Feature Article Horsing Around on a Cruise Article and photos by Sherry Spitsnaugle It's just 9 a.m. as we ride horseback into a small Mexican village where residents are going about their business. One woman washes clothes by hand in a yard, while another sweeps her front porch. Not a single person is hawking T-shirts or trinkets. As the horses of our small group clip-clop down the old cobblestone streets, dogs meander alongside and kids wave from doorways. The smell of frying bacon wafts from an open window; pink hibiscus cloak the side of a chicken coop. Later, not far from the village, our good-natured caballero, Jose Tello, flashes a huge smile under his dark mustache, hops off his horse and hollers, "Beginners, this is exactly what you need in the middle of a horse ride — a dip in the hot springs." We tie up our horses, strip to swimsuits and climb into the inviting natural pool. Although I've been to Mexico at least a half-dozen times, I've never ridden a horse through a sleepy village or soaked in natural hot springs seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Who'd have thought these experiences would come while on a mega cruise ship? Advertisements for the seven-day roundtrip cruise from Los Angeles aboard the Star Princess focus on the famous Mexican ports of call of Puerta Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas-all of which make up the stretch of Mexico's northwest Pacific coast better known as the Mexican Riviera. But after studying the extensive list of diverse shore excursions — everything from "Dolphin Encounter" and "Nature Expedition" to "Sailing Adventure" and "Countryside on Horseback" — I realize this cruise is more about personal experiences than traditional travel destinations. I'm not alone in my thinking. "We're having a blast," said Susan DeCovis, a fellow horseback rider from Phoenix. Her two sisters signed up for a tequila factory tour and her parents are spending the day on the golf course. "I'm taking ballroom dancing lessons tonight on the ship. I would never find time to do that at home. It's like taking several mini-vacations." That's understandable when taking into account the 2,600-passenger megaship, Star Princess. When not sampling shore excursions, passengers can try numerous and varied activities aboard ship. Stroll the wrap-around promenade deck, lounge by one of numerous pools, have a treatment at the luxury spa, try the caviar bar in the Promenade Lounge, or take afternoon tea in the Portofino dining room on deck six as a string quartet plays in the background. After the horseback ride, it feels good to shower and dress up for the night's formal dinner. Tuxedoed waiters serve fine wine, lobster and flan for dessert. I compare notes with other passengers who spent the day on excursions such as the city and coastal drive and the all-day snorkeling and kayaking adventure. Invigorated by the horseback ride, I sign up for sportfishing in Mazatlan and scuba diving in Cabo San Lucas. Tempting though it may be to stay on board, relax and pamper myself, when it comes to cruising I've come to realize that the time spent off the ship is just as important to my vacation experience as the time spent on board. Sherry Spitsnaugle is a freelance travel writer who lives in Denver and is author of Quick Escapes Denver — 25 Weekend Getaway Trips in and Around the Mile High City. Planning Your Trip Princess offers Mexico itineraries September through May. Cruises depart from Los Angeles; 800-Princess (800-774-6237) or visit www.princess.com. Onshore excursions are not included in the cruise price. Return to Contents Page

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