Ensenada to SanDiego bus transfer...is it really that bad?????

[Texas_firefighter]

O.k. ,I have read good,bad ,and in between about this system. I have also read a wide variety on the time it takes to do this. Is it really that bad , it takes alot to get my DW and I upset if the situation just can't be helped. Would it cause anyone to NOT book the cruise,really? Add 2 cents here ! Thanks.:D

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

O.k. ,I have read good,bad ,and in between about this system. I have also read a wide variety on the time it takes to do this. Is it really that bad , it takes alot to get my DW and I upset if the situation just can't be helped. Would it cause anyone to NOT book the cruise,really? Add 2 cents here ! Thanks.:D

 

when the captain did a Hawaii to Ensenada crossing on RCCL, we were bussed to San Diego................it took like maybe 1-1/2 hour drive ( if my memory serves me right) to San Ysidro, that's where the border crossing is and like nearly 2 hours to clear the bus and the passengers thru customs/immigration, yes you do have to get off the bus and go stand in line with the crowds.

Would it stop us from taking that crossing again, possibly YES..........

Hopefully it will not be so bad for you and your Mrs.

Happy cruising :)

[Kurbanfan]

O.k. ,I have read good,bad ,and in between about this system. I have also read a wide variety on the time it takes to do this. Is it really that bad , it takes alot to get my DW and I upset if the situation just can't be helped. Would it cause anyone to NOT book the cruise,really? Add 2 cents here ! Thanks.:D

 

We won't take that cruise just for the fact that they are bused....

[winewanderer]

Can you take the reverse, starting in Ensenada? We did that trip and the bus from SD to Ensenada was about 2 hours.

 

I have been stuck in traffic crossing the border. On a Friday evening one visit we were stuck there for 3 hours. I'll never do that again.

[caa]

Border crossing wait times vary enormously. It depends on the day of the week, the time of day, holiday events, etc. San Ysidro is the busiest border crossing in the world and waits can be long. When I listen to the traffic reports during my morning commute, it's usually around 90 minutes to get back into the U.S. Going into Mexico is significantly faster unless it's a 3-day weekend. Right now, mid-morning on a Tuesday, the U.S. Customs website has the vehicle wait time at 50 minutes. http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/

[Texas_firefighter]

Thanks all. I'm weighing all this out.The Spirit returns on a Saturday to Ensenada. Is that better or worse?

[Hulabetty]

Well I have been on that cruise twice and both times were not great. The first time was total chaos. They had told us that we would be assigned a bus to go on, and that they would check off our name as we boarded - that never happened.We had to fight for a bus, had to put our luggage on another bus, and once we got on it was horrible. The toilets had not been emptied, it was filthy, and the bus was deteriorated. The border crossing was just about the same, and took almost three hours. The worst part of the trip was getting to the airport and sit for two and a half hours until the bus with our luggage arrived!

 

The second time was not too much better - although the bus was a bit better. The problem was that we had a driver who was not too familiar with Ensenada so we drove around through some of the most undesirable neiborhoods with our driver asking for directions every so often - and finally getting to the border around 1pm. Once at the border we had to leave our belongings, and walk through -then get back on the bus. Needless to say we got back over two hours late.

 

So I really don't have many good things to say about the return trip - but the cruise itself is fabulous! :D

[terri910]

Thanks all. I'm weighing all this out.The Spirit returns on a Saturday to Ensenada. Is that better or worse?

When did the Spirit start doing that?

 

I don't keep up with all the changes in itinerary, etc.

 

When we sailed the Spirit in Dec. 2005 it was out of San Diego (and returned there)....Ensenada wasn't even a port of call (otherwise, we probably wouldn't have taken the cruise. We go to Baja about every 4-6 weeks. I avoid Ensenada if I can...furthest south I care to go, really, is La Mision)

 

I, personally, would not take a cruise that bussed me from Ensenada to San Diego. I might be slightly (but only slightly) more inclined to take a bus from San Diego to Ensenada.

[Texas_firefighter]

I have not read anything good ,or even neutral, about this trip. We have begun searching other options now. Why can't Carnival do something about this situation ? It seems that if you have already passed through customs when debarking ,and shown your passport, and had luggage screened, Then the cruise line busses should just be able to go right on through at the border and on to the airport.I guess if it were that easy ,Carnival would be doing this.Doesn't seem like a very nice way to end a relaxing cruise. I read somewhere on here that they roust you up at 5:00 am and herd everyone off the ship by 6:00 - 6:30 am. No breakfast?:( Not loving what i'm reading.

