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For passengers arriving by cruise ship

You have eight hours in Vallarta. Let’s not waste one of them.

Excursions built around your ship’s real all-aboard time, an honest guide to the terminal, and a written Back-to-Ship Guarantee on every tour.

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Back-to-Ship Guarantee

The Back-to-Ship Guarantee

Every excursion on this page is timed to your vessel’s published departure with a buffer built in. If one of our tours is ever late returning and you miss the ship, we pay your transport to the next port of call. In writing, on your voucher.

  • We check the live port schedule the morning of your call
  • Tours finish at least 90 minutes before all-aboard
  • Your guide carries the ship’s agent contact and ours
  • If we cause a miss, we cover the cost of catching up — no argument

Port of Call

How long have you got?

Pick by the clock. We only show tours that comfortably fit inside a standard port call, and each one states the exact return time.

3 hours

Back on board with hours to spare. Ideal for a short call or a first visit.

4 hours

The sweet spot — enough for a real excursion without watching the clock.

5 hours

For 8+ hour calls. Reach the further beaches and the outer bay.

Port of Call

The terminal guide

Everything nobody tells you before you walk down the gangway.

Read the guide

Port of Call

Doing it yourself

No tour, no problem. Here is how to have a great day in Vallarta for almost nothing.

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$13 in taxis, nothing else · 3–4 hours

Walking the Malecón

The mile-long seafront promenade, its sculpture collection, and the old town behind it — on foot, for the price of one taxi.

$8–12 for a full meal · 1–2 hours

Best tacos near the terminal

Four taquerías within fifteen minutes of the pier that locals actually eat at — and one rule for choosing any street stand safely.

$10 in buses and a beer · 4–5 hours

A free beach day from the pier

Public beaches are free by law in Mexico. Here is how to reach a good one on the local bus for under a dollar.

Free · 2 hours

Marina Vallarta on foot

The closest thing to a free port day: a twelve-minute walk from the gangway to a working marina, a lighthouse and a Tuesday art market.

Port Schedule

Is your ship in port that day?

Check the live arrivals calendar before you book anything.

Puerto Vallarta port schedule
Date Ship Line Arrives Departs Hours in port Tours for this call
Thu, Sep 24 Carnival Panorama Carnival Cruise Line 08:00 17:00 9 h Tours for this call
Thu, Oct 1 Carnival Panorama Carnival Cruise Line 08:00 17:00 9 h Tours for this call
Fri, Oct 2 Ovation of the Seas Royal Caribbean 08:00 17:00 9 h Tours for this call
Sun, Oct 4 Norwegian Bliss Norwegian Cruise Line 08:00 18:00 10 h Tours for this call
Tue, Oct 6 Carnival Firenze Carnival Cruise Line 09:00 18:00 9 h Tours for this call
Wed, Oct 7 Discovery Princess Princess Cruises 08:00 18:00 10 h Tours for this call
Thu, Oct 8 Carnival Panorama Carnival Cruise Line 08:00 17:00 9 h Tours for this call
Fri, Oct 9 Majestic Princess Princess Cruises 10:00 20:00 10 h Tours for this call
Sun, Oct 11 Norwegian Bliss Norwegian Cruise Line 08:00 18:00 10 h Tours for this call
Mon, Oct 12 Koningsdam Holland America Line 08:00 22:00 14 h Tours for this call
Tue, Oct 13 Carnival Firenze Carnival Cruise Line 09:00 18:00 9 h Tours for this call
Wed, Oct 14 Discovery Princess Princess Cruises 08:00 18:00 10 h Tours for this call
See the port schedule

The Back-to-Ship Guarantee

Every excursion on this page is timed to your vessel’s published departure with a buffer built in. If one of our tours is ever late returning and you miss the ship, we pay your transport to the next port of call. In writing, on your voucher.

Browse port-day tours Read the guide