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Royal Caribbean Mexican Riviera cruises from $191*

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Royal Caribbean International Mexican Riviera Cruises

Grab the family and get ready for a cruise filled with adventure, departing from the wild West Coast! Cruise down the California Coast and along the coast of Mexico, where tropical beaches and delectable treats are waiting for you to disembark. A great way to spend Spring Break, a Mexican Riviera cruise from Royal Caribbean will never be short on fun-filled family activities or sun-kissed relaxation. Continue below to learn more about our favorite things to do on Mexican Riviera cruises with Royal Caribbean.

Things to Do on a Mexican Riviera cruise with Royal Caribbean:

• Beaches & Boats (Cabo San Lucas, Mexico) As your Royal Caribbean ship approaches, enjoy the pastel blue of the Sea of Cortez against the stark white sand beaches of Cabo San Lucas, popularly known as Cabo. While enjoying the beaches and fresh seafood, make sure you enjoy a short boat trip to one of the most iconic coastal rock formations, El Arco.  

• Conquistadors & Cuisine (Mazatlan, Mexico) Stroll through the streets of this charming coastal city, where conquistadors and pirates once fought their battles. Stop and grab a bite to eat at any of the plentiful local restaurants, many known for a unique Sinaloan-style cuisine.  

• Romantic Rivieras (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico) Even though it’s a family cruise, mom and dad will love Puerto Vallarta. Romantic beaches with sunsets like a Picasso line Vallarta while you enjoy a date night at one of many beachfront restaurants.  

• Lifestyles of the Royal Caribbean Cruiser (Los Angeles, California) Hollywood is for royalty, right? Why not ROYAL-ty? Enjoy a pre- or post-cruise stay in the 90210. There is plenty to do here – but don’t take our word for it. Plan a Mexican Riviera cruise departing Los Angeles and find out what the Hollywood Walk of Fame, expansive canyons and the bustling Venice Beach are all about.  

• Wine & Dine (Ensenada, Mexico) While exploring Mexico’s wine country, the parents can enjoy a tour of local wineries while Royal Caribbean’s expert youth programs will tire the kids out on a long hike of El Salto Canyon!  

Top 10 Royal Caribbean International Mexican Riviera Cruises

• Navigator of the Seas 7 NIGHT CABO, VALLARTA & MAZATLAN Departing From Los Angeles, California (Jun 2024 - Apr 2025)
• Navigator of the Seas 7 NIGHT ENSENADA, CABO & VALLARTA Departing From Los Angeles, California (Jul 2024 - Jan 2025)
• Navigator of the Seas 7 NIGHT ENSENADA, CABO & MAZATLAN Departing From Los Angeles, California (Sep 2024 - Oct 2024)
• Navigator of the Seas 7 NIGHT COASTAL MEXICO HOLIDAY CRUISE Departing From Los Angeles, California (Dec 2024 - Dec 2025)
• Navigator of the Seas 7 NT CABO, VALLARTA & MAZATLAN CRUISE Departing From Los Angeles, California (May 2025 - Apr 2026)
• Quantum of the Seas 4 NIGHT ENSENADA CRUISE Departing From Los Angeles, California (Oct 2025 - Dec 2025)
• Quantum of the Seas 6 NIGHT CABO AND ENSENADA Departing From Los Angeles, California (Oct 2025)
• Quantum of the Seas 6 NIGHT CABO OVERNIGHT AND ENSENADA Departing From Los Angeles, California (Oct 2025 - Apr 2026)
• Quantum of the Seas 3 NIGHT ENSENADA CRUISE Departing From Los Angeles, California (Oct 2025 - Apr 2026)
• Navigator of the Seas 8 NT CABO, VALLARTA, MAZATLAN & ENSENADA Departing From Los Angeles, California (Nov 2025)

Royal Caribbean International Mexican Riviera Departure Ports

Learn about the possible departure ports for your Mexican Riviera cruise with Royal Caribbean. Your family cruise could begin in any of the following departure ports:

The possibilities are endless when cruising to or from the City of Angels. Let your inner rock star shine as you explore the many wonders of Los Angeles, California.

Photo Gallery for Royal Caribbean International Mexican Riviera Cruises

Flip through these breathtaking photos and envision them as the backdrop for your next family picture! Sailing the Mexican Riviera with Royal Caribbean will be a lifelong memory for everyone.

Diving off Mexican Coast with Royal Caribbean

The iconic Arch in the Sea of Cortez

Sunset in Vallarta with Royal Caribbean

Mayan Ruins in Tulum, Mexico

Iconic Mermaid Statue in Mazatlan, Mexico

Grab Some Tacos and Cerveza in Mexico

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Home » Cruise » Royal Caribbean » Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review

Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review

In our signature day-by-day Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera cruise review, we detail our time onboard this Christmas cruise.

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Ship overview.

Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas underwent an extensive renovation back in 2019. This 140K gross ton Voyager-Class ship received a number of updates including new amenities, venues, eateries, and some much needed cosmetic enhancements.

These include new specialty restaurants, such as Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade, and two new waterslides. The pool deck also received a face-lift with a new Caribbean vibe including the multi-story Lime and Coconut Bar.

When Navigator of the Seas debuted after her amplification, the ship sailed the Bahamas on short 3- and 4-day cruises to Perfect Day at CocoCay. Of course, we cruised on the ship twice in 2019, and we really enjoyed all the updates.

Navigator of the Seas now sails out of Los Angeles alternating between short cruises to Catalina and Ensenada and Mexican Riviera itineraries.

Thus, when planning a Christmas cruise with family, Navigator of the Seas’ amenities, itinerary, and price point made this sailing an easy choice.

Now, we are back on dry land and want to share all the details of this holiday sailing with you in our signature day-by-day Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review.

EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Get Deals on Navigator of the Seas Cruises Now!

Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review – Day 1

Let’s get this family vacation started.

Home for just three days following our MSC Seascape cruise to the Caribbean, it was a quick turnaround for this Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera cruise review.

Nonetheless, we hopped on a cross-country flight from Boston to Los Angeles a day in advance of this Christmas cruise. Arriving in California on Thursday, we spent the evening with family in Long Beach. We would be cruising with my mom, my sister and her husband, and our 10 year old nephew.

With an 11:30 AM embarkation time at the Port of Los Angeles, we checked out of our hotel, Hotel Maya, around 10:30 AM on Friday morning. Securing an Uber took a little longer than expected, but we still arrived to the port by 11:15 AM.

Despite being more make-shift than usual, we processed through the security tent, check-in, and directly onto the ship in under 30 minutes.

Of course, the cabins were not ready yet. So, we used this time to give our family an abbreviated ship tour, highlighting the pool deck, sports deck, and dining options.

We also completed some obligatory tasks like our muster drill and securing a reservation for our specialty dining credit from our travel agent. Additionally, Sis signed our nephew up for Adventure Ocean, which he would ultimately only visit once during the cruise.

Our lunch was a bit all over the place today. Some of the fam grabbed lunch in the Windjammer shortly after boarding, while we opted for snacks a bit later in the day.

Once the rooms were ready, we dropped off our carry-on items and headed back out to the pool deck. While it was a bit chillier than we expected, how can you pass up a Lime and Coconut drink?

With sail away scheduled for 4:30 PM, we decided to head back to our cabin around 3 PM in the hopes of unpacking before then. Luckily, our suitcases had just arrived!

For this Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera cruise review, we were all staying on Deck 6. Our balcony cabin, cabin 6614, was a portside stateroom located fairly near the midship elevators. Our family were staying in two adjacent cabins just down the hall from us.

These cabins on Navigator of the Seas were partially updated with newer furnishings and décor. However, the bathroom and balcony did show their age. Still, there was plenty of storage space making it easy to unpack and get settled in for the week ahead.

Let’s Set Sail to Mexico

Making our way back outside around 4 PM, we secured seats on Deck 13 at the Lime and Coconut rooftop overlooking the pool deck.

Given the port area is rather industrial, our sail away wasn’t very scenic. Plus, it got cold and windy very quickly. We lasted just long enough to grab a sunset photo before shivering our way back inside.

