Mexican Riviera Cruise info

My wife and I are taking a cruise to the Mexican Riviera (Cabo, PV, and Mazatlan) from March 22-29, as this is our Spring Break.  Wife got a free cruise voucher from the Tuscany and we can use Holland America, Carnival, and Princess.  (We know that it isn't free as we have to pay port fees, taxes and gratuity fees). 

My reason for starting this thread is to get your (posters) take on which cruiselines you find the best for this cruise, if you have done it, or if you have experience with any combination of the three, what was your experience with them.  I know that Bob Dancer has been on plenty of cruises, so would love to hear from him, if possible. 

Just trying to get a feel on which cruiseline might be the best fit for us.  We are both in our 50's, pretty active, drink moderately, and enjoy watching shows.  Excursions are not a big deal to us, as we will just walk into the towns, staying close to the ship. 

If you don't have any pertinent information toward the topic to authentically share,  please don't comment.  We have  about three weeks to book our cruise, so Iook forward to your thoughts.  Thanks in advance.

I'm combining my own experience (moderate) with that of two relatives (extensive) to give you our views.

Carnival: youngest crowd

Princess: old-ish

Holland America: mostly deceased

Princess: best shows

Holland America: pretty good shows

Carnival: cheesy, but sometimes amusing

Holland America: best food

Princess: pretty good food

Carnival: food

(the above refers only to the food you get for free, not the upcharge restaurants)

Holland America: best ambiance, sedate

Princess: good ambiance

Carnival: a little nutso, especially during at-sea days (MUCH drinking)

Princess: nicest rooms

Holland America: also pretty nice

Carnival: OK rooms

Holland America: best customer service overall (onboard, booking, etc.)

Princess: very nice onboard, booking/boarding processes a little goofy

Carnival: just OK

Holland America: you're mostly left to your own devices as to what you might buy onboard

Princess: lots of upselling, add-ons, "extra spend"

Carnival: you're solicited to buy something onboard roughly every nine seconds

Forced gratuities are pretty much the norm on all three lines. You can, supposedly, opt out, by law, or by something. 

Insofar as the trip itself is concerned: not much difference at all among the three lines. They go to the same places (they dock literally next to one another) using the same routes, and port fees are the same regardless of the line. I'm sure you know that you should NEVER buy shore excursions onboard or in advance; the same experiences will be offered once you disembark, you will be besieged, in fact, and you'll pay half or less what you would have paid onboard. Don't worry about something you particularly want to do selling out. It won't.

Overall, I would rank Holland and Princess pretty close together, and Carnival well below the other two. But all this is our opinions, not gospel. The others I talked to live in SoCal, and they take a Mexican cruise at least once every couple of years, sometimes more often. I've been on five total, but only four on the lines you mentioned.

Thanks,  Kevin.  We did the Carnival Bahamas booze crooze about 7 years ago.  Wasn't that impressed.  More inclined to check out one  of the other two,  but always welcome more info. 

Kevin's listing looks really helpful.

Carnival generally has the lowest price point (a moot point for you), is often the "first ever" cruise taken due to low price point, and has more kids aboard secondary to lowest price/family's first cruise and taking the kids. 

Lowest price point likely influences everything else in general. I'd do anything other than Carnival.  Not that Carnival is bad, just my "age point" wants fewer children running around.

Check Bob Dancer's recent Blogs, as I think he has commented on one or more cruises he has taken.

I'll email a friend, who in recent years has taken the casino cruise offers quite a lot.  Likes it better than staying in the hotels in Vegas.

I think you'll love it whichever cruise line you choose.  Do you have far to travel to departure port?

Candy

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Hi Candy, and thanks for the comments.  We have about an hour drive to Long Beach, and our son will take us and drop us off and pick us up again when we return, so that's why we are doing the Mex. Riv. Cruise.  This way we don't incur a flight cost to go round trip from somewhere like Seattle or Florida.  

I will check out Bob's blog posts as well.  My wife and I were looking at Carnival as #3, as like you, we were looking for a cruise with less kids.  So more likely down to Princess or Holland America, for the kid factor and what Kevin posted.  

Thanks again and appreciate the comments.

Hi Edso.  My friend emailed me back right away.  They have become stricktly Princess.  Said they "get so many comps on Princess."  She said Carnival is "families", Holland is "old geezers".  LOL.  Actually either could be fun, (I myself am in the geezer category, and I can be pretty fun...up to about 8 pm) but I'd follow her recommendation, since she and hubby have done so many.

Good luck getting a good cruise.  Fortunate that you live close to a port. 

Tip of the wine glasses for a happy 2025!

Candy

Thank for the info from your friend. That is in line wiith what Kevin posted and I got from a buddy whose wife and him cruise quite a bit.....3 to 4 a year.  He also said Princess was the way to go.    Looking back at Bob Dancer's blogs, it looks like they pretty much only go with Norwegian.    So at this point, it looks like Princess is the clear winner.  Thanks again for your input.  Much appreciated and Happy New Year!!

This is the time to go. There's one looming price point factor here, and that's port fees/taxes. Mexican port fees are relatively low in the grand scheme of things (just take a look at what Alaskan ports charge!), but there's a kicker. Historically, one of the casualties of trade wars has been tourism between the warring countries. In the recent past, popular cruise destinations such as Greece, nations in the Caribbean, and Singapore have imposed elevated port fees on ships (not only cruise ships) originating from nations with whom they have trade disputes.

If the Trump  "beautiful tariffs" plan is executed, higher, possibly drastically higher port fees are a distinct possibility. Such fees would be both retaliatory and a compensation for the crushing blow the Trumpiffs would deal to the Mexican economy.

There's yet another factor, which matters to me but maybe not anyone else. If the leader of my country continually bashes and rags on another country, accusing them of "invading" and sending criminals to my country, I'm going to feel VERY uncomfortable about visiting that country. I don't relish the idea of the natives smiling and greeting me while thinking, "Chinga tu Americano."

So since all that crap would take a little while to develop (hopefully), this spring would be a good time to visit.

Yeah, we are going at the end of March.....and it looks like it will be Princess.  A few other people I know personally and on line, have all said Princess over HA, with Carnival a very distant third.  We did one of the Bahamas Booze Croozes, so been there, done that.  Want something with less craziness, but still plenty to do.  Thanks for the intel, Kevin. 

You're quite welcome. I've never understood why anyone would pay to go on a booze cruise; you can stay home and get smashed for much cheaper.