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Cruising The Mexican Riviera Love Boat Style
Two days of Acapulco’s heat,
humidity, and grime were enough. We were anxious to "fiesta" and
"siesta" our way along the Mexican Riviera aboard Princess Cruises' Sun Princess. Our
seven-day cruise took us from Acapulco to San Francisco—with stops
in Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San
Lucas. Our voyage was a repositioning cruise, as Sun Princess was
relocating from winter quarters in the Caribbean to summer quarters
in Alaskan waters.
As our cab approached the pier, we got
our first glimpse of the Sun Princess, a magnificent vessel.
When launched in 1995, she was the largest cruise ship afloat and
the first of the mega-ships, carrying a maximum of 2300 passengers
and 900 crewmembers. Unlike the mega-ships that have since overtaken
her in size, she retains a dignified and classy ambiance. She
provides enough to keep couples and families satisfied, and would be
even better with just a little tweaking.
More than 400 of
Sun Princess' 1011 cabins have private balconies; our
verandah was pleasant with a lot of privacy. At 153 square feet
(including verandah), the stateroom was small, but very clean and
nicely decorated. It had all the creature comforts I have grown
accustomed to on other vessels, including a small bathroom, adequate
storage space, desk, chair, TV, and even a refrigerator. Four small
cookies, and a note saying "Welcome Aboard," awaited us on the
table—a nice touch. During the cruise, our amiable cabin steward,
June, dutifully took care of our needs; and to the girls delight, he
placed extra chocolates on their pillows every
night.
"Sunsational"
Sun Princessis the
first of four vessels termed Princess "Grand Class" ships. (Her
sister ships are Dawn Princess, Ocean Princess, and
Sea Princess). All have classic teak decks and trim, dark
woods, and brass touches. In addition, Sun Princess displays
its two-million-dollar fine-art collection in public areas and
hallways.
 The ship’s heart is the soaring
four-deck grand atrium. Waterfalls, spiraling staircases, domed
stained-glass ceilings, and glass elevators highlight this elegant
locale. The atrium is surrounded on various levels by shops, lounges
(one with a dance floor, another with a piano), and restaurants.
Dining
Families and couples (or anyone for
that matter) face an array of tempting dining choices as well as
great service. One of our favorite places to eat as a family was
Verdi's Pizzeria. Decorated in wrought iron and stone floors, and
offering a view of the kitchen while your pizza is made just for
you, Verdi's Pizzeria has some the best pizza I've had anywhere—even
Rome! The pizzeria is just one of seven dining and snack areas
aboard. Others include:
- The Marquis & Regency main dining rooms: Serves wonderful
International cuisine in an elegant atmosphere.
- The Lido Café: Provides indoor and outdoor casual dining.
- The Horizon Court: Offers ‘round the clock buffet style meals
for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and panoramic views of the
sea.
- The Terrace Grill/Sterling Steakhouse: Serves al fresco
dining overlooking the Lido Deck. (During the afternoon, the
Terrace Grill serves luncheon fare; after dark, it transforms into
the Sterling Steakhouse, setting a romantic tone. For a mere $8.00
per person, guests can choose their own cut of prime beef.)
- Sundaes Ice Cream Parlor: Sells premium ice cream on the
Riviera deck next to the pool area.
In addition to the main
dining venues, 24-hour room service is available from a limited
menu. It came in handy a few afternoons after a long day of
touring.
 The food is fabulous in the majority
of the dining areas. Nevertheless, the main dining rooms stand
out—not only for the wonderful fare, but also for the excellent
service. We were assigned to the Regency dining room, and I was
impressed that such a large dining area could have such an intimate
ambiance. Teak tables are tiered on different levels and etched
glass barriers create intimate, private dining spaces. Ceiling
lights twinkle like stars overhead. The kids thought it was cool,
and we found it to be romantic.
The wait staff was
professional, friendly, and assured us of a first-rate dining
experience. Playful staff members spoiled the girls; especially
headwaiter, Francesco, who escorted them to the galley to choose any
chocolate confection their hearts desired. In celebration of our
anniversary and my birthday, the staff serenaded us, gave us
complimentary bottles of wine, and presented us with special
desserts.
A Bevy of
Entertainment
Entertainment choices abound and include
musical extravaganzas, calypso music parties by the pool, pianists,
jazz bands, comics, magicians, movies, and lectures. There are two
main show lounges: the Vista Lounge, which has a "dinner club" style
atmosphere, and the Princess Theater, which has more traditional
style seating. There is also a large casino, card room, library, and
business center (with Internet access). If you are thirsty, Sun
Princess boasts eleven "watering holes," the most elegant being
the Wheelhouse Lounge on the Promenade deck. This lounge, featuring
nautical memorabilia, captures the essence of ocean liners from a
bygone era.
