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MEXICAN RIVIERA CRUISE
Ports: Manzanillo, Acapulco &Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa
October 13-21, 2007
Traveling: Glenn and Barbara
While Barbara was recovering from her August 1st knee replacement surgery, Glenn saw an online ad for an eight-day Carnival cruise from San Diego to the Mexican Riviera that had several "at sea" days plus visits to three ports. The ship, the Spirit, would leave San Diego on October 13th, giving Barbara plenty of time to recuperate from her surgery. This cruise was the right combination of relaxation and new ports for someone with a "new" knee. It certainly was a great incentive for Barbara to be a good patient, and do her physical therapy exercises faithfully. With an o.k. from Barbara's doctor, Glenn made all the arrangements. He left it to Carnival to arrange our air travel and transfers from the airport to the ship.
Barbara's knee cooperated, and we boarded the Spirit on a sunny Saturday afternoon in San Diego. We quickly realized that there was going to be a persistent "theme" to this cruise: "there will be a slight delay." We were delayed getting on the plane in Portland because of strong headwinds, then once we got to the pier in San Diego, there was a one and a half-hour delay before we could board the ship. (We never learned the cause.) The lifeboat drill the following morning was also delayed for an hour (never knew why). At Zihuatenejo there was an hour or more delay getting ashore via tender because huge swells made it dangerous to board the lifeboats; then, a lock-down on the ship one evening while they accounted for all passengers meant our evening show was delayed to the following day; there was another delay in getting back to the pier at San Diego due to pea-soup thick fog in the harbor, and finally, there were so many delays getting us off the ship and to the airport that we missed our nonstop flight back to Portland--instead we got sent through Boise, Idaho. We missed our shuttle to Salem by ten minutes, which meant our return home was delayed until almost ten p.m.
There were also a couple of "first-time ever" events during this cruise.
1) About ten p.m. on our second "at sea" day--when we were far out into the Pacific Ocean, we heard a "scratching" noise out on our verandah. When Glenn opened the door to investigate, a small falcon, known as a Merlin, flew in! It took a few seconds before it registered that we now had a bird in the cabin with us, and not a sea bird either! The poor thing flitted around the cabin while we tried to figure out what to do with him. At one point, he went into his "menacing" pose, all puffed out and with his wings extended, which I guess was supposed to give us a good scare. Just as we were about to grab a towel and toss it over him,and then call the cabin steward, he flew back toward the verandah door. Glenn opened the door, and the falcon obligingly left the cabin!
Now how did a land bird end up on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean? We reported the incident to the Pursers but they didn't seem very interested in how he got on the ship. We think he had been a stowaway since our departure from San Diego. We'd like to think that he stayed with the ship until our first port, but probably he became dinner for some creature more at home in or on the sea.
2) As the Spirit was steaming northward on the return trip, there was a "man overboard" emergency. A crew member reported seeing someone in the water, and immediately there was a call over the ship's P.A. system, “Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Starboard Side!” It was most interesting to observe the emergency procedures that were immediately started. A life preserver and smoke flare were tossed onto the water, and the ship circled back to carefully explore the area where the sighting had been reported. After about an hour, the ship resumed speed, and it was announced that no sign of anyone in the water had been noted. Later, there was a lock-down on the ship, so that everyone could be accounted for. This took about 90 minutes, but thankfully, everyone who should be on the ship, was found. (Errant falcons were not included in the headcount, I guess.)
So, beyond all those "delays" and unusual occurrences, how was the cruise? Just fine, as a matter of fact. This was our first cruise with the Carnival line, and in most respects, the amenities were equal to what we found on other cruise ships. The standout features were: 1) The food, especially in the dining room. Excellent! 2) Our bed was comfy and the down pillows and duvet were very nice touches. 3) The air conditioning in our cabin and throughout the ship worked well. 4) The elevators were quiet and fast. 5) Very good overhead lighting in our cabin. 6) Plenty of storage room in the cabin for clothes and other items. 7. Terry cloth bathrobes were provided. 8) The theater shows featuring dancers and singers were outstanding. Very talented dancers and singers, plus Broadway-type sets and costumes. As good as any we've seen before.
The three ports we visited were interesting and the results of our bus tour excursions can be viewed in these albums:
ABOARD THE SPIRIT AND AT SAN DIEGO
ACAPULCO
(short video of cliff divers in Acapulco)
Can you find Manzanillo, Ixtapa/Zihuatenejo and Acapulco on the map? Good!!
If you want to know every detail, the trip log is also available for reading.
Adiós!
Barbara, and Glenn
Unless otherwise noted, text and photos are the property of Glenn and Barbara Halliday, © 2007
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