My husband, Rob, and I just got back from an amazing 7-night cruise to the Mexican Riviera! And since he’s the schoolteacher in the family, I asked him if he’d write a few words about our trip for the website:

"Well, with the impending rush of students about to return to the classroom this fall, I was looking for an extended getaway to refresh both body and mind. Of course, when I think refreshing, I automatically think of a nice, long cruise, with the waves rocking me to sleep every night, and a well-trained and pleasant staff to make sure that the whole cruising experience goes perfectly. The folks at Carnival came through again. We enjoyed seven wonderful nights onboard one of their fleet’s newest, the Splendor and had a great time.

"The Carnival Splendor sails out of Long Beach, California, which has undergone a serious building program in the last few years. We stayed in a brand-new Residence Inn the night before we sailed, and everything about the town was clean and pretty.  Boarding went smoothly, and we had a great view of the historic Queen Mary from the Splendor’s deck as she was about to set sail. At first it was a little scary, realizing that the venerable old queen was once the largest passenger ship in the world, and is now dwarfed by the Splendor. Yet the Splendor is designed to accommodate all 3600 guests without seeming as crowded as I had expected.

"On our 2-day trip down the coast, we enjoyed some relaxing time at sea, took in some spectacular pacific sunsets, and had all the fun we could stand aboard our ‘fun’ ship. I read on the balcony and watched the waves go by while Elisha relaxed at the spa. At night, the stage shows were simply incredible.

"Puerto Vallarta was the first of three stops. Nestled in the Bay of Banderas, it’s much larger than it appears—-a fact we discovered on the sunset sail we had chosen for our shore excursion there.  Other guests enjoyed time on the beach, sightseeing tours, shopping and so forth. We chose instead to be entertained by the friendly crew of our sailboat, and got to see a gorgeous sunset over the water.

"Next up was Mazatlan, where the people could not have been more friendly. Tours offered there included more shopping, a tequila factory, historic sites and much more. Elisha and I opted for a short trip across the bay to Stone Island, where we played in the surf and enjoyed our hosts’ attention. A shout out to Alma and Humberto for making us feel at home so far from home.

"Saving the best for last, our final stop was at Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula. The water at Cabo is deep and blue, and home to hundreds of species of fish, as well as whales in the winter months. The town is beautiful as well. Our tour there involved a catamaran ride to the famous sea arch, as well as an option to tour the town, see the historic sites, marvel at the dozens of species of cactus that grow within a few feet of the world’s largest ocean, and enjoy lunch and a panoramic view at a fine restaurant. Drier air makes Cabo less humid and more pleasant in the hot summer months than the rest of the coast, and it’s the best place to be outside and enjoy nice weather and exotic scenery, as well as have a good time.

"The only bad part about sailing back along the coast was that it meant our trip would be over soon. Both of us love cruising and can’t wait for the next time. Everybody went out of their way to make sure we had fun, and it showed. Of course, I never cruise without my travel agent. Hey, maybe you should give yours a call…"  

Sincerely,
Elisha and Rob Amos,
Owners, Adventure Travel 

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