By ALESHA DIXON

The stunning bay of Puerta Vallarta is one the perfect place for a mid-cruise stop off


Wintry old Britain. It’s that warm breeze on your face that makes you realise you’ve left it behind - at least for a while.

Last February, I flew from freezing London to balmy Los Angeles to join the Sapphire Princess for my first cruise, a nine-day voyage along the Mexican coastline.

As we left port and I breathed in a lungful of sea air, I couldn’t help asking myself: ‘What took you so long to try it?’

My career as a singer and songwriter has given me the money and the opportunity, but I had always thought cruises were strictly for grannies - mainly because own grandmother, Clem, loves them.

All I knew about life on board was what I learned from watching Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in the film Titanic. Not the tragic ending, of course, but the glamour of life on an ocean liner.

On this occasion I hadn’t taken my granny along but my cousin Emmaline. We shared a suite which was the perfect size: compact without being in the slightest bit cramped.

Sailing on the Sapphire Princess I quickly became a card-carrying cruise convert.


Cruising in comfort: Alesha enjoys a cocktail onboard the Sapphire Princess


It’s a cliche to describe the ship as a floating village, but that’s exactly how it felt. It’s one of 17 ships operated by Princess Cruises and is one of the largest cruise liners in the world, carrying nearly 3,000 passengers.

The extraordinary thing is that you would never know it. With five swimming pools and five restaurants, not to mention 13 bars, it never felt overcrowded and it wasn’t unusual to have the pool to yourself.

I hadn’t planned on joining any excursions, but it would have been a pity to miss exploring what’s known as the Mexican Riviera, the stretch of coastline below California.

The first stop was Puerto Vallarta, an old town overlooked by the Sierra Madre mountains. I had heard about the glorious beaches — the bay is 14 miles long. I also learned the area was discovered by tourists when Liz Taylor and Richard Burton were pictured there in 1964, but it’s still unspoilt.

Disembarking in the port, we found the perfect spot along the coast and then parked ourselves to soak up the sun. Listening to music on my iPod and sipping a cold fruit juice, it was my idea of heaven.

We ended up having lunch at a beachside cafe and staying there most of the day. I love Mexican food: chilli chicken, guacamole and tortilla have a real kick.

Finding time to get away hasn’t been easy. I’ve just finished recording my new album, The Entertainer, which is out later this month, and there’s been the latest series of Strictly Come Dancing, which I joined as a judge last year.

I won the competition in 2007 and that transformed my life. It is great to be part of something that the public loves, but the pace is exhausting, and for me it’s been like that since I started out singing with Mis-Teeq. But back to the cruise. Later that week we visited Mazatlan, another old fishing port with plenty of culture.

We could have explored its cathedral and all the markets (do you know how many different types of chilli there are?), but we found a friendly bar and got chatting to locals, then listened to some of them playing music on the beach.

Of course, it’s perfectly possible to enjoy yourself without going ashore. For a start, there’s the gym and the spa, which I visited every day. I liked that you could lose yourself on the running machine while gazing out at the horizon. We tried classes such as pump and stretch, yoga and Pilates, and then treated ourselves to a massage.

Just as well that I’m keen on exercise, because I love food. I’m the kind of person who will plan what they’re going to have for dinner while they’re eating breakfast.


The Sapphire Princess sails from LA down Mexico's Pacific peninsula, calling at Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas


I particularly enjoyed the Italian restaurant Sabatini, which we ate in nearly every night. The food was exquisite (I loved their large juicy steaks).

Considering how much of my career I’ve spent dancing, it was perhaps surprising that I didn’t hit the dancefloor. But I’m so used to entertaining people that sitting back and watching others was a treat.

We saw two shows, neither of which would have been out of place in the West End.
And there was an X Factor-style talent competition. Looking back, I can see that we packed a lot into every day, yet I felt refreshed by the whole experience of a cruise rather than exhausted.

Our final destination was Cabo San Lucas, which I enjoyed most of all the excursions. The ship moored way out and we took a tender to the marina and then a sea taxi to Lover’s Beach, which is hidden from view.

This is where the Sea of Cortez meets the Pacific. The scenery is unrivalled, and you can spot seals and pelicans if you are lucky. The waves are perfect for surfing, but be careful where you swim on the Pacific side: dangerous currents can sweep you away.

If I had seen only Cabo before going home, I would have been perfectly happy — but then I spotted the dolphins. We were sunbathing on our balcony and a pod of them swam so close I screamed with excitement. It had always been my dream to swim with dolphins, but seeing them playing in their natural habitat was even better.

Another day, we were lucky enough to catch sight of a humpback whale.
I wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to get off the boat. Not just because it was back to bleak midwinter, but because I had experienced so much in such a short time.

I’m 32 and, though I don’t have children, I can appreciate that cruising is perfect for families. And it’s particularly good for different generations. Both my mum and grandmother would love it and I will definitely take them next time. My only problem? Breaking the news to Emmaline.


Travel Facts

Princess Cruises offers a nine-night Mexican Riviera cruise on the Sapphire Princess, round trip from Los Angeles, from £1,129pp.

The itinerary calls at Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas, and includes flights, transfers and one night’s stay prior to joining the ship. Weekly departures between September 25, 2010 and April 30, 2011 (0845 3555 800, princess.com)


source: dailymail