 For kids, there's the "Fun Zone,"
Princess’ dedicated activity center. "Princess Pelicans" is the
program for children two to 12, and "Princess Teen Club" is designed
for kids 13 to 17. A sign-in security system eases parental
concerns, and beepers keep parents in touch. There are organized
activities as well as free playtime. Multiple computers, large craft
tables, a massive ball pit, large dollhouse, Puppet Theater, video
screens, splash pool, and much more keep even the most “bored” child
happy. The counselors were so attentive that my children often did
not want to leave. There's even a children's dinner one evening held
at Horizon Court to allow parents a romantic night
out.
Spa & Fitness and Recreation
State of
the art exercise equipment in the ship’s health club and spa makes
staying "ship shape" easy, especially with its enticing sea view.
The spa, operated by Steiner’s expert staff, offers the latest spa
treatments and massage therapies. In addition, an open-air sports
deck offers a basketball court, volleyball, badminton, paddle
tennis, and a golf simulator. There are also five Jacuzzis, two
pools, a splash pool, and a top-of-the-ship walking deck. The best
deck to walk on is the wrap-around Promenade deck (deck 7)—three
laps equals one mile!
A Few Things to Keep in Mind for
the Kids
Aye Carumba! As great as the cruise was, there
were a few things to look out for, especially when bringing the kids
along. For example, when we reached the terminal in our cab, we were
approached by a swarm of young Mexican padres. One boy opened the
door, but many hands greedily reached out to touch us. There was a
lot of pushing, shoving, and shouting as each jockeyed for a
position to get tips. Normally, this would not have bothered me, but
the experience traumatized our six and four-year-old daughters.
Also, although the onboard kids center is wonderful, the
hours are extremely limited, giving parents less flexibility. On
port days, the center is only open from 7 to 10 p.m. If you want its
services before 7 p.m., you are charged a group, babysitting fee of
$4 per child, per hour, and you need to make arrangements at least
one day in advance. The same rate is charged after 10 p.m. During
sea days, the center is open from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon), 2 to 5
p.m., and 7 to 10 p.m.
The Love Boat?: Couples, Beware
When You Bring the Kids
Unfortunately, Sun
Princess made it extra difficult for a couple to be romantic if
they decided to bring the kids along. When we arrived at our cabin,
a verandah stateroom accommodating four passengers (a quad cabin),
we were delighted to see that our door was decorated with festive
"Happy Anniversary" balloons (as we were celebrating our 10th
wedding anniversary). However, once inside, I was dismayed to see
that the sleeping arrangements consisted of four bunk beds (known as
"Pullmans"). I expected similar bedding configurations as other
cruises I've been on with the kids, where the verandah quad cabins
had Pullmans for the kids (or a pull-out sofa bed) and twin beds
pushed together to make a queen-size bed for the parents. I thought
this was supposed to be the Love Boat, but I felt trapped in
a 50's sitcom.
I tried to book a mini-suite or suite, but
Princess allows only three passengers to occupy those categories.
When I contacted Princess about their quad cabin arrangement, they
stated that they are modifying the design on the new ships, which
will debut over the next three years. The new quad cabin design (in
balcony and ocean view cabins) will still have two Pullmans, but the
lower beds will be able to be pushed together. (This configuration
already exists on the Golden Princess, launched in May
2001.)
Location, Location, Location
Just when I
thought I was beginning to get used to our cabin, things got worse.
I picked our particular cabin because I thought the location was
ideal, being close to the elevators and directly below the
children's playroom and the spa. Wrong. Every night we has to deal
with a door slamming on the Riviera deck above, plus the sound of
footsteps along the deck. Our cabin, A640, was also directly across
from an ice station, room service area, and housekeeping supply
room. The smashing of ice and clanging of house keeping carts served
as a wake up call each morning at 6:15 sharp. On top of that, we had
to listen to the noisy davits and pulleys lowering the ship's tender
boats into the water when we reached ports that required them. Sound
was coming at us from every angle. I complained at the purser's desk
about the hall noise, but there was very little that they could
do.
Final Thoughts
As we passed under the
Golden Gate Bridge and gazed at gorgeous San Francisco, we felt our
cruise coming to an end. Upon disembarkation at pier 35, I glanced
back for a final look at Sun Princess and walked away with
mixed feelings. There's no doubt about it, Princess’ classy ships,
great itineraries, fabulous food, entertainment, and crew equal a
great cruise product. However, the quad cabin arrangement, the lack
of flexibility to book suites for four, and the very limited hours
of the children's program are the three things I found lacking.
Would I cruise them again? As a couple, in a heartbeat. As a family,
absolutely, but with one reservation: only on the newer ships with
the improved quad cabin.
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