Given we were dining as a group of six, we thought it made more sense to do traditional dining. The options were either early seating at 5:30 PM or late seating at 8 PM. Thus, we opted for early seating, despite being early even for us.

This meant it was a quick costume change before arriving to our assigned table, table 804, in the Deck 5 main dining room.

Here, we met our waitstaff, Pramod and Yi. Pramod was friendly and attentive during the course of the week. While Yi was nice, there was a bit of a language barrier, resulting in getting incorrect drinks at times, etc.

Overall, our first night dining experience was on par with what we have come to expect from Royal Caribbean, with favorites like prime rib and fried chicken on the menu tonight. The service too was timely, with our party finishing dinner in under 90 minutes.

It’s Christmas Time on Navigator of the Seas

From here, it was off to our first Christmas event of the cruise. Tonight, there was Christmas caroling and a tree lighting in the Royal Promenade at 7:30 PM.

Securing seats outside the pub, we sang along to classics like Deck the Halls, Silent Night, and Feliz Navidad. While some of our family was being a bit Scrooge-like, we thought this was a fun way to get into the holiday spirit.

After the official tree lighting, we made our way forward to the Star Lounge for the 60 Seconds or Less game show at 8:30 PM. While we didn’t participate, it was fun to watch these challenges.

One show down, another one to go. This time, we made our way to the theater for the welcome aboard show starring the comedian, Etta May. Here, we met the Cruise Director, Thiago, along with some of the other production cast.

Etta May closed out the show with a short 20-minute set. We appreciated that she was different than your typical cruise ship comedian; though, I found her funnier than Don did.

Since this cruise was officially “vacation” for us, it was time for a round of our favorite cocktails following the show. A lavender daiquiri and sidecar at the Schooner Bar are always a go-to for us. Here, we briefly listened to some piano tunes by Scott Orchard before his set ended.

Chatting with family a bit longer, we soon realized that we were the only people left in the bar. So, we decided to move on to the pub.

Darla Fox, one of our favorite pub musicians, was onboard Navigator of the Seas this week. We enjoyed her performances earlier this year on Mariner of the Seas , and we thought the fam would also.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t playing this evening. Oh well. After another round of drinks, we called it a night around 11:30 PM. Tomorrow was already Christmas Eve! Where did 2022 go?

Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review – Day 2

A relaxing sea day.

Day 2 of this Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review was a sea day. We also lost an hour of sleep to ready ourselves for our first port of call tomorrow.

Up around 7:30 AM, we met family for breakfast in the Windjammer just after 9 AM. We then secured our seats on the pool deck. The weather was beautiful today, so we relaxed in the sun for a few hours.

This meant that we also had a decent view for the 12:30 PM Sexiest Man Competition that occurred poolside.

After all this laying around, it was obviously time for lunch. Unfortunately though, Navigator of the Seas does not have many casual dining options . So, we reluctantly returned to the Windjammer.

With a post-lunch stroll, we returned to the cabin around 2 PM to get a little work done before the evening’s festivities.

A Change of Plans

Throughout the day, we received several announcements regarding our time in Cabo tomorrow. Essentially, Royal Caribbean was encouraging guests to NOT go ashore. While Cabo is always a tender port, we would be the last ship arriving and subsequently would be anchored the furthest away.

Given the limited operations due to the holiday and the number of ships in port, we were informed to expect up to 2 hours in transfer time to and/or from shore. This certainly threw a wrench in our Christmas plans.

We had booked a private sailboat excursion with a local vendor. This 5-hour tour included a coastal cruise, time for snorkeling, open bar, and a Mexican lunch exclusively for us. It sounded like the perfect way to spend the holiday with family.

However, with the tour start time scheduled shortly after our 12:30 PM arrival, we made the difficult decision to cancel and lose our deposit. We figured our only hope of getting ashore would be to book a Royal Caribbean excursion, giving us priority tender access.

While we would have been fine staying on the ship, we knew the rest of the fam wanted to see Cabo. So, we booked a 2-hour coastal cruise excursion with the cruise line. At least we would get ashore, and we could contend with the line to get back later.

The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer is Singing Loud For All to Hear

With that crisis somewhat resolved, it was time to enjoy the Christmas Eve festivities onboard Navigator of the Seas.

Since tonight was also formal night, we made sure to be ready early to take some family photos before dinner. Posing at three different backdrops was about all our nephew could handle.

Dinner in the MDR tonight had a special holiday menu as opposed to the typical first formal night menu. There were holiday classics like almond-crusted brie, turkey dinner, honey glazed ham, and more.

I enjoyed the brie, turkey, and buche de noel. Hubby sampled the beef wellington as well.

Following dinner, we had some free time until the 9:15 PM Christmas show in the theater. First, we grabbed some drinks from one of our favorite Royal Caribbean bars , the Bamboo Room. Then, we made our way across the Royal Promenade to the pub to listen to some live music with Darla.

The production show this evening was a special treat from the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers. This festive revue show featured a collection of the cast members’ favorite holiday songs.

While our nephew headed off to bed, the rest of us rounded out the night with the Liar’s Club in the Star Lounge. Even if this rendition was a bit different, it was still fun to watch.

Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review – Day 3

Merry christmas.

Day 3 of this Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review was Christmas! It was also our first port of call in Cabo San Lucas with an afternoon call of 12:30 PM. Our new tour was scheduled for 2:30 PM with a meeting time of 1 PM in the theater.

I was really hoping for some kind of “fancy breakfast” for Christmas morning, but alas, that was not the case. So, we met up with family around 9 AM for our nephew to open a few presents from us and Grammy, and headed off to the Windjammer.

After breakfast, we tagged along to the main theater where there was a Santa meet and greet happening. Basically, it was a photo-op, and Santa gave each child a small present. Who doesn’t love a Royal Caribbean water bottle?

By now, it was around 11 AM, so we dispersed until tour time. We took a quick walk around the upper decks capturing some photos and videos of our approach to Cabo along the way. Norwegian Joy and a Carnival ship were joining us here today.

An Afternoon of Waiting

Meeting in the theater for 1 PM as indicated, it was over 30 minutes later when we were finally called to disembark the ship. The tender process itself was actually quick and efficient, taking only about 20 minutes to get to shore.

Arriving onshore, we checked in with our tour guide and continued to wait. It was actually after 3 PM when our tour finally started.

The excursion was honestly a bit lackluster for all the waiting. It essentially turned into a whale-watching tour. Nonetheless, we got some fresh air, an open bar, and views of the coastline and El Arco, along with some whale sightings.

For what it’s worth, the water was a bit rough, which didn’t settle well with some family members. So, they might’ve felt even worse on a small sailboat.

When our tour returned to the pier shortly after 5 PM, myself, hubby, and mom got lucky to score a tender back to the ship with little waiting. Sis and her fam wandered the pier a bit more in search of a few souvenirs. Unfortunately, it ended up taking them over an hour to return to the ship.

A Christmas Feast

Knowing that our excursion would have us missing our 5:30 PM dinner, we booked a special Christmas dinner at Jamie’s Italian pre-cruise. The only time available was 8:30 PM. When we inquired about moving the reservation earlier, we were told to just show up and they should be able to seat us.

So, we made a plan to meet for 7:30 PM in hopes of getting sat earlier.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner prices at Jamie’s Italian and Chops Grille were a tad on the expensive side for this cruise. In retrospect, it shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise when we arrived to a nearly empty restaurant.

This was fine by us though. The quiet restaurant meant we had great service during our Christmas feast. With the hefty price tag did come a special menu with champagne and a few exclusive items.

Our waiter decided that we should each choose an entrée, and he would then bring a sample of all the appetizers and all the pasta dishes for our table to share.

From the famous meat plank, to creamy burrata, calamari, arancini, and bruschetta, it was all delicious. So much so that we didn’t know how we were going to fit in our clothes by the end of the week.

