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Mexican Riviera Runaway
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Mexican Riviera Runaway

A 42-day adventure by BizarreBohemians Read more
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  • Trip start
    May 10, 2026
    BizarreBohemiansMexican Riviera RunawayTraveler

    Quantum (otS) Stateroom Shuffle

    May 10 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    A simple room move turned into a reminder that ship location matters more than we sometimes realize.

    Our travel day began with a late night nonstop arrival to LAX and an overnight stay at a nearby hotel. We took a rideshare to Port for $50 and skipped bag check all together. Embarkation to Quantum of the Seas at San Pedro’s Cruise Terminal was quick and efficient - 15 min from curbside to deck. We had access to our room at 1 PM and were relieved to settle in so Justin could get some sleep before starting his workday at 11 PM.
    So a knock at the door at 3pm was alarming and rushed to open the door thinking it was our room attendant checking on us but it was a tired mom with luggage in tow asking if we’d be willing to swap rooms with them so the family could be in connecting rooms. By this time, we had already unpacked our bags, used the restroom and the bar hand soap, stocked the fridge with bottled water that had been delivered, and even had Justin stretched out on the bed. So yes, we were a little surprised that anyone would want a room that was already in use to begin their vacation. Still, the request made more sense once we understood the situation. The family needed to stay together, and they were trying to accommodate mom, dad, two elementary school boys, and a middle school-aged son. That part was easy to sympathize with. What we did not realize right away was that this was not a quick shuffle a few doors down, but a move about 20 doors farther forward in a different part of the ship.

    We had chosen our original midship cabin very intentionally. On a cruise ship, location matters, and midship is often the sweet spot for minimizing movement when the seas are less than calm. Forward, by comparison, tends to make rocking more noticeable, which is exactly why we had preferred our first room in the first place. Had we known the full extent of the move upfront, we likely would have hesitated a little more. But in the end, we probably still would have agreed, because helping a family stay together felt like the right thing to do.

    Once we settled into the new room, we noticed a few unexpected differences. Beyond the wear of the space itself, the forward location actually came with lighter traffic around the elevators. We were also just one stairway away from the gangway, which made disembarkation much more convenient. That was not the tradeoff we expected, but it was a useful reminder that every cabin location has its own advantages and drawbacks.

    This was our third stay on Quantum, and we were surprised to still feel like we were discovering new corners of the ship. At this point, we can officially say we have stayed aft, midship, and forward, which feels like a pretty good way to round out our experience aboard the ship.

    The biggest takeaway from the day is a simple one: if you care about cabin location, it is worth understanding exactly where a room sits before agreeing to any kind of move. Midship, aft, and forward can each shape your experience in very different ways, especially when the ship is moving or when you are trying to rest before a long travel day.

    In our case, the switch was worth it for the sake of a family’s vacation, but it also reinforced why we choose our rooms carefully in the first place.

    On a cruise, the view is only part of the story — the location can shape everything from comfort to convenience.    Read more

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    Scavenger Hunt in Avalon

    May 13 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    This afternoon we tendered into Avalon on Catalina Island for a leisurely walk and, more importantly, a pharmacy run for some much-needed items. Justin had already given in the night before and bought a tiny travel roll of antiacids from the ship shop, but at $15, it was a reminder that even the smallest forgotten essentials can get expensive onboard. For someone who deals with frequent heartburn, it was probably not the kind of item he wants to leave off the packing list next time.
    Once in Catalina, we enjoyed a much calmer stroll than we had on our last visit. The pace felt easy, the crowds were lighter, and it was nice to simply wander without feeling rushed. We did make one hopeful stop at Scoops for a Dole Whip, only to arrive just after they had run out. A small disappointment, yes, but hardly enough to spoil the afternoon.
    The day still had a few bright spots. I found a cute beaded bracelet, necklace, earrings, and a raffia crossbody wristlet, which felt like a pretty good consolation prize. Sometimes a simple port day ends up being less about what you planned to do and more about the little things you find along the way.
    Cruise ports do not have to be packed with big excursions to feel memorable. Sometimes the best stops are the relaxed ones, where you solve a practical problem, enjoy an easy stroll, and still come away with something special. And if you are prone to heartburn, Tums may deserve a permanent spot in your packing list.    Read more

