Our last trip of 2017 had us cruising the Sea of Cortez with Offshore Outpost. It wasn’t your typical cruise at all. Everything about cruising with Offshore Outpost is different from any other cruise we’ve been on.
So when they asked us to join them on one of their first Sea of Cortez of cruises, we were in. Here’s everything you need to know about cruising with Offshore Outpost.
Offshore Outpost Sea of Cortez Destinations
We visited some of the most amazing places in the Sea of Cortez. Every day we woke up somewhere new with an adventure waiting for us. The cruise operates both directs, visiting all the below spots. We cruised from Cabo to La Paz. If the weather isn’t in your favor, the captain may decide to go somewhere else for the day that would be more enjoyable for everyone.
Cabo San Lucas
We started our cruise in Cabo San Lucas and decided to fly in early by one day so we could check out the town. We spent the night at The Bungalows Hotel, a super cute family-run place that was walkable to the happening downtown area with bars and restaurants. After feasting on tacos & guacamole, we boarded the Pacific Provider the next afternoon. We cruised right by the famous arch in Cabo as we made our way north into the Sea of Cortez. It’s a great place to add on a few nights either before or after your cruise.
*When looking for the best price and biggest selection of hotels check prices on Booking.com. We’ve found they are the best option and have a great cancelation policy.*
Cabo Pulmo
On our first day on the ship, we spent the morning snorkeling in Cabo Pulmo National Park. This reef is estimated to be 20,000 years old, and home to the oldest of three coral reefs found on the west coast of North America. It’s common to see large schools of fish in this area, sadly the day we went, the seas were a little rough, and visibility was low, so we didn’t see any. However, we did get to see and swim with some really fun and curious sea lions.
Caleta El Candelero
Caleta Candelero looks like no other part of Mexico we’ve ever seen. Once on land, you’ll be surrounded by red rocks and cactuses. We spent the morning hiking and taking photos in this unique spot. It reminded us a lot of Arizona but surrounded by turquoise waters, weird but awesome. The afternoon we spent lounging on the boat, and some of us even jumped off the boat. We also kayaked to a few nearby islands.
Isla San Francisquito
Our favorite morning on our Offshore Outpost Sea of Cortez cruise was when we woke up and hiked the ridge of Isla San Francisquito. After maybe 45 minutes we made it up to the peak and were rewarded with this view.
We ended up staying at the top for hours, not only to take photos but to just take in the view. After our hike, we spent the afternoon on the beach drinking margaritas and enjoying a beach bonfire. Talk about the perfect day.
La Paz
One of the main highlights of the cruise was swimming with whale sharks in La Paz. The whale sharks are wild, and there is no guarantee you are going to see anything, but the odds are really in your favor in La Paz. After looking for them for maybe 15 minutes, we were in the water swimming with several massive whale sharks. We found whale shark after whale shark.
We were in and out of the water catching up to them (they are fast) and lucky to catch them feeding at the surface several times too. We finally were able to tick swimming with whale sharks off our bucket list after missing them in the Maldives, Mozambique, Philippines, and Cancun.
Ensenada Grande
On our last afternoon on our cruise, we visited one of the most gorgeous white sandy beaches we’ve ever stepped foot on. We pulled the dinghy up as close as we could before we had to get out and walk to the beach. We spent the afternoon chatting with our new friends, having a few photoshoots, and taking in one last sunset.
Pacific Provider (Boat Name)
The Pacific Provider is a 160-foot expedition ship that has been customized for both adventure and luxury. There there are 6 staterooms onboard, a large dining room, lounge area, indoor bar, outdoor bar, top deck with lounge area and sun chairs, and even a jacuzzi.
Activities Onboard Offshore Outpost
What you do on a Sea of Cortez Cruise with Offshore Outpost is up to you. The boat is equipped so everybody can do their own thing, and you aren’t forced into hiking if they’d rather go fishing. Every morning & afternoon, there will be a group lead activity with one of the staff members. Our favorite activities were the morning hikes; the best was the one to the Isla San Francisquito ridge. In the afternoons, there typically was a guided snorkel trip, if this doesn’t interest then give it a pass and relax on the boat or beach.
The boat is fully equipped with the following:
- 3 – 19ft High-speed tenders with t-tops and fishing rod holders
- 1 – 16ft Zodiac tender
- Single & double kayaks
- Stand-up paddleboards
- Surfboards
- Snorkel sets with mask, snorkel & fins
- Fishing rods with Avet Reels (the captain loves to fish)
- Yoga mats – Stephanie leads daily morning yoga on the sundeck
Offshore OutPost Staff
The staff goes above and beyond! We really enjoyed getting to know the staff during our trip. There are about 8 staff members on board depending on the trip, and they are all really down-to-earth people that always wanted to make sure we were having a blast.
If we were out on the beach all day, the chef would send appetizers, and Josh would bring margaritas to the beach. Josh always made sure to have a cooler packed, and if we ran out of our favorite beverages, someone was only a boat ride away, and within minutes we’d be refreshed.
We loved talking about travel with Paddy the ship’s engineer. He’s got some crazy travel stories from traveling around the world on a motorcycle. We could go on about each and every one of them. After a week with everyone, we really felt like we left a handful of new friends.
Rooms On The Pacific Provider
We’ve been on several cruises before, and the staterooms were some of the best we ever had. We loved the huge picture window. Every morning we’d wake up looking out at the ocean that seemed to go on forever. It was nice having a huge wardrobe to hang up our clothes and put them away for the week.
The shower is one of the best we’ve ever had on a boat. It never ran out of hot water with good pressure. We had an endless supply of movies, as each room comes with a flash drive for you fill with entertainment while the ship is on the move.
Meals Onboard
Chef Dave serves up some meals you would have never imagined were possible on a cruise. Before finding his way to the Pacific Provider, Chef Dave was a private chef to professional golfer Phil Mickelson and rapper Dr. Dre.
On our cruise, he made us some amazing dishes like beef tenderloin, BBQ ribs, crab cakes, pesto pasta, and Caesar salad with homemade croutons. If you have any special dietary needs or are just picky like me, let Offshore Outpost know ahead of time. They can pick up extra ingredients to prepare something special just for you.
FAQ About Offshore Outpost
The company started in 2017 and currently has one ship, the “Pacific Provider” which will be providing Alaska cruises (dates TBD) and Sea of Cortez from mid-November till the first week of April yearly.
Prices Includes:
- Max of 12 guests
- 6 staterooms
- 8 crew members
- All activities included
- All meals included
- All beverages, including an open bar and indoor and outdoor bars for lounging.
- Airport transfers included
As you can tell, we had an amazing week at sea with Offshore Outpost, and I think any adventurer looking for a unique cruise would too. As amazing as the Sea of Cortez cruise was, the Alaska trips will be just as epic. If it’s anything like their Sea of Cortez cruise, we know it will be awesome.
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*We were guests of Offshore Outpost, but as always, all opinions are our own*
