There are a myriad of cruise ships sailing to numerous Mexican ports at various times of the year. How do you decide? Here are my 7 Mexican Riviera cruise tips to help you narrow down the choices. Best itineraries, excursions, weather, packing tips – they are all here and more. Read on, and happy cruising!

First, some clarifications. We define Mexican Riviera as the Pacific Ocean side, with the cruises departing out of the Los Angeles area. That is opposed to the Mexican Caribbean, reached from South Florida. If you are dreaming of Cancun, this article is not for you. Excited about Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Vallarta? You’ve come to the right place.

1. Best time to go

Let’s start with the calendar. I understand there are many factors that influence when you take a cruise, including family availability, vacation time, holidays, etc. That said, the best time to go to the Mexican Riviera is clearly in the winter, ideally January or February. There are several reasons.

Fewer crowds: And prices are generally lower with kids in school; also, greater availability of your desired cabin.

Better weather: Puerto Vallarta, for example, has average highs of only 80 degrees in the winter, but soars to a sweltering 90 degrees, with high humidity from June through October. Oh, and those months have the heaviest rainfall and risk of a hurricane.

Fewer holidays: December has holiday crowds, while March and April can feel the crush of Spring Break.

2. Best itinerary

We know when to go; now where to go? There are a few cruise lines that offer quick trips of 3 to 4 nights, usually featuring Ensenada (just south of Tijuana) and Catalina Island (just west of L.A.). These don’t really show you much about Mexico. And a cruise that short means spending too much of your time embarking and disembarking. So, unless you are planning something like a wedding weekend, avoid these short cruises. Still want to visit Catalina? There are ferries that make the trip in less than 2 hours from several Southern California locations for less than $100 round trip. You don’t need an ocean liner.

A few more cruise lines add a fifth night and take you to one port, Cabo San Lucas. Unless you enjoy spending almost all your time at sea, this itinerary is also to be avoided.

Another option is to spend 10 to 12 nights, venturing into the Sea of Cortez, including 4 days on the ocean. We think this is overkill, especially for your first trip to the Mexican Riviera. There is not a lot of variety here compared to 12 nights in the Mediterranean, for example.

So, if some cruises are too short and some are too long, what is the “just right” itinerary? We opt for 7 nights, visiting the varied Mexican stops of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Cabo San Lucas. The good news is that there are numerous big cruise lines who agree with us and offer this itinerary, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Celebrity, Norwegian, and Princess. Read more about cruise lines and ports below.

3. Best cruise line

I have cruised on a wide variety of ships, from Disney to Windstar, from Royal Caribbean to Carnival. I have toured several others. The Mexican Riviera has many to choose from, departing up and down the coast of California.

Most people know what to expect from family-oriented Disney. Royal Caribbean, Princess, and others mentioned above all offer a typical big-ship experience for everyone. If you want to do the kind of exhaustive research that I did, Cruisecritic.com is an excellent place to start. I read hundreds of verified customer reviews (plus the site’s own opinions). You will learn that some ships are a little outdated, some might have mediocre food, others are a little pricey, etc.

Some people engage a travel agent to help with the process. I suggest if you do that, make sure you use someone who has experience with a variety of cruise lines and has personally been to the Mexican Riviera. Ask a lot of questions based on this article.

After all that research I chose Carnival. They are known as the “fun ship” and for good reason. There is never a dull moment on board, which can be a good thing when you have three days completely at sea.

4. Best stateroom

This is a little easier. Our philosophy is to travel upscale on a budget. For a cruise ship that means choose a cabin with a veranda (sometimes spelled verandah), also known as a balcony. If you want to splurge and make it a suite, all the better.

Do not listen to people who claim they saved some money by booking an inside stateroom because you only use your room to sleep, anyway. Wrong. You need to see the ocean! How about a nice porthole or window? Wrong. You need see and feel the ocean. On your private balcony. It makes a big difference.

Check out sites such as Cruisedeckplans.com for valuable guidance. If you can book a veranda room, midship, on a high deck, away from elevator noise, not directly below a pool or disco – well, do it!

