Imagination diverted to San Diego- Revised itinerary

[etwright]

Ensenada- Worst possible place to overnight! If I was on this cruise, I'd rather stay out to sea. :(:D:(

[cruisexlife]

I hope this will help build some sort of bridge between Carnival and San Diego. San Diego has always been on my bucket-list of must-see cities, and I still don't get why they don't put Imagination in San Diego to do 4 and 5 day cruises, the typical 4 day cruise, and a 5 night to Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, or an overnight in Cabo. I would certainly do a B2B, being from the East coast. But I hope Carnival will see how good of a port San Diego is, and I hope they can reopen cruises from there in the future.

 

Or, they can use it whenever something bad happens to them, like they do with Mobile with the Triumph or when the Mississippi River was closed and Conquest needed to dock.... ;)

[etwright]

They used to sail from San Diego. Don't know why they stopped. :confused:

[ccruisequeen]

I have to wonder what the Passenger Services Act is gonna do with this...

 

 

 

If Carnival has to pay $300 for each passenger on the current cruise that began in Long Beach on Thursday but will end tomorrow in San Diego, PLUS rent enough buses to get 2,000 people to Long Beach, PLUS either rent more buses to get tomorrow's folks back to LB on Thursday (or pay another $300 PP to violate the PSA again), then they are going to lose a LOT of money. These cruises were really cheap to begin with (some as low as $220 PP)/

 

 

 

I wonder if the PSA has an easy out if safety is claimed as the reason for the open loop...

 

 

 

Bob

 

 

On Thursday the ship will be back in long beach

[Cardancer4]

we are on this sailing. I called carnival to see if we could either swap sail dates or cancel our sailing. I was denied both. I pleaded with the rep, i said i was traveling with 3 seniors, 2 children and a wife that is already staring to complain. She said carnival reserves the right to make itinerary changes especially if it is in our best of safety / interest. I told everyone that we will just make the best of our trip.

 

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to the passengers of the bus that we will be on for the aforementioned whining wife, kids and 3 old ladies... That i'm sure will be making a ruckus .. Lol

 

OMG - ROTFLOL - :rolleyes:

[Kobayashi]

They used to sail from San Diego. Don't know why they stopped. :confused:

 

 

While an estimated 515,000 passengers boarded and disembarked from ships in San Diego in 2010, just half that many are expected to do so this year.

 

 

Source:

 

http://m.utsandiego.com/news/2011/jan/13/san-diego-to-lose-yet-another-cruise-ship/

[Ranyw]

So, just an update. First, I tip my hat to all the carnival reps working their butt's off. I'm sorry to hear so many people arguing and complaining. There are families in the world that don't have enough to eat or water to drink. Just because my cruise is a little delayed isn't that big of a deal.

 

We arrived at the port at about 1230pm, by the time we checked in, and got into our bus it was about 245pm the bus started to roll at 330pm. The driver is estimating a 2 to 2 1/2 drive to San Diego.

 

The people at the cruise terminal brought someone to make balloons for the kids and they had set up pop corn machines. We were wrangling the kids so I wasn't able to take pictures ...

Edited May 3, 2015 by Ranyw

[pattimelt]

I wonder if that's why Carnival wants everyone to check in at Long Beach and not go to the other port.. I would imagine that with check in at Long Beach, if the ship RETURNS to Long Beach, no violations occur, since technically, they would be BOARDING at Long Beach and RETURNING to Long Beach..

 

 

PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act) has only three exceptions, none of which seem to apply to this issue. From what it initially looks like, Carnival could be paying a lot of money to ensure guest safety.

 

 

[Linda the Book Lover]

I hope this will help build some sort of bridge between Carnival and San Diego. San Diego has always been on my bucket-list of must-see cities, and I still don't get why they don't put Imagination in San Diego to do 4 and 5 day cruises, the typical 4 day cruise, and a 5 night to Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, or an overnight in Cabo. I would certainly do a B2B, being from the East coast. But I hope Carnival will see how good of a port San Diego is, and I hope they can reopen cruises from there in the future.

 

Or, they can use it whenever something bad happens to them, like they do with Mobile with the Triumph or when the Mississippi River was closed and Conquest needed to dock.... ;)

 

I love the 5-day idea!

[cmecruise1962]

I'm originally from San Diego, and I have to say "I don't get it!" San Diego is a beautiful port and I can't believe Carnival doesn't do a Mexican Riviera cruise from there!! Fly into San Diego, go to Old Town and have some of the best Mexican food in the United States and then head to the Mexican Riviera to do a comparison!! The Zoo, Coronado, the beaches...who doesn't want to go to San Diego???

 

And as an aside, if I drove from San Diego to Long Beach, only to be bussed BACK to San Diego, I would pity the people on my bus, because I would LOSE MY MIND!!