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    A Quiet Ensenada Morning

    May 14 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    We arrived in Ensenada early in the morning, and the day had a noticeably calmer feel to it right away. Justin’s workplace had a holiday off, and most of his team planned off for the rest of the week, so his workload was lighter than usual, which he definitely needed. It was one of those rare cruise days where the schedule naturally softened a little, giving us room to breathe.
    Our plan for the day was simple: stay onboard, walk around, and relax. Sometimes the best part of a cruise is not trying to squeeze something into every hour, but letting the ship itself become the destination for a day.
    I also needed to start packing up our things for tomorrow’s disembarkation, which always has a way of making the day feel a little more real. There is something about beginning that final repack that shifts the mood from vacation mode to getting-ready-to-go mode. Even so, having a quiet day ahead made the transition feel a little easier.    Read more

  • BizarreBohemiansMexican Riviera RunawayTraveler

    Side-by-Side Transfer

    May 15 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    We were up at 6 AM to grab breakfast before disembarkation, because today was not a typical turnaround day. We were doing what frequent cruisers call a side-by-side: a back-to-back cruise on a different ship, but still within the same terminal. Our new home for the next several weeks is Navigator of the Seas, and once the departing guests had cleared out, the back-to-back and side-by-side guests were gathered together, issued our new SeaPass cards and transit stickers, and escorted off the ship through customs and port authority. From there, we were led out of the terminal and across the port to our next ship for re-embarkation.
    Once onboard, we dropped our bags outside our assigned cabin and headed to the top deck. Justin had wanted to personally carry our luggage to the new ship rather than have crew transfer it, worried it might get lost along the way. Now that we have done it once, I can confidently say I do not plan to repeat that strategy in the future. It was a long walk with two carry-ons and a heavy personal item over uneven cement, speed bumps, and patches of rough ground, and both my luggage wheels and my hands were very unhappy by the end of it.
    We did not feel eager to rush around exploring the entire ship, especially since we will be spending many weeks onboard this month and again later in the year. Instead, we found a quiet spot in a clamshell lounger on the top deck and let ourselves relax for a while. It was a good chance to get some sun, decompress from the move, and watch the port machinery lifting containers from ship to shore. There is something fascinating about seeing how much of what reaches our homes and store shelves passes through a place like that, and for a while we were both completely absorbed in it.
    After our little bit of port-geeking, we headed to lunch in the Main Dining Room for consecutive cruisers and then back to our second-deck ocean view stateroom for a much-needed nap. I usually enjoy unpacking and settling in, so I kept busy getting our things organized until Justin was ready to explore. Later in the day, we took it easy with a tour of the waterslides and a few of the other promenade decks. We like getting our steps in, but not if it means fighting through the runners on the top deck track.
    Our dinner is scheduled for 5 PM each night this cruise, which is much better for us than the European 8 PM seating we have been assigned the past few cruises. It sounds so early for dinner, but for Justin it is already pushing bedtime a bit since his workday starts at 11 PM. Travel puts us on our own strange little time zone, and we fully appreciated the invention of blackout curtains.
    The biggest takeaway from the day: side-by-side cruising sounds easy in theory, but it can be more work than expected if you choose to haul your own luggage across the port. The upside is that it makes for a very memorable arrival day (trips, rocks getting stuck in wheels and full on heated conversations with inanimate objects) once you are settled in, there is something nice about easing into a new ship at your own pace instead of awaiting on evening luggage delivery and trying to do everything (unpack, ensure reservations are a secure and seats are a good fit, have dinner, meet your room attendant, at once.    Read more

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    Welcome to Navigator (otS) Cabin 2652

    May 16 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    A practical cabin location, an easy ship layout, and a few honest observations about what worked well and what did not.