5. Best excursions

We’ve chosen an itinerary, a cruise line, and a stateroom. Now, let’s visit the Mexican Riviera!

All three cities here are the most popular ports for good reason. They check all the boxes: beaches, watersports, culture, sightseeing, side-trips, shopping, food, and drink. Be sure to review excursions offered both by your cruise ship and independents at the port.

Puerto Vallarta. When you travel south in the Pacific Ocean along the Mexican coast you are actually heading east too. I was surprised to discover that Puerto Vallarta is actually in the U.S. Central Time Zone. You can imagine that the birthplace of tequila has plenty of fun activities.

Carnival typically allows about 12 hours in PV. That’s time for both an organized excursion and wandering around. For the shore excursion I recommend the Las Caletas Beach Hideaway Tour. From port, you board another boat for a 45-minute ride to a private island. And what an island. Following a decent Mexican buffet lunch with all you can eat and drink, there are a myriad of beach, sport, and nature activities for all ages. The whole excursion lasts about 7 hours. Las Caletas has been named one of the world’s ten best cruise excursions. I’m not sure about that, but it may be the best of Mexico.

Mazatlán. After all that beach fun, it’s time to enjoy the culture of a Mexican city. I joined a small, private, city tour, booked online through ShoreExcursioneer and run by Mazatlán Van Tours. For about 4 hours we were guided through both old and new Mazatlán, with stops long enough to explore landmarks as diverse as the Cathedral Basilica, cliff divers, and a sprawling vegetable, fruit, and meat market.

I tend to avoid excursions that allow “ample time for shopping,” but this tour’s one stop was a delightful art store, selling unique local handicrafts. I had been looking for local handmade Christmas ornaments and found them! The total price for this half-day tour: $29.

Cabo San Lucas. Of course, there are beaches, and people who have escaped cold-weather climates often opt for a day on the sand. Others go deep sea fishing or whale watching. But the unique excursion at this port is to take a glass bottom (or complete glass) boat to the famous arch and back. You can also be dropped off at Pelican Beach or Lover’s Beach to be picked up later.

Since our cruise arrived very early in the morning, I also took an hour or so to walk all around the extensive marina on its waterfront walkway. I met the son of a boat owner there and talked to him for a while. It resulted in him finding a private boat to take me to the arch. Always take time to meet local people!

6. Best way to enjoy sea days

Most large ships will have numerous activities geared toward keeping passengers entertained on days spent at sea. Usually the best entertainment, from shows to comedy, is scheduled. Ships, such as Carnival, augment the many pools with multiple water slides and a giant dunk bucket. For real physical exertion try rope and rock climbing, a fitness center, full-size basketball court, and more. Gone are the days where shuffleboard was the main activity on deck.

One secret, if you are sailing with Carnival. On sea days, several specialty restaurants, which normally are a surcharge, are free at lunch on sea days. This provided a nice opportunity to dine Asian, Italian, and even BBQ.

Of course, relaxation can also be a good idea, especially after some hectic port days. Most ships have extensive spa centers. Consider booking appointments in advance on sea days, which are the busiest. And don’t forget the simple things. I read a couple of books while tucked away in some deserted corners of the ship, not to mention lounging on my verandah.

7. Best packing tips

Now that you have done your research and made your decisions, it’s time to pack. I won’t go into great detail here. Just remember, like most travel, less is more. I managed for a week with a rolling carry-on and a backpack. That had an added benefit: I could carry my luggage when embarking and disembarking. No need to wait potentially hours for a big suitcase to be delivered or that needed to be packed the night before departure.

I did learn there are some items that would be convenient to have just for a cruise, including that bottle of wine stashed in my bag. Here are more tips from me: 8 travel items just for a cruise.

Mexican Riviera not for you? Try a luxury and adventure cruise to Alaska instead!

Do you agree with my 7 Mexican Riviera cruise tips? Do you have your own suggestions to help others? Feel free to comment at the bottom of this post.