If you are a cruiser, you know the vast majority of cruise ships have Caribbean itineraries. For those of you based out West (Colorado!), you know traveling to the east coast can add extra cost and time to reach your cruise. The solution? A Mexican Riviera cruise that embarks in California! A quick flight and you are ready to be on your way!
Many cruise lines, like Norwegian, are starting to invest in porting their larger, newer ships on the West Coast. Norwegian Joy was originally built for the Chinese market and after a few years overseas, she was moved to the US Market and retrofitted. She was built in April 2017 so she is a very new ship and one of their largest.
Day 1 – Embarkation, Los Angeles, California. Normally embarkation begins around 11:00 but Norwegian Joy had an unusual situation which is the one all cruisers fear: Norovirus. As we boarded late, we were handed a letter telling us that Norovirus had affected more than 2% of the population of the ship before us and that we had an option to cancel. We decided to board hoping that the ship was using all possible precautions. To their credit, none of my party got sick.
Shortly after, our cabins became available after a deep clean! The cabins are absolutely beautiful with a modern, sleek decor.
Day 2 – At Sea. The next day was a day to explore this giant, new ship. It was everything it promised! The first thing we did was try our hand at the Norwegian Joy Speedway (Yes you heard me right – it’s a race track on a cruise ship..what will they think of next?). Nine racers can race at once and the cars and equipment are exceptional!
As if that wasn’t enough, we headed over to the virtual reality arcade. Every game in the arcade has a virtual reality component to it!
Of course don’t forget about the waterslides, entertainment, and all the other fun stuff onboard!
Then, as if it wasn’t all enough, we ended our day with Laser Tag!
Day 3 – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. You could spend your whole vacation with all the fun activities onboard but it was time to see Cabo. The ship docks right near the Marina so you are close to so much of the town. We took a snorkeling tour and then ended up at “The Office” for a taste of Mexico!
Day 3 – Mazatlan, Mexico. I was so excited for this stop as this was a location I had never been to before. After disembarking, you are required to take a shuttle out of the port to the entrance of the town. The reason behind this became clear as we docked next to a shipyard showing it would be unsafe to walk through this area. Next, we “followed the blue line” through town. At every turn, a expat Volunteer speaking english was posted to help us out and provide us with brochures and information. We visited the beautiful cathedral in town and then went to see the famous cliff divers! We ended our day at the beach at the Hotel Playa Mazatlan.
Day 4 – Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan. Our final stop was to Puerto Vallarta, a favorite place of mine in Mexico. This time we visited the gorgeous new all inclusive resort, Marival Armony. This resort is located in the area Punta De Mita, which has the most gorgeous beaches.
Day 5 & 6 – At Sea. I have to tell you. I really love a sea day and two back to back is the ultimate in relaxation. You are absolutely forced to sit and relax. My favorite place to relax on the Norwegian Joy is the Observation Lounge. This gorgeous glass enclosed room at the front of the ship has comfy chairs, a starbucks, snacks & drinks, and a bar.
Day 7 – Disembarkation. It was an amazing ship and an amazing itinerary! I highly recommend it, particularly if you are based out of the West. I would love to plan this cruise for you and I don’t charge a fee! Please contact me at yb*******@gm***.com!