    Overall, Navigator of the Seas has a layout we really enjoy. The ship feels lovely, and while the rooms are a little older, ours was in great shape. Even so, the lower-deck location was very convenient for embarkation and disembarkation, and being only one staircase away from the dining room and casino made day-to-day movement easy. Our cabin, 2652, was far Aft, with three rooms from the very rear, which is not our favorite spot because we tend to notice motor noise in the Aft, gangway door banging, and the occasional late-night pipe thump that may have been a neighboring crew shift change and the constant noice of the gangway door chain being blown into the door by waves. The ocean view itself was nice, but the location was not ideal for either noise or motion. If we booked a lower-deck room again, we would want it closer to the elevators, so Midship, and not right above the gangway.
    The ship’s layout is one of its biggest strengths. Most of the places we actually use — pool, dining room, buffet — are conveniently located toward the Aft. It’s a bid odd that some of the specialty dining are tucked away in unusual spots, like Chops and Jamie’s Italian inside the buffet area, or Izumi on deck 14 beside the Cosmopolitan Club.
    The Main Dining Room food was plated well and tasted good, though the chocolate ice cream was ice-burned every night we ate there.
    The casino is small which isn’t a big deal it’s the tight configuration of the machines that’s bothersome. People have no room to walk through side aisles to get to machines and try to squeeze by hitting every chair on their way. It could really use fewer machines and more room for foot traffic, especially for anyone using a wheelchair or walker, and a separate ticket or change machine would make the whole experience much smoother. On the plus side, we appreciated the range of bets, from 8 cents onward, especially after a recent Carnival sailing where the minimum was 88 cents.
    The takeaway here is that a ship can be lovely overall even if a few practical details shape the experience more than expected. Navigator of the Seas gave us strong convenience, good food, and a layout that works well for us, while also reminding us that cabin location and public-space design can make a big difference in comfort.    Read more

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    Location of cabin from Promenade

    Cabin 7605 on Navigator

    May 16 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    We’re on our second sailing aboard Navigator of the Seas, this time heading to Cabo, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta. For this leg, we switched things up and booked cabin 7605—an interior promenade room overlooking Deck 5’s Promenade, a through fare of shops and bars. At first glance, it’s a charming setup.

    There’s a window bench perfect for people-watching, a cozy loveseat, and a layout that feels familiar—just a bit smaller than our previous cabin and without the ocean view. Since we’re booked in a similar room for a long transpacific later this year, this felt like the perfect “test drive.”

    Location-wise, it started strong. We’re steps from the elevator and right by the Library/card room, which is ideal for Justin’s late-night work calls. In theory, that meant his schedule wouldn’t spill into the room—and my sleep wouldn’t suffer.
    In reality… that’s where the positives end for us.

    This cabin sits directly above Boleros, where live music runs from around 6 PM to 1 AM. And when I say you hear it—I mean you feel it. The drums and bass don’t just drift up; they thump straight through the floor. No amount of nightcaps has managed to drown out the bongos, and most nights were just waiting for the music to stop so we can finally fall asleep (preferably before a migraine kicks in or Justins graveyard shift begins).

    The Wi-Fi hasn’t helped matters. It’s spotty in the room, cutting in and out throughout the day, though it works much better in the Library nearby. My best guess is signal congestion from everything happening on this deck—guest devices, ship systems, and entertainment equipment all competing for bandwidth. Whatever the reason, it’s unreliable where we actually need it.
    Then there are the surprises you don’t think about—like plumbing noise. When neighboring cabins flush, it sounds like a sudden indoor waterfall. It only lasts a few seconds, but it’s more than enough to jolt you fully awake.

    We’ve also realized how spoiled we were on Deck 2, where everything we frequent—the MDR and the casino—was just steps away. On Deck 7, every trip involves stairs or elevators, which makes those late-night dessert runs feel a little more… earned.