[Shmoo here]

I have to wonder what the Passenger Services Act is gonna do with this...

 

If Carnival has to pay $300 for each passenger on the current cruise that began in Long Beach on Thursday but will end tomorrow in San Diego, PLUS rent enough buses to get 2,000 people to Long Beach, PLUS either rent more buses to get tomorrow's folks back to LB on Thursday (or pay another $300 PP to violate the PSA again), then they are going to lose a LOT of money. These cruises were really cheap to begin with (some as low as $220 PP)/

 

I wonder if the PSA has an easy out if safety is claimed as the reason for the open loop...

 

Bob

 

They're getting around the PVSA (well, not really, because it's not a violation) by requiring everyone to register in Long Beach before the trip to San Diego. Thus, the cruise "begins" in Long Beach.

[Alexv500]

They were talking about all the swells on the news right now and the imagination was mentioned! Hoping everyone on this cruise makes it safe and hoping everything goes smoothly. Luckily tomorrow inspiration will be in San Pedro so the folks on that cruise won't have such a hassle like the folks back on the Imagination today!

Edited May 4, 2015 by Alexv500

[riffatsea]

Local ABC station here in San Diego just had the story on tv. The teaser at the end of the story said that Carnival was going to "make this up" to the passengers but it didn't say how.

I don't think being in Ensenada overnight is a terrible thing . This cruise was only going to Catalina and Ensenada and if they had to cancel Catalina then staying overnight in Ensenada was just about the only thing they could do besides maybe staying overnight in San Diego which would probably have cost more money!

We have been lobbying for Carnival to come back to San Diego but it looks like now with HAL, Disney , and NCL there San Diego might not have room for them on a permanent basis! IF they had been there they wouldn't have had all this trouble today!!

[cruiser fanatic]

How is it that the Costa and Norwegian ship can dock in Long Beach but the Imagination can't??

[Alexv500]

How is it that the Costa and Norwegian ship can dock in Long Beach but the Imagination can't??

 

 

There's only 2 Berths in San Pedro. Pier 92 and 93. 92 is being used by the Costa Atlantica and that ship doesn't leave till tomorrow night. Tomorrow berth 93 will be available and the inspiration will be using that one

[cr8tiv1]

The Long Beach Terminal is a little more exposed than San Pedro. ABC news tonight says that the decision to move to San Diego was because of the south facing waves would place too much tension on the lines.

 

Catalina was canceled for Monday because the wave heights should peak on Monday. It would be my guess that tomorrow's ship arrival will also be affected.

 

Overnighting in Ensenada would not be my first choice. Too bad they couldn't overnight in San Diego. That would have been much more fun for everyone.

 

San Pedro is much calmer since it is NOT south facing (opening) and there is a long channel to the terminal.

 

I am a cruiser on another line but do feel for those who are affected by the seas. This is not Carnival's fault.

 

Hi SadieN

[SadieN]

The Long Beach Terminal is a little more exposed than San Pedro. ABC news tonight says that the decision to move to San Diego was because of the south facing waves would place too much tension on the lines.

 

Catalina was canceled for Monday because the wave heights should peak on Monday. It would be my guess that tomorrow's ship arrival will also be affected.

 

Overnighting in Ensenada would not be my first choice. Too bad they couldn't overnight in San Diego. That would have been much more fun for everyone.

 

San Pedro is much calmer since it is NOT south facing (opening) and there is a long channel to the terminal.

 

I am a cruiser on another line but do feel for those who are affected by the seas. This is not Carnival's fault.

 

Hi SadieN

 

 

Hi back!

 

Wondering why they weren't using San Pedro. Didn't see anything on the port calendar.

 

Have several friends going on tomorrow's sailing, including some newbies. It'll be interesting.

[cruising with the family]

I believe this ship is just now starting to leave. It definitely did not make the 6 PM departure. I saw it about 8:30 PM.

[Yellowbird75]

I have to wonder what the Passenger Services Act is gonna do with this...

 

If Carnival has to pay $300 for each passenger on the current cruise that began in Long Beach on Thursday but will end tomorrow in San Diego, PLUS rent enough buses to get 2,000 people to Long Beach, PLUS either rent more buses to get tomorrow's folks back to LB on Thursday (or pay another $300 PP to violate the PSA again), then they are going to lose a LOT of money. These cruises were really cheap to begin with (some as low as $220 PP)/

 

I wonder if the PSA has an easy out if safety is claimed as the reason for the open loop...

 

Bob

 

PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act) has only three exceptions, none of which seem to apply to this issue. From what it initially looks like, Carnival could be paying a lot of money to ensure guest safety.

