Ensenada-Embarkation!

[sarlin]

I'm looking at the Pacific Coastal Cruise for September 2013. It is onboard the Solstice. The cruise ends in Ensenada. So this may be a dumb question but do we fly home from San Diego? If so, if we are not using the airfare from the cruiseline then how do we get to San Diego. I'm sure its an easy answer just curious! I know its a long time away but it works well with our schedule-

 

Thanks so much!

[Gonzo70]

San Diego would definitely be the best airport to fly home from. On these cruises Celebrity often provide free transfers to the airport; if they do not do this on your sailing I would advise purchasing a transfer from them. This is about the only port where it is best to use cruise line transfers.

[FunCruiser56]

You will be bussed from SD to Ensenada by Celebritys bus. We are doing the previous cruise from Hawaii and getting off in Ensenada and as for now the bus will be provided for free by Celebrity. This info I have gotten by following roll calls that are doing Hawaii cruises that start or end in Ensenada.

 

Wish I could take that costal cruise too, but the government is sticking to it's outdated rules for cruisers- same reason we can't just get off in SD and you have to get on a bus to MX. It would have made a awesome B2B!

 

Bev

[whitshel]

The stop before Ensenada is San Diego, if you got off in San Diego and didn't get back on would they fine you the psva fine?

[Cruise Junky]

The stop before Ensenada is San Diego, if you got off in San Diego and didn't get back on would they fine you the psva fine?

 

Yes

[Fblack]

They used to charge for those transfers if you got your own air. Just double check since it's not cheap. I don't see why celebrity doesn't just make a quick port call (like HAL) in Ensenada then go to San Diego for debarkation.

[BKFlowerMound]

The stop before Ensenada is San Diego, if you got off in San Diego and didn't get back on would they fine you the psva fine?

 

No. They would fine the cruise line. That's why the cruise line will not let you off in San Diego - and would be within its rights to detain you on the ship to prevent you disembarking.

[Cruise Junky]

They used to charge for those transfers if you got your own air. Just double check since it's not cheap. I don't see why celebrity doesn't just make a quick port call (like HAL) in Ensenada then go to San Diego for debarkation.

 

Because they can't. HAL makes a round trip Hawaii cruise so only has to visit a foreign port. Celebrity is doing a one way Hawaii to the westcoast. One way cruises from one US port to another you have to visit a foreign DISTANT port. There aren't any in North America, so to get around this Celebrity will not be able to end in another US port, so she has to end in Ensenada. Same as when she does the coastals. If she could fit into Vancouver, Ensenada wouldn't be on the radar, but she can't, she has to be based in Seattle, so a Seattle to San Diego route equals no Foreign DISTANT port, so she has to end/start in a non US port.

[Fblack]

There may be additional time problems crossing back over the border heading to the airport here in San Diego. In addition to some construction work and changes at the border crossing, extra traffic may cause delays. Seems that with gas prices so much lower in Mexico, a lot of people are going across the border for gas. Especially independent truckers. A news report today said it's taking as long as 2 hours now to get back to the U.S.

 

 

3/7/2012: Would you buy gas in Mexico? It's $2.91 a gallon

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/mar/07/mexico-gas-entices-291-gallon/

[sammie1900]

I also would like to do one of the Celb coastals, but stop or start in Ensenada would not be fun. I live close to San Diego so I would not have a lot of travel time, but still not sure about a bus ride in Mexico. Map quest shows it as a two & half hour trip. For your air, Celebrity ChoiceAir would probably be the best way to go. The fares are good and they would take care of any issues. Princess has some good coastals and no Ensenada if that is an option for you. Have fun.