Mexico Cruising
The Pacific resort coast, quick Baja getaways and the Mayan Yucatán — Mexico by sea.
Get Mexico Cruise QuotesTwo Coasts, Three Kinds of Cruise
Mexico is one of the easiest foreign countries to reach by cruise ship, and it has coastlines on two oceans. From California, ships sail down the Pacific to the Mexican Riviera or across to Ensenada in Baja. From Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida, they cross the Gulf to the Yucatán Peninsula.
This site is about Mexico as a cruise destination: the Pacific resort ports and the departures from Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Diego, the short Baja getaways, and the Gulf port of Progreso for Chichén Itzá and Mérida. For Cozumel and Costa Maya on the Caribbean side, we point you to our sister site Western Caribbean Cruises rather than repeat it here.
Choose Your Mexico Cruise
The Mexican Riviera
Seven-night round trips from Southern California to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.
How the week works →
Baja and Ensenada
Three- and four-night trips from Los Angeles and Long Beach, often with Catalina Island.
Short Baja cruises →
The Yucatán
Progreso for Mérida, Uxmal and Chichén Itzá, on short cruises across the Gulf.
Yucatán ports →The Pacific Ports at a Glance
| Port | How you arrive | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Cabo San Lucas | Tender to the marina | El Arco, Land’s End boat trips, whale watching in winter, beach clubs |
| Mazatlán | Dock in the commercial port | Old Mazatlán’s historic center, the long malecón, open-air pulmonía taxis |
| Puerto Vallarta | Dock at the cruise terminal north of downtown | The malecón, the Zona Romántica, Banderas Bay and the Sierra Madre |
| Ensenada | Dock at the cruise terminal near downtown | La Bufadora blowhole, Valle de Guadalupe wine country, the waterfront |
Longer voyages sometimes add La Paz, Loreto or Manzanillo, and repositioning sailings to and from the Panama Canal can include Huatulco or Acapulco. Our Riviera ports guide takes the three main ports one by one.
Why Mexico Works So Well by Ship
Close to home
If you live in the West, you can drive to a ship in Los Angeles, Long Beach or San Diego; in the South, Galveston, New Orleans and Mobile reach Mexico in a day or two.
Short or long
From three-night Ensenada getaways to seven-night Riviera weeks and longer voyages, there is a length for every calendar.
Warm in winter
The Riviera ports are at their driest and most comfortable from late autumn to spring, when Alaska is out of season.
Food and culture
Markets, seafood, tequila and mezcal tastings and colonial architecture make port days as much about culture as beaches.
Mexico Cruise Questions
What is the Mexican Riviera?
It is the cruise industry’s name for Mexico’s Pacific resort coast, especially Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, visited on round trips from Southern California.
How short can a Mexico cruise be?
Three or four nights. Short Baja cruises from Los Angeles and Long Beach sail to Ensenada, sometimes with a stop at Catalina Island, and back.
Where do Cozumel and Costa Maya fit?
They are Mexico’s Caribbean ports, visited on Western Caribbean cruises from Florida and the Gulf Coast. Our sister site Western Caribbean Cruises covers them in depth.
Before You Book
Read our documents and fees page for what you need to sail, and when to go for whale season and hurricane season on both coasts. If you will drive to the port, Free Cruise Parking compares cruise parking. New to cruising? First Time Cruise walks you through the first trip, and Cruising Checklist keeps your packing list in order. For a much longer Pacific voyage from California, see our sister site Cruise Hawaii.
Getting the Best Price
Mexico cruise fares move with the season and the ship, so we never post prices. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise compare live fares across the lines that sail to Mexico and send you free quotes. For current promotions, Wave Season gathers the year’s biggest offers, and Cruising for Less explains the discounts you may qualify for, including resident rates that lines sometimes offer to Californians and Texans.
Who Is Behind This Site
Mexico Cruising is part of the Smart Traveler network, led by Mister Cruise. He has sold travel since 1972 and worked full-time in the industry since 1977. He has sold or originated more than $500 million in cruises and has trained more than 500 travel agents.
When you ask for a quote, our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise handle it personally — not a call center — and book everything for you. Meet Mister Cruise →
Plan Your Mexico Cruise
Tell us your nearest port, how many nights you have and whether the Pacific, Baja or the Yucatán appeals most. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will find the Mexico sailings that fit and send free quotes.
Get Mexico Cruise Quotes