We continued the feast with various pasta selections, like the bolognese, creamy carbonara, truffle tagliatelle, and lobster linguine. This was in addition to our entrees- herby charred chicken and sticky chianti beef.

By now, we were all so stuffed that most of us couldn’t even think about dessert. I had the ambitious plan of taking the Amalfi cheesecake to-go for later, but I never ended up eating it.

This Christmas dinner got two thumbs up from all of us, even our picky 10 year old nephew. Though, slipping into a food coma at this point, we all decided to call it a night after dinner.

Tomorrow was our second port of call in Mazatlan.

SCORE BIG ON NAVIGATOR OF THE SEAS SAILINGS TO MEXICO!

Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review – Day 4

Exploring more of mexico.

Day 4 of this Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review was our stop in Mazatlan. For today, our family decided on a combo tour that included part island tour and part Stone Island beach break. Arriving at 8 AM, our tour had a meeting time of 9:30 AM.

Heading ashore around 9 AM, we briefly strolled the nearby shops before being escorted off on our tour. For this 6-hour excursion booked through Shore Excursions Group , our party of 6 ended up getting our own small van and personal tour guide, Alfonso.

Our first stop on this approximately 90-minute tour of Old Mazatlan was the Old Spanish Fort. Here, we got some beautiful panoramic vistas of the area including the lighthouse.

Next up was a stop to watch the famed cliff divers. These daredevils plunge 45 feet into water less than 8 feet deep.

Our third stop was near Machado Square at the Cathedral built in the late 1800’s. Securing a couple photos of this structure, our tour continued through the seafood market back to the pier to board a boat over to Stone Island.

Since we missed the larger transport vessel, we were loaded into a small motorized fishing boat that jetted off to the island.

During our 3.5 hours here, we could enjoy a limited open bar, lunch, and select activities.

Since none of us were up for a banana boat ride or a horseback ride, we traded in our activity tickets for a coconut drink. This was more our style!

The downside was that this particular beach club did not have any lounge chairs. Thus, we set up shop at a table with chairs. Enjoying the weather, the chilly water, and some lunch, we relaxed until our 3 PM departure time.

Back to Our Scheduled Programming

With a quick ride back to the ship, we were onboard by 3:30 PM. This gave us enough time to grab an afternoon coffee then shower up for dinner.

Tonight, we were back in the main dining room. The menu consisted of options like chicken cordon bleu, Asian pork tacos, and lamb chops. Each of the items we sampled were on par with typical MDR experiences.

With about an hour to kill before the game show in the Star Lounge, we decided to go check out our professional photos at the Photo Gallery on Deck 3. We also popped into Playmaker’s to catch a bit of the Monday night football games.

The Rock the Room game show was essentially an interactive version of music trivia. While we didn’t formally participate, we played along on the sidelines.

Following this event, we all went our separate ways. For us, this meant we headed to the theater for Ballroom Fever.

Ballroom Fever was tonight’s revue show featuring the Royal Caribbean singers and dancers. After sailing on some of the newest cruise ships in the fleet with wonderful production shows, this did fall a bit short.

While we debated meeting back up with family for the 70’s party in the promenade after the show, all our recent travels had caught up with us. We were exhausted and wanted to rest up for our final excursion in Puerto Vallarta tomorrow as we were really looking forward to this one.

Further, we were losing ANOTHER hour of sleep tonight.

Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review – Day 5

Who’s ready for some fun.

Day 5 of this Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review was our final port of call in Puerto Vallarta. Today, we had an off-roading Razr adventure booked.

With the clocks turned an extra hour forward, we made a plan to disembark the ship by 8:45 AM. Our tour was booked with a local vendor, so we had a bit of a walk to find the meeting spot.

While the directions were a little more confusing than they should have been, we arrived at the small Canopy River office by 9:30 AM. With a long line of fellow tour-goers also waiting to check-in, we boarded an open-air bus for the drive to the Sierra Madre Mountains around 10:15 AM.

About 45 minutes later, we arrived at the base camp. Soon after, we broke off into groups and prepped for our adventure. The Razr vehicles were either 2-person or 4-person. So, we took our own car, while the rest of the fam went in another one.

During this approximately 1.5 hour drive, we got down and dirty traversing the desert-like terrain. It was actually more thrilling than we expected, full of dust, windy paths, lots of bumps, and even a drive over a suspension bridge.

Our caravan made one stop along the way, about 40 minutes into the tour, at the El Salto waterfall. There was a pretty steep hike down to the waterfall, which was a bit anti-climatic. We had about 20 minutes here to take a dip or jump from the waterfall before making our trek back.

Back at the ranch, we had about an hour for lunch, drinks, and to view our professional photos of the tour. Of course, we had to purchase them, along with a Mexican lunch.

After a fun-filled day, our bus back to the port finally departed around 2:30 PM. If you are visiting Puerto Vallarta, we would highly recommend this tour!

With the additional time it took to walk back to the ship, we were back onboard around 4 PM for our much needed afternoon coffee. This gave us little time to relax before showering up for dinner. But, it was a much needed shower after riding around in the dirt all day.

Our Usual Evening Routine

On the menu tonight in the MDR was baked potato soup, Moroccan spiced ahi tuna, and bananas foster among other items.

Given our early dinner, we always ended up with about an hour of free time before heading to the game show in the Star Lounge, followed by the evening’s production show at 9:15 PM. Thus, we opted for some after-dinner espresso martinis at the R Bar before attending Finish That Lyric.

While our nephew called it a night after the game show, the rest of us continued on to Studio B for iSkate. This performance had less of a storyline and focused more on the performers themselves.

We always enjoy the ice skating shows, but sis and her hubby weren’t as fond of it as we were. The Love and Marriage show in the theater that immediately followed was more their style.

This rendition was actually one of the funnier Love and Marriage shows that we have seen in a while. From the auditions, to the hilarious answers from the couples, to the gentle nudging from the Cruise Director Thiago, this show lasted much longer than usual.

Putting us close to midnight, we all decided to call it a night.

The next two days were sea days and we were gaining back an hour of sleep each night to get us back on West Coast time by our arrival Friday morning.

Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review – Day 6

We’re not in mexico anymore.

Day 6 of this Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review was our second sea day of the cruise. Gaining an extra hour, we still slept in until about 8 AM.

Today, there was brunch in the main dining room, so we made a plan to meet for 10 AM. I think everyone else had the same idea! The Deck 3 MDR was busy, and service was slow as a result. Brunch took about 2 hours, but I still say it was worth it.

The food quality was definitely better than what we had eaten previous mornings in the Windjammer. Most of us opted for omelets or eggs your way alongside some French toast. Our nephew also really enjoyed the chocolate chip pancakes.

With not much else on the agenda for the day, we decided to head outside. Even though it was windy, the pool deck was still quite crowded. After a few laps around the walking track, we settled on some loungers up on Deck 13 near the Navigator Dunes.

Despite our hopes of spending time outdoors, playing some mini-golf, and riding the waterslides these last two sea days, the weather had other plans for us. Ultimately, the wind made it too cold, so we had to head back indoors.

Instead, we grabbed an afternoon coffee and went back to the cabin. It was less windy and much warmer on the balcony. So, we essentially spent the rest of the afternoon here until it was time to change up for the second formal night of the cruise.

It’s Formal Night

Ready for 5 PM, it was time for our family to redeem themselves with some better formal night portraits. Posing at three different stations again tonight, we arrived to the MDR a few minutes late.

It was lobster night! Of course, I don’t eat lobster, nor does my mom or sister. Still, our table consisted of various selections from the vidalia onion tart, minestrone soup, beef tenderloin, lobster, baked Alaska, and molten chocolate cake.

Since we would not be dining in the MDR tomorrow, we made sure to tip our waitstaff and thank them before we left.

Eventually making our way over the the Star Lounge, tonight was the Lip Sync Battle at 8:15 PM. Opting to skip out on the main theater production show, Showgirl! Past, Present, Future, we stuck around the Star Lounge for Rock-A-Rokie.

After a few songs, we decided to head to the pub to listen to Darla perform instead.

