Thirty years ago, Cabo San Lucas, which is located on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, was still a sleepy Mexican fishing village. Then over time American surfers and fishermen discovered its lovely beaches and spread the word. Nowadays, Cabo San Lucas - or simply Cabo, is a popular stop for many cruise lines plying the Pacific Ocean side of Mexico. If you are interested in visiting Cabo, just follow the tips here to find the right cruise ship for you.

Choose the time of the year you would like to cruise to Cabo San Lucas, a desired trip length, and also determine a budget for your cruise. You will need to know these things before you can decide what cruise lines will work for you.

Pick a departure port. Most ships heading to Cabo San Lucas depart from either the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro or from San Diego, although there are ships that leave from ports much farther away such as Fort Lauderdale (an approximate 29-day cruise) or from San Francisco (approximately 16 days).

Choose a cruise line. Many of the big cruise lines including Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean,

Disney Cruises, and Carnival offer cruises that include Cabo San Lucas in their itineraries. Study the options that each cruise line offers to see which will best meet your budget and trip length requirements.

Look for discount cruises to Cabo San Lucas on a website like Vacations to Go or Priceline (See Resources). If there are rooms still available on a cruise ship shortly before its departure date, they are sometimes sold on cruise discount websites. If you are flexible and can leave on short notice, these sites are a good place to look for a bargain. Be forewarned that the available rooms may be in the less desirable locations of the ship.

Check your passport to see that it is valid. Citizens of the United States are now required to have a valid passport when traveling to Mexico. If you do not have a passport or it has expired, you will need to renew or obtain a new passport for this trip.