Archive for the 'Acapulco' Category
SkyTeam’s new Mexico Pass a boon for intra-country travel?
September 17, 2009 2:04pm
To see a whole lot of Mexico in a little bit of time, you’re probably better off traveling by sky than road. To help make ventures by air easier, global airline alliance SkyTeam has just added a Mexico Pass to its cadre of discounted-flight packages for various countries and continents internationally (like Italy and Asia, for instance).
Though the Mexico Pass program doesn’t seem to be up and running smoothly just yet, those eager for a long-winded, exploratory look at the country — rather than a quick one-resort stay — might want to keep this option in mind for future travel.
The pass allows passengers from the U.S. and other international departure points on any SkyTeam airline to obtain discounted intra-Mexico flights on Aeromexico. To take advantage of the special rates, you must buy at least three flight coupons for travel within Mexico (there is no coupon maximum), and these can be booked anytime before your departure to Mexico. All coupons must be booked outside of Mexico.
Some of the 42 destinations included in this pass offer are Acapulco, Cancun, Campeche, Cozumel, Guadalajara, Los Cabos, Mazatlán, Mexico City, Monterrey, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz and Zacatecas. Read the rest of this entry »
5 fall cruises under $79 per night (yes, some during hurricane season)
September 4, 2009 11:01am
CruiseCritic.com recently listed a number of cruises, on various ships, being offered this fall for less than $79 per night. A handful on the list depart from Los Angeles.
While the website’s list links to deals by third-party providers, I looked at the cheapest dates available on some of these (as well as one other cruise) via the cruise-liners’ websites or telephone reservations desks, and I found similar or less expensive prices. If you research the offers out there, you might find slightly lower sale rates, or other incentives such as shipboard credit, through third-party providers.
Of course, Hurricane Jimena (now a tropical storm) was a severe reminder that, yes, it’s hurricane season in the Pacific. As Cruise Critic points out, some of the discounted sailings take place at this potentially iffy time, so you’ll want to be flexible in case the cruise line alters its dates due to weather. Through CruiseCritic.com, you can keep up to date on cruise-related hurricane news.
$51 >> Seven-night Mexican Riviera cruise on Royal Caribbean
On the Mariner of the Seas, this cruise calls into Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico before returning to Los Angeles. Via the Royal Caribbean website, I’m seeing departures on Sept. 13 and Sept. 20 offering interior staterooms as low as $299, pre-tax, but this rate level was available over the phone only, according to the website. So I called reservations, and the total, including taxes and fees, came to $356 per person (based on double occupancy) for either of those dates. Read the rest of this entry »
Mexico travel alert from U.S. State Department
August 21, 2009 12:16pm
Citing rising violence, the U.S. State Department’s latest Mexico alert urges travelers to delay trips to parts of Michoacan and Chihuahua states.
The alert, issued Thursday, advises U.S. citizens to delay unnecessary travel to those areas and to exercise “extreme caution” if a visit is necessary.
The alert notes the abduction and killing of two resident U.S. citizens in Chihuahua in July. It gives no details from Michoacan (which includes the city of Morelia and the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, which draws many visitors), and a spokesman said he was not immediately able to supply more than was in the posted alert.
Pleasant Holidays offers cancel-for-any-reason coverage
August 6, 2009 10:26am
Pleasant Holidays, the giant package-tour operator based in Westlake Village, this week began offering cancel-for-any-reason coverage to customers who book its trips to Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and Costa Rica.
Unlike its regular Protection Plan, which refunds trip deposits if you cancel for reasons such as illness, death or job loss, the new Cancel Anytime Protection Plan Plus covers you for virtually any unforeseen cause, said Jack E. Richards, president and chief executive.
The downsides: Cancel Anytime Protection costs more (starting at $119 instead of $89 per adult) and reimburses you for only 80% instead of 100% for many of the covered causes. And of course, as with all such plans, there’s plenty of fine print.
For plan details, visit Pleasant Holidays’ website, call (800) 448-3333 or contact your travel agent.
— Jane Engle, assistant Los Angeles Times Travel editor
Photo: Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve in Hawaii. Credit: Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times
Mexico: Acapulco gunfight is another setback for that country’s struggling tourism industry
June 8, 2009 9:17am
Another major setback for Mexico tourism: A shootout on Saturday night in the resort town of Acapulco has claimed the lives of 16 gunmen and two soldiers.