 

Just curious if this would apply to those on the cruise that started last Thursday in Long Beach and got off in San Diego, though? Checked in at LGB but when we got to San Diego, there was no customs to go through? When we finally got off in LGB, we just grabbed our luggage and went off. I still have the declarations form I filled out because there was no one to give it to. Very weird.

 

We were on that cruise and while we understand that it was not Carnival's fault, the changes were so poorly handled. It took the ship 2 hours in the morning to be cleared at San Diego. We were told the new time to be "ready" was 7 am but the first bus didn't leave until 9 am but we rushed to get out of the room and eat so we could be ready to go for the bus ride. And during this time, there was barely any communication as to what was going on.

 

We spent over 4 hours on the bus, not in traffic but for transport and then waiting in lines at the LGB cruise terminal and we were given no update by Carnival employees, no consolation for the inconvenience, no water or snacks provided...to be honest, they barely apologized even when we were still on the ship (we were notified early on the last day). Not the end of the world of course, but it really was a terrible ending to this cruise.

[SadieN]

Just curious if this would apply to those on the cruise that started last Thursday in Long Beach and got off in San Diego, though? Checked in at LGB but when we got to San Diego, there was no customs to go through? When we finally got off in LGB, we just grabbed our luggage and went off. I still have the declarations form I filled out because there was no one to give it to. Very weird.

 

We were on that cruise and while we understand that it was not Carnival's fault, the changes were so poorly handled. It took the ship 2 hours in the morning to be cleared at San Diego. We were told the new time to be "ready" was 7 am but the first bus didn't leave until 9 am but we rushed to get out of the room and eat so we could be ready to go for the bus ride. And during this time, there was barely any communication as to what was going on.

 

We spent over 4 hours on the bus, not in traffic but for transport and then waiting in lines at the LGB cruise terminal and we were given no update by Carnival employees, no consolation for the inconvenience, no water or snacks provided...to be honest, they barely apologized even when we were still on the ship (we were notified early on the last day). Not the end of the world of course, but it really was a terrible ending to this cruise.

 

San Diego is an odd port for CBP. It is done on the ship. As a US citizen we've never had our passport looked at in San Diego, only the non-US. There have been several times when the whole ship has to wait until a group doesn't show up. No one gets off til all are cleared.

Usually, but not always, at the bottom of the gangway there is someone collecting forms. If you bought expensive jewelry or liquor onboard it will be reported and you might get a bill for duty if over you're over your limits. But it is very unlikely.

[Yellowbird75]

San Diego is an odd port for CBP. It is done on the ship. As a US citizen we've never had our passport looked at in San Diego, only the non-US. There have been several times when the whole ship has to wait until a group doesn't show up. No one gets off til all are cleared.

Usually, but not always, at the bottom of the gangway there is someone collecting forms. If you bought expensive jewelry or liquor onboard it will be reported and you might get a bill for duty if over you're over your limits. But it is very unlikely.

 

Interesting - never been in a port like that. Thanks!

[Georgie562]

All this hassle for a short 4 day, one boring port cruise. I'd totally be p'd off :rolleyes::o

[elliair]

All this hassle for a short 4 day, one boring port cruise. I'd totally be p'd off :rolleyes::o

 

That's why I would never take this cruise - either on the Imagination or Inspiration. Been there and done that and it was boring. Even with Princess on a recent cruise the embarkation was hell. We spent over 4 hours at the Sheraton after being picked up by Princess at the airport. Then we spent another 1-1/2 hours sitting on the bus at the pier not allowed off. No water and no bathroom. The freaking bathroom on board was locked and the driver didn't have a key. The cruise started off wrong and went down hill from there.

 

I'd be really upset to have to stay in Ensenada for a couple of days - that would be torture!

Edited May 5, 2015 by elliair

[Alexv500]

That's why I would never take this cruise - either on the Imagination or Inspiration. Been there and done that and it was boring. Even with Princess on a recent cruise the embarkation was hell. We spent over 4 hours at the Sheraton after being picked up by Princess at the airport. Then we spent another 1-1/2 hours sitting on the bus at the pier not allowed off. No water and no bathroom. The freaking bathroom on board was locked and the driver didn't have a key. The cruise started off wrong and went down hill from there.

 

I'd be really upset to have to stay in Ensenada for a couple of days - that would be torture!

 

 

I would sail this cruise just to be on a cruise! The only port I would care for would be Catalina, but I wouldn't get off in Ensenada, I'll just stay on the ship!

[CinAngel75]

We are on the May 10 sailing. Swells are supposed to end by Tuesday I sure hope so, as I hate riding buses. Lol

 

I am on the 10th as well....really hoping the weather turns around. Bus ride from Long Beach to San Diego would NOT be fun....especially on Mother's Day Looking at the weather looks like 60's and clouds next week :( I live in L.A and right now it's low 60's and clouds...