SHORE EXCURSIONS CREDIT

OVERVIEW
Enjoy an inspired wine tasting and gourmet lunch at a winery restaurant in the Guadalupe Valley, a fertile area known as the Napa of Mexico, in part because the vast majority of Mexico’s wines are produced there. During the drive inland, you will notice the terrain becoming hillier with an abundance of sprawling farms and idyllic valleys such as Guadalupe. Its microclimate is similar to that in the Mediterranean as the summers are relatively cool with constant ocean breezes. Red wine grapes, in particular, flourish there, and over the past three decades or so, more than 150 wineries have become established along the valley’s wine route. Your introduction to one of the premier wineries will begin with an enlightening, behind-the-scenes tour. Afterwards, you will sample a wide selection of characteristic wines that beautifully represent the Guadalupe Valley. They will be paired with cheeses and artisan bread, which will perfectly complement the fabulous 3-course lunch that follows.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy a spectacular scenic drive through the Guadalupe Valley, the Napa of Mexico.
• Gain an understanding of the valley’s terroir by touring a premier winery.
• Sample several representative Guadalupe Valley wines and enjoy a gourmet 3-course lunch.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Learn about the history of the area from your guide while you’ll pass by the city’s highlights. You’ll stop at the elegant Riviera del Pacifico, a once dazzling beach resort and casino. The highlight of your tour will be the 25-mile drive to the south for approximately one hour, along the Baja California countryside to scenic Punta Banda.

This area is known for an impressive blowhole called La Bufadora, a natural sea spout that shoots water from 60 to 100 feet into the air, depending on the tide. You’ll have free time to experience the flavors of Mexico at the open air market, with a wide selection of national art. You’ll also visit Ensenada’s main shopping district, offering everything from Mexican handicrafts to imported items. You may return to the ship with your guide or remain and return on your own.

Your tour begins with an interesting ride along Mazatlan’s oceanfront for a view of the lighthouse and offshore islands. Continue into the heart of the old downtown for a short visit to the imposing cathedral before a stop at a waterfront rocky promontory to view the brave cliff divers.

You’ll have time to browse or shop at the Golden Zone before heading for a resort for an afternoon of swimming, sunning and relaxing, where you’ll also enjoy a delightful lunch with a colorful Mexican folkloric show. Your escort will guide you to a place to change and show you where lunch will be served.

The return to your ship will be by taxi in groups of four.

OVERVIEW

See firsthand how two iconic Mexican drinks – beer and tequila – are produced locally and sample a variety of both. Before arriving at the first venue, you will enjoy a panoramic drive around Ensenada that will likely include commentary describing how the town boomed in the 1920s when alcohol was banned during Prohibition in the United States. Craft beers and premium tequila are still major draws. The master brewer at the esteemed Olympo microbrewery will show you each step of the process as a prelude to your sampling of a flight of four beers. The selection may include a triple-chocolate stout and a sushi lager made with Japanese rice. Similarly, an enlightening tour of Tequilera Doña Engracia will reveal its distilling process. During the sampling that follows, you will taste an array of spirits such as a white tequila, a caramel-flavored añejo tequila and an agave-forward reposado aged in whiskey barrels.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a tour of Olympo microbrewery and sample a flight of its premium beers.
• See how various tequilas are produced at a local distillery and taste several of them.
• Settle in for an introductory driving tour and admire Ensenada’s key landmarks.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Get a literal and figurative taste of Ensenada by visiting historical attractions and sampling locally made mezcal. Your introduction to the city will begin by strolling the grounds of the former Hotel Riviera del Pacifico, a traditional Spanish-style resort built in 1930 with a casino that Al Capone frequented. The margarita was supposedly invented at this landmark. How fitting that you will also visit a mezcalaria to sample mezcal, a spirit similar to tequila but with a greater variety of tastes. After an explanation of the artisanal process, you will try as many as five characteristic mezcals. You may wish to try the traditional accompaniments, worm salt – a blend of sea salt and ground agave worms – and dried grasshoppers. If those offerings are beyond your comfort zone, don’t worry. A dessert of tasty confections follows at a nearby candy shop. Other notable attractions in town include lovely Ventana al Mar park and Flag Plaza.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Meander through the gardens of a former hotel where the margarita may have been invented.
• Hear tales of the Hollywood celebrities that stayed at the hotel in the 1930s, along with Al Capone.
• Sample several mezcals at a mezcalaria and learn how the spirit differs from tequila.
• See landmarks such as Ventana al Mar park on a driving tour of Ensenada.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Take full advantage of the amenities at the Veleros Beach Club, which include an open bar and a beautiful beach that rims an enviable spot on the Sea of Cortez. It won’t take long to reach the exclusive beach club, giving you all the more time to relax as you please. The beach is private and spacious, so you can easily find your own quiet piece of paradise. You might stretch out on a cushioned lounge chair and bask in the sun or lie in the shade under a beach umbrella. If you wish to explore a bit farther, feel free to stroll along the shore. The sea there is one of the few swimmable spots in Cabo San Lucas, so a refreshing dip is another great option. Music will be playing to enhance the ambiance and the bar will be open for the first two hours after you arrive.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Spend hours relaxing at the exclusive Veleros Beach Club.
• Relax on the private beach, which rims one of the few swimmable spots in town.
• Bask in the sun or lie in the shade on a cushioned lounge chair.
• Enjoy the open bar, ambiance music and chips and salsa for a snack.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Humpback whales visit the shores of the Baja each year and Los Cabos is famous for whale watching. Board our specially designed, inflatable fast boats and journey out of the bay. Accompanied by an expert marina mammal guide and local captain, begin your exploration, searching for these gentle giants. With a variety of boats located in the bay and communication between all captains, these rapid ocean vessels are fast at finding the whales in the deep blue oceans. Each boat hosts a hydrophone, allowing you to hear the whales sing and communicate between each other in the ocean depths. These low level watercraft allow everyone onboard to capture that special photo and to enjoy the amazing breaches, tail splashes and interaction between these giant mammals. Complete your adventure with a short stop at the famous arch and sea lion colony to see nature at its best before heading back to the marina. Definately an adventure not to be missed!

