Sailing to Success in Acapulco

Situated on a mushroom-shaped bay, Acapulco has long provided a sheltered harbor for ships calling at its port—starting with galleons in the 1500s and cruise ships in later years. But cruise ship traffic dropped earlier this decade due to a decline in voyages departing from Los Angeles and San Diego, a U.S. State Department travel warning for Acapulco, and the fact that the city is too far a distance from Southern California for seven-day cruises. Just 10 ships visited Acapulco in 2012.

Now, however, thanks to a years-long effort by Acapulco officials, the cruise ships are returning. Eighteen ships called here in the 2016-17 season from September until June, and the 2017-18 season is expected to welcome 32—and numbers for 2018-19 look very promising.

Tourism organizations for Acapulco and Guerrero, the state where the city is situated, are taking a proactive approach to safety concerns. CAPTA, the Spanish acronym for Tourist Assistance and Protection Center, disseminates information about the destination and maintains a 24/7 hotline for visitors to call in emergency situations. It has also created a 911 number for that purpose. Tourist police maintain a presence and roam the tourist areas on foot, by bicycle, motorbike or car to assist tourists with anything they need.

“Ensuring complete safety in any part of the world is a challenging task. However, providing effective tools and resources to reinforce tourists’ safety and well-being is vital for their peace of mind,” said Covadonga Gomez, director of CAPTA Acapulco. “With this goal, Acapulco launched CAPTA to provide tourists a place in which they can ask questions, obtain information, report any incidents and receive assistance. This program is a unique and innovative model that strives to protect tourists every day. As for cruise passenger crime statistics, in the past four years, there have been zero reports of crimes involving a cruise passenger.”

Authorities have also been in ongoing discussions with cruise lines. “We have been working hand-in-hand with cruise companies to gain back their trust and business,” said Alex Casarrubias, director of the Port of Acapulco. “In this regard, 2017 was also one of our most successful years as we received 32 ships. Acapulco will also become homeport of the Magellan cruise ship next year, confirming that once again the cruise industry believes in the destination.”

At the state level, Guerrero Tourism officials meet regularly with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association to share information and implement plans to improve the tourist experience and raise confidence levels in the area of tourist safety. Every time a cruise ship docks in Acapulco, city, state and port authorities share itineraries and coordinate with tourism police and tour operators to offer the best experience to cruisers.

Among the cruise lines calling at Acapulco this year on longer itineraries are Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Crystal.

Also through joint public- and private-sector efforts, the destination is working to provide a compelling mix of shore excursions and added services.

The new two-mile Macrotunnel connects the Golden and Diamond Zone tourist areas. Getting to Tres Palos Lagoon, a birders’ paradise, used to take 90 minutes but now takes 25. A popular shore excursion for cruise passengers, Tres Palos Lagoon teems with herons, pelicans, marabous, and storks. Visitors cruise through the mangroves and lily pads and can even get a facial mask using the lagoon’s mineral-rich mud.

No visitor to Acapulco should miss the famous La Quebrada cliff divers, who jump from a 136-foot cliff into an inlet 23 feet wide and 13 feet deep. Travelers can watch from the Mirador Hotel or a viewing deck.

Coyuca Lagoon can be recommended to birdwatchers and those wanting to observe the native flora and fauna. The freshwater lagoon was the setting for several Tarzan movies, along with “Rambo II” and the classic “The African Queen.”

Other shore excursions visit Isla Roqueta, which offers activities like hiking, snorkeling, kayaking and sunbathing on the beach. Visitors get there via glass-bottomed boats that connect Acapulco’s main beach with this island.

XTASEA, the longest over-the-water zipline in the world, opened in March 2017 and is already one of the most popular attractions. Adventurous tourists can fly at speeds of up to 75 mph over Puerto Marques Bay.

The group that launched XTASEA is building a space attraction called Emocion Intensa (Intense Emotion), scheduled to open in 2019. It will feature suspension bridges, rides and a restaurant with panoramic views of Acapulco. It also will feature two attractions that hope to break Guinness World Records: the longest slide and the tallest climbing wall.