Mexican Riviera Cruise Ports
It is thought that the name Mexican Riviera was actually invented by the Princess Cruise Line who wanted to highlight the quality of the ports in the region and the incredible natural beauty of western Mexico, so they linked it to the French and Italian Riviera that were also hugely popular with cruisers and holidaymakers from across the globe.
The Riviera covers a few states along the west coast and offers a good variety of attractions awaiting visitors who can visit on sailings between the USA and Hawaii, Panama Canal cruises and Mexican Riviera specific cruisers across a wide variety of cruise lines.
If you would like to visit Mexico and want to figure out of the Mexican Riviera is where you should visit, this is the guide for you as we take you through all of the destinations you can visit in the region as well as everything ese you need to know about Mexican Riviera cruises.
Cruises to the Mexican Riviera
Cruise Holidays in the Mexican Riviera
A cruise holiday has quickly become one of the most popular ways to visit the Mexican Riviera, which isn’t surprising, as there are so many great ports to visit and some many memorable experiences to enjoy there.
The majority of cruise lines to operate in North America, the world’s busiest cruise region, offers itineraries visiting the region so the chances are that your favourite line will go there and there will be a ship that you like to sail on going there during the year around cruise season.
Mexican Riviera Cruise Guide
In this guide, we bring you the cruise ports that are available to visit in the region as well as all of the other information you need. We also bring you more in-depth guides to the most popular cruise ports, all you need to do is follow the links found below.
Mexican Riviera Cruise Destinations
If you want to visit the Mexican Riviera, the great news is that not only can you do it all year around but you can do it from a number of great cruise ports with the likes of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Panama City and Lima in Peru all offering a wide range of cruises sailing up the west coast of North America and visiting a selection of ports in the Mexican Riviera.
Amongst the destinations that cruisers can visit are these incredible cruise ports.
Ensenada is located close to the US border and just around 80 miles south of San Diego which makes it a hugely popular destination for ships sailing the west coast of the US, between the USA and Hawaii and of course ships heading on Mexican Riviera adventures.
As well as been a great place to head from your ship to the beach, or just for a walk around the resort, it also offers excursions to the popular wineries found in Valle de Guadalupe around 10 miles away.
Cabo San Lucas is one of Mexico’s leading tourist resorts with visitors drawn by its beautiful beaches, its balnearios (medicinal baths) and for its marine wildlife.
It is the latter that attracts many visitors with many shore excursions offering the chance to go whale watching, but many simply head for a day at the beach.
One of the main draws for those visiting the city of Mazatlan is the 8-mile-long beach promenade that is just one of those places where you can head for a walk and get lost in the stunning coastal views.
Cruise ships dock near to the old town in Mazatlan which is home to many buildings in the colonial style as well as bistros and cafes whilst the Zona Dorada is famed for its white sandy beaches.
Puerto Vallarta offers an incredible welcome for cruisers as it is located on Bahia de Banderas, the largest natural bay in Mexico and a coastline that is backed by around 100 miles of mountains encircling it.
The resort is another known for its beaches and modern hotels, but it has retained some of its history and small town charm with numerous historic houses and cobbled streets still found throughout the port.
The port of Manzanillo is one of the busiest in Mexico but much of the traffic is commercial in nature including container ships and a large fishing fleet and whilst it isn’t as commercial as the nearby Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta, that does add to the charm of the port.
As you would expect, it offers some great beaches which are crescent shaped and somewhat sheltered, but one downside is the out of the way cruise port location.
If you have never visited Mexico and had to name a seaside holiday resort, the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco would likely be the first that came to mind.
Known as been a popular getaway for young Americans wanting to party on Spring Break, the resort does have so much more to offer than bars and night clubs.
Its cruise port is within walking distance of a beach, a fortress and some local shops and cafes and offers stunning views of the small bay you dock in and the larger bay that the main resort fronts.
Huatulco, also known as Bahias de Huatulco, is one of the smallest cruise destinations on the Mexican Riviera and is one that has been built solely for the tourist trade.
It is located on a small strip of land between the beautiful pacific coast and the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains, which makes for a stunning location and a port to make sure you head up to the top deck for your arrival.
Popular Cruise Lines
There is a huge range of cruise lines that sail in the Mexican Riviera including the majority of mainstream lines with those offering the most options including; Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Holland America Line and Cunard.
Mexican Riviera
Location: Pacific Coast of Mexico
Currency: Peso (US Dollars accepted in most holiday resorts)
Language: Spanish
Demonym(s): Mexican
Top Ports: Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, Ensenada
The Mexican Riviera is a great option for those looking for some fun in the sun where you sit around the pool onboard your ship and, on the beach, when in port.
Many of the port do offer some history and culture but in the main, they are small fishing villages that have built up around the tourist trade in a similar way to the Spanish Costas.
Best Time To Visit The Mexican Riviera
The Mexican Riviera can be visited on a cruise holiday all year around but as most of the ports you will visit are also popular holiday resorts attracting visitors from across the globe to large hotels complexes, they can also get very crowded throughout the summer.
Some resorts are bet avoided during the US Spring Break if you don’t want a rowdy scene awaiting you, so we would recommend visiting in late summer/autumn to make the most of the warm weather and slightly quieter resorts.
If you are heading there for the incredible wildlife, going between December and April is the best time to catch whale migrations.
Mexican Riviera Cruises From The UK
If you want to visit the Mexican Riviera from the United Kingdom, it is technically possible but not particularly accessible to most cruisers as it will require a long and expensive journeys.
The main options are either a world cruise, choose a leg of world cruise such as Southampton to San Francisco/Los Angeles or to cruise on a repositioning route between Southampton and Sydney.
Mexican Riviera Cruises From Southampton
If you do have a minimum of 30 days to spare and a few grand to spend, the UK’s leading cruise port of Southampton offers the most options, although they are still only limited.
Here at CruiseHols.co.uk we bring you all of the information you will ever need to choose the right cruise destination for you and your family.
Our destination guides include everything from ports to attractions and excursion to the positives and negatives of the destination.
