We decided to take our second cruise as a family, this time to the Mexican Riviera. On our first cruise, we took the Carnival Paradise 4 night cruise from LA to Catalina and Ensenada, Mexico and had a blast. The kids couldn't wait for their next journey at sea. We tried to book with Carnival again, only to find their past guest reward program to be very restrictive and so decided to book Royal Caribbean's the Vision of the Seas instead as it was significantly cheaper than the Carnival cruise of the same itinerary. Having never sailed with Royal Caribbean before, we had no idea what to expect. We arrived to the pier at approx. 11:00 a.m as our flight from Vancouver was early. We then waited until 12:15 to board the ship and immediately set out for the WindJammer buffet. Having read the previous reviews on this board, we found all of the food locations very easily (even the hidden one by the drink station). The quality was great. After we ate, we set out exploring the ship. The ship itself is in great shape and looks far younger than it is. Everything was easily found and the ship is very easy to navigate. The only process that was painstaking was the arrival of the luggage to the stateroom. As there are no shorts allowed in the dining room (although a lot of people ignored this), we were worried that the luggage wasn't going to make it. The baggage finally arrived at 5:45 and with only 15 minutes to spare, we were changed and ready for dinner.
Our waiter's name was Vichai and he was from Thailand. On the first night he was quite "stiff" and didn't speak a lot. We found that the next day, he was very talkative and helpful, always giving us a head's up to the next night's dinner and giving us hints for the next day's activities. The assistant waiter, Steve, was from Trinidad and was always smiling and having fun with us. Overall, the food was fantastic and the service was top notch from both guys. The head waiter always made his way around to each table and often spent 10-15 minutes interacting with the guests. Our ports of call included Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Cabo was beautiful and was 87 degrees warm. Even the Californians were noting how hot it felt, so imagine how we cold blooded Canadians felt. Coming into Cabo, we spotted a Gray Whale jumping straight out of the water. It landed in a huge splash about 100 yards off the side of the ship and gave us all a great show. There were also many dolphins who came out to greet us. Mazatlan was exactly as described by many. It is very old school Mexico and can be intimidating to some as the ship docks in a very poor end of town. When we hailed a van, he took us right through the Mazatlan ghetto on our way to the Golden Zone for shopping. The taxi ride on the way home was an unforgettable experience. We decided to split up and take two different "cabs" back to the pier. These cabs are nothing more than overgrown gas powered golf carts with the governor removed. The drivers go 30-40 miles per hour, often slamming on the brakes at the last minute. I loved it!!!!! Well worth the $10 fee per cab to get back to the ship. Puerto Vallarta was our favorite port. We took the Vallarta Beach break excursion. It took us into Nuevo Vallarta and the resort of Paradise Village. As this was the least expensive tour, we expected not a lot and received a great day in return. Paradise Village is a five star resort with a huge pool, two waterslides and free boogie boards and free kayaks. You also get a great Mexican Buffet included and two free drinks (alcohol or not). As we had never been on a jet ski before, we decided to rent a couple for $40 each for a 1/2 hour ride. We had a great time and the money was well spent. The water was warm and the beach was well used by all. I never heard one complaint from anyone. Paradise Village is an awesome place and someday I may return there to spend a week or so. After our return,we ventured to the little flea market beside the dock and found the prices and the bargains to be awesome.
The second last day at sea, the wind cropped up and the sea got pretty rough. There was a lot of people who were sick, but we didn't. Just before that, the Dancing under the Stars took place. Man, the joint was rockin'!!!! The party went until 3:30 a.m and there were a lot of hung over people walking around the next day. The entertainment on board was great. The RCCL singers and dancers did a great job. The headliners were great, never a bad show. Tony Tillman was the best entertainer I have ever seen. I would pay to see him again. Debarkation was a lot easier that Carnival as they held everyone in the lounges until their color was called instead of letting them line up in the stairwells. Overall, this cruise was fantastic. We are already planning our next cruise for next Christmas, once again aboard Royal Caribbean.