A Dozen Ships to Sail Along Coast of Mexico

The west coast of Mexico is looking hot again this winter as more than a dozen ships head south, some of them offering lower prices than usual.

The biggest bargain appears to be the Cunard Princess, which arrives Sept. 17 to begin a series of seven-day round-trip Mexican Riviera sailings out of Los Angeles to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. Lowest-priced cabins are $470 per person, double occupancy. That’s about $67 a day, plus a $40 port tax.

This price is good only on the sailings departing Sept. 17 and 24 and Nov. 5 and 12, and only for 16 cabins.

All have a lower bed and upper berth or twin beds, plus a private bath with shower. They are forward in the bow and a little narrower than the standard cabins and, if the sea gets rough, a bit bouncier up there. But for those flexible and not fussy, the cabins are an excellent buy.

The lowest-priced outside double for the same sailings costs about $115 a day per person, double occupancy.

Casual Style

The Cunard Princess wears a casual style, not as dressy or elegant as sister ships QE2, Sagafjord or Sea Goddess, but fitness-oriented passengers will appreciate its special jogging track, gym, whirlpool spa, sauna and massage facilities.

For a little glamour, sail with Hollywood celebrity guests aboard Royal Cruise’s new Crown Odyssey, which makes its California debut Oct. 31.

The series of four nine-day sailings to Acapulco, round trip out of Los Angeles departing Oct. 31, Nov. 10, 19 and 28, will be hosted by celebrity guests June Allyson, Esther Williams, Dorothy Lamour, Jeff, Beau and Lloyd Bridges, Michele Phillips and Dick Van Patten.

Prices begin at $1,598 per person, double occupancy, for an inside deluxe stateroom with two lower beds.

Want to see a whale? Expeditioners can discover a whole new world in the pristine landscapes of Baja California’s protected areas, with giant sand dunes, sea lion rookeries, elephant seals and mangrove-lined canals with wading birds. There are plenty of chances to see California gray whales.

Special Expeditions and its friendly little 80-passenger expedition ship Polaris promises Baja whale-watching, plus explorations of the uninhabited islands of Baja and the Sea of Cortez, sailing from Jan. 7 through early March. Departures are from San Diego/Ensenada, Manzanillo and La Paz. Costs are from $2,700 to $6,300 for the 11-, 12- and 15-day cruises, including one-way air fare from Los Angeles, Manzanillo or La Paz.

Riding a Cat

Exploration introduces a Bay of Whales lagoon cruise aboard the trim 49-passenger Executive Explorer, a catamaran based in the sheltered waters of Bahia Magdalena, to which whales migrate to give birth. Three- and four-night cruises are scheduled in January, February and March for $549 to $1,049 per person, double occupancy, plus round-trip air to La Paz, Mexico.

Adore sailing ships? The former Marjorie Merriweather Post sailing yacht Sea Cloud, offered for individual bookings by Miami-based Sea Cloud Cruises, is scheduled to cruise the Mexican Riviera and Baja between mid-January and early March on 10-day itineraries.

Crazy about pizza? Sitmar’s Fairwind offers its own pizzeria. Although usually in the Caribbean, the Fairwind will move into Los Angeles Jan. 21 for 11 seven-day, round-trip Mexican Riviera cruises beginning at $815 per person, double occupancy, if you book at least 90 days ahead of sailing and don’t need air fare.

Looking for a mini-vacation? Both Admiral’s Azure Seas and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Southward make easy, low-cost three- and four-day cruises round trip from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Catalina Island and, on the midweek sailing, San Diego.

Both ships sail Friday evenings and return early Monday morning, and set out again Monday afternoon, returning early Friday morning. Prices this fall during value season are $305 to $765 per person, double occupancy, without air fare, on the Azure Seas, and $345 to $715 on the Southward, depending on cabin category and length of cruise.

Fiesta Time

Ready for a fiesta? Celebrate aboard Princess’ Sun Princess with an overnight on the ship in Acapulco and folkloric shows in both Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. Fiesta fares for the seven-night cruises between Los Angeles and Acapulco begin at $1,060 per person, double occupancy, from Sept. 24 through Dec. 10, and again Jan. 7-28.

Like to sail from San Diego? The Bermuda Star is scheduled to return to its San Diego winter base Nov. 5 for seven-day round-trip Mexican Riviera sailings through April 8. The first six departures Nov. 5 through Dec. 10 are priced from $545 per person, double occupancy, without air, for the 40 small inside or outside cabins in the least expensive category, all with upper and lower berths.

Want to take a car or RV to Mexico? Admiral’s Stardancer, which can carry motor vehicles as well as passengers, returns to Los Angeles Sept. 24 to begin seven-day sailings along the Mexican Riviera at special prices from $790 to $1,320 per person, double occupancy, without air. These prices are through Dec. 17, then again Jan. 7-28.

Carnival’s Tropicale is in its sixth year of seven-day, year-round cruises from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera. Best prices are available September through mid-December, when you can travel for $795 per person, double occupancy, in an inside cabin with upper and lower berths.

Want more Mexico? Exploration’s 156-passenger expedition vessel North Star cruises between Acapulco and La Paz, with emphasis on the daily ports of call: Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa, Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, San Blas and the Tovara River, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

Fares from $1,199 to $2,599, depending on the season and cabin category; air from Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Phoenix or Tucson is included.