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Get a whole new perspective on the land south of the border with a cruise to some of its best beaches and most fascinating cultural sites.

If you love the comfort and convenience of a cruise, but are also drawn to Mexico’s pristine white beaches, you can have the best of both. Here are three different cruise itineraries that take you south of the border, each offering excellent excursions, great cuisine and a few relaxing days at sea. (Bonus: Since some of these leave from U.S. shores, you can save pesos on airfare.) Get ready to set sail!

Princess Cruise: Pacific Coast

The "Love Boat" off the coast of Cabo San Lucas

Princess Cruises, the original “Love Boat” of the vintage TV series, prides itself on being the cruise line of romance. A decade ago, it pioneered the concept of performing marriages aboard its ships, and now the majority of the fleet is fitted with wedding chapels. For honeymooners, Princess offers customized romance packages that include amenities like a welcome bottle of champagne, roses, breakfast in bed and spa treatments for two.

Princess offers frequent sailings along the sun-drenched western coast of Mexico. The seven-night itineraries are roundtrip from Los Angeles, with stops in the popular resort towns of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas. Set sail on the 2,670-passenger Sapphire Princess and you’ll spend three full days at sea, giving you plenty of time to enjoy as many of the ship’s amenities as you like. Spend your morning lounging in a chaise on deck and take swim breaks at one of the four pools. At dusk, savor the sunsets from one of 748 balcony staterooms. You can also indulge in a massage at the Asian-themed spa, swing to the salsa beat at the disco and try your luck at the casino.

The ports of call include three of the liveliest on the Mexican coast. Once a quiet fishing village, Puerto Vallarta now has all the requisites of a Mexican hot spot. The town’s vibrant waterfront area is lined with cobblestone streets, sidewalk cafés and shops featuring authentic folk art and silver jewelry. There are also wide public beaches that offer a variety of water sports. Spend the day exploring the port on your own or opt for an extra-cost shore excursion, during which you can experience the nearby jungle (zip-line over the tree canopy, anyone?), or go hiking or biking in the Sierra Madre Mountains. On the second stop, Mazatlán, you can find your bliss anywhere along its miles of beaches, easily accessible by taxi from the cruise docks. Once you’ve had enough time in the sun, head to the historic downtown area and browse in the shops at the local mercado and snack on fresh fish tacos in the plaza. More far-flung day activities include guided sport-fishing trips and bus tours to outlying mountain villages.

Across the Sea of Cortés lies the town of Cabo San Lucas, the third port of call. Located at the bottom tip of the Baja peninsula, this hip pueblo revels in its role as fiesta (and celeb-spotting) central. Party hoppers will want to join the tequila- and sunscreen-soaked crowds at Margaritaville and Medano Beach, while seclusion seekers can enjoy the day in port at the ultraprivate Lover’s Beach, reached by water taxi from Cabo marina. The ship also offers snorkeling, diving, sport fishing, sailing, and from January to March, whale-watching (princess.com; 800-774-6237).

Photography: Courtesy of Princess Cruises

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