To escape the holiday madness I decided to book a cruise to the exotic Mexican Riviera. At Christmas time the Dawn Princess leaves from San Francisco only. I booked a flight on American Airlines at LAX and boarded the ship at Pier #31 in San Francisco. Once cleared of her berth, the Dawn Princess passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and entered the North Pacific Ocean, then set a southerly heading paralled to the coast of California. Our first port of call was Catalina Island.
The second day we were at sea and the third day we were in Puerto Vallarta. We had choices of adventures ashore at each port. I decided to take the Town and Country Side Tequila Plant” Luncheon Tour. The fifth day we were in Mazatlan and we had a tour of the city and saw the Great Papantla Flyers in a Colonial Village setting with native songs and dancers. The time spent aboard was so pleasant I did not get off the Ship at Catalina Island, Cabo San Lucas or San Diego.
On the Dawn we dined in the morning and at lunch in the Florentine Dining Room and in the evening we dined in the Venetian Dining Room. When dining in the Venetian Dining Room, if you wanted a special dish you could order it in advance. Each evening you had a choice of the Lotus Spa Menu, Vegetarian or the evening's Menu and there was always available Beef Tournedos, New York Steak, Herb Marinated Chicken Breast, Caesar Salad, Shrimp Cocktail and Fettuccine Alfredo.
Being an adventurous diner I enjoyed new dishes such as: Iced Pina Colada Cream splashed with Rum Soup, or an exotic fish. I especially enjoyed the Italian Night when Luigi Moretti, the Maitre'd helped prepare some of the finest Italian Cuisine. We enjoyed fine dining throughout the trip. The service was tops. The Sterling Steak House was superb. There is a 15% cover charge per person, but it is worth it. The beef is prime and the side dishes were the greatest. The wine list is filled with a good selection of wines from around the world at good prices.
The movies were all the latest releases and the live Broadway-style Shows were well balanced with comedy, song and dance. There were bingo games and a full Casino when at sea. II you want to relax and enjoy doing nothing that is fine, but if you need activity, there is always a lecture, class, or the gym and pool for your enjoyment. The ship is a work of art, but at Christmas time it is fabulously decorated. I highly recommend a trip to the Mexican Riviera on the Dawn Princess!
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