4 nights
Catalina and Ensenada
Carnival Cruise Line
from $359 pp
Check dates Route guide
Prices checked: July 2026
Mexico Cruises from Long Beach
Mexico cruises from Long Beach sail year round in two tiers: 3 and 4 night Baja loops to Catalina Island and Ensenada from $359, and 7 night Mexican Riviera runs to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta from $649. Carnival dominates the short trips, Princess and Norwegian the week-long Riviera.
Live deal board
3 nights
Baja weekend
Carnival Cruise Line
from $359 pp
Check dates 7 nights
Mexican Riviera
Princess Cruises
from $649 pp
Check dates 7 nights
Cabo and Puerto Vallarta
Norwegian Cruise Line
from $699 pp
Check datesTwo very different Mexico cruises
The short Baja loop is Southern California's weekend institution: Catalina's harbor town one day, Ensenada's wine-adjacent port the next, and a sea day of pure pool deck. It is cheap, it is cheerful, and it is the West Coast's answer to the Bahamas quickie, right down to the bachelorette parties. Book it for the ship and the break, not the ports.
The 7 night Mexican Riviera is the real vacation: Cabo San Lucas (the arch, the sportfishing), Mazatlan (the historic centro and the malecon) and Puerto Vallarta (the best food stop on the Pacific coast). Winter departures make it the West Coast's answer to the Caribbean, with far shorter flights for the whole western US.
Booking the route right
- The Riviera runs price lowest in late January and February, after the holiday rush and before spring break.
- On short loops, interiors are the play: you will barely be in the cabin.
- Whale season bonus: January to March Riviera sailings routinely see humpbacks and grays off Cabo.
- Carnival departs its own Long Beach dome terminal; Princess and Norwegian sail from the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, 8 miles away. Check which terminal before booking hotels or parking.
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Our cruise desk sees agent-only pricing, cancellation returns and unpublished promotions across every major line. Two minutes on the phone regularly beats an hour of tab comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a passport for a Mexico cruise from Long Beach?
Not on closed-loop round trips, a certified birth certificate plus photo ID works for US citizens, though a passport remains the recommended document. See our passport guide for the caveats.
Is the 3 day or 7 day Mexico cruise better value?
Per night the 7 night Riviera wins easily, often $90 to $110 per night against $120+ on weekend loops. The short trips win on total outlay and on needing zero vacation days beyond a Friday.
When are Mexico cruises from Long Beach cheapest?
Late January through February and again in September and October. Riviera interiors fall to $649 and Baja weekends to the mid $300s. Prices checked: July 2026.
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