Wonder About Disney?

In January of 2011, Disney Wonder leaves Florida, taking passengers on a terrific 15-night cruise through the Panama Canal en route to her new winter home port in Los Angeles. This is exciting news for people who live closer to Disneyland than Disney World and have been begging for Disney to reprise their rapidly sold-out previous seven night Mexican Riviera cruises.

Book your family cruise now, as demand will undoubtedly out pace supply very soon. In fact, on many sail dates, the best rooms and early dining are already gone. Excitement is growing like a snowball rolling downhill.

Speaking of snowballs, the Manhattan Beach School District will again take the third week in February off for "Ski Week." Instead of laying face down in the snow after a terrible wipe out, you could be laying in the same position under the warm sun of the Mexican Riviera. In port, you can go snorkeling, sail in a pirate ship, zipline, swing on a vine to drop in a jungle pond, and horseback ride on the beach. Click here to read more about it

Looking further into the future, Disney Wonder will follow suit with most other West Coast cruise ships by summering in Alaska. Yes, you can take your family on an amazing Alaska cruise roundtrip from Vancouver.

Want Europe instead? Experience Disney Magic in the Mediterranean!

And don't worry about Florida. The brand new Disney Dream will hold down the Port near Disney World.

More Changes on the Mexican Riviera

The void left by Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas seeking more lucrative shores will be filled by Disney Wonder. This is a terrific opportunity for Disney fans of all ages to experience the unique onboard entertainment of a Disney cruise close to Disneyland. Every time Disney has sent a ship to the west coast, rooms go fast, so start planning your time now.

Holland America will return ships to the fall-through-spring home port of beautiful San Diego next year, mixing up traditional Mexican Riviera cruises with some longer and some shorter voyages, but there will also be the possibility to do something even more upscale.

In November and December, elegant Crystal Cruises will bring Symphony to Los Angeles for three traditional 7-night Mexican Riviera cruises followed by a ten night cruise that adds La Paz, Loreto and Topolobampo to stops in Cabo, PV and Mazatlan. If you've always wondered what it would be like to try 6 star luxury with anticipatory service, it's coming to the doorstep of Southern Californians. Crystal Symphony will return to L.A. in March and April of 2011 to give the people who missed her first appearance a chance to live the dream.

On January 5, 2011, Sapphire Princess will be taking cruisers on a 10-night cruise similar to the one we just completed on Royal Caribbean, visiting Acapulco, Ixtapa, PV, Cabo and Mazatlan, a trip that I highly recommend.

The big news in January, however, will be Azamara's small ship Journey, which will make two 11-night cruises from San Diego visiting Guaymas, Topolobampo, Loreto, La Paz, Mazatlan and Cabo. With a butler for every room and an elegant, boutique ambiance for you and about 700 other passengers, you may never want to go home.

However, maybe you simply don't have time for 11-nights or even 7-nights. On February 13, you can take your sweetheart for a Valentine's cruise aboard an elegant new ship, Cunard Victoria. The four night trip to Ensenada may be the itinerary, but the ship itself is the true destination.