[MrSnarkyPants]

I have not read anything good ,or even neutral, about this trip. We have begun searching other options now. Why can't Carnival do something about this situation ? It seems that if you have already passed through customs when debarking ,and shown your passport, and had luggage screened, Then the cruise line busses should just be able to go right on through at the border and on to the airport.I guess if it were that easy ,Carnival would be doing this.Doesn't seem like a very nice way to end a relaxing cruise. I read somewhere on here that they roust you up at 5:00 am and herd everyone off the ship by 6:00 - 6:30 am. No breakfast?:( Not loving what i'm reading.

 

There is no such thing as an express crossing at San Ysidro. Crossing into Mexico is easy there. Getting back into the USA is not. Prior to 2001, it was fairly easy, but now nothing crosses the border without a lot of scruitiny.

 

There is not much that they can do, short of returning to the Port of San Diego instead.

[Texas_firefighter]

My other idea would be to go to Cabo ,then maybe Carnival would be allowed to go on to San Diego and fulfill the "distant port " requirement. Just wishing .I certainly don't know what i'm talking about.Carnival certainly DOES know,however, that their passengers are NOT enjoying this.

[Cruisin' Chick]

On my Hawaiian cruise (LA RT with service stop in Ensenada to fulfil the PSA Act), someone said that a few of the Hawaiian cruises out of the West Coast end at Ensenada and that the passengers are bused back to SD. What is the reason behind that? Why not return to San Diego?

 

I just can't imagine having to sit on a bus in Ensenada -- but then I really, really detest that town.

[leoandhugh]

the solution may be to switch to HAL who have been doing Hawaii cruises RT San Diego with a technical stop at Ensenada in the wee hours of the morning before arriving back in San Diego. Don't know the details, but it is my understanding that HAL, which has had this arrangement for several years has some kind of special exemption. Why, since Carnival owns HAL, they can't have the same arrangement I do not know and would not hazard a guess.

To those who have asked why customs and immigration could not be done in Ensenada - because that is Mexico. This border crossing is highly susceptible to the drug trafficers and there is justification for having passengers get off the busses and go through our border just like everybody else. So go with Carnival and take your chances - seems like a bad taste to end an otherwise great cruise. me, I'll stick to HAL or X:)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Princess goes LA-Hawaii-Ensenada-LA. Works out best for us as we live about an hours drive from San Pedro.

[suziehmkr]

Princess goes LA-Hawaii-Ensenada-LA. Works out best for us as we live about an hours drive from San Pedro.

 

Patty - I just have to hijack this thread for one minute and tell you... RCCL is going to invite us on a Pre-Inaugural cruise on Liberty of the Seas!!! I am so excited, I can stand it! I am just waiting for them to call with my date choices. Can you believe it?

 

OK - back to your regular scheduled program. We were on the same Hawaii voyage as Patty - so I just had to share my good news when I saw her pop in!

[Texas_firefighter]

Yes, the roundtrippers do go to Ensenada for just a few hours and then on to San Diego.Problem for us there ,is time away from work for my wife. The other thing is that the one way cruise offers more time in Hawaii than the RT's. 15 days would be great , just can't swing it for several more years. Retirement,YES !!! We're loking for a one way from Hawaii to Vancouver now, should be easy enough to debark and fly home from there I guess.Carnival has this one too, but left Kauai off that leg . We really wanted to see Kauai.

[Texas_firefighter]

Thanks for all the input. We made the decision to change bookings. We we found the Hawaii to Vancouver we want ,but we just have to wait a little longer now. No bus trip !:eek:

[critterchick]

On my Hawaiian cruise (LA RT with service stop in Ensenada to fulfil the PSA Act)' date=' someone said that a few of the Hawaiian cruises out of the West Coast end at Ensenada and that the passengers are bused back to SD. What is the reason behind that? Why not return to San Diego?[/quote']

 

I think it's the ones that start in Hawaii that have to end in Ensenada, or perhaps there's a Seattle to Ensenada itinerary during repositioning season. If you go from one US city to another, you have to stop in a "distant" foreign port, and I don't think anything in Mexico qualifies, or if it does it would be so far south that they'd have to add several days on to the itinerary. If you go round trip, then it just has to be any old foreign port, so the Captain can drag the anchor in Ensenada and return to the U.S.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Patty - I just have to hijack this thread for one minute and tell you... RCCL is going to invite us on a Pre-Inaugural cruise on Liberty of the Seas!!! I am so excited, I can stand it! I am just waiting for them to call with my date choices. Can you believe it?

 

OK - back to your regular scheduled program. We were on the same Hawaii voyage as Patty - so I just had to share my good news when I saw her pop in!

