Well, I just returned from my longest cruise yet…8 days to the Mexican Riviera visitn the ports of Acapulco, Ixtapa/Zihuataneo, and Manzanillo. The first time I went for a cruise I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it. I was afraid I was going to go stir crazy but I fell in love cruising with cruising. Don’t get me wrong, I love my adventurous backpacking trips, but backpacking is a lot of hard work and hardly a vacation. A cruise is total relaxation for me.   It’s the one getaway that is totally relaxing…I only have to unpack once, I know where I am sleeping, and there is unlimited food and I don’t have to worry about anything.  Plus, it is a nice way to travel with my mom.  It’s a few weeks late, but it was our Christmas/Holiday getaway. Since there is only mom and I left, rather than having a big holiday party, we have opted the last few years just to save our money and go somewhere for a few days, especially now that dad is gone.

One of the big differences this year, was rather than leaving out of the port of Long Beach we left out of the Port of San Diego which I found much more streamline and organized.

This cruise we took the Carnival Spirit. Carnival Spirit feels large, but not particularly crowded, and despite a plethora of rooms it's fairly easy to find your way around. It would be near to impossible to be bored on this vessel -- in fact, you'd have to make a big effort to hit all the bars and lounges.

The 1,300-seat, two-deck Empire dining room is done up in Napoleonic splendor, the ceiling domes painted with murals and hung with crystal chandeliers. Even the large portholes are trimmed in gold and the grand circular staircase decorated with a sculpture of Napoleon at his coronation. Flanking the entrances are pilasters in the form of female statues. You'll either love it or find it over the top (it grew on us). Two dinner seatings are featured. There are tables for two, four and six, and fewer than usual for eight or more (intimacy was obviously the goal here). The food was good to excellent and service was friendly, although not necessarily sharp.

The two-level La Playa Grill is a casual alternative for buffet-style breakfasts and lunches. The international food station at lunch features a different cuisine each day including Japanese and Indian, and there's also a daily deli station and rotisserie; breakfast includes a made-to-order omelet station. At night, the offering is a no-fee Seaview Bistro, perfect for those who want a quick bite without the formality of the dining room. The pizzeria is open 24 hours a day (and the Caesar salad here is excellent). For late-night munchies there is the midnight buffet, and complimentary 24-hour room service is also available (from a limited menu).

Carnival Spirit's Artists Lobby is the main hub of the vessel, decorated in Art Deco style with lots of color, gigantic murals of soaring spirits and famous art icons (a little Monet here, a little Gauguin there), rich wood, dark antique copper accents, two grand staircases, a bar with a dance floor, and the information and tour desks.

From there, walking from one public room to another feels a bit like going on a trip around the world. Egypt is in the show lounge. England is in the Chippendale Library, which features a mural of an English garden overlooking a traditional secretary and bookcases mounted on desks that hold 12 computer terminals offering Internet access. France is in the Empire Room, and China is in the Shanghai Bar -- the ship's piano bar, done in a "Chinoise" style with walls covered in Chinese fabric and silk screens illuminated from behind.

With most of the public spaces located on two lower decks, passenger flow is excellent -- the public rooms are connected by a two-level promenade with a grand staircase leading from one level to the other.

About 80 percent of the cabins are outside, and of those, 80 percent (624 cabins) offer balconies and a sitting area. All cabins feature attractive decor in pleasant, if a bit bland, earth tones; twin beds that convert to a king; color televisions showing first-run movies, safe, a separate vanity area, a hairdryer and a phone.

The three-level Pharaoh's Palace, decorated with hieroglyphics, 20-ft. tall stone figures and sarcophagi inspired by the golden one of King Tut, sets the scene for Vegas-style revues. Seating is in comfortable high-back theater chairs.

The joint is also jumping at the Louis XIV Casino featuring 220 slots and tables for roulette/dice (1), blackjack (10) and poker (2). There are sing-alongs in the Shanghai Piano Bar, smooth jazz in Club Cool and disco in Dancin' (a two-tiered dance club with a two-story 20-by-20-ft. video wall with 48-inch monitors). The Champions sports bar offers big-screen televisions for catching the big games.