OVERVIEW

Cruise to the southernmost tip of the Baja Peninsula in a spacious semi-submersible that offers panoramic views from the open deck and through large windows in the climate-controlled cabin just a few feet below the surface. Along the way, you will pass Neptune’s Finger, a thin rock formation that rises straight up out of the sea. The sights will be equally spectacular underwater as the rock attracts all sorts of colorful tropical fish. Before long you will reach Land’s End, the peninsula’s appropriately named terminus. Its dramatically rocky landscape is so photogenic that it has become a Cabo San Lucas icon, especially the huge arch that the sea and wind have carved out of the granite at Land’s End. The only inhabitants are sea lions, which you can expect to see frolicking on shore and swimming in the sea. An open bar and nachos on board will enhance the experience.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise in a semi-submersible to the iconic rocky arch at the end of the Baja Peninsula.
• Watch frolicking sea lions from the vessel’s open deck and enjoy the panoramic views.
• Observe the marine life underwater through the windows below the water’s surface.
• Snack on nachos while enjoying the open bar.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Learn to prepare ceviche from scratch in a hands-on cooking class and then enjoy the freshly made dish for lunch. The venue for this culinary experience will be Manzanilla, one of the city’s premier restaurants. Chefs Benito Molina and Solange Muris source the ingredients for every dish in their home state of Baja California. You will accommodate one of the chefs to a nearby market to select the fish for the ceviche that you will make. During the fun and instructive class that follows, you will learn each step in the process. Ceviche originated in Peru millennia ago and there are many variations of this raw fish dish. You will prepare two versions of ceviche using sustainable ingredients such as lime juice, onions, tomatoes, hot green chili peppers, avocado and Manzanilla green olives – the delectable ingredient that inspired the restaurant’s name. Afterwards, you will dine on the fruits of your labor.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Prepare two versions of ceviche in a hands-on cooking class lead by a renowned chef.
• Select a freshly caught fish for the ceviche in a local market.
• Learn how ceviche recipes vary from region to region.
• Enjoy a glass of wine and the raw fish ceviche that you have prepared for lunch.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Spend hours luxuriating however you please at the Krystal Grand Puerto Vallarta, an extraordinary resort overlooking the sea. It won’t take long to reach this 4-star slice of paradise, which will allow you all the more time to enjoy the generous amenities. As soon as you arrive, the concierge will present an overview of the property so you can maximize your time. Feel free to head straight to the beach and stretch out in a lounge chair. Beach umbrellas are also available if you would rather lie in the shade. If you prefer freshwater to saltwater, it will be comforting to know that the resort has four swimming pools, including an adults-only infinity pool on the rooftop with a bar serving drinks and sushi right there. This beach escape also includes a sumptuous buffet – one exclusively for adults, the other for families – and the use of single and double kayaks if you are feeling adventurous.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the waterfront Krystal Grand Puerto Vallarta resort.
• Spend hours at the beach, swimming in the pools, kayaking and doing most anything else.
• Savor a traditional Mexican buffet lunch and enjoy the open bar.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

See a remarkable number of historical attractions at a whirlwind pace and enjoy snacks and drinks in between, an experience that will present an authentic picture of Ensenada. You will pause to snap photos at landmarks that include the colorful Ensenada sign, the Tara statue that represents Mother Earth, the dramatic Fisherman’s Monument and Bodegas de Santo Tomás, the oldest winery in Baja California. And that is just for starters. A brief but enlightening stop at the Regional History Museum will set the stage for another historical immersion at Ensenada’s cultural center, which is housed in the former Hotel Riviera del Pacifico. You will be served an icy margarita, an iconic Mexican beverage that is said to have been invented in the hotel’s Bar Andaluz. You will also enjoy a beer at Hussong’s Cantina – a fixture since 1892 – and a ceviche tostada and a flavored water at yet another iconic spot.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit a surprising number of iconic destinations in just a short period of time.
• Pause for photos at landmarks ranging from the Ensenada sign to Baja’s oldest winery.
• Enjoy a margarita at Bar Andaluz, where this quintessential Mexican cocktail was invented.
• Drink a beer at famed Hussong’s Cantina and snack on a ceviche tostada.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a swimsuit, towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Located at Land's end, where the Pacific Ocean merges into the Sea of Cortes, the area surrounding Cabo is perfect for Sailing adventures. Board one of our specially designed, wide berth sailboats and begin your day of Ocean exploration. Head out to the famous Arch and Sea Lion colony and enjoy delicious snacks onboard. Then cruise to a secluded bay, where the captain will drop anchor so you can dive into the depths of the blue waters. Snorkel in the bay, searching for corals, star fish and tropical sea life or try your hand at Stand up paddle boarding, all included in the tour. Back onboard, sit back and relax while being served a mouthwatering lunch, including, shrimp, guacamole, fresh Cesar salads, pastas, fresh fruit and pastries. Accompanied by an unlimited open bar, enjoy a refreshing cocktail or ice cold beer as the staff hoist up the sails. Enjoy the thrills and excitement of sailing in the bay, passing by the homes of the rich and famous and the stunning coastline. Search for wildlife such as turtles, dolphins and manta rays, and if lucky, in the winter months, you may see Humpback whales breaching in the ocean. The top tour in Cabo!