Wow, that's great, Tina. I hope hubby's case gets resolved soon -- maybe then we'll plan another cruise. Right now, we're waiting to see if the city will go to mediation through the EEOC (which sent them papers saying they will investigate what's going on). The city's deposition of hubby in February got "continued" right about the time they received the notice of intent to sue from the EEOC. Then they rescheduled for April, but today he received paperwork that the deposition got re-rescheduled for May. Seems either very coindental or suspicious to us.

[suziehmkr]

Wow' date=' that's great, Tina. I hope hubby's case gets resolved soon -- maybe then we'll plan another cruise. Right now, we're waiting to see if the city will go to mediation through the EEOC (which sent them papers saying they will investigate what's going on). The city's deposition of hubby in February got "continued" right about the time they received the notice of intent to sue from the EEOC. Then they rescheduled for April, but today he received paperwork that the deposition got re-rescheduled for May. Seems either very coindental or suspicious to us.[/quote']

 

Oh brother - this has been going on for way too long. I hope it gets resolved soon so that you can get back to some normalcy!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I think it's the ones that start in Hawaii that have to end in Ensenada, or perhaps there's a Seattle to Ensenada itinerary during repositioning season. If you go from one US city to another, you have to stop in a "distant" foreign port, and I don't think anything in Mexico qualifies, or if it does it would be so far south that they'd have to add several days on to the itinerary. If you go round trip, then it just has to be any old foreign port, so the Captain can drag the anchor in Ensenada and return to the U.S.

 

Then seems strange. We went to one US city to another (LA to the Hawaiian ports) and then stopped in Ensenada for the distant foreign port. But fortunately, our cruise continued on to LA.

[suziehmkr]

Then seems strange. We went to one US city to another (LA to the Hawaiian ports) and then stopped in Ensenada for the distant foreign port. But fortunately' date=' our cruise continued on to LA.[/quote']

 

This is correct.... Ensenada is not a "distant" foreign port, just a foreign port. The fact that we were RT was THE key.

[Bucky3]

Our experience was just about the same as poster #7, above. We did this trip twice, once on Radiance of the Seas and the other on Carnival Spirit. Both times we arrived in Ensenada on a Saturday in October. Of the two trips, the Carnival one was the worst. One of the busses broke down and had on it the baggage of many people (including ours) who had to wait hours for their luggage to arrive once we got to San Diego. Many missed their flights. Our son-in-law met us in San Diego, and we all waited hours for the baggage to arrive. We were sitting right behind the bus driver, and thank goodness we were familiar with the San Diego area as the driver missed the airport turnoff and DH had to direct him from there!

 

Would we do this cruise again? Yes, we know what may/probably will happen, but it's a great cruise, and maybe that's why it was also a great price! The worst part might be for those who live in the San Diego area, go through this mess, and then watch "their" ship arrive in San Diego later in the day!!

 

If you are not willing to go with the flow, no matter the circumstances, this cruise ending is definitely not for you!

 

Would love to know, has anyone reading this thread ever had a GOOD experience disembarking in Ensenada?

[critterchick]

Then seems strange. We went to one US city to another (LA to the Hawaiian ports) and then stopped in Ensenada for the distant foreign port. But fortunately' date=' our cruise continued on to LA.[/quote']

 

Sorry, I should have been clearer. If the embarkation port and disembarkation port are different (i.e. San Diego to Fort Lauderdale), then the ship must stop in a distant foreign port. If you begin and end in the same city, any old foreign port will do.

[Texas_firefighter]

Our experience was just about the same as poster #7, above. We did this trip twice, once on Radiance of the Seas and the other on Carnival Spirit. Both times we arrived in Ensenada on a Saturday in October. Of the two trips, the Carnival one was the worst. One of the busses broke down and had on it the baggage of many people (including ours) who had to wait hours for their luggage to arrive once we got to San Diego. Many missed their flights. Our son-in-law met us in San Diego, and we all waited hours for the baggage to arrive. We were sitting right behind the bus driver, and thank goodness we were familiar with the San Diego area as the driver missed the airport turnoff and DH had to direct him from there!

 

Would we do this cruise again? Yes, we know what may/probably will happen, but it's a great cruise, and maybe that's why it was also a great price! The worst part might be for those who live in the San Diego area, go through this mess, and then watch "their" ship arrive in San Diego later in the day!!

 

If you are not willing to go with the flow, no matter the circumstances, this cruise ending is definitely not for you!

 

Would love to know, has anyone reading this thread ever had a GOOD experience disembarking in Ensenada?

 

The other thing is,When do you book air home ? No way to know.I sure wouldn't want to burn a whole day and not even be close to getting home.