    After talking with other cruisers and observing the promenade layout, it’s clear not all rooms here are equal. Some spots are quieter, especially those farther from live music venues. Unfortunately, ours is right above the action. Even our upcoming booking for my mom—on the opposite end—looks like it may sit above a speaker system. Possibly better than drums, but still not exactly peaceful.
    The takeaway from this “trial run” is simple: a cabin can look great on paper and still be completely wrong in practice.

    For us, due to our early sleep schedules and digital nomad needs, promenade interiors—at least in this location or the 1st 6 rooms near guest services—are too noisy for early sleepers and too unreliable for wifi. That makes them a definite no-go for longer sailings.

    Still, this experiment was worth it. Better to learn that lesson now than halfway across the Pacific.    Read more

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    Navigator of the Seas (Lap 1)

    May 19 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    Port stops on this cruise (which i’m going to refer as Lap 1) were Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlán. We stayed onboard the ship in Ensenada since Justin was working late that day but Cabo was on a Saturday, which gave us enough time to head out and walk around the marina at a relaxed pace.

    One of the highlights was stopping into Puerto Paraíso, the mall near the marina, where we visited a gallery featuring Sergio Bustamante’s work. I’ll do a separate post about our visit. I absolutely loved it.

    Mazatlán ended up being a shorter stop for us because of Justin’s work schedule, so we only had a few hours to explore. We walked a bit through the port shops, market and ventured across the street to Oxxo, a 7-11 type of convenience store in Mexico, for a quick look around, and then headed back to the ship. Our first impression was that the area felt a little run down and not especially full of things to do beyond a hop-on hop-off bus, but we plan to give it more time on our next cruise, especially since he will have a holiday off and we can explore more properly. I was also able get cruiser recommendations for excursions they took so that we can find things more suited to our interests since the short excursions offered by the ship were sold out.

    It’s lovely when port days, even short stops, can still offer something memorable. Cabo gave us art, scenery, and a relaxed marina walk, while Mazatlán gave us a first impression that we can revisit later with more time.    Read more

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    Surreal Art, Cabo Style

    May 20 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Sergio Bustamante’s gallery in Cabo completely pulled me into another world. Tucked inside Puerto Paraíso near the marina, it feels like stepping into a dream.
    The best way I could describe his work? It’s giving “Dalí + Tim Burton had a baby” energy. Whimsical, surreal, and just a little mysterious in the best way 🤩

    This Cabo location is on the smaller side, but we learned there are larger galleries throughout Mexico showcasing more of his pieces. Even so, this one still had a mix of sculptures and jewelry. Surprisingly, most of the jewelry was actually attainable ($300 usd and below). I may or may not be thinking about those luna earrings… hint hint hubby 😉

    💡Tip: As of May 2026, the gallery moved to a smaller space a few shops down, closer to the escalator—so if you think you missed it, keep walking.

    Have you ever discovered an artist while traveling that completely stuck with you?    Read more

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    Cabin x - Navigator (otS)

    May 28 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    After 5 nights of loud bongos disrupting our sleep schedule we requested a room change and was thankful for the accommodation. We were given an interior (downgrade from the interior promenade room but we were deliriously sleep deprived at this point) at the front of the ship.
    Cabin X, Fwd, Deck X became our temporary home for 2 nights.
    This is our 1st full fledged interior room and let me tell you we slept so soundly. The foam mattress topper was heavenly and the hallway noise of kids running down the halls didn’t bother us compared to the bongos we endured the past week. However the room was smaller and probably the tightest room we’ve stayed in yet. Didn’t help that there was an ill fitting sofa in the room that protruded into the already tiny walkway. It a reading chair was swapped for the sofa it would have made a major difference. Still the vanity/desk was similar to what we’ve had in our other Navigator rooms, outlet setup the same, less drawer storage but still the same closet and bathroom storage solutions. All in all, not too bad. Justin doesn’t mind the interior at all, but does miss having a window for daylight exposure since he works 11pm-11am and doesn’t leave the room much during work hours. Sure we walk and have a meal on the ship after from 1p-5p but it’s often crowded in commons areas and he’s looking more for winding down vibes prior to his bedtime.
    Personally the interior room is too dark for me. I can make do a few days but only if I can spend most my daytime hours out and about. When we have an ocean view or balcony I can stay in the cabin and parallel play all day with him without getting antsy.    Read more

