CHARTER FLIGHTS TO HUATULCO

This is a brief post, unfortunately. There are two charter operators servicing Huatulco from Canada and the United States this coming season, to the very best of my knowledge.

Air Transat is NOT flying to Huatulco this season  – I phoned their service centre to confirm this change.

Sunwing is the only charter provider from Canada, offering both all inclusive packages and flight only tickets.

Their website is: www.sunwing.ca

I spoke to the local rep for Apple Vacations, and this is what she told me:

“The Apple charter from Chicago starts on November 5th and runs through until August of 2012. It will be on Saturday evening arriving at 8:10pm with USA3000 airlines until December 3rd, then we start with a new airline and much better flying times, it will be with Frontier and arriving to HUX at 2:40pm.”

To book a flight or vacation with Apple Vacations, visit http://www.applevacations.com/mexico/
 

If you can’t take advantage of either of these charter offerings, check my post on Huatulco Flights for various flights and connections through Mexico City(UPDATED SEPT.30/11)

Huatulco Greets Seven Seas Navigator

Seven Seas Navigator in Santa Cruz

Another of the "repositioning" cruises stopped in Huatulco on Saturday. Regent sails 3 of these smaller "Seven Seas" ships in various crusing oceans at different times of the year. The hallmark of these ships is the crew/passenger ratio. Remarkably, almost 350 crew serve the less than 500 guests aboard. The Seven Seas ships are all-suite, all with ocean view, and a full 90% of the suites have balconies.

Regent also offers "small-group enrichment and excursion opportunities, specifically designed to experience destinations at a more authentic level." In other words, you and your club or family can book a cruise to a destination, and experience more than a superficial visit,  with a well-known authority on the destination on board.

More about these ships at http://www.rssc.com/ships/seven_seas_navigator/shipinfo.aspx

Huatulco Welcomes Oceania Regatta, 1st cruise ship of the 2011/2012 season

Oceania Regatta, September 16, 2011

Viva Mexico!

What better way to celebrate Independence Day than to have the first cruise ship of the season arrive, just in time for the parades and pageantry that go along with the celebration!

Oceania Regatta is one of the smallest ships that visit Huatulco, only 594 feet, carrying 684 passengers.

She left San Francisco on the 9th of September  and Huatulco is the 3rd of 4 stops in Mexico (next is Puerto Chiapas) before continuing on the 21 day cruise that will take her and passengers through the Panama Canal, through the Caribbean, and up to New York. Sounds fabulous!

Huatulco Solar Halo

This is what our noontime sky looked like today. What a phenomena! And of all days, El Grito, Mexico's Independence Day. More about El Grito after tonight's festivities when the sky will light up again, but with unnatural phenomenom, Fireworks!

This is what wikipedia.com has to say about sun or solar halos:

A halo from Greek ἅλως; also known as a nimbus, icebow or gloriole) is an optical phenomenon produced by ice crystals creating colored or white arcs and spots in the sky. Many are near the sun or moon but others are elsewhere and even in the opposite part of the sky. They can also form around artificial lights in very cold weather when ice crystals called diamond dust are floating in the nearby air.

There are many types of ice halos. They are produced by the ice crystals in cirrus clouds high (5–10 km, or 3–6 miles) in the upper troposphere. The particular shape and orientation of the crystals is responsible for the type of halo observed. Light is reflected and refracted by the ice crystals and may split up into colors because of dispersion. The crystals behave like prisms and mirrors, refracting and reflecting sunlight between their faces, sending shafts of light in particular directions

MegaYacht Guide to Pacific Coast of Mexico

For the past few years I have written the  Mexico section of  Yacht Essentials "big boat guide" , aimed mostly at the owners, captains and crews of 100 footers PLUS.

They publish a bi-monthly international magazine as well, and in the September/October edition, they have published my article about megayacht marinas on the west coast of Mexico.

Click here to read my article:
MEXICO REVISITED

Huatulco Flights

Magnicharter flight arriving in Huatulco.