When her set ended, we called it a night, returning to the most unique towel creation we’ve ever had show up in our room. Sis and her hubby continued the party at Studio B with the Crazy Quest.

Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review – Day 7

Preparing us to go back home.

Day 7 of this Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review was our final sea day. And, the weather was certainly preparing us to head back home, as it was cold and gray!

Gaining an extra hour overnight, we were back on LA time now. Up around 8 AM, Don grabbed some morning coffee while I got ready for some laser tag.

The rough seas took our family down one by one today. This meant that mom and sis were not up to playing laser tag this morning. When the rest of us arrived down to Studio B, we were greeted by a rather long line. With not much else to do on this cold day, we decided to wait anyway.

Well over an hour later, we were finally approaching the entrance to Studio B when the activities staff indicated they were looking for a party of 3. Don quickly decided to bow out in hopes that we could play sooner.

All said and done, it was about a two hour wait. Nonetheless, the robots came out victoriously. Even if I was the lowest scoring member on our team.

By now the rest of the fam had regrouped, and we decided to purchase our formal photos while we were in the area. While none of them came out great, we decided on a couple of the better ones.

By now, we were all hungry. Not wanting the Windjammer again, we suggested Playmakers. This turned into another waiting game.

When the venue opened at noon, there were several others with the same idea. Thus, it turned into a 90+ minute lunch, complete with nachos, an onion ring tower, burgers, wings, and chicken tenders.

In the meantime, we also watched part of the Egg Drop Competition occurring in the promenade.

Our Final Day Onboard Navigator of the Seas

With some trivia sessions occurring this afternoon, we decided to head back to the cabin to get some packing done in the meantime. Our nephew also took this opportunity to visit the arcade for a little while.

Missing the Harry Potter trivia at 3 PM, we attended the Superheroes and Villains session at 4 PM instead. We thought we did a pretty good job getting only three out of 24 wrong, but it still wasn’t good enough to win the coveted Royal Caribbean keychains and highlighters.

Our final dinner of this family cruise was at Chops Grille. The only reservation we could secure was at 5:30 PM though.

Now, it was our brother-in-law’s turn to feel a bit under the weather due to the sea conditions. Thus, he skipped out on dinner tonight.

Some wedge salad, shrimp cocktail, steak, and red velvet cake later, we were officially stuffed. This was the perfect meal to close out this cruise. The red velvet cake even got two thumbs up from our nephew!

Rounding out the week with our typical routine, we headed to the Star Lounge a bit early for the Friendly Feud game show at 8 PM. We secured seats while listening to the end of the band’s set.

Much like the television show, families were randomly chosen to participate in this game show with categories that included “things people steal from the office”, “name a famous wizard”, and “reasons why your parents ground you”.

Finally, the last main theater show of the cruise was a comedy show with Etta May at 9:15 PM. While this was not your typical late night adult comedy show, it was still good for a few laughs. On that note, it was time to call it a night.

While we would typically get one final drink of the cruise, we did need to be up extra early tomorrow.

Our original 1 PM flight was canceled about a month prior to our cruise, and we were automatically re-booked on an 11:20 AM flight. Given this was a holiday week, and we were flying out of LAX, we knew this could be an issue but we chanced it anyway. The only other option would’ve been a late evening flight.

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Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review – Disembarkation

Time to head home.

Given our time crunch, we chose to complete self assist disembarkation for this Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review.

With a 5:30 AM alarm set, we were thankfully pulling into port right as scheduled. Showering and packing up some last minute items, we were ready to go by 7 AM. Saying some final goodbyes, Mom and I were able to secure an elevator with our luggage while Don carried his down the stairs to Deck 4.

With self-assist disembarkation starting right on time, we joined the small queue looping through the dining room. It only took about 30 minutes to get curbside and an additional 30 minutes to get to the airport.

While we have TSA pre-check, Mom does not. So, it took an additional 30-ish minutes at airport security. Though, all said and done, we were sitting at our gate by 8:45 AM. Potential disaster averted!

The rest of the trip home was uneventful. This time, we were returning home with nothing on our 2023 agenda….yet! Where should we go next?

Did you enjoy our Navigator of the Seas Mexican Riviera Cruise Review? Have you cruised the Mexican Riviera yet? Drop us an anchor below to share your recent Royal Caribbean cruise reviews!

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Great play by play!!

Fantastic review as we are considering this ship out of Los Angeles. Question about the weather and the outdoor activities. We’re the slides and pools open despite chilly and windy weather? Was the water heated? Thanks

DB & The Princess

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Difference between Caribbean and Mexican Riviera Cruises

By SheriNtexas , July 19, 2007 in Royal Caribbean International

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SheriNtexas

It seems that I see more posts and tickers for Caribbean cruises, which all 4 of my cruises have been. Are Mexican Riviera cruises just as fun? What is the difference in cruising to these 2 different regions? What are the pros and cons of a Mexican Riviera cruise? :) I live in West Texas and all 4 of my cruises have been out of Galveston, so it would be easy enough to fly either to Florida OR California to catch a cruise. Thanks!!

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Vicariously Cruising

You don't see much talk on these boards about Mex. Riviera because at this time, there has only been one RCI ship sailing there. The Monarch doing 3 and 4 days out of Las Angeles.

It's a nice cruise and a Grand Old Lady of a ship. We did the 4-day once as an add-on to another California holiday we planned.

The majority of people would rather do at least 7-day cruises because by the time you pack - travel to the ship - stay a night before - get on board - unpack; 3 or 4 days is just not enough.

Hope This Helps.

I totally agree with your response. We are sailing to the Mexican Riviera over Christmas, but not on RCCL since they only offer short itineraries. We are sailing the Carnival Spirit on an 8-night. I would do the 3 or 4-day on RCCL if I were planning to spend more time in San Diego or L.A. as part of a cruise/land vacation combined, but that's all. Other cruiselines offer more to the Riviera so there's probably more talk about it on other boards.:confused:

The Bahamas were more exotic and picturesque for me, maybe because I'm a Westerner, and hot brown desert is what I'm used to. I also noticed that the Caribbean ocean is a deep sapphire blue even away from land, whereas Mexican ocean is green/brown/gray. The Caribbean is, of course, much more humid. If I never see Mexico again, I won't consider it much of a loss.

I am not sure why you think that RCCL doesn't offer longer itineraries... :confused: The Vision sails the traditional 7 day. She does go up to Alaska for the summer, but this is her last year doing that. She will sail year round next year and then Mariner will take her route in 2009.

We love the Mexican Riviera... so much to do and so much to see. Fun activities & great people. Love the food & the atmosphere. We plan to do the Caribbean in the next couple of years, but for now we are perfectly happy in our part of the cruising world. Give it a try... fun! :D

Sally Forth

I've done both. It's six of one, half a dozen of the other. I like Mexico - the people, the food, and the culture, and I'd far rather go to Mexico than Bahamas or Jamaica. I like the Pacific stops in Mexico - Puerto Vallerta, Cabo, and Acapulco better than Cozumel and Cancun, too. However, I haven't done some of the other islands such as St Maarten or St Lucia, so can't compare. OTOH, the sea is prettier on the Caribbean side and you have Labadee.

You see? It's a hard choice!

Sorry everyone, I HAD been looking at Carnival Spirit's itineraries!:o I have only cruised Carnival and RCCL and just posted on where I go the most! Thanks everyone!!:)

You don't see much talk on these boards about Mex. Riviera because at this time, there has only been one RCI ship sailing there. The Monarch doing 3 and 4 days out of Las Angeles.   It's a nice cruise and a Grand Old Lady of a ship. We did the 4-day once as an add-on to another California holiday we planned.   The majority of people would rather do at least 7-day cruises because by the time you pack - travel to the ship - stay a night before - get on board - unpack; 3 or 4 days is just not enough.   Hope This Helps.

Monarch does not sail to the Mexican Riviera. Monarch sails to San Diego, Catalina and Ensenada, which is far from mexican Riviera. Vision sails to the Riviera.

