| Have you been thinking about a cruise? Everyone | | | | cruise ship several times. This is one of the most |
| seems to be going on one and you don't want to | | | | relaxing cruises I have been on. There are |
| feel left out, right? The problem is that there are | | | | basically three ports on a Mexican Riviera cruise |
| so many itineraries out there, which makes it hard | | | | and each one shows a different side of life in |
| to decide where your first cruise should be. In this | | | | Mexico. Most of the Mexican Riviera cruises go to |
| article I talk about the best five itineraries I have | | | | Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlan. |
| been on and why they are my favorites. | | | | This is your typical seven day cruise of the |
| Selecting my five favorites was not an easy task. | | | | Mexican Riviera. However, some cruise ships |
| I enjoy cruising so much and believe it is the only | | | | bypass Mazatlan and take you to Acapulco and |
| way to go on a vacation. You only unpack once | | | | Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo. These cruises are usually ten |
| and you get to see so many cool places. No | | | | or eleven days. My Second Favorite Cruise Alaska |
| driving miles and miles a day on one of those | | | | takes my number two spot. It was hard to |
| driving vacations where you have to stop at a | | | | decide between number one and number two, |
| different hotel every day. I find cruising very | | | | but I went with Alaska. My husband and I have |
| relaxing and am always ready to go on the next | | | | taken this cruise about seven times and we |
| one. My Fifth Favorite Cruise Europe: This was a | | | | never tire of it. Each port is a little different. The |
| very interesting way to see several places I | | | | glaciers are awe-inspiring. One of the things that |
| might have never gotten a chance to see. I would | | | | fascinated me the first time I took the Alaskan |
| recommend this cruise to anyone who can afford | | | | cruise was the wildlife. There are eagles |
| to take the time. It was fifteen days long and | | | | everywhere. If you see a white spot in a tree, |
| well worth it. On this cruise we went to | | | | get out your binoculars. You are likely to find out |
| Copenhagen Denmark, St. Petersburg Russia, | | | | that the white spot is actually an eagle's head. We |
| Helsinki Finland, Stockholm Sweden, Oslo Norway, | | | | get to see several orcas on this cruise as well. |
| Tallinn Estonia, France where we took a bus ride | | | | There is nothing that compares to seeing wildlife |
| to Paris. Paris was breathtaking and it was great | | | | in their own habitat. I used to go to zoos and |
| just to be there. There are so many things to | | | | places like Sea World regularly, but now that I |
| see in Paris and a tour is probably your best bet if | | | | have seen some of these animals in their natural |
| you have never been there. St. Petersburg was a | | | | surroundings, the confinement of zoos just |
| two-day stop and we could have stayed longer. | | | | doesn't appeal to me. My Number One Favorite |
| We took a tour one day and got to visit the | | | | Cruise Hawaii was my all time favorite cruise. I |
| Hermitage Museum on the second day. Wow, you | | | | have actually taken this cruise three times. I took |
| won't want to miss The Hermitage if you are | | | | it with Norwegian Cruise Lines each time. My |
| ever in St. Petersburg. Basically, we took a tour | | | | husband and I boarded the ship in Honolulu and |
| at each port. Tours are great because you get to | | | | stopped at several ports. Lahaina, Maui We spent |
| see the key points plus learn the history behind | | | | a couple of days here. On one of those days we |
| everything. You also learn about their lifestyle and | | | | rented a car and drove the road to Hana. Kona |
| how different it is from our own. This cruise was | | | | We take the Atlantis Submarine hear. The water |
| an experience I will always remember. My Fourth | | | | is really clear and the fish are quite interesting. |
| Favorite Cruise 10 Night Caribbean: There are so | | | | There are also some coffee plantations you can |
| many different itineraries when cruising the | | | | visit in Kona. Kauai We took a helicopter ride in |
| Caribbean that it can be difficult to determine | | | | Kauai. Several movies were filmed on this island |
| which one to take. My favorite cruise of the | | | | and there are so many beautiful waterfalls. The |
| Caribbean contained these three ports. San Juan, | | | | helicopter ride was simply breathtaking. Hilo We |
| Puerto Rico: Okay, this one was special to me | | | | took a tour in Hilo. There is a lot of volcanic |
| because my father was born in Puerto Rico. As a | | | | activity here and it is very interesting to see all |
| Puerto Rican I always enjoy stopping here. If it is | | | | the hot spots and how the lava flows and |
| your first time in Puerto Rico, you may want to | | | | continues to move. FANNING ISLAND, REPUBLIC |
| take a tour of San Juan. The fort is especially | | | | OF KIRIBATI It took two days at sea to get |
| interesting. Key West: I totally fell in love with this | | | | here and two days to get back. It was a very |
| little island. I have even thought of staying here | | | | relaxing time at sea, which I thoroughly enjoyed. |
| for a few days. My only complaint was that we | | | | The Island itself is rather primitive. It is a totally |
| only had about five hours here and the first two | | | | different way of life than we are accustomed to. |
| hours everything was closed. My suggestion for | | | | The Cruise Line has added several amenities for |
| Key West is that you take a tour of the island as | | | | the natives, but you still get a good view of a |
| soon as you arrive. I have regretted not taking | | | | more laid back lifestyle. This is also a great place |
| one and have not had the opportunity to go back | | | | to get postage stamps. You can mail yourself a |
| to Key West. I will the first chance I get. | | | | postcard and see who arrives first, you or your |
| Bahamas: This was a great port. It seemed to | | | | postcard. The stamps from Republic of Kiribati are |
| have a little bit of everything. There is a large | | | | a novelty for stamp collectors. Well, I hope |
| hotel that actually has an extensive aquarium. It | | | | sharing my five favorite cruises helps when you |
| runs the entire length of the building and is | | | | are trying to determine where to go on your |
| something you must see at this port. I also | | | | next cruise. I never tire of cruising. I have found |
| recommend that you take a tour if it is your first | | | | that it is one of those things you either really love |
| visit. A tour will give you an overview and then | | | | or really hate. You, of course, will have to decide |
| you can decide what you want to do with the | | | | for yourself. |
| rest of your time here. Again, make sure your | | | | Donna has an MBA in information technology and |
| tour includes a tour of the hotel on the other side | | | | is currently a Tupperware Director, a webmaster, |
| of the bridge. My Third Favorite Cruise Mexico | | | | and a college professor. Visit Simple 2 Book |
| takes this spot. We have been to Mexico via a | | | | Travel. |