Seeking Great Cruise to Mexican Riviera

Hi N.,

I'm a HUGE, HUGE fan of Norwegian Cruise Line (www.ncl.com). I have only cruised with them twice but I won't "cheat" on them with another cruise line. I also just came back a few weeks ago from one of their Bahamas cruises out of Miami.

They have Freestyle cruising...so there is no real dress code. Dinners are casual, you come and go as you please, no assigned seating. They have all kinds of activities while at sea, especially for the kids. On this last cruise I noticed there were a lot of families. There wasone night my sister and I were in the casino and the children's group came through and the kids were dressed as Princesses and Princes. Another night we were by the Reception desk and heard some "noise" on the floor above us. The group of kids came down the spiral stairs, faces painted and they were wearing bandanas on their heads...dressed as Pirates. Sooooo cute!! They were chanting real loud as they walked through the crowds, curling their finger and yelling "Arrr" like pirates. They took a group photo and at that moment I decided I am going to bring my daughter on a cruise with me (just us girls) next year and shell be 4. She'll love it!! I have their Program Guide right here for 2-5 year olds and they have a Late Night Fun Zone (babysitting service), PJ Parties, Open Play, Treasure Hunts...all kinds of fun stuff!All activities are FREE except the Late Night Fun Zone.

I also have their 2009 Itinerary Guide here. To the Mexican Riviera they depart from LA (7-day) and San Francisco (11-day).

From LA
Sat - LA Depart 4pm
Sun - At Sea
Mon - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Tues - Mazatlan, Mexico
Wed - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Thurs/Fri - At Sea
Sat - LA Arrive 8am

From San Francisco
Day 1-3 - At Sea
Day 4 - Topolobampo, Mexico (optional tour to Copper Canyon)
Day 5 - Topolobamp, Mexico (Pichilingue, Mexico)
Day 6 - Mazatlan, Mexico
Day 7 - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Day 8 - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Day 9-10 - At Sea
Day 11 - San Francisco Arrive 8am

Have fun!!

-Char

i'm going on one the end of marc o9 to mexican riveria on royal caribean, i think there the best and my 4 yr and 11yr old love it weve been on several give me your home email and i will send you a price list, my mother in law is travel agent

My husband and I renewed our vows a couple of years ago on the Norwegian Star 8 day Mex. Riviera cruise. Since it was for a special event we decided to upgrade our room and stay in an owner's suite which was amazing. We did not take our kids but I did check out the programs they offered and the pool area in case we ever go back with them. Everyone looked to be having a great time and the people caring for the children seemed very attentive. I have pictures of the ship and our room if interested. The owners suite can be reserved with connecting bedrooms for your children. Also, we decided not to take any of the tours the ship offered and instead go out on our own with a taxi. We saw some great sights, we did everything the ship offered plus things that only a local would take you to. Basically we said to our drivers "take us to where you eat and where you like to visit, nothing touristy." I have a few business cards from drivers we used if interested. I'd be happy to answer more specific questions if you decide to go.
Have fun!
R.
http://www.my2ndhomeonline.com

I've been on several cruise lines. Carnival is definitely the most family oriented. If you are going for a total family experience you may want to go with them. Carnival is either all families or college age partiers.

My husband and I just took Princess' 7 day mexican riveria and will not go back to another cruise line. We did check out the kid program for future refence and it looked awesome. We saw kids parading around the ship and involved in variuos activites too. It has all the special kid club rooms, pools and activites.
What we liked is that it was still elegant and fun cruising. The food was superb, best I've had on any cruise line. Princess has the option of freestyle or set time dining. We found that the freestyle diners had to wait for a seat. One time we walked by and it was an hour wait. The main dining room with set times did have kid menus with the usual kid favorites. We sat next to two tables that had 8 kids between them and you could tell the kids had a great time. There was also a pizza stand, place for burgers and hot dogs, room service, two gourmet restaraunts and a continuous buffet.

On board there was a golf course, ping pong, tennis courts, a huge arcade, ice cream sundae bar, play rooms, crafts and pool/outdoor area for playing. The groups are divided by age.

Get a big room. If money isn't a consideration you really should get a suite or mini suite with a balcony. Those rooms can be tiny!!!

You'll just have to research what you think is best for your family. expedia.com is a great website to compare and read reviews of cruises.

oh-disney cruise line does come to mexico in the summer months. It is one of the most exspensive lines but worth it if you can afford it.