If you have been eyeing Mexico’s Pacific ports for a while, Princess just made the choice easier. An expanded set of Mexican Riviera shore excursions adds food heritage, glass-bottom boat viewing, small-group conservation visits, and easy beach time to a route many travellers already love, giving couples, families, and friendship groups more ways to shape days ashore around their own pace.
Princess is adding 13 new tours across Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Manzanillo, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta for the 2025-2026 season, alongside 31 departures from Los Angeles and San Francisco on Emerald Princess, Royal Princess and Ruby Princess. Features include an exclusive Todos Santos wine experience, wildlife encounters, craft and food workshops, beach-club access and trolley sightseeing, improving choice, dispersing crowds and simplifying planning for guests.
Princess has put variety and flow at the centre of this refresh, so guests can choose between hands-on experiences, slower beach hours and light adventure without feeling rushed. You will also notice tours that connect ports to the producers behind local flavours, plus options that bring conservation into focus in a welcoming way for first-timers.
Across Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Manzanillo, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, the new set spans tasting sessions, craft workshops, glass-bottom boat viewing and visits to turtle conservation projects. This matters because it solves a common pain point, the feeling that every port day looks the same, by giving you contrasting textures over a week. It also spreads demand, so more guests can find something that fits their energy level and interests.
Cabo’s Todos Santos Wine Experience is exclusive to Princess through January 2026, a rare chance to see Baja’s wine story up close. Guests tour Viñedo Las Tinajas, chat to a winemaker and taste white, rosé and red styles with simple pairings, then wander Todos Santos past the Mission of Our Lady of Pilar and the Hotel California. It is a neat blend of flavour, history and slow exploring that feels different from a standard port tasting.
The 2025-2026 program runs seven to fourteen nights on Emerald Princess, Royal Princess and Ruby Princess, sailing from Los Angeles and San Francisco. That spread gives you flexibility to pair a short work break with a one-week loop, or plan a longer, two-week holiday with extra sea days. It also keeps itineraries friendly for multigenerational groups who want predictable pacing and familiar onboard comforts.
Each port adds an experience that trades passive sightseeing for something tactile, or it protects downtime so the day never feels over-programmed. Think of this as a menu, you will pick one or two signature experiences per stop and leave room to wander.
The Transparent Boat Adventure turns Land’s End into a living gallery, with clear panels revealing fish, rays and coral as you pass El Arco, Pelican Rock and the twin beaches on either side of the cape. If you prefer terra firma, The Best of Baja threads a desert drive with a pearl farm visit and a tequila tasting at Hotel California for a gentle cultural circuit. For something atmospheric, the Todos Santos Wine Experience layers cellar talk with a township stroll, a pace that suits couples and curious friends.
Daydream in Baja Beach Escape sets you up at El Caimancito Beach with calm water, soft sand and a straightforward plan, swim, read, daydream, repeat. If you want a story to take home, the Baja Ocean Wonders & Scalloping Experience pairs a local family’s sustainable callo de hacha harvest with guided snorkelling, then shaded time on El Mogote and fresh ceviche. It is gentle adventure, hands-on but never hurried, capped with a short city drive back to the pier.
At A Day at Shekinah Beach Club with Lunch, you can flip between the infinity pool, a private cabana and a temazcal session, then linger over lunch with views of Tres Islas. Cultural travellers will enjoy Heritage Taco Fiesta, where a tortillera demonstrates techniques before you build tacos and explore corn traditions in a hacienda setting. For low-effort sightseeing, the Old Mazatlán Trolley Tour loops the basilica, Malecón and lookouts so you see the city’s spine without long walks.
The Cuyutlán Turtle Sanctuary and Salt Museum day ties together regional history, sea salt production and hands-on support for endangered turtles at the Tortugario Ecological Centre. It is the kind of outing that works for mixed-age parties, educational for teens, yet comfortable for grandparents. If you prefer a softer coastal thread, Tropical Fruit Plantation & Barra de Navidad adds plantation stops, village browsing and a lagoon ride to a relaxed seaside finish.
Real Mexico & Chocolate Experience trades port crowds for Pitillal’s plaza, then visits a small cacao and coffee operation for roasting and tasting before a tequila session. Families can opt for Marina Vallarta and Piñata Art Experience, a hands-on workshop that breaks up the day with making, not just looking, and includes a light taco snack. Both options reveal the everyday rhythms behind a popular resort city, which is a welcome counterpoint to the beachfront strip.
A little structure before you sail unlocks easy, unhurried days. Use your pre-cruise window to secure capacity-limited tours, read activity ratings and set a rhythm that respects everyone’s energy.
Princess flagged a limited 20% saving on select shore tours for bookings between 10 and 16 September 2025, a reminder to act early when windows open. Even when a promotion ends, booking sooner helps with small-group items like winery visits and conservation programs that cannot scale up on the day. Build a shortlist, lock the non-negotiables, then leave a spare slot for a spontaneous pick.
Sightseeing options such as the trolley in Mazatlán or glass-bottom viewing in Cabo reduce walking and stairs, ideal for guests who want comfort without missing marquee sights. Workshops and tastings keep time seated, which works for multigenerational groups. Check duration, surfaces and step counts in the tour notes, then match the day to your pace rather than squeezing two activities back to back.
Coastal weather can shuffle timings, so it pays to have a plan B, perhaps a shorter city tour or a beach club day that can flex around showers. Pack reef-safe sunscreen and a light rash vest if you plan to snorkel, plus a small dry bag for phones on boat days. Consider travel insurance that covers sport and water activities, and carry your ship card, photo ID and meeting point details in a waterproof pouch.
Most travellers fit one of three broad profiles, and picking for the group you actually have, not the one you imagine, is the secret to relaxed days ashore. Start with interests, then layer in stamina and heat tolerance.
Between Heritage Taco Fiesta, cacao roasting, coffee tasting and tequila sessions, food lovers can weave a flavour storyline that shifts by port. Ask guides about salsa styles, masa textures and regional sweets, it turns a tasting into a mini masterclass. You will come home with techniques and context, not just photos of plates.
Glass-bottom boats at Land’s End, guided snorkelling in La Paz and turtle-sanctuary time near Manzanillo offer movement without heavy exertion. Riders can aim for the Horseback Riding Adventure at Cerritos Beach, a steady ninety-minute trot that still delivers Pacific views. If you want a gentle day, a pool, a cabana and a shaded lounger at Shekinah can be every bit as restorative.
Hands-on workshops, trolley routes and beach clubs are built for mixed ages, and village visits keep distances short with shaded stops. If you are travelling with little ones, schedule lunch earlier and choose tours with facilities close at hand. For teenagers, pick at least one activity that lets them do something, whether that is making a piñata or snorkelling for scallops with a guide.
Before you lock dates, compare ships, ports and sea-day spacing against your calendar. Our Cruise Finder makes it simple to scan departure windows, itineraries and port mixes, then shortlist a few options that suit the time you have.
If you are choosing between similar routes, use Cruise Finder to find which departures include your must-do experiences, then pick one signature tour per port and leave room for downtime.
With new food, craft, wildlife and beach options, Princess has widened the field without complicating decisions. The trick is to align the week to your group’s pace, then book early for limited-capacity items while keeping space for a slow afternoon or a sunset swim. If you want help matching ports and tours to your dates, ships and Mexican Riviera shore excursions, get in touch with our cruise specialist, and we will tailor suggestions that fit your style.