UPDATED SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

It has been said that "all roads lead to Rome" . Well, when getting to Huatulco by air, all flights lead to Mexico City[except Continental to Houston, Aerotucan to Oaxaca City, and high season charters (subject of a forthcoming post)].For example, you can get a good deal on a flight from Los Angeles to Mexico City, but if it arrives after all the flights to Huatulco have left for the day, you then have to spend the night in Mexico City. And vice versa. So, when booking your trip, that would be good to know, wouldn't it?

 I have tried to compile an "at a glance" reference guide for flights into Huatulco from Mexico City, and flights back again. I used the information from each airline's website, and made a few phone calls. Some airlines use a 24 hour clock, some don't. I used whatever they did.

All of the airlines publish a disclaimer stating that all flights are subject to change, and that their timetables are subject to inaccuracy through no fault of their own. Same with me. Use this guide at your own discretion, and please double check with the airline. If you find an error or discrepancy, please comment. I will do my best to make sure the information is timely and accurate.

 Interjet has just opened a real office in Huatulco, in Plaza Chahue. No more standing at the kiosk in Super Che!

DOMESTIC

Airline                   Depart MEX        Arrive HUX                        Depart HUX        Arrive MEX

Aeromexico       www.aeromexico.com

                                       1.20                       2.35                              3.05                      4.30

 Click here to download the complete Aeromexico schedule in PDF format. Huatulco is on Page 40. If you are looking for a U.S. destination that connects in Mexico City for Huatulco, this is where you will find it.  The schedule is valid from July 11, 2011, with no expiry date.

Aeromar             www.aeromar.com.mx

             M,T,W,TH,F,S,S       10.55                 12.15            M,T,W,TH,F,S,S   12.45                 14.05

                        T, W, Sat           14.55                 16.35             M, Th, Fri, Sun   16.50                 18.10

               M, Th, Fri, Sun       15.00                 16.20                    T, W, Sat   16.55                 18.35    

 Aeromar has a  nifty little chart that shows their Huatulco flights valid until September 30, 2011.

VivaAerobus  www.vivaaerobus.com    New schedule effective Oct. 3rd, 2011

                       Dep MEX               Arr HUX                               Dep HUX           Arr MEX

                    Sun     10.40                 12.00                             Sun   12.25               1.50

                         M,  Fri           2.55                   4.15                     M,  Fri          4.40                6.05

                     Th           3.00                   4.20                               Th    4.50                 6.15

VivaAerobus has a flashy website, and uses Messenger chat for "live chat". Their schedule page requires you to put in your destination, etc. Try inputting a date a week in the future and it will display a week's worth of flights. They are also flying to U.S. cities like Chicago, San Antonio, and Orlando out of Monterrey.

Magnicharters               http://www.magnichartersmx.com/Huatulco.htm

        daily except Tues              13.45                    14.45                                   14.30                  15.30

 Interjet   www.interjet.com.mx     U.S. phone # 1-866-285-9525, ask for an English speaking agent.

This schedule is valid until 31/01/12

Departure México D.F.	Arrival Huatulco	Flight	Stop	DOW
08:50	10:00	2653	non stop	MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI, SAT,
10:25	11:35	2653	non stop	SUN,
14:35	15:45	2651	non stop	SAT,
14:35	15:45	2655	non stop	MON, THU, FRI, SUN,
16:40	17:50	2651	non stop	MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI, SUN,

Departure Huatulco	Arrival México D.F.	Flight	Stop	DOW
10:25	11:45	2652	non stop	MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI, SAT,
12:00	13:20	2652	non stop	SUN,
16:10	17:30	2650	non stop	SAT,
16:10	17:30	2654	non stop	MON, THU, FRI, SUN,
18:15	19:35	2650	non stop	MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI, SUN,

INTERNATIONAL

Continental         www.continental.com             

Dep Houston           Arr Huatulco                                   Depart HUX               Arrive Houston
11.40                             2.12                                                    2.45                                     5.22

(Saturdays only until high season)