We found the major difference was that if you like calm, clear blue water (for snorkeling, diving, etc.) with wide soft sand beaches, the Caribbean (sea) is best.

The (ocean) water was more turbulent and dark at Cabo, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. Acapulco was not so bad because is was more sheltered.

We did enjoy the itinerary though. :)

brightonguys

We did a Mexican Riviera cruise on the Diamond Princess last year after doing 3 Caribbean cruises in a row, and we have really enjoyed both. I would say that Puerto Vallarta is probably my favorite port of call of any that I've been to thus far -- great historic town, lots of good restaurants, shopping, and galleries, and lots of nearby outdoor activities. I agree that the water is not as "pretty" as in the Caribbean, but we don't do a lot of beach activities or snorkeling, though, so the differences in the sand and water are less important to us.

The RCCL Vision of the Seas is going to the Mexican Riviera every week in December - 7 day cruise. I'll be on one of them.

We did the Mex Riv. w/ NCL. We thought the water was clearer for snorkeling in the Carb though.

Although, we got to see I think seals and for a while, there was a pod of dolphins swimming along side of our ship. I heard the cruise director announce something about a whale too. My dad said all he saw was water spouting out though, by the time he got to that side of the ship.

We did the Vision of the Seas after many cruises in the caribbean cruises and really enjoyed it, I found it very relaxing and the LA port very easy to navigate.

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The first to install a rock wall on every ship in its fleet, Royal Caribbean International emphasizes new experiences. Each and every ship is jam-packed with fun activities, restaurants, bars and lounges, shopping, entertainment and sports and spa facilities guaranteed to make each guest's vacation unforgettable. Kids ages 3 to 17 will enjoy Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean youth program and teen facilities, which feature age-appropriate activities and amenities in a kid-friendly environment. 

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With its scenic coastline extending around the Baja Peninsula, western Mexico consists of three states and a petite grouping of islands. An experience on Mexico's Gold Coast may include lounging on the beach, kayaking a sandbar, exploring Mayan ruins or dancing in trendy nightclubs. Mazatlan offers a more traditional cultural experience, while Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas are especially accommodating to cruisers looking to shop or head to local restaurant and bars.

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7 Night Mexican Riviera Details

7 night ensenada, cabo & mazatlan details, 3 night ensenada cruise details, 5 night mexican riviera - los angeles details, 7 night coastal mexico holiday cruise details, 10 night mexican riviera cruise details, 7 night mexico cruise details, 7 night mexican riviera - san diego details, 2 night ensenada cruise details.

Mexican Riviera cruises -- encompassing ports like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan -- are offered year-round, with the most crowded time being the winter months. However, summer in this part of Mexico can be uncomfortably hot and humid, so spring and fall are particularly nice options.

Nearly all of the major cruise lines, including Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America, Princess and Disney, feature regular Mexican Riviera itineraries. Luxury lines like Crystal Cruises, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas include Mexican Riviera ports on Panama Canal and Central America itineraries.

What are some things to do in the Mexican Riviera?

The beaches and bars get top billing on Mexican Riviera cruises and there are plenty to choose from throughout. Water sports (including surfing), shopping and dining are also hugely popular.

Do you need a passport to take a cruise to the Mexican Riviera?

Americans with Mexican Riviera cruises beginning and ending in the same U.S. port (Los Angeles, for example) do not need a passport. If your cruise starts or ends in a Mexican port, you'll definitely need a passport; having one is highly recommended for everyone in case travel plans change.

What should I pack for a cruise to the Mexican Riviera?

Lightweight, comfortable shorts, t-shirts and sundresses as well as swimsuits and sunscreen are musts.

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The 8 top alaska cruise lines of 2024.

Discover the best lines and itineraries for your type of travel style.

The Top Alaska Cruise Lines

Courtesy of Royal Caribbean International

A cruise vacation to Alaska is a profound adventure. The spectacular natural beauty, rugged wilderness, massive glaciers and endless opportunities for wildlife viewing make a trip to the 49th state a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many travelers. As an added bonus, cruise ships can reach remote parts of the state, including Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve: one of the most significant (and picturesque) marine and wildlife sanctuaries in the world.

With the ever-growing popularity of the destination and an extended cruising season (some lines now travel to Alaska between April and October), more ships are heading north to the shores of The Great Land. With these expanded itineraries, there's more than ever to think about when booking your Alaska cruise.

To assist in your decision-making process, U.S. News listed the top cruise lines to consider across five categories, including the best options for families , luxury-seekers and adventurers. U.S. News consulted data provided by Cruiseline.com and the results of our 2024 Best Cruise Lines rankings to help develop this list of the top cruise lines sailing to Alaska.

• Best Overall: Holland America Line; Princess Cruises
• Best for Families: Norwegian Cruise Line; Royal Caribbean International

Best for Couples: Celebrity Cruises

• Best Luxury: Regent Seven Seas Cruises; Silversea Cruises

Best Small-Ship Expedition Line: UnCruise Adventures

Find your perfect cruise

Best Overall: Holland America Line and Princess Cruises

Holland america line.

Courtesy of Holland America Line

Alaska cruise ships: Eurodam , Koningsdam , Nieuw Amsterdam , Noordam , Westerdam , Zaandam Departure cities (cruises and cruisetours): Anchorage , Fairbanks and Whittier, Alaska; Seattle; Vancouver, British Columbia Starting from: $379 per person for seven-night Alaska Inside Passage cruise on May 1, 2024, or Sept. 22, 2024. Round-trip from Vancouver.

Holland America Line has been cruising Alaska's pristine glacial waters for more than 75 years – longer than any other cruise line. On top of that, the line features more voyages to Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve than its competitors. Seven-night round-trip sailings depart from either Seattle or Vancouver, while cruisetours – Holland America Line 's sea- and land-based packages – leave from several cities and extend each trip to nine to 18 days.

If this will be your first visit to Alaska, consider booking the comprehensive 14-day Yukon + Denali cruisetour. This Alaska adventure includes a voyage aboard Koningsdam, plus a three-night stay at Holland America's exclusive lodge in Denali National Park, where you'll have the opportunity to see Alaska's big five: moose, caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheep and wolves – and book bucket list activities like flightseeing over Denali. If it's a picture-perfect day, your pilot might even be able to land on the tallest mountain in North America, also known as "The Great One." Other excursions include meeting dog mushers from the Iditarod, landing on the Yanert Glacier, heli-hiking or embarking on a covered wagon adventure on the Alaska tundra. The Yukon Territory portion of this trip is exclusive to Holland America; while there, visit the mining town of Dawson City and learn about Northern Canada's Klondike Gold Rush of August 1896.

Another highlight of sailing Alaska with Holland America is the Alaska Up Close program, which immerses guests in an array of expert-led lectures and excursions on board and shore. When it comes to dining , Holland America is the only cruise line to achieve the Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) certification, which means cruisers will enjoy certified sustainable wild Alaska seafood on board (think: Alaskan king crab legs and fresh salmon). You may also have access to culinary excursions in partnership with Food & Wine magazine, as well as special offerings like Alaska salmon bakes.

Cruisers should also consider one of the Holland America's new itineraries for 2024: the 28-night Alaska Arctic Circle Solstice voyage aboard Westerdam, round-trip from Seattle. This sailing, which departs on June 9, 2024, features highlights like crossing the Arctic Circle; celebrating the summer solstice in Nome, Alaska; and watching Kodiak bears – the largest bears in the world – on Kodiak Island.

Insider tip: Sample Holland America Line's famous Dutch pea soup while glacier viewing on the outside decks. The crew passes around mugs of the warm soup in this Holland America tradition that gives a nod to the line's heritage – and keeps guests warm on chilly summer days in Alaska.