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    The Rhythm (and Reality) of Ship Life Right Now

    June 7 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

    Ship life lately has been… kind of uneventful. Not in a bad way, just not the dreamy, activity-packed version people probably imagine when they think about cruising full-time.

    The reality is Justin’s working long graveyard hours. I’ve been trying to adjust my schedule for solidarity, to help him get some kind of consistent routine. We lucked out with a 5pm early dining slot in the MDR, but our table was situated in the back of the Chic dining room on Quantum, between an obnoxiously loud and nosy dining neighbor and the bench seat continuously vibrating from ship mechanics which didn’t do my sciatica any favors after an hour long dining service. The 2 dinners we had there were much better than the previous month when onboard. For the remainder of the week we opted for the Windjammer buffet or Sorentos pizza.
    Most days, were in bed by 7p. I’ll quietly play games on my phone if the WiFi cooperates, or read if my peri brain will oblige. I’ve already finished the 1 book I brought along and donated it to the ship library. Which, by the way, desperately needs help. The selection looked like someone cleared out an estate sale and called it a day. I’m seriously considering bringing a stack of decent fiction next time just to balance things out.
    I also made the mistake of not bringing any kind of craft project, and for whatever reason I’m stubbornly avoiding my iPad. No doodling, no doom-scrolling. I try not to touch the WiFi much anyway while he’s working since he needs every bit of bandwidth for his video calls (which seem to be happening more and more lately).

    Trying to line up ship schedules, dining times, events, and his work hours across constantly changing time zones feels borderline impossible. Cruising the Pacific coast is definitely the toughest for him.

    So yeah. Ship life right now isn’t glamorous or exciting—it’s just kind of steady, a little repetitive, and honestly a bit boring at times. But we’re figuring it out as we go, like we always do.    Read more

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    Evenings on the Navi

    June 11 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Evenings are pretty predictable: dinner, then the casino plus a margarita or two, then bed. No shows, no trivia. There are only so many art auctions and bracelet giveaways a person can sit through before tapping out. We’ve done some sun time, peeked into the ice rink (didn’t skate—no pants, no entry), hidden some ducks around the ship, and spent a lot of time planning future cruises. We’re booked out through February 2027 now… which still feels a little wild to say out loud.

    Lately I’ve also been feeling a little restless. I think part of it is not being able to do the things I want to do like studying, writing, or really digging into projects because doing all of that on a phone just doesn’t cut it. I refuse to travel with a heavy laptop. I already regret selling my MacBook Air… pretty sure I’ll be fixing that when we’re home this summer.

    Fridays are their own kind of chaos. I basically lose a full day (sometimes two) packing, then doing the whole back-to-back cruise shuffle—disembarkation, consecutive cruiser meetup, customs, out of the terminal, back through security, re-boarding, and then waiting until 1pm to get back into the room and unpack everything again. It’s a system at this point, but still exhausting.

    Socially, I’m trying. Talking more to familiar faces in the casino and dining room, keeping up where I can. I definitely miss casually texting my friends whenever I want, but I do still get my weekly FaceTime calls in with my mom and stepmom, which helps more than I probably say out loud.

    The rest of my time gets filled with editing clips, working on room tours, making random photo collages of all the little pieces of content that eventually come together. And somewhere in the back of my mind is that CGRC exam I’m supposed to be studying for in July. I know I need to focus on it, I just… haven’t had it in me. My brain feels like mush most days.    Read more

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    Girls Vacay

    June 17 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    This week is my 1st girls cruise with my mom as my cabin mate 💕.
    With justin working hard in his room midship all week it’s just me and mom exploring the Navigator of the Seas and all that she has to offer.

