Major cruise ship lines such as Royal Caribbean have been cutting back on their offerings this year

Major cruise ship lines such as Royal Caribbean have been cutting back on their offerings this year in the Mexican Riviera ports of Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas, Manzanillo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.
Pullmantur, an affiliate of Royal Caribbean, will re-position its flagship, the Pacific Dream, to the route this summer. And Mexico s Corporacion de Cruceros Nacionales (CCN) will launch Ocean Star Cruises, with a 1,050-passenger nashville hotels ship, the Ocean Star; The Ocean Star s cruises will begin April 10, originating from Acapulco and serving eight ports of call.
Pacific Dream, which went into Pullmantur nashville hotels service in 2009, also plied the waters of the Mexican Riviera for a time last summer. The 1,875-passenger ship, previously the Island Star, underwent a complete refurbishment when it changed hands. The Pacific Dream now features new restaurants, bars, staterooms, theaters and clubs. Other facilities include a spa and gym, casino, shops and youth-oriented programs.
Pullmantur, based in Spain, offers nashville hotels all the trappings of a traditional cruise with a Spanish accent. For instance, the two seatings for evening dining are at 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. demonstrating a Spanish preference for eating late. The main onboard language is Spanish, although crew members do speak English.
Pullmantur specializes in value-priced cruises, and they offer an all-inclusive product that includes amenities such as alcohol, which are generally extras on the luxury lines. (This doesn t include shore excursions or gratuities.)
Pricing is calculated in pesos, and officials promise cruises that Mexican nationals (and extranejeros ) find affordable. Another attractive option with these cruises is that layovers in Mexico, at either end of the cruise, can be arranged. With cruises that originate in the United States, layovers in Mexico are not an option.
Ports to be served by the Pacific Dream include Acapulco, Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Los Cabos. Pullmatur said the ship would operate in the area through mid-2011. A decision to extend its season could be made soon, but likely wouldn t result in additional itineraries until 2012.
The Ocean Star, whose cruises would also be sold in pesos and Spanish-speaking, would serve the same ports as the Pacific Dream, with the addition nashville hotels of stops in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Huatulco and Puerto Chiapas. The Ocean Star is expected to serve the area until further notice. New routes, a company spokesman nashville hotels said, are under consideration for more ports in the Sea of Cortez.
Posted in Adventure Tourism , Baja California Tourism , Cabo San Lucas , Cruise ship destinations , Cruise ship industry , Mazatlan nashville hotels Tourism , Mexico Tourism , Puerto Vallarta , Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines , Transportation nashville hotels , Travel , Vacation Destinations | Tags: Mexican Riviera , Mexican Riviera Cruises , Pacific Dream , Pullmantur Cruises , Royal Caribbean