The N. Amsterdam must have arrived to the Banderas Bay in Cabo San Lucas in the darkness. Only one of us was up that early. However, we could hear the anchors being dropped, which is the first time they have done this since we boarded. And, it is the first port that we will have to use tenders to go ashore. For some unknown reason, we were anchored the furthest away than we have ever been.
Yesterday, we had a phone call from the Event Coordinator, Teresa, who offered to personally escort us to the tender platform if we wished to go over early. Very nice of her to ask, we usually wait until the thundering herd of passengers are gone from the ship. No need to be first, since not much is opened that early.
On our way to the Pinnacle Grill for breakfast, we noticed that the mid ship elevators were manned. Tender tickets were being distributed in the BB King Blues Club for those who did not have tours. Four and five star Mariners, as well as suite folks did not need tickets. Those that did have the tickets, handed them to a staff member who let them in the elevator that went down to deck A. It was very controlled and there did not seem to be a problem with the procedure. Of course, this was not Easter Island, where things went south in a hurry due to the tendering being cut off early. People had lined up at 4am to get those tickets. Thought there was going to be a revolution that year on the world cruise.
Anyway, there were two cruise ships already anchored when we arrived. They were way closer to the marina than we were. One was the Carnival Miracle, which did not look that big….but it was the closer we looked. The other ship was small. It was the Star Breeze, a Windstar vessel.
On a side note, after getting some smaller bills at the front desk, we walked deck one where the rooms are located. Out on the floor were several discarded paper and Styrofoam plates and cups, as well as plastic forks and knives. Hmmm, that tells us that these folks are quarantined. And to add to the clues, later on when we ordered room service, the operator asked if we were quarantined. Heavens no, we said. Apologizing, he said he had to ask that question. Now we wonder how many people are locked up? And why, except that Covid is on the rise. Unfortunately, we do not know anyone well enough to get an answer to this question.
Tours today were a catamaran ride for 5 hours, or several combinations of seeing Los Arcos for 2 ½ hours. Snorkeling at Chileno Bay for 4 hours was an option, or a beach resort with lunch for 5 hours. A tour to Todos Santos included a stop at Hotel California (made famous by the song) and lunch for 5 ½ hours. Last, was horseback riding for 4 hours. Prices went from $55 to $130. It is possible some of these excursions had been cancelled, according to an announcement yesterday.
The call for open tenders came around 9:30am. No one would need tickets anymore. And that is when we left to join the line of folks waiting for the next boat. There was a short wait, then we loaded on a local tender, much the same size as ours. The seas were rougher than they looked, making boarding a bit more challenging. It was at least a 20 minute ride. With three ships in port, the landing pier was very crowded. On the way out, we picked up a map and a flyer for Diamonds International. Oh good, a chance to collect a different charm.
The most aggressive tour vendors in all of the Mexican ports, has to be here. There were so many people entering here, that it was easy to escape them. By the way, most people that we saw were not wearing masks. Some of the locals were, but not as much as in previous ports. If we did go into a shop, we had to use sanitizer, which is fine with us.
Searching the marina for sea lions, we saw none today. And there were very few pelicans also. So we headed up the streets to Cabo Wabo to check out their t-shirts. The city T shirt has not changed since we were here last. Their restaurant was opened, but it was too early for lunch. So we headed back downhill to where the old Hard Rock Café used to be. All that was left of the old building were the door handles that looked like guitars. To our surprise, we looked across the street to find a brand new HRC. This was built in the three years we have not been here. There was a problem, however. Not one large shirt existed anywhere in the shop. They were mostly small and 3 x size. Oh well. From here we walked across the road to the Puerto Paraiso Mall. This has to be the center of all high end shopping, and is connected to the Luxury Mall now….even higher-end. Starting at one end, we ended up leaving this mall by the marina. This is where we found a nice place for lunch several years ago. Finding Baja Brewery was easy, but it was locked down….closed forever. Disappointed, we headed back to the ship. Dodging vendors all the way back, we looked for Diamonds International . Nowhere to be seen, it was at the bottom of Guerrero Street, but not on the marina side. Somehow we had bypassed that one store. Oh well, that will give one of us something to look for next time we visit.
Back at the docking area, we found it crowded with guests returning already. All aboard was at 2:30pm, and no one wanted to be late. This time the boat we got was one of ours. Riding in it, reminded us of how lucky we have been by not visiting any Caribbean islands that needed tendering. Except for Half Moon Cay, where there is no choice but to tender. And during the time we were ashore, another ship arrived…..the Navigator of the Seas (RCI) and anchored in the bay. Just what they need…..more people. The ride back was uneventful.
Once back in the room, we decided to order lunch from room service. It did take over 40 minutes, but obviously worth the wait. We ordered one Caesar chicken salad, and one cobb salad. Then we split a club sandwich. It was just right, and tasted really good. Except for the Covid lock-up, this is the only time we had room service. Glad we did.
The N. Amsterdam left Banderos Bay after 3pm, while the other three ships remained. Once the ship got out far enough to make that turn, it got downright chilly on the veranda. We expected that, but most folks do not. Especially those that are at the Seaview Pool, enjoying the last of the warm Mexican sun. We have seen belongings and towels go flying overboard almost instantly when the winds picked up. Watching the pounding surf climb up a cliff, we realized that the mighty Pacific Ocean is not as peaceful as you might expect. As the evening progressed, the sailing became a bit rougher with the ship rolling quite a bit. We expect this to remain the same as we head towards San Diego now.
Great time to stay in the room and work on photos and reports. Dinner time arrived, and we went to the dining room for their special culinary menu. We had soup, salads, and crab cakes. The main was prime rib for both of us. Bill always orders an outside cut, but medium rare. So far, he has gotten the meat served exactly as he described. We added a baked potato and skipped the veggie stew. Desserts were one raspberry tart and a serving of ice cream.
The clocks went back one hour, which is finally back to Pacific time now.
Bill & Mary Ann
Monday, April 25, 2022
Report #128 Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 7am-3:30pm Sunday April 24, 2022 Sun With Haze And Much Cooler 75 Degrees
