Shuttle to Esenada

[Cruise Arizona]

I am looking at the wine cruise that departs out of Ensendada.

 

I can't find a price for the shuttle from San Diego to Ensendada on the Celebrity Web site.

 

Anyone know what the real price is and how and when you book it?

[RMSeadog]

I am looking at the wine cruise that departs out of Ensendada.

 

I can't find a price for the shuttle from San Diego to Ensendada on the Celebrity Web site.

 

Anyone know what the real price is and how and when you book it?

 

Your TA or the reservation number should be able to tell you and book it. ~ Ric

[h & m]

I am looking at the wine cruise that departs out of Ensendada.

 

I can't find a price for the shuttle from San Diego to Ensendada on the Celebrity Web site.

 

Anyone know what the real price is and how and when you book it?

 

Suzanne

 

Could you stay on board for the Honolulu -Ensenada cruise - make it a BTBTB and avoid the bus trip ?

 

Hilary :)

[Cruise Arizona]

That would be awsome, but I am considering switching from the Sydney to Honolulu to one of the next two.

 

My big concern is the flight to Sydney. If we can't use our FF Miles for the tickets, which I understand can be kind of tricky, then it really prices us out of that cruise.

 

So I'm looking into alternatives, which would be either the HI to Ensendada or the Wine Cruise. I'm trying to see if we can save enough by doing one of those cruises to maybe take the kids to HI for a week during the summer.

 

They Sydney cruise is still my first choice but if it gets close to that cruise and I can't get flights with miles, then I have to look at the other two.

 

I think I read in an old thread that the shuttle is $90 but but I wasn't sure if that price is still valid.

[vkb2751]

I am looking at the wine cruise that departs out of Ensendada.

 

I can't find a price for the shuttle from San Diego to Ensendada on the Celebrity Web site.

 

Anyone know what the real price is and how and when you book it?

 

I spoke to Captain's Club and was told that the shuttle is free to all cruisers. I was told that it is too early to book now but will be avaiable closer to the start of the cruise. Would have to provide Celebrity with the flight info to arrange for shuttle.

 

This was recently discussed on a thread here and all cruisers confirmed the free shuttle.

[Cruise Junky]

Suzanne

 

Could you stay on board for the Honolulu -Ensenada cruise - make it a BTBTB and avoid the bus trip ?

 

Hilary :)

 

That would be an illegal cruise. You can't sail from Seattle to Honolulu without hitting a Foreign Distant Port.

[Cruise Arizona]

That would be an illegal cruise. You can't sail from Seattle to Honolulu without hitting a Foreign Distant Port.

 

 

I think the people that are doing this are actually starting in Sydney and stopping at various pacific islands along the way, so I think they meet the requirements for a "Distant Foreign Port."

 

I don't know how that rule would effect people who are starting in Honolulu? If they completely disembarked and reboared the ship, is it considered a different trip. The cruise does leave after midnight from Ensenada.

[Cruise Junky]

I think the people that are doing this are actually starting in Sydney and stopping at various pacific islands along the way, so I think they meet the requirements for a "Distant Foreign Port."

 

I don't know how that rule would effect people who are starting in Honolulu? If they completely disembarked and reboared the ship, is it considered a different trip. The cruise does leave after midnight from Ensenada.

 

Anyone boarding in Sydney is just fine. It's Honolulu to Seattle or reverse that cannot be done. You can't just disembark and reboard the same ship.

[Cruise Arizona]

what if you disembarked in Ensenada, took the bus to San Diego and then Returned back to Ensendada?

[Cruise Junky]

what if you disembarked in Ensenada, took the bus to San Diego and then Returned back to Ensendada?

 

The law says the same VESSEL can't transport you between two US ports, so I don't think going back to San Diego would work. It really restricts B2Bs on this route unless you involve Sydney :(

[Boatdrill]

Just a caution on calling the San Diego - Ensenada transfer a "free shuttle". Yes it's free, but it's more than a shuttle.

 

At a minimum, it's a 2 hour bus ride (90 miles) from the port of San Diego to Ensenada. Also allow time for the bus and passengers to be inspected by Mexican immigration at the border crossing. This can take no time, or an hour, or more. Heavy security (sometimes with a helicopter flying overhead) escort the busses along the road to the port of Ensenada.

 

It makes for a very long transfer, and a very long day. :cool:

[Cruise Junky]

Suzanne, I just thought of something. Nanaimo and Victoria are the first ports on the wine cruise...might be worth asking Celebrity if they'll allow any boarding. Victoria is a short ferry ride from Seattle and a Victoria to Hawaii wouldn't violate the PVSA

[Gonzo70]

[quote name=Cruise Arizona;33000403

I don't know how that rule would effect people who are starting in Honolulu? If they completely disembarked and reboared the ship' date=' is it considered a different trip. The cruise does leave after midnight from Ensenada.[/quote]

 

Unfortunately it is not that easy. If it were no cruise would start or end in Ensenada.

