Way back in 1992 I took that or a similar Royal Caribbean cruise to the Mexican Riviera.

I found it a very relaxing cruise and just what I needed at that time. The food was good and the crew pleasant and helpful. Every day that there was an optional shore excursion, I took it. I went to Copala which is an old mining town that had been largely abandoned. The Mexican government wanting to revitalize it offered anyone who had lived there in the past to come back and claim a piece of property to restore according to the government's rules. I liked the ambiance of the town, but then I am a Southwesterner.

We ate lunch as a group at a restaurant there. Everyone thought they were eating authentic Mexican food. I said, "This is California Mexican." I have lived in New Mexico, Arizona, and California so I can distinguish the differences. During the meal the proprietor came by and asked, "How are things, Folks?" I looked at him and asked, "Where ARE you from?" His answer was "California." In talking to him he said his mother had lived there when she was young, and he talked her into going back and claiming a piece of property which he promptly made into a restaurant and negotiated a deal with the cruise line. The bathroom was clean, and the porch where we ate overlooked a canyon and was screened in. I considered it a pleasant day and a break from the cruise ship. (I too prefer land tours.)

If you are ever in Yuma, let me know and we can have lunch or visit.

Anne Yuma, Arizona