    Mom’s a casino gal so naturally we spent quite a bit of time donating 🤭. Justin meets up with us here and there when he can and always blows us out of the water with his winning luck. Oh he entered a slot tournament over the weekend which was interesting to watch. Mom was behind him coaching him and cheering him on. So cute.

    We stuck to dinners in the MDR since we were able to request a coveted window table for the week. Also the waiter was sweet on Mom so why not. Arby made a lovely rose stem from a paper napkin and mom loved it. He also ensured she had all the seafood and goodies she wanted. The staff in Navigator is really stellar all around which makes the cruise experience all the much better.

    With mom onboard I was able to get out and do a bit more activity wise that i hadn’t tried before due to early bedtimes. But with mom we had casino time, checked out karaoke sessions, watched an ice skating show (wow how do they perform on such a tiny rink?!) and even a feather and lights show (think old skool vegas show girls with a modern costume update). We enjoyed most the shows we watched. Only activity we didn’t quite care for was Bingo since it wasn’t very entertaining and just seemed chaotic and unrehearsed. We watched the 80s party in the Promenade and had late night pizza snacks.

    Our balcony room was near the back of the ship and while it was a bit rocky near cabo it was nothing too bad. She never felt nauseated or ill. I was impressed she was able to sleep normal hours (in bed by 11 most nights) rather than her typical vampire schedule 🤭. She’s a night owl but she said she’s been trying to get to
    bed early in preparation for our cruise so she wouldn’t sleep the days away.

    We had a pool day in the Solarium for a bit. Stayed on ship in Ensenada to beat the crowd at the pool. Unfortunately many others had the same idea.

    She had coffee room service every morning which she loved. We had wifi onboard so she could keep in contact with her spouse and ensure she could collect her dragon coins nightly (game of thrones slot game). Oh we also managed to video call some old friends of hers that she lost contact with and exchanged numbers to have future convos once she returns home 💕.

    Oh we did a “Sip. Tour. Brunch” onboard excursion to tour the galley (kitchens) on decks 3 & 4. She used to work as a chef when i was a kid and i thought she’d love a glimpse of the kitchen scene onboard. The tour was a bit disappointing in that the kitchens were quiet and not much was being prepared at the time but it’s probably for the best because it’s a zoo back there i’m sure. Interesting tidbits from the tour:
    • there’s many different fridges and some hold chilled food for a max of 4 hrs only before being disposed of.
    • bread is prepared daily on board except gluten free which is purchased.
    • deserts are hand prepared daily and are gorgeous
    • food waste is ground up and held in tanks below deck and slowly released at sea to feed wildlife.
    • recycling is compacted and brought on land to exchange for deposits

    All in all i think she had a great time. it was a change in scenery from her normal desert life, we made some memories and she bought her own souvenir magnets for her collection.

    Her next planned cruise is with us to Hawaii in January with my stepdad in tow. Should be fun 🤞    Read more

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    Mexican Riviera Wrap-up 👋

    June 18 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    We have finished our last week of cruising the Mexican Riviera and are ready to return home for a reset.

    Our time at sea was nice but just poor timing for justin’s busy work schedule and wonky hours. We’re also done visiting the same ports repeatedly.

    Last week we welcomed my Mom onboard to cruise with us which was a fun change of pace. I got a girls sleepover week with her in a balcony room and Justin solo’d it in an interior promenade cabin at the end of the Promenade with a view of the cafe and elevators. We’ll post more about the rooms later.

    Mom enjoyed her time in the casino, of course, perused the various karaoke and show productions and even dipped her toes in the sea during her beach days in Cabo and Mazatlan. I’m glad she came on vacation with us and stepped out her comfort zone.

    Farewell West Coast, we’re heading back home for a few weeks to regroup, refresh and repack for the next adventure.    Read more

    Trip end
    June 20, 2026