Princess Cruises

Courtesy of Princess Cruises

Alaska cruise ships: Grand Princess , Sapphire Princess , Royal Princess , Ruby Princess , Majestic Princess , Discovery Princess , Crown Princess Departure cities (cruises and cruisetours): Seattle; Anchorage, Alaska; Vancouver, British Columbia; San Francisco ; Fairbanks, Alaska Starting from: $398 per person for seven-night cruise from Anchorage (Whittier, Alaska) to Vancouver on May 18, 2024

Princess Cruises has a long history in Alaska, boasting more than 50 years of sailing to the Great Land. Cruise itineraries last between seven and 14 nights, and many visit the Inside Passage. Princess Cruises also owns and operates five wilderness lodges for guests of its cruisetours, plus exclusive "Direct to the Wilderness" rail service to those properties. The line's wide selection of cruisetours includes independent adventures and off-the-beaten-path destinations, like Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, the largest national park in the U.S. For travelers seeking the highest level of service and the most time on land, the Connoisseur cruisetour is a good option, including up to 10 nights ashore following the seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise. The Connoisseur trip is hosted by a tour director and includes select sightseeing outings and most meals in the fare.

Princess' special programming, North to Alaska, offers guests unique insights into the history and culture of the region with visits from local Alaskans, photography sessions, demonstrations on lumberjacking and excursions like Cook My Catch, where guests will go fishing (with a guide), then bring their fish back for chefs to prepare for dinner at one of the designated Princess lodges.

There are two new Princess cruisetours to consider for 2024. The 15-night National Parks Tour includes a seven-day cruise, visits to five national parks, scenic rail travel and a total of eight evenings across four Princess wilderness lodges. Meanwhile, the Katmai National Park Tour is a nine-day adventure that takes guests to the famed Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park & Preserve to see bears feasting on wild salmon in Alaska's wilderness.

Insider tip: While visiting Denali National Park, be sure to check out the Princess Treehouse at the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. Built by Pete Nelson of Animal Planet's "Treehouse Masters," the treehouse offers a different perspective of Denali and features "Sappy Hour" and other fun activities.  

Best for Families: Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean International

Norwegian cruise line.

Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line

Alaska cruise ships: Norwegian Encore , Norwegian Bliss , Norwegian Jewel , Norwegian Sun , Norwegian Spirit Departure cities (cruises and cruisetours): Seattle ; Vancouver, British Columbia; Seward, Alaska Starting from: $349 per person for seven-night sailing between Seward and Vancouver (itineraries visit Hubbard Glacier and Skagway, or Glacier Bay, Skagway and Juneau). Available on Norwegian Jewel in April, May and June 2024.

Norwegian Cruise Line has one of the longest seasons in Alaska, extending from April through October. The line operates two of its larger ships in Alaska: Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Encore. These ships feature a plethora of onboard activities to keep kids and adults entertained, like racetracks, laser tag, mini-golf, complimentary kids and teen clubs, video arcades, themed parties, live performances and more. Families will also enjoy entertainment by Nickelodeon, character breakfasts, salmon bakes and sessions with a park ranger who comes on board to narrate the Glacier Bay passage. You'll find many spacious room options on board perfectly suited to larger families – especially in The Haven, the line's exclusive ship-within-a-ship concept. In addition, Norwegian Cruise Line offers select cruise deals where third and fourth guests sail free .

There are two new Alaska shore excursions for 2024: the Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Paddle & Trek and the Fly-In Norris Glacier Hike and Packraft. The first outing takes place in Juneau , where you'll paddle a 12-person canoe across Mendenhall Lake to reach the towering glacier. Prepare to be surrounded by the spectacular setting of Tongass National Park, a 400-foot waterfall and an Arctic tern nesting ground. The second excursion, also in Juneau, takes participants on a flight into the Alaska wilderness via floatplane; you'll then paddle across a pristine glacial lake and hike the surface of Norris Glacier. Unforgettable sights along the way include densely forested mountains; the mouth of the Taku Inlet, a waterway that offers access to Juneau Icefield; and plenty of wildlife, including sea lions and bald eagles.

Also new for 2024 is the option to take the Denali Talkeetna Explorer tour after your cruise. (This cruisetour previously only took place prior to the voyage.) The 13-day sea and land package, Denali Talkeetna Explorer – Northbound Cruisetour, is available on three dates in 2024 in combination with a Norwegian Jewel sailing. The package includes a seven-night cruise; a total of six nights in Fairbanks, Denali and Talkeetna; a stop at the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline; a riverboat cruise in Fairbanks; a visit to an Iditarod dog musher's kennel; a deluxe glass-domed Alaska Railroad journey between Fairbanks and Denali; and more. You'll also have free time to book optional shore excursions like whitewater rafting, park tours, helicopter flightseeing and other outdoor adventures.

Insider tip: If you're sailing on Norwegian Bliss or Norwegian Encore, be sure to grab a front-row seat in the Observation Lounge when sailing in Glacier Bay Park & Preserve. This expansive space on Deck 15 at the bow of the ship offers breathtaking panoramic views from the comfort of inside the ship. 

Royal Caribbean International

Alaska cruise ships: Radiance of the Seas , Quantum of the Seas , Brilliance of the Seas , Ovation of the Seas Departure cities (cruises and cruisetours): Seward, Alaska; Vancouver, British Columbia; Seattle Starting from: $439 per person for seven-night cruise on Radiance of the Seas, Seward to Vancouver on May 24, 2024

Royal Caribbean International offers seven-night cruise-only Alaska options (some featuring the Inside Passage) and extended cruisetours (lasting nine to 13 days) with land portions before or after the voyage. Cruisetours may visit Denali National Park & Preserve, among other highlights. The line also offers select "kids sail free" itineraries, which will appeal to families.

If you want nonstop entertainment while on board, choose one of Royal Caribbean International 's two larger Quantum Class vessels: Quantum of the Seas or Ovation of the Seas. Both megaships accommodate approximately 4,900 passengers. If you prefer a smaller ship, consider booking one of the Radiance Class vessels, which hold a maximum of around 2,500 guests.

Quantum Class ships have multiple outdoor attractions that provide panoramic views of the scenery. For example, the surf simulator, FlowRider, affords views of magnificent snow-capped mountains and glaciers all around the ship. If you're adept at rock climbing, this is another chance for optimal scenic viewing – at 40 feet above the deck. Additional entertainment includes free-fall skydiving at RipCord by iFly, outdoor movie nights, live performances and musical entertainment, bumper cars, an escape room, a sports court and indoor pools for those cool Alaska summer days.

Insider tip: For more awe-inspiring vistas, take a ride on North Star. Exclusive to Royal Caribbean (on Quantum and Ovation of the Seas), the glass-enclosed capsule rises 300 feet above sea level while suspended over the ocean.

Read: The Most Affordable Alaska Cruises

Celebrity Cruises

Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

Alaska cruise ships: Celebrity Summit , Celebrity Edge , Celebrity Solstice Departure cities (cruises and cruisetours): Seward, Alaska; Vancouver, British Columbia; Seattle Starting from: $397 per person for seven-night voyage on Celebrity Summit, Seward to Vancouver on May 17, 2024

Adventure-seeking couples will have many options to choose from during Celebrity Cruises ' 2024 Alaska season. The line's six- and seven-night cruise-only itineraries include up-close views of the Dawes Glacier in the Endicott Arm Fjord and the Hubbard Glacier, the world's longest tidewater glacier at 76 miles long. For an in-depth exploration of Alaska's interior, Celebrity's cruisetours extend the trip to a maximum of 13 nights and feature small-town destinations like Talkeetna, Alaska – the quirky village that inspired the 1990s television show "Northern Exposure." There are also themed tours centered on wildlife viewing and national parks, as well as culinary tours highlighting the flavors of Alaska.

Couples will also find plenty of adult-focused activities and entertainment on board, no matter which vessel they choose. Each ship offers a spa, multiple bars and lounges, and an excellent selection of complimentary and specialty restaurants. Celebrity's three Alaska-bound ships carry between 2,158 guests (Celebrity Summit) and 2,908 passengers (Celebrity Edge). Celebrity Edge, the newest of the ships, offers immersive entertainment and especially beautiful public spaces – like Grand Plaza, a three-story venue at the heart of the vessel.

