All mexican riviera cruises include a stop in Cabo San Lucas, and in my mind, the longer the better. I love Cabo. When going there, there is no place for the ship to dock so all ships need to use small tender boats to ferry passengers ashore. Therefore, getting on and off the ship now takes considerably longer. So the longer you have in Cabo the better. Some ships leave by 2 or 3pm. If this is the case, I recommend taking a ship run tour to make the most of your time there. If the ship is there until 6 or 7 pm, then I recommend a half day tour and then you have the other half to do your own thing. Unless your ship offers full day tours that includes everything you wanted to see or do.
Puerto Vallarta – I have never been here and it be cold. It is always hot, but I love it. The golf is good in PV and so too are the tours. But if you don’t want the expense, grab a $3 shuttle or $10 taxi into downtown and walk along the boardwalk. There are some good bars/restaurants to sit and relax on the second level overlooking the water. If you miss out on the shipboard tour you wanted, there are private tour companies on the pier as you get off the ship. They are used to catering with cruise passengers so they will make sure you are back at the ship in time. Of course there are risks going with private tour companies as outlined in Cruise Ship Secrets, but what ever you chose to do, I hope you have a great time.
To make the most of your cruise, read my book Cruise Ship Secrets. It will help you with beating sea sickness, cruising with kids, saving money, what to expect onboard, what to pack, and a lot more.
