Veendam, Quest, NCL Star, Heading to Mazatlan

Three Cruise Lines Recommence Mazatlan Visits

By Antonio peraza (Own work),
via Wikimedia Commons

It's been well over two years since the cruise ships stopped calling at the port of Mazatlan, Mexico.  The hiatus was precipitated by incidents in which bandits robbed cruise passengers tour groups at gunpoint.

The city, on Mexico's central western coast, just ESE of the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, went to work to clean itself up, and earn back the tourist dollars so vital to its economy.  There's been a crackdown on crime, and new safety measures, including the installation of numerous security cameras.

They've also built a new "tourism corridor" that runs from the port to historic Old Town Mazatlan, at a cost of three million dollars.

All this is beginning to convince a few cruise line executives, and three lines have already put Mazatlan on their itineraries:

• Holland America Line (HAL) will re-commence calling there in early November as part of their Hawaiian cruise round trip from San Diego, as well as a number of Mexican Riviera cruises and a couple of Panama Canal trips, all on the Veendam.
• NCL sends the  Norwegian Star there once again, beginning in December, for Mexican Riviera, Canal Transits, and even as part of a crossing.
• Azamara's Quest has a single visit scheduled for February, as part of a twelve night voyage that departs Los Angeles on January 29.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes Carnival, Princess, and Royal Caribbean to follow suit.

Meanwhile, those on the ships that will be visiting there can once again enjoy

Cliff Diver photo, Kfengler,
via Wikimedia Commons

touring the beautiful 1875 church in the center of town, and watching the cliff divers plunge into the sea from near the lighthouse that was once the highest in this hemisphere.  (Note:  The divers actually work for tips!)

The lighthouse, El Faro, has a beacon that can be seen for 30 nautical miles... watch for it as your ship approaches the harbor.  It's now only number five in height, as four others in the Caribbean sit on even higher ground, but it's still a point of interest, dating back to 1879.

There are also a number of area beaches, shopping, sport fishing, a tour of the Pacifico Beer Brewery, and opportunities for bird watching for those interested in other activities.

TS Arlene Heads for Mexico. Princess - not So Much.

Arlene Heading for Mexico

Well. 2011 Atlantic Basin hurricane activity has started. Tropical Storm Arlene, is on her way to somewhere near Tampico, Mexico.  The terrain around there is hilly to mountainous. Copious rainfall in such a region can mean life threatening flash flooding and even mudslides.  Arlene is first on the list of  2011 Hurricane Names... let's hope we don't get too far through that list this hear.

Hurricane Hunters have been flying into the storm, and  found maximum sustained winds of 50 mph this morning.  It's expected to make landfall early tomorrow. 

We are keeping the people of the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, San Luis Potosi, and Nuevo Leon, in our thoughts.  There are Hurricane Watches and Tropical Storm Warnings posted for these area.

 Princess - Not So Much 

Meanwhile, in case you haven't heard, Princess Cruises has cancelled previously scheduled stops at Puerto Vallarta for the remainder of the year.  This news came out a few days ago.  The US State Department has a travel warning posted for the Mexican state of Jalisco, which includes Puerto Vallarto.  The warning cites drug-related violence. 

Mazatlan has seen its cruise ship port calls curtailed recently, as well.

So, if there is a Mexican Rivera cruise in your future, it would seem itinerary options are narrowing considerably.

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