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Okay, so we’re looking at two cruise options…

The first is an 11-day cruise out of San Francisco. We live in the Bay Area, so the convenience factor (no flight, no extra hotel, etc.) is a big deal. Ports of call are Topolobampo, La Paz, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. The itinerary includes five total days at sea, and seems to be only offered by Norwegian.

The second option is out of Los Angeles. Obviously, this would require at least a hotel room before departing, and either a long drive, or a short flight. That adds expense, as well as inconvenience. However, there are more cruise lines to choose from, with this departure point. Ports of call are Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.

So, here are my questions:
1) Should I worry about seasickness with all of those days at sea?
2) Are the extra stops on the longer cruise worthwhile?
3) Has anyone sailed on Norwegian? I’ve heard a lot of good things about Carnival, but as of right now, their price for the shorter trip is 0 more than the same trip on Norwegian. I also like Norwegian’s "Freestyle Cruising" concept, that allows us to time meals & events on our schedule, instead of theirs. Input?
4) What shore excursions do you recommend in these various ports of call?
5) Is the end of October a good time to be on the Mexican Riviera, or are we in trouble relative to hurricane season?
6) What else am I missing?
Okay, one other question I’ve just thought of…

If we depart out of Los Angeles or San Diego, do y’all have any recommendations for hotels before and/or after the cruise?

Tags: cabo san lucas, convenience factor, cruise lines, cruise options, days at sea, departure point, hotel room, hurricane season, inconvenience, itinerary, la paz, mazatlan, mexican riviera, Norwegian, ports of call, puerto vallarta, quot, seasickness, shore excursions, topolobampo
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