[Cruise Arizona]

Or do two cruises and still have the budget left to take the kids to Hawaii later that year.

 

Any way, I think you have the wrong wine cruise in mind. This one is May 2013 and the first ports are San Diego and LA. I know I can't board there.

 

Also, as far as the bus to Ensendada, I have heard to plan on 4 hours because of the border crossing. That is probably why the cruise leaves at Midnight.

 

When I plan out a trip I try to budget to every last detail with itemized spread sheets and I was trying to figure out what the line item would be for the transport to Ensenada. Since it looks like it is included, I won't need the line item.

[Cruise Junky]

Or do two cruises and still have the budget left to take the kids to Hawaii later that year.

 

Any way, I think you have the wrong wine cruise in mind. This one is May 2013 and the first ports are San Diego and LA. I know I can't board there.

 

Also, as far as the bus to Ensendada, I have heard to plan on 4 hours because of the border crossing. That is probably why the cruise leaves at Midnight.

 

When I plan out a trip I try to budget to every last detail with itemized spread sheets and I was trying to figure out what the line item would be for the transport to Ensenada. Since it looks like it is included, I won't need the line item.

 

I was looking at the one in reverse in September, sorry, I thought you were looking at tagging on Hawaii after the wine cruise so I assumed you were talking about the Seattle to Ensenada cruise.

[oceanbill457]

I live in San Diego and worked for cruise lines sailing from there. I would not recommend any exposure to Ensenada. I met buses at the border on occasion and the experience for guests was not good. There are better alternatives.

[bob278]

Or do two cruises and still have the budget left to take the kids to Hawaii later that year.

 

Any way, I think you have the wrong wine cruise in mind. This one is May 2013 and the first ports are San Diego and LA. I know I can't board there.

 

Also, as far as the bus to Ensendada, I have heard to plan on 4 hours because of the border crossing. That is probably why the cruise leaves at Midnight.

 

When I plan out a trip I try to budget to every last detail with itemized spread sheets and I was trying to figure out what the line item would be for the transport to Ensenada. Since it looks like it is included, I won't need the line item.

Suzanne, I am confident that the transfer is included in the cruise fare (it certainly isn't "free"). We were originally booked on the Century for this year and the transfer was a $90 p/p option early on but the option went away and, when I checked, I was told it was included in the fare. There was a lot of discussion on the Century roll call but it became clear that everyone was being told the same thing.

 

We switched to the Solstice for next year because the prices were about 30-40% less than the Century. We moved up 2 categories in our cabin and still saved over $3,000 on the b2b from Sydney to Ensenada. Since we live on the east coast, we were looking at a forced overnight in San Diego before flying home as there are no flights other than red-eye that we could have expected to make. Adding that to the bus ride made it an less than ideal ending to the trip. We decided that avoiding the transfer and hotel in San Diego would offset some of the cost of the next cruise so we added the Wine cruise. I guess that's a classic example of going to extreme lengths to justify booking a cruise.

[fleckle]

I live in San Diego and worked for cruise lines sailing from there. I would not recommend any exposure to Ensenada. I met buses at the border on occasion and the experience for guests was not good. There are better alternatives.

When we did it last year on another cruise line, we really did not have any "exposure" to Ensenada.

 

The buses used for the trip were comfortable coach type tour buses with armrests, foot rests and reclining seats.

 

Our bus stopped at the border crossing for about 10 minutes, where we could either remain on the bus or get off to stretch our legs in the immediate area if we wished.

 

We were not even asked to show ID at the border crossing as we already had been pre-cleared and checked in for the cruise and given our seapass cards in San Diego before we ever boarded the bus.

They took our checked luggage in San Diego too, so we only had our carry-ons with us on the bus.

 

The entire trip from San Diego to the pier in Ensenada took a little over 2 hours. When we got to Ensenada, the buses dropped us off right at the pier and we immediately boarded the ship, so we did not get to visit the town at all.

 

We got off the bus and walked through a little security building first. Passengers went through metal detectors and the carry-on luggage went through x-ray machines, just like any other port where you need to go through port security before boarding.

 

There were clean restrooms in the building available for us to use if we wished.

 

It was an interesting bus ride, rather like getting an extra sightseeing excursion at no additional charge. We did not feel endangered at any time. From the border down to Ensenada, the buses traveled in convoys, escorted by police cars.

 

When we got to our cabin on the ship and opened the door, it was a pleasant surprise to find our checked luggage already inside the cabin waiting for us.

[Cruise Arizona]

Bob, I wish we were able to string so many cruises together. They just sound fabulous. And like you I'd much rather disembark in Seattle than in Ensenada, but if we end up changing to one of these other cruises we will have no choice.

