"To Dodging Hurricanes in Mexico"

Ok, so I just returned from my first cruise ever to the Mexican Riviera aboard the Carnival Pride and I just have to ask myself "Why did I wait so long to try this???"

The words unforgettable and incredible come to mind when I try to describe my cruise experience to friends, family, and coworkers! This 7-day voyage took us to Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and due to Hurricane Norbert's untimely arrival, we had to skip Mazatlan and head up to Ensenada. This being my first time to Mexico, I was like a kid in a candy store trying to take it all in! And if you want to talk about food, I think I DID take it all in! The cuisine on the Pride was delicious and I found myself eating...and eating...and eating some more. Thank goodness for the 24hour pizza bar, ice cream stands, and late night buffets! And the entertainment was great! Go Carnival Pride performers!

The only sad part about this trip was Hurricane Norbert himself. You see, our group of 53 travelers had the opportunity to plan a service project in Mazatlan at an orphanage called "La Ciudad de Los Ninos," or the City of the Children. When the ship's captain made the difficult decision to bypass Mazatlan in order to move out of Norbet's path, it broke many hearts. Many in our group had brought entire suitcases full of clothes, coloring books, games, etc to give to the kids at the orphanage, only to find ourselves whisked past Mazatlan and to Cabo San Lucas. We were all looking forward to it, but can completely understand the captain's desire to move his ship out of the way of a Category 1 hurricane! But don't worry, we have a backup plan! We're going to collect all those donated materials and ship them down to the children at the orphanage. At Murdock Escorted Tours, you can rest assured that we'll see a project through to the end.

We've all heard it before, and I'll say it again, cruising is the best way to travel! In fact, the day after I got back to the States, I started planning my next cruise...details to come! Thank you to everyone from our Utah Jazz Humanitarian Group who made the cruise as wonderful as it was! Here's to dodging hurricanes in Mexico!

Nos vemos!

Your Tour Escort Jeremy Holm

Jeremy Holm, your official Murdock Escorted Tours escort, has traveled the world with his family, through his church, and in the sport of bobsledding. Jeremy began bobsledding when he was just sixteen years old. His father took him on a four-man bobsled ride on the then freshly constructed track in Park City, Utah and he was hooked immediately. He has since competed in the sport at the local, national, and international level, winning numerous medals and awards for his dedication to the sport.

Jeremy graduated from Salt Lake Community College with a degree in Communications with an Print Journalism emphasis. He attended Skyline High School in Salt Lake City before serving an LDS mission to Belize and Honduras. Jeremy is an accomplished motivational speaker, author, and a retired stand up comedian. He often spends his free time speaking at schools, firesides, and other group events about his experiences in bobsledding and in his preparations to compete in the Winter Olympic Games someday.

If you have any needs during the cruise, please let Jeremy know and he would be happy to assist you.

To view Jeremy's bobsled team's website, click here.
To view Jeremy's personal blog, click here.

Special Guest Host Thurl Bailey

Since retiring from Professional basketball in 2000, Thurl Bailey has been leading a busy life as an inspirational speaker and entertainer, a basketball analyst for Utah Jazz TV and the owner of two successful companies, Big T Bailey Productions: Producing uplifting music and programs for kids and adults and Elegant Apparel: A custom clothing line for business executives and professional athletes.

When you meet Thurl you first notice the 7-foot athlete. But he is a man of as much depth as height. From the youth to the corporate world, Thurl Bailey inspires others to win whatever the odds or disappointments. Master storyteller and accomplished speaker and singer, he inspires companies and individuals to focus on what matters most; to persevere, to be team players, to encourage peak performance, to develop leadership, and discover opportunity in change and adversity.

Welcome to Our Group Blog!

Welcome to the group blog for our Oct 5-12th, 2008 Mexican Riviera humanitarian cruise!

Please feel free to comment any questions or thoughts about the cruise, the service project, the special group meetings, or any other aspect of your trip.

We are so excited you will joining us.

Murdock Escorted Tours