The Grecian-inspired, Steiner-operated Nautica Spa incorporates Doric columns and hand-painted murals featuring a Greek vase motif and depictions of Olympic events. The two-level, 13,700-square-ft. oceanview facility, located forward on Decks 9 and 10, offers sauna, steam, beauty salon, one whirlpool (within the gym; there are four others aboard) and 10 treatment rooms for European-style therapies including Aroma Stone (using heated, scented oils and warm basalt stones). The decently sized aerobics room is mirrored so you can watch yourself sweat, and the gym, one of our favorites at sea, features a tiered design so from every piece of equipment you get ocean views.

The equipment includes 10 Quinton treadmills, 4 Stairmaster stair climbers, an assortment of Life Fitness cycles and elliptical machines, Keiser progressive resistance machines, and free weights. There's a jogging track (15 times around equals a mile) and three swimming pools, one of which is covered by a retractable dome for all-weather use (key in Alaska where it can be chilly). Kids get a separate splash pool and the young -- and young at heart -- can enjoy a spiral water slide. The ship offers a lot of open deck space for outdoor sunning as well.

So that is the cruise ship in a nutshell with plenty of activites. But of course my favorite thing are the Ports Of Call! Our first stop was Acapulco.

Acapulco:

Acapulco is a tourist resort abundantly favored by nature. It faces the Pacific Ocean with two splendid bays that possess natural coves, steep cliffs and warm beaches. Acapulco was an old place long before being discovered by the Aztec Indians. Early remains, left behind by seaside residents, date around 2500 BC. By the 1930's, the city was still in an infant stage. Tour guides listed it as a "sleepy fishing village". There were only two ways of getting to Acapulco then. One by freighter ship and the other by automobile, driving the dry river bed from Mexico City. In the village were cottages to rent, a gas station, an American Express office, and fishing boats.

A small airport opened, west of the city in the late 40's. Prop planes landed and took off from the beach. If there was a sandstorm both arrival and take-offs were delayed. With the advent of jet engines, a new airport was built east of Acapulco between Tres Lagos and the Pacific Ocean. This sleepy fishing village became a haven for "Jetsetters" and "Hollywoodites"! Many of them built summer homes in the mountains overlooking the bays. Ironical to build a summer home in a place where daily temperature 352 days a year, averages 85 degrees!

By the mid 70's, Acapulco became a port-of-call for cruise ships. It wasn't unusual to see 2-5 ships anchored in the harbour during the winter season. Passengers tendered to a small dock. Now, with a newly built terminal building and a pier long enough to berth two ships, Acapulco is a year-round cruise destination. This pier is located in the downtown area of the city across the street from both the Zocalo (city square) and the Fort of San Diego. The fort was built in 1565 and has been revitalized into a superb historical museum.

Probably, without a doubt, the busiest tourist attraction, in the city, is the La Perla Divers at La Quebrada. In a natural cove, shaped by sheer cliffs, daring natives show the audience the ability of their dangerous profession. The cliff divers are
less than 10 minutes by taxi from the terminal and perform everyday from noon until midnight.

If you are a shopper, the flea markets are a must. You won't walk more than a block in any direction without seeing a typical Mexican one. Do bargain with the vendors. It's the name of the game!

Then there's the chapel at Las Brisas. The cross holds court over the city and the views from here are spectacular. This is a gated area, so to reach the chapel and the cross, one must hire a taxi or a guide.

Walking distance from the cruise terminal are glass-bottom boats sailing to Roquetta Island. This island, across from Caleta Beach was a leper colony. Now it hosts a sandy beach, a small zoo and beer-drinking donkeys! To get there, turn left from the cruise terminal and walk past the fishing boats to Caleta Beach There will be booths selling tickets to ride the boats. These boats sail back and forth from dawn to dusk. The captain will give a running commentary on the sunken shrine of Our Lady of Guadelope and the fish you are looking at through the glass bottom.

And last, but not least, if you want to see Acapulco from a bus window, without any commentary, board a city bus parked close to the pier. Unless you are adventuresome, take the air-conditioned bus with the plush seats. It will cost one-peso-more than the others, but well worth it. Ride the bus to the end of the line. You'll be on the bay of Puerto Marques. Re-pay and ride the bus to the other end to Caleta Beach and walk to the ship. If you want commentary on the ride then hop on a trolley. They ply the costera, the main street of Acapulco. These are the best ways to see the city-by-the-bay with the most perfect weather in the world!

