All at Sea on the Mexican Riviera

Cruise veterans can expect a deja vu season on the Mexican Riviera this winter, with one familiar ship sporting a major face lift, another carrying a different name and a big, bright ship coming in to replace its medium-size sister.

Princess’ newly refurbished Fair Princess, the former Fairsea, kicked off its winter Mexican Riviera season from the Port of Los Angeles in early October, and is set to sail every Saturday through May 5 to Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.

Fares begin at $1,095 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare. Passengers not needing air fare can deduct a travel allowance. Princess has lowered its Mexican Riviera cruise prices for 1990 across the board, by $170 to $325 per person.

Biggest new features include an upgraded and expanded stage area in the remodeled showroom, with the latest in sound and lighting systems. Live satellite TV has also been installed to present televised sports events on board. There are also new shops, plus new carpeting and upholstery and improved service areas in the dining rooms.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line makes its debut in the Los Angeles area this winter with an already-familiar vessel, Admiral Cruises’ Stardancer, which will be transformed in early January into the Viking Serenade. Both companies are owned by Royal Admiral Cruises.

The transfer will be made at the conclusion of the Stardancer’s Jan. 6 sailing to Mexico, when the ship will go into drydock for two weeks. Its car-carrying capabilities will not be marketed by RCCL, and eventually the car deck will be eliminated.

Seven-night cruises to the Mexican Riviera begin Jan. 27, calling at the same ports as the Stardancer did--Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. Prices begin at $995 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare. Passengers who don’t use the air program will receive a $250 travel allowance instead.

Carnival’s 1,022-passenger Tropicale, based in Los Angeles since its debut in 1982 (except for two brief Alaska summers), will reposition to the East Coast after its Dec. 31 New Year’s cruise to Mexico. It will be replaced April 8 with the bigger, newer Jubilee, which came into service in 1986 and carries as many as 1,850 passengers.

Prices and ports of call will be the same, with seven-day sailings that include round-trip air fare costing from $995 to $2,295 per person, double occupancy, and calling at Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.

Royal Cruise Line’s Crown Odyssey will make two nine-day round-trip sailings from Los Angeles Jan. 18 and 27. The nine-day cruises call at Puerto Vallarta, Zihuatanejo, Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas, with four full days at sea to enjoy the ship and its activities.

Prices begin at $1,998 per person, double occupancy, for a fairly spacious inside double cabin (154 to 162 square feet) with two lower beds and bath with shower. Passengers not using the add-on air fares can deduct $100 from the cruise fare.

The 212-passenger Seabourn Pride, from San Francisco-based Seabourn Cruise Line, sails from Acapulco to Los Angeles Nov. 28 on a seven-day voyage priced from $3,725 per person, double occupancy. You can expect top-of-the-line food and service on this new suites-only vessel.

Other seven-day sailings between Los Angeles and Acapulco are scheduled through Feb. 13; 14-day round-trip cruises from Los Angeles are priced from $6,700 per person, double occupancy.

Princess’ Island Princess will make a series of 10-day sailings round trip from Los Angeles that call at Acapulco, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas, as well as a seven-day Christmas cruise that departs Dec. 22 but does not visit Acapulco. Prices begin at $1,645 per person, double occupancy, including air fare, for the 10-day cruises and $1,545 for the Christmas cruise.

And from San Diego, Bermuda Star Line’s 713-passenger Bermuda Star departs Saturdays between Nov. 11 and April 14 on seven-day round-trip Mexico cruises calling at--you guessed it--Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas.

Economy inside cabins begin as low as $895 per person, double occupancy, including round-trip air fare or a $200 travel-allowance deduction. But unless you’re really economizing, you might prefer the mid-price cabins on this vessel. Outside cabins cost from $1,095 per person, double occupancy, with $200 off that if you don’t need the air fare.

Princess’ Island Princess, the Seabourn Pride and the Crown Odyssey Cruise Line also call at Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa. But what the Mexican Riviera really needs are more new ports of call that can handle large ships and offer shore excursions.

Smaller expedition and shallow-draft vessels are introducing some different ports, including the new resort development of Huatulco (Windstar Sail Cruises’ Wind Spirit on a repositioning voyage from Alaska to Barbados, Sept. 23, 1990), and the charming fishing and surfing village of Puerto Escondido (Special Expeditions’ Sea Lion on a sailing from Costa Rica to Manzanillo, departing Dec. 27).