Mazatlan (Mexico Riviera)

Mazatlan is a cruise port in Mexico (Sinaloa state). The city is located on Mexico's Pacific coast, across from Baja California Peninsula's southernmost tip. The city has population around 440,000, ranking it Sinaloa's 2nd-largest - after Culiacan. Mazatlan is a popular tourist and vacation travel destination, featuring a 13 km (8 mi) long beach promenade lined with world-class hotels and resorts.

The town was founded by the Spaniards in 1531. A large group of German immigrants arrived here in the mid-1800s. They developed the city into a major cargo shipping port. Mazatlan today is one of the Mexico's largest cargo ports.

A car ferry service is available between Mazatlan and La Paz. The city is also served by the General Rafael Buelna Airport. Mazatlan is famous with its Zona Dorado area - white-sand beaches, shops, eateries, bars. Closer to the cruise ship port is the Old Mazatlan destrict - colonial-style architecture, numerous bistros and cafes.

The number of cruise ships to Mazatlan (scheduled / booked port calls) for 2016 was 94, bringing over 300,000 tourists. The port's business peak was in 2010 - with a total of 194 calls. In 2011, the port took a steep fall due to severe drug wars that prompted all major cruise lines to pull their ships out. The first cruise ships came back in 2013. Since then, the port reinforced its security by installing more surveillance cameras and increasing the security measures to keep cruise passengers safe. The city's downtown was renovated. The walking path from the port to the historic district was updated and a blue line was added to be followed.

The Mazatlan cruise port also has the ambition to become a departure port (homeport) with potential northbound itineraries (into Sea of Cortez) or southbound itineraries (to Mexican Riviera ports).

Mazatlan cruise terminal