends on who you ask. So let me share with you my experience of Cruising with Carnival. My very first cruise was on the Carnival Jubilee in 1997. By today's standards she was a very small ship. Since then I have cruised on the Carnival Miracle and the Carnival Spirit and in January I will be aboard the Carnival Splendor.
  The days and nights are filled with a plethera of activities from the staid to the zany and everthing in between. You can participate in a trivia game, go and watch the men's hairy chest competion or take a ballroom or line dancing class. Do as much or as little as you like.Rest and lounge by the pool or try you luck at the casino. After you have built up an appetite head for the buffet for lunch and make sure to go to the dining room for dinner and enjoy a 5 course meal finished with chocolate melting cake.
  I thoroughly enjoy Carnival. The staterooms are some of the largest at sea and range from inside cabins of appoximately 165 sqft. to ocean view cabins that  are 200 sqft. The balconies add another 40 sqft of balcony and the suites are spacious.
  Lyndelle and I really enjoy lounging by the pool especially the aft pool with a view of the wake. There are usually less kids and it is a tamer spot. We always try and find the ping pong tables so we can continue are marital rivalry. The hot tubs are great and with the breathtaking views it is an experience to be savored. After all that I have to climb to the top of the waterslide and enjoy the 300 ft trip down.
 The buffet aboard a Carnival ship has great traffic flow and several specialty food stations. There is a New York Style deli that serves the best hot pastrami sandwiches. Also, the self serve drink stations are wonderful serving coffee, iced or hot tea, and a variety of juices. Plus there is the free soft serve ice cream.
 So after all that calorie intake I need to mention the large gym. The Splendor has a 2 deck 40,000 sqft spa. The work out equipment is top notch from treadmills to stairmasters to elipticals to stationary bikes. There are yoga and spinning classes.
  Once the sun goes down it is time to head to the dining room and be served great delicacies. We love the night that escargo is served. After dinner it is time to head to the theater for a great show followed by karoake or dancing.
 So check out the video below. It is from our 2006 cruise aboard the Carnival Miracle where we visited Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya. The first part is an overview of the ship and the various public spaces. The Miracle is smaller than the Splendor. This will give you an idea of what a Carnival Ship looks like with the 14 deck atrium that is standard aboard all Carnival ships. The second half is the sailaway out of Tampa, Ice Carving, a Fun Day at Sea.and the always popular Hairy Chest Competion. In coming posts I will share other events from that cruise as well as re-introduce everyone to the much maligned but beautiful Mexican Riviera.

Lyndelle Stonicks 2013 Art Cruise Workshop

     In six months we sail again along the Mexican Riviera for seven days aboard the Carnival Splendor. It is the Splendor's farewell cruise from Long Beach prior to repositioning in the Caribbean for 2013. We are headed back to the Mexican Riviera by popular demand. No flights if you live in Southern California and all you have to do is unpack once to enjoy our ports of call in Cabo San Lucas for 2 nights and the lovely Puerto Vallerta located on the Bay of Banderas.
   The pricing for this cruise is only $589 per person double occupancy for an unobstructed ocean view stateroom. Balconies are $889 per person double occupancy. For artists who would like to participate in the workshop "Capturing Elusive Light" the cost is and additional $200 per artitst. For more info on the workshop visit www.lyndelle.com.

I will be posting more shortly. Here is a taste of the fun times that Carnival offers onboard. If you would like more information please contact me.