 

Fleckle, thanks for your information about he bus. It doesn't sound like the best way to begin a cruise but it certainly doesn't sound horrible.

 

Thanks for the information everyone. ,

[takemewithyou]

When we did it last year on another cruise line, we really did not have any "exposure" to Ensenada.

 

The buses used for the trip were comfortable coach type tour buses with armrests, foot rests and reclining seats.

 

Our bus stopped at the border crossing for about 10 minutes, where we could either remain on the bus or get off to stretch our legs in the immediate area if we wished.

 

We were not even asked to show ID at the border crossing as we already had been pre-cleared and checked in for the cruise and given our seapass cards in San Diego before we ever boarded the bus.

They took our checked luggage in San Diego too, so we only had our carry-ons with us on the bus.

 

The entire trip from San Diego to the pier in Ensenada took a little over 2 hours. When we got to Ensenada, the buses dropped us off right at the pier and we immediately boarded the ship, so we did not get to visit the town at all.

 

We got off the bus and walked through a little security building first. Passengers went through metal detectors and the carry-on luggage went through x-ray machines, just like any other port where you need to go through port security before boarding.

 

There were clean restrooms in the building available for us to use if we wished.

 

It was an interesting bus ride, rather like getting an extra sightseeing excursion at no additional charge. We did not feel endangered at any time. From the border down to Ensenada, the buses traveled in convoys, escorted by police cars.

 

When we got to our cabin on the ship and opened the door, it was a pleasant surprise to find our checked luggage already inside the cabin waiting for us.

 

Thank you for that report. We are boarding Millie in Ensenada for a cruise to Hawaii and your report makes me feel a little better about that trip - I only hope that our experience mirrors yours. :)

[ken987]

I too can echo that post above. I was on the Century last year, Ensenda to HI. We had no escort and our bus ride took about 2 hours. It was lovely. Our driver pointed out things along the way. Never once did we feel uncomfortable. Our thread had many discussions also but the bottom line was a few months before the actual cruise it was announced the transfer from San Diego to Ensenada was free. Our $90 pp charge was quickly refunded to us within a few days of that announcement.

It's a little disheartening when I see posters spreading FUD. I felt like you were saying...don't take this cruise....As for me...I will be going and it's a shame for Celebrity this stuff is said without hard evidence about this specific transfer and the number of crimes occurring while on it. The only good it does for me is it drives prices down. Last year the 10 day one way HI cruise on the Century cost me 799 pp for a C 3 room. Yep.....it was cheeeep! This year it is 11 days....I booked it while on that cruise on the 3rd sea day. I got one of the last C1 cabins on the Millie for $1200 pp and change....quite a bit more.

I don't see this one dropping....but I know I will have a great time .

For those brave souls....there is some amex vip cruise partner who snapped up all the 2As and 2Bs and are selling them for about $1400 pp right now. A C3 is going for over $2K....ouch! And the ship is getting pretty full. So hopefully the economy is picking up if this is any kind of sign.

Ken

[cruizinpooh]

We too are looking into this sailing, as well as the following Alaska sailing. We will get to spend two days in Seattle in between sailings. Which is fine.

 

However, I am still a little confused as to where exactly you board the bus to Ensenada.

 

On a different thread I had read that they picked you up at LAX Airport and here, I see others mention San Diego. I guess it would make sense that it would be in San Diego but I don't know. Can anyone please shed some light?

 

Thanks in advance.

[ken987]

Everyone was embarked so to speak at the pier in San Diego. If you came in that day, Celebrity bussed you from the Airport to the pier. They provided breakfast and lunch. You were scanned and all that good stuff at the pier. Then at a designated time they lined us up and escorted us in groups to our bus...there were like 50 busses. Then when we got right next to the ship we went through one more scan and we were done.

Incidentally we met a lovely couple from Australia who flew in early to Ensenda. They boarded before us and they said it was super quick and easy. They also said they enjoyed their short stay in Ensenada.

Our luggage was taken away from us in San Diego. It was in our room when we got on the ship.

 

Ken

[cruizinpooh]

Everyone was embarked so to speak at the pier in San Diego. If you came in that day, Celebrity bussed you from the Airport to the pier. They provided breakfast and lunch. You were scanned and all that good stuff at the pier. Then at a designated time they lined us up and escorted us in groups to our bus...there were like 50 busses. Then when we got right next to the ship we went through one more scan and we were done.

Incidentally we met a lovely couple from Australia who flew in early to Ensenda. They boarded before us and they said it was super quick and easy. They also said they enjoyed their short stay in Ensenada.

Our luggage was taken away from us in San Diego. It was in our room when we got on the ship.

 

Ken

 

Thank you Ken. Makes sense.

[Albert Ross]

Is the transfer free or not? Captains Club have told me it is but my TA tells me it is £16pp. Can you please help!