For extra privacy during your couples' vacation, consider splurging on a suite or villa in The Retreat. This all-inclusive space features luxurious accommodations; a private lounge; a sundeck (unavailable on Celebrity Solstice); and a private restaurant, Luminae at The Retreat. The swanky culinary venue serves dishes curated by renowned French chef Daniel Boulud. In addition, you'll have a team of attendants, butlers and concierges to indulge every whim.

Insider tip: Book your Alaska cruise on Celebrity Edge. The outward-facing design of the ship and expansive outdoor spaces, including the Magic Carpet, offer guests excellent viewing opportunities of Alaska's vast landscapes, calving glaciers and wildlife, including humpback whales in the Inside Passage and around Juneau and Sitka.

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Best Luxury: Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises

Regent seven seas cruises.

Alaska cruise ships: Seven Seas Explorer Departure cities: Vancouver, British Columbia; Seward, Alaska Starting from: $4,699 per person (all-inclusive) for seven-night cruise, Vancouver to Seward on May 1, 2024

Regent's Seven Seas Explorer will spend the 2024 season in Alaska, with the first sailing embarking from Vancouver, British Columbia, on May 1, 2024. The line offers 20 seven-night voyages and two 14-night sailings between May and September. The 746-passenger ship provides an in-depth exploration of Alaska's wilderness, thanks to the vessel's smaller size and all-balcony suites. Regent Seven Seas Cruises ' all-inclusive fares include free unlimited shore excursions (though select tours come with a fee); complimentary fine wines and spirits; dining at specialty restaurants; 24-hour room service; unlimited Wi-Fi access; prepaid gratuities; free valet laundry service; and more. Depending on the suite category, guests may also receive a pre- and post-cruise hotel stay with their voyage.

Complimentary shore excursions are available in a number of Alaska ports. In Ketchikan, sign up for the Tongass Rainforest Expedition, the Great Alaska Lumberjack Show or the Alaskan Lodge Adventure & Seafest. (Note: Some excursions in Ketchikan, such as the Alaska Fishing & Wilderness Dining option, come with an additional fee.) In Juneau, guests can take the complimentary hiking adventure through the Mendenhall Glacier National Recreation Area, home to black bears, mountain goats and other wildlife. Cruisers can also dine on wild Alaska salmon grilled over a fire at the Gold Creek Salmon Bake.

Insider tip: Take advantage of the complimentary shore excursions during your cruise. These are tours you'd normally have to pay for on a ship that's not all-inclusive – and that can add up quickly.

Silversea Cruises

Courtesy of Silversea Cruises

Alaska cruise ships: Silver Nova , Silver Muse , Silver Shadow Departure cities: Seward, Alaska; Vancouver, British Columbia Starting from: $3,450 per person for seven-night cruise, Vancouver to Seward on Silver Muse on Aug. 1, 2024

Debuted in August 2023, Silversea's latest addition, Silver Nova, is the newest luxury vessel sailing Alaska for the 2024 season. Silver Nova features an asymmetrical design and advanced technologies that make it Silversea Cruises ' most environmentally friendly vessel yet. With just 728 guests, spacious suites (some affording 270-degree views) and outdoor spaces showcasing The Great Land's pristine wilderness, Silver Nova is an excellent luxury option for an Alaska adventure. Silversea offers seven-night itineraries on its three Alaska ships, plus longer voyages on Silver Muse and Silver Shadow.

Silversea's all-inclusive fares include pre- and post-cruise hotel stays; complimentary nonalcoholic and alcoholic beverages; in-room minibars; gourmet dining; all gratuities; at least one excursion per port; butler service in every suite; and other upscale amenities. Complimentary Alaska excursions include a scenic railway tour aboard the White Pass and Yukon Railway in Skagway, the Sea Otter & Wildlife Quest in Sitka Sound and more. You can also visit the Iditarod dogs' summer camp in Juneau. For an additional cost, Silversea offers more exclusive experiences, like a helicopter ride to Mendenhall Glacier followed by a dogsledding adventure with a team of Alaskan huskies in Juneau, or a remote fly-fishing trip in Sitka.

Insider tip: Spend some time on Deck 10; you'll enjoy unobstructed views of the spectacular scenery from the comfort of the heated pool, thanks to the asymmetrical design of the pool deck.

UnCruise Adventures

Alaska cruise ships: Wilderness Discoverer, Wilderness Legacy, Safari Endeavor, Safari Explorer, Safari Quest Departure cities: Ketchikan, Juneau, Whittier, Dutch Harbor and Sitka, Alaska; Seattle Starting from: $3,600 per person for seven-night cruise, Juneau to Ketchikan (or reverse itinerary) on Wilderness Discoverer; various dates between April and September 2024

UnCruise's expedition-style small ships call on ports and remote areas in Alaska that larger ships can't access, taking guests to locales that the line coins, "UnAlaska." The five ships operating in The Great Land accommodate between 22 passengers (Safari Quest) and 86 guests (Wilderness Legacy), and there are seven-, 12- and 14-night itineraries to choose from. You can also book optional land tours, including a Denali & Talkeetna Wilderness Rail Adventure. Expedition teams take guests on kayaking, skiffing, paddleboarding, bushwhacking, waterfall walks and hiking excursions close to the glaciers and visit secluded areas and waterway passages known for optimal wildlife viewing.

Cruise fares include group transfers to and from the ship; all meals; premium wine, beer and liquor; all nonalcoholic beverages; daily activities; wellness amenities; onboard heritage and expedition guides; and access to guest experts. You'll need to disconnect from your devices in remote areas, as there is no Wi-Fi access on UnCruise vessels.

For a once-in-a-lifetime trip, book the 14-night Alaska's Fjords & Glaciers Bay Adventure Cruise on Wilderness Discoverer, a 76-passenger ship. This voyage includes birding in the South Marble Islands, where you'll see puffins, cormorants, oystercatchers and other bird species. You can also search for brown bears in Corner Bay, bushwhack in old-growth forests, visit the town of Haines to sample local brews and spirits, and more.

UnCruise has introduced a few new cruises for 2024 with a renewed focus on The Great Land. One of these is the Kids in Nature, Wild Woolly & Wow with Glacier Bay cruise. The seven-night, family-focused voyage departs round-trip from Juneau aboard Wilderness Legacy and is available on three dates between June and July. One highlight of the voyage is exploring off-the-grid in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve's "Outback."

A second new option is the seven-night Prince William Sound Explorer with Cordova cruise. This adventure visits dozens of glaciers; the small fishing village of Cordova; the Harriman and College glacial fjords; the islands of Knight and Montague; and multiple places where you can see orcas, humpback whales, sea otters, seals, sea lions, puffins and other wildlife. The itinerary is offered round-trip from Whittier, Alaska, on Safari Explorer throughout the summer.

Insider tip: Depending on your itinerary, you may be able to hop in a skiff directly off the ship to watch bears along the shore hunt for salmon just 100 feet away. This is an Alaska experience you can only have when sailing on a small ship.

Read: The Top Cruises on Small Ships

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Gwen Pratesi has been an avid cruiser since her early 20s. She has sailed on nearly every type of cruise ship built, including the newest megaships, traditional masted sailing ships, river ships in Europe and a small luxury expedition vessel in Antarctica. She has cruised to Alaska and visited The Great Land in the summer, fall and winter, and journeyed to remote areas by bush plane above the Arctic Circle. Pratesi covers the travel and culinary industries for major publications, including U.S. News & World Report.

You might also be interested in:

• Alaska Cruise Packing List
• The Top Things to Do in Alaska
• The Top Northern Lights Alaska Cruises
• The Top Antarctica Cruises
• The Best Cruise Insurance Plans

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The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Disney Cruise Line ship

I s a voyage on a Disney Cruise Line ship on your bucket list? You'll find a growing number of options when it comes time to pick an itinerary.

While the cruising arm of Disney has long focused mostly on voyages to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, with year-round sailings to those destinations out of Florida, it also now offers a relatively wide range of seasonal sailings to Alaska, the Mexican Riviera, Bermuda, Europe and Canada.

