Panama Canal Cruise - Huatulco, Mexico

As our Panama Canal cruise continues, day 5 was an at sea day. Day 6 was a stop at Huatulco, Mexico. We had never heard of this place, but what a gem it turned out to be. When we got off the ship and looked around, we saw a beautiful beach, crystal clear water, and a quaint little town. We had booked a catamaran excursion to see five of the nine bays Huatulco is known for. 

Here is a view of our Royal Caribbean ship, Serenade of the Seas, from the pier.

This marvelous sculpture was near the beach.

I found the brooms the workers were using quite unusual. They probably work quite well.

Along the beach road is this small chapel called Capilla de Santa Cruz, the Chapel of the Holy Cross. The story goes that the cross of Huatulco became famous in the year of 1587 when the English pirate Thomas Cavendish arrived at the port of Huatulco. After planning to steal the city, he tried to demolish the Holy Cross with axes and saws. Seeing that this was not possible, he ordered that cables be tied to the boat to move the cross off. As he tried to head towards the sea, the boat did not move. And when he ordered the cross to be burned, it remained unscathed.

This great event has given rise to extraordinary dedication and respect, expressed in pilgrimages and visits at all times and from different parts of Mexico and the distant shores of South America. The pilgrims reported that those who were in contact with the relic were cured of their diseases. The cross that is currently in the chapel is believed to have a piece of that original cross imbedded. The chapel is very popular for weddings. I'm sure the view is quite beautiful when there isn't a cruise ship parked at the pier.

We boarded our boat, The Tequila, for our tour. Adult beverages were included, so it was a fitting name for the boat. I do think they forgot the tequila, though. I had three margaritas, and didn't even feel a slight buzz. For those of you who know me well, you know I'm quite a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. So, something was amiss. They were, however, quite tasty.

Here's the view of the bay with the cruise ship.

We motored around the bays and saw some gorgeous scenery. Much of the area surrounding Huatulco is a National Park. The residents have fought hard to keep the developers at bay. Only about 35 cruise ships stop here per year. There are some hotels and condos, but many developers have been turned away. It really does look like paradise.

We anchored at a pristine beach in one of the bays. The description of the tour had said that you could go swimming at this stop, but water shoes were required. We didn't have any, so we didn't wear our swimsuits. Lots of people went in without the shoes. Kevin doesn't like salt water, but I would have gone in if I'd known it would be allowed. Oh well.

If anyone were looking for a vacation paradise to get away and relax, I really think Huatulco might be the perfect spot. Not very crowded, great beaches and scenery, restaurants and bars, hotels and shops.

That night we experienced some rough seas due to another hurricane that was passing north of us. We actually dodged 3 hurricanes on this trip. Winds were 35 mph and waves were 10 to 15 feet. It made for some interesting walking. They locked the doors to go out on the deck. The ocean swells don't look that bad, but trust me when I saw we were rocking.

These sickness bags suddenly appeared on all the stairways. Too funny. Luckily, we don't have a problem with being seasick.

Day 7 was another sea day. As you're figuring out by now, much of this trip was at sea. Out of the 13 days, 6 were supposed to be sea days. With Cabo San Lucas being cancelled, that ended up being 7 days. That night was a formal night. We're not much into getting dressed up, but this is one of our best efforts. 

During the sea days, the main activities offered were dance lessons, lots of different trivia games, the pools, and the sports deck which included pickleball, mini golf, rock climbing wall, and basketball court. I actually tried the rock climbing wall on another cruise about ten years ago, but I've given up being able to do that.

Rock climbing wall

We participated in some of the trivia events and played some mini golf. We also watched three movies while on board. Elvis was great. I highly recommend it. We also saw Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris and The Lost City. Both were fun. Much of the time we spent walking the decks, enjoying the ocean views and reading or playing cribbage. I was on a massive losing streak, losing seven games in a row. After that, I gave up for a while!!

We've been on four Carnival cruises, one Holland America, and this was our third Royal Caribbean. Each cruise line is a little different. We found this trip they focused a great deal on their art auctions and the spa. They were constantly trying to sell passengers spa treatments or entice you to art auctions with offers of free champagne. The lowest price for a massage or facial was around $200. Not worth it to us.

Luckily, the weather was fantastic for the most part. It was quite warm and humid the entire trip; but with some nice sea breezes, it was pleasant. Sometimes, we needed to get back into the air conditioning because of the humidity. Lots of days, the ocean looked as smooth as glass.

So, that's it for Huatulco. Next stop, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Don’t wish upon a star – Reach for one!