First cruise ship will depart from Rocky Point in December

PHOENIX – Arizonans dreaming of a cruise vacation will be able to set sail closer to home by the end of the year.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages, a British-based line, announced Monday it will launch the first ship from Rocky Point, Mexico, on Dec. 7.

Rocky Point, also known as Puerto Penasco, has long been a popular destination for Arizona vacationers, who now have another reason to make the trip south.

The drive of around 220 miles from Phoenix to the new port takes less than four hours. The approximately 360-mile drive to catch a cruise ship in San Diego takes close to six hours.

According to the Mazatlan Post, officials from the Mexican state of Sonora have been working with Arizona officials for a while to bring a cruise line to Rocky Point.

A ship named the Astoria will make the new excursion – dubbed the Treasures of the Sea of Cortez cruise – and can accommodate 550 passengers.

The voyage lasts 11 nights and stops at seven Gulf of California destinations, including Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, before returning to Rocky Point.

So far, six departures have been scheduled for December 2019 and January 2020, and reservations can be made at the cruise line’s website.

The discounted fares currently available start at $1,399 per person for two travelers.

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