After a whirlwind tour of Acapulco, the next morning we awoke off shore of Zihuataneo. Zihuatanejo is a tender port meaning the cruise ships do not dock at a pier but out in the harbor and one must take a tender boat to shore.

Zihuatanejo has grown from a sleepy little fishing village into medium sized city, but has retained its traditional Mexican culture and beauty. Proud of its heritage, Zihuatanejo is favored by those wanting a traditional Mexican environment, wonderful beaches and traditional restaurants and shopping.

Ixtapa, the sister city of Zihuatanejo is located about 5 kilometers north of Zihuatanejo and is about as different in every way as it can be. Ixtapa was created by the Mexican government to lure tourist to the west coast of Mexico much the same way as Cancun was created to create a tourist Mecca in the Caribbean. Most of the employees of the many hotels that make up Ixtapa live in Zihuatanejo. There is no real town in Ixtapa, just one huge hotel next to another for miles. Ixtapa's new convention center is located right in the center of the hotels and promises more growth for tourism to the area.

In Zihuatanejo, after exploring the port area and flea market, there are several great beaches to visit. The closest beach to the tender wharf is the Paseo del Pescadore, or Fisherman's Walk along Municipal Beach. Here you can arrange for a fishing trip or check out the local catch of the day being offered by the local fisherman. There are several excellent seafood restaurants fronting this tree lined walkway. One of the main beaches in downtown Zihuatanejo is Playa Las Ropa. This beach offers excellent swimming opportunities and is populated with wonderful palapa seafood restaurants to enjoy.

Manzanillo

The third day was a stop in the port of Manzanillo which often gets a bad rap as being to industrial and nothing really spectacular to see. I enjoyed the laid back vibe of this port.

Manzanillo, dating back to 1527, is Mexico's largest port city on the west coast of Mexico. It is made up of two large bays, Manzanillo Bay and Santiago Bay which offer good beaches and lots of ocean oriented activities

The ship docks in the Port of Manzanillo and is surrounded by the commercial activity one would expect to find in the largest port on Mexico's west cost. There are many containers in transit and the port facility is quite large. There are taxis available close to the ship and a bus transfer to the center of town for a round trip fee of $3.00. There is not much to see within walking distance of the ship, so you should plan on either taking a ship's shore excursion (recommended) or negotiating for a taxi which cost $5 to get into town.

Hernan Cortes and his minions, in search of Chinese treasure in the Pacific, were among the first to visit the area now known as Manzanillo. In 1522, Gonzalo de Sandoval, under orders from Cortes, dropped anchor in the Bay of Salagua (north of Manzanillo Bay), looking for safe harbors and good shipbuilding sites.

Manzanillo was discovered in 1527 by navigator Alvaro de Saavedra, naming it Santiago de la Buena Esperanza, or Santiago's Bay of Good Hope. It became a departure point for important expeditions. Cortes visited the bay twice to protect his galleons from Portuguese pirates. Over the next 300 years, the Pacific Coast’s history is filled with accounts of pirates from Portugal, England, France and even Spain assaulting, looting and burning ships for their rich cargos.

IN 1825 the port of Manzanillo opened, so named because of the abundant groves of manzanillo trees that were used extensively in the early days of shipbuilding. It was raised to the status of a city on June 15, 1873. The railroad to Colima was completed in 1889, and other amenities, such as electricity and potable water soon followed. In 1908, President Porfirio Dias inaugurated the railway linkage with Guadalajara, and designated Manzanillo as an official port of entry. It was the state capital from February 20 to March 1, 1915, while Pancho Villa’s troops were threatening to capture the city of Colima

In recent times, the harbor was modernized and deepened, allowing access to all major shipping lines around the world. As the largest port on the western coast of Mexico, it can admit ships of more than 30,000 tons. Once away from the dock the town boast a quaint town square with numerous shops and cafes.

The last two days were at sea sailing back to San Diego which included numerous on board activities and the ever famous buffets of food.

So now it is back to reality and back to work. I have no big trips planned yet but will begin planning this years destinations along with another cruise. I am hoping this time to make it to Hawaii, Alaska or the Carribean since the previous four cruises have been to Mexico, I think it’s time to expand my horizons!