The family-friendly cruise brand, notably, is expanding its footprint worldwide as it adds four new vessels in quick succession.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Already, the first of those ships, the 2,508-passenger Disney Wish , has arrived, boosting the size of the Disney fleet from four ships to five and allowing for more departures to the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe.

Two more sister vessels to Disney Wish are due to begin sailing in 2024 and 2025, respectively, allowing for further expansion in Disney cruise itineraries. In addition, the line has yet another new vessel coming in 2025 that isn't related to the other three. Called Disney Adventure, it's a one-off vessel originally designed for an Asian line , and it'll sail in Asia (perhaps catering mostly to Asian travelers; Disney has been mum so far on the target audience for it).

All these new ships arriving in quick succession will likely mean not just more departures to destinations where Disney Cruise Line is established but also sailings in new regions. For example, Disney has never before offered Asia sailings.

Here are our picks for the five best Disney cruise destinations you can visit with your family.

Caribbean and Bahamas

Disney Cruise Line's top destination has always been the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Since its founding more than two decades ago, the brand has based the bulk of its fleet in Florida to offer sailings to the islands. Port Canaveral, which is just an hour away from Disney's Orlando-area theme parks, has always been its biggest hub.

The line is particularly known for three- and four-night cruises out of Port Canaveral to Castaway Cay and Nassau in the Bahamas. These short getaways let families get a taste of Disney cruising that some Disney fans pair with a stay at Disney World.

The cruise line also regularly offers seven-night sailings out of Port Canaveral that visit Caribbean islands like St. Thomas and Tortola.

Related: First look at Disney Wish in photos

In recent years, Disney has also built up its Caribbean and Bahamas cruise offerings from other ports in Florida — initially Miami and, more recently, Fort Lauderdale. The ships the line has based in these ports typically offer four- and five-night sailings to Castaway Cay and one other port, such as Cozumel or Grand Cayman.

In addition, Disney is offering a growing number of Caribbean sailings out of Galveston, Texas, and New Orleans.

For 2024, the line will have four of its five ships — Disney Wish, Disney Dream, Disney Magic and Disney Fantasy — sailing to the Bahamas and Caribbean out of one of the above ports, with their home bases often shifting between them.

Disney Wish, which is Disney's newest ship, will be based in Port Canaveral year-round to operate the line's classic three- and four-night sailings to the Bahamas. These voyages are designed to be paired with a visit to nearby Disney World for a longer Disney vacation.

Disney Fantasy will also sail out of Port Canaveral to the Bahamas and Caribbean year-round, offering longer voyages.

Disney Dream will spend the start and the end of the year sailing short trips to the Bahamas and Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale, with a stint in the middle of the year (from May to October) sailing in Europe.

Disney Magic will take Disney Dream's place sailing short trips to the Bahamas and Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale from May to October. During the early and late months of the year, it'll sail out of Galveston.

Come 2025, Disney will have four ships — Disney Fantasy, Disney Wish, Disney Dream and Disney Magic — sailing three- to five-night getaways from Florida to the line's Bahamian destinations, including its new private beach destination Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point and its long-open private island Disney Castaway Cay. Disney Fantasy and Disney Wish will operate the trips from Port Canaveral, while Disney Dream and Disney Magic will sail from Fort Lauderdale.

Before taking up residence in Florida in April 2025, Disney Magic will also offer three months' worth of sailings out of Galveston, Texas, to Progreso and Cozumel in Mexico and Grand Cayman.

All of the 2025 sailings are already open for bookings.

Related: The best Caribbean cruise for every type of traveler

Disney has cut back on voyages out of San Diego for 2024, after increasing its San Diego departures sharply in 2023. But it still offers several trips to Mexico out of the city on Disney Wonder.

For 2024, the 1,754-passenger vessel will offer a mix of three- to seven-night sailings to Mexico during March and April. Shorter three- and four-night sailings typically feature calls at Ensenada, Mexico, and California's Catalina Island. Seven-night sailings include calls at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico.

Related: 11 ways to save money on a Disney cruise

The big factor driving Disney's cutbacks on sailings out of San Diego in 2024 is its new focus on voyages out of Australian ports. Disney Wonder will spend much of January and February sailing out of Australian ports and then return to the region in October for another season of Australia trips.

Disney offers a wide variety of itineraries in Europe every summer, from Mediterranean voyages out of Barcelona and Civitavecchia, Italy (the port for Rome), to Northern Europe sailings out of Southampton, England.

Ranging from seven to 11 nights, Disney's Europe voyages each year typically take place on a single ship that sails from multiple home ports throughout the season. For 2024, that ship will be the 2,500-passenger Disney Dream. The line has yet to announce which of its ships will go to Europe in 2025.

Typical for the shorter itineraries the line offers in Europe are seven-night sailings out of Civitavecchia to the Greek Islands. These sailings stop in Mykonos, Santorini and Crete in Greece, as well as Naples, Italy.

Related: 17 tips for sailing on Disney Cruise Line

A longer, 11-night itinerary starting in Civitavecchia and ending in Barcelona includes calls at Piraeus (the port for Athens), Santorini and Mykonos in Greece; Messina (on the island of Sicily), Naples and Livorno in Italy; and Toulon, France.

Among Northern Europe itineraries, Disney offers focused, weeklong sailings to Norway with calls at the Norwegian ports of Alesund, Nordfjordeid, Eidfjord and Stavanger.

Disney does not have a large presence in Alaska. The line sends just one ship to Alaska each year. Family-friendly cruise rivals Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line, by contrast, each send three ships to Alaska each year, and Norwegian Cruise Line sends five vessels to the destination.

Still, Disney fans won't feel like they're missing out. The one vessel Disney sends to Alaska each year, the 1,754-passenger Disney Wonder, stays for nearly the entire summer season, from late June to mid-September and offers a distinctly Disney take on The Last Frontier.

Always beginning and ending in Vancouver, British Columbia, and lasting seven nights, Disney's Alaska sailings typically include stops at three of these four Alaska ports: Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Icy Strait Point (which three vary by departure date). Itineraries also include a visit to Stikine Icecap, which is south of Juneau.

Related: 5 reasons Disney cruises aren't just for kids

These are fairly typical ports for an Alaska cruise. But the (extra-charge) activities that Disney has organized for the ports aren't always the same as what other lines offer.

As one might expect for Disney, the line has crafted some of its shore excursions in Alaska ports with special Disney touches, such as Disney character appearances at the Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp & Salmon Bake tour in Ketchikan. (Having done this one myself, I will say, for the record, that it's a little hokey; but it does get you a Disney character fix if that's your aim.)

Another shore excursion with a Disney touch is the outdoor Family Scavenger Hunt at Icy Strait Point, where participants join a local guide on a hunt for items such as clam shells and native plants, as well as a "special surprise" with a Disney theme.

Unlike many lines, Disney does not offer one-way sailings to Alaska from Vancouver or Seattle that can be paired with add-on land tours to create an extended sea-and-land Alaska vacation — something known as a "cruisetour." If that's what you're looking for, and you want to stick with a family-friendly line, you might want to consider the one-way cruisetour offerings from Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Related: The ultimate Alaska cruise guide

Disney typically offers at least one and sometimes several cruises to Bermuda each fall, ranging from quick, five-night trips to longer, eight-night sailings.

For the year just ending (2023), the line offered four such sailings, and it's offered even more than that in certain years. Alas, for the coming year (2024), Disney currently does not have a single Bermuda sailing scheduled — a bit of an anomaly.

That said, we would expect Disney to bring back its Bermuda sailings for 2025 or 2026. It's been such a mainstay of the brand.

So ... stay tuned.

Related: The ultimate guide to Disney Cruise Line

Bottom line

Family-friend Disney Cruise Line is a relatively small cruise brand, with just five ships (one of its biggest rivals in the family cruise market, Royal Caribbean, has 26 vessels). But that doesn't mean its itinerary choices are limited. The line offers regular sailings to the Caribbean and Bahamas, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Bermuda and Europe.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up
• What to pack for your first cruise

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.