The gunfight occurred “in a seaside neighborhood of homes and cut-rate hotels that is mainly frequented by Mexicans and sits several miles from the main strip of tourist complexes. Some guests were reportedly evacuated from nearby hotels, but no tourists were known to have been caught in the crossfire,” according to a Los Angeles Times article by Ken Ellingwood.
The two-hour battle was between soldiers and gunmen apparently holding police officers hostage at an Acapulco house, as reported in an Associated Press video posted on The Times website. Read the rest of this entry »
Countdown to June 1: New rules for Mexico, Canada travel
May 21, 2009 2:00pm
Procrastinators’ alert: In less than two weeks, tougher border rules take effect for Canada and Mexico. Starting June 1, most Americans will need a passport or other high-security ID to drive back into the U.S. from these countries.
Don’ t have the right documents? Basically, you’ve run out of time to get them before June 1, unless your trip is an emergency. The good news: You’ll probably be allowed across the border anyway, although you may face delays.
The 411:
What docs you’ll need: If you’re arriving by land or sea from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean or Bermuda on June 1 or later, you’ll generally need to show a passport or passport card, which is a new type of document that the U.S. began issuing last year. You can also use a so-called enhanced driver’s license, or EDL, a new high-tech version issued by only four states (not California) ; or a Trusted Traveler card, issued to frequent border crossers.
Mexico’s astounding post-flu-crisis vacation deals
May 21, 2009 11:48am
Now that the swine flu-related travel advisories for Mexico have been lifted, let’s take a good look at some of the numerous deals available throughout the country.
What with the H1N1 virus in recent headlines, and the drug cartel-related violence before that (and still ongoing), heading south of the border still may not be for everyone. But if you’re game for Mexico, get ready to travel on the cheap like never before. Travel operators, hotels and airlines have slashed rates, and vacation prices right now are at a jaw-dropping low.
Deals: What do you think of a beach resort stay of seven nights with food and flights included for under $600 per person? “Impossible!,” you say? Well, keep reading.
Apple Vacations is running what it has deemed its “Biggest-ever Mexico sale,” offering deep discounts on all-inclusive packages to Cancun, Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta, Cozumel and Los Cabos. Read the rest of this entry »
Swine flu travel warning lifted for Mexico
May 15, 2009 5:13pm
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, Friday lifted its recommendation that U.S. citizens avoid nonessential travel to Mexico because of the swine flu outbreak there, and the U.S. State Department followed suit. Cruise and tour operators wasted no time trumpeting the news, although port calls may not resume immediately.
In lifting its warning, the CDC said, “There is evidence that the Mexican outbreak is slowing down in many cities though not all.” It also said that the “risk of severe disease” from the H1N1 virus “now appears to be less than originally thought.”
Carnival Cruise Lines said it would resume Mexico port calls for ships departing May 28 and later from Mobile, Alabama, and June 19 and later from Los Angeles. Read the rest of this entry »
Rerouted Mexican cruises frustrate some passengers
May 2, 2009 12:42pm
Is Santa Barbara the new Cancun? The city and other destinations have become stand-ins for several more weeks as the cruise industry reroutes its ships to avoid stopping at ports in Mexico because of the H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak.
L.A. Times staff writer Hugo Martin writes that stops such as Mazatlan, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta are being replaced with U.S. ports such as San Diego, Santa Catalina, Santa Barbara and San Francisco. (To read the whole story, go to “Cruise Lines Rile Passengers and Tourism Officials by Avoiding Mexican Ports.”)
Earthquake and swine flu: Double pummel for already distressed Mexico tourism
April 27, 2009 3:22pm
The longtime drug wars have significantly dented Mexico’s tourism industry, and spring break in hot spots such as Cabo and Mazatlan suffered. But in the first quarter of 2009, less crime was reported in Baja California, traveler feedback had been largely positive, and, well, it seemed like there was hope yet for south-of-the-border vacationing.
Now this — well, this and that.
First, swine flu has left at least 149 dead and close to 2,000 hospitalized in Mexico. See earlier post “Swine flu: 7 things travelers should know” for some essential info. If you were planning to visit Mexico soon, you’ve likely nipped that idea in the bud or are at least reconsidering the trip.
And now, the region has had another shake-up. This morning’s 5.6-magnitude quake in the state of Guerrero was centered near Chilpancingo, which is about 50 miles from Acapulco. In the resort town, tourists “streamed out of hotels” and “congregated on sidewalks and medians for several minutes,” according to the Los Angeles Times report. Read the rest of this entry »
