Happy New Year From San Diego!

Categories

 This weekend, our oldest daughter and granddaughter flew into San Diego to spend the weekend with my sister's family and us.

 What a wonderful extended weekend we enjoyed, with the combination of loving time with family, fine dining, great weather, a scenic boat ride and the justifiably world-famous San Diego Zoo!

 Picking up Gina and Emma at the airport was a reminder of how easy that task can be in San Diego, an international airport that nonetheless avoids sprawling across endless acres of traffic jams like many major airports.

 Chalk those up as a big pluses for cruising from San Diego, but there's more to the story.

 The cruise port is actually within walking distance --- a long but scenic walk --- of the cruise port, though you'll probably opt for a quick taxi ride.  Although, you could choose to spend some time in this world-class city on the California Coast pre-cruise, which you really should.

 When you leave the airport, you discover you are already next to the gorgeous marinas of San Diego, and in a few short minutes you can be on Mission Beach or in the Gaslamp Quarter.  From nearby downtown, a ferry ride will whisk you to Coronado Island.

 For people who live in Orange County, catching the Surfliner Train in Irvine or Anaheim also makes getting to the cruise port a breeze, avoiding additional freeway miles while dropping you as close as a cruise terminal parking lot.

 All you need is a cruise. 

 Many families are excited to find Disney Cruises from San Diego in the spring and fall, but they're in Galveston by the most popular cruising weeks of the year, over Winter Break, when most schools and many workplaces shut down.

 Don't despair.  You can take a beautiful ship with a great kids' club plus fine dining, outstanding service and exciting entertainment.  Holland America makes San Diego its West Coast home from October through April, including an amazing December 28, 2019, New Year's Cruise to the Mexican Riviera!

 As you cruise south, expect to find temperatures about 10 to 15 degrees warmer than Southern California by the time you reach sunny Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta, the classic ports of the Mexican Riviera.

 Right now, prices are excellent, and we're sweetening the deal with $50 on board credit.

 If you'll need a triple or quad cabin, don't delay, as availability is always more limited once you have more than two in a room. 

 A cruise always makes an outstanding Christmas gift for the entire family, and the memories remain precious forever. 

By the way, Holland America also has cruises through the Panama Canal and to Hawaii or even Tahiti or South America from San Diego during the season. 

And HAL and Disney are not the only game in town.  Upscale lines like Windstar and Crystal as well as Carnival Miracle will be cruising from San Diego this winter, with special guest appearances by Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. 

While the Caribbean is always a great place for a tropical holiday, give the West Coast a try this year. 

Make your plans now for the trip of a lifetime! 

Wes 

P.S. And to prepare for that New Year's Cruise with the kids, perhaps you should take a romantic couples trip to the Christmas Markets of Europe (click here to learn more).