Please don't laugh at me....Monarch Question...sorta...b2b

[EggDropErin]

I would have been more than happy to post this question on the Ports of Call board, but....I can't figure out which one is for the Baja area. LOL Perhaps because I'm working and answering a high volume of calls, I am missing it...but I think it's more likely that I don't know my geography. :D Anyway, it fits in here too as I have another question to go along with the ship specifically.

 

My question is:

 

For those of you who have sailed both the Baja and the Caribbean itineraries that included Mexico, how do the prices of alcohol compare as well as the selection? Is there more to choose from on one side or the other?

 

We are sailing a b2b2b sailings on Monarch of the Seas. For those who have done a b2b, can you bring back more alcohol? Because technically you are having to clear customs after each sailing...or does customs consider the whole thing one big trip, even though you have been back in the states in between being out of the country?

 

I'm really tired, and perhaps these are really silly questions. LOL

[wrp96]

Erin, I'll give you a couple of answers.

 

First, you find Baja under the Mexican Riviera board (although technically not Mexican Riviera).

 

As to the customs allotment, it is per 30 days, not per cruise. So you would only have the one total allotment coming back from a B2B2B on Monarch.

[carmelninetysix]

We have sailed on the Monarch three year in a row in 2004, 2005 and 2006! We always did this cruise around memrial day and then did a seven or 6 or eight night in December of each year! Dan who is the Loyalty Ambassador remebered us in 2005 and 2006! Last year we went for our Tenth Anniversary whcih is on June 1st! They brought a cake to us on May 31st in the Main Dining room since they knew we were dining on our balcony on June 1st! We booked a Junior Suite! It was so awesome the service was so GREAT!!! I hope we can sail agian on her in a few years! We love the staff, crew and ship! We didn't get off of the ship in Ensanada last year we stayed on and enjoyed the Pool Buffett pary with a bucket of Coronas! The polll beach party was a blast we enjoyed that afternoon so much! The pool band was the best ever!!!! We alwys rent a car for the day in San Diego last year we got a free convertable upgrade!!! We had so much fun cruising around Mission Beach and La Jolla in our car! We love to watch the Sea Lions! We also had lunch oustside by the pool at the Hotel Del Coranado! What a fantastic vacation! We aslo spent the week befor our cruise and the week after touring California! We stayed in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills Hilton, we stayed overnight at Universal hotel the studio tour was so awesome, We stayed at the Morro Bay Beach Hotel, Carlsbad and Oceanside! We stayed in Solvang and also did the driving Sideways movie tour! We toured San Louis Obispo and we also went to Temecula the Wine Country and stayed overnight at a spa and winery! We did the Big Sur drive and stayed at a lodge right inside of Big Sur! Not in this order but you get the idea! We went all over the place!!! That was an awesome 10 year Anniversary present from my Hubby to US!!! I love California and the beautiful Monarch of the Seas!!! I hope you will also have a wonderful cruise experience on the Monarch! Tell Danny Carl and Melissa say Hi!!! Happy Sailings and Bon Voyage!!! Melissa

[cyscopup]

Erin- From a fellow Hoosier-- the booze choices are much better in the Carib. than they are in Baja. We have done both the three and the four day Monarch cruises and they are fun but not exactly the cruise I would choose for a b2b2b:confused: but to each his/her own. After one visit to Ensenada, my wife & I decided to stay on the ship and veg out on each of our subsequent cruises.

WRP69 was right on about your amount of booze you can bring back, no matter how many times you have to go through customs, on b2b2b's.

 

Enjoy your trip on Monarch, we have in the past and hopefully will get at least one more chance before she leaves for the East coast.

[critterchick]

The only place we've priced alcohol is at the shops on the pier. The prices are far better onboard for most of what we like to bring back, but they have DH's favorite brandy there for less than we can find it here. So do a little comparison shopping and see.

 

See you soon!:D

[EggDropErin]

Thanks, y'all. I appreciate your help. I wasn't sure about the customs thing, obviously. :p We'll just have to see if they have what we like. We're doing that cruise for the b2b2b because it's been a life-long dream for me to see the San Diego Zoo and the Wildlife Park...and what better way to see them than via a cruise ship. So, we're doing one excursion on our first to the zoo and the other on our third to the wild life park. I'm quite excited.

[EggDropErin]

We have sailed on the Monarch three year in a row in 2004, 2005 and 2006! We always did this cruise around memrial day and then did a seven or 6 or eight night in December of each year! Dan who is the Loyalty Ambassador remebered us in 2005 and 2006! Last year we went for our Tenth Anniversary whcih is on June 1st! They brought a cake to us on May 31st in the Main Dining room since they knew we were dining on our balcony on June 1st! We booked a Junior Suite! It was so awesome the service was so GREAT!!! I hope we can sail agian on her in a few years! We love the staff, crew and ship! We didn't get off of the ship in Ensanada last year we stayed on and enjoyed the Pool Buffett pary with a bucket of Coronas! The polll beach party was a blast we enjoyed that afternoon so much! The pool band was the best ever!!!! We alwys rent a car for the day in San Diego last year we got a free convertable upgrade!!! We had so much fun cruising around Mission Beach and La Jolla in our car! We love to watch the Sea Lions! We also had lunch oustside by the pool at the Hotel Del Coranado! What a fantastic vacation! We aslo spent the week befor our cruise and the week after touring California! We stayed in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills Hilton, we stayed overnight at Universal hotel the studio tour was so awesome, We stayed at the Morro Bay Beach Hotel, Carlsbad and Oceanside! We stayed in Solvang and also did the driving Sideways movie tour! We toured San Louis Obispo and we also went to Temecula the Wine Country and stayed overnight at a spa and winery! We did the Big Sur drive and stayed at a lodge right inside of Big Sur! Not in this order but you get the idea! We went all over the place!!! That was an awesome 10 year Anniversary present from my Hubby to US!!! I love California and the beautiful Monarch of the Seas!!! I hope you will also have a wonderful cruise experience on the Monarch! Tell Danny Carl and Melissa say Hi!!! Happy Sailings and Bon Voyage!!! Melissa

 

Thank you for your insight. Sounds like a good time. :)

[wrp96]

Erin, I LOVE San Diego!!! And almost every time I go there I go to the Zoo so it is definitely worth it to combine a cruise and the Zoo. The Wild Animal Park is great too, but it's very different from the zoo and quite a distance so we rarely make it out there.

[cantwait2cruize]

Ask one of your table mates to purchase you a bottle from the ship (if they don't mind, I wouldn't if someone asked me.) Then when it's delivered to their cabin last night, they can give it to you. A new way of smuggling:D .

[Coralc]

You can buy it yourself! And they will deliver it on the last night of your first leg. Last time we were on Monarch, tablemates had bought a new home and they were stocking the bar. :D They compared the prices and determined that for most things, the onboard prices were cheaper than Mexico's. :) But there are more Tequila choices onshore.

[crazy 4 cruising]

Thanks, y'all. I appreciate your help. I wasn't sure about the customs thing, obviously. :p We'll just have to see if they have what we like. We're doing that cruise for the b2b2b because it's been a life-long dream for me to see the San Diego Zoo and the Wildlife Park...and what better way to see them than via a cruise ship. So, we're doing one excursion on our first to the zoo and the other on our third to the wild life park. I'm quite excited.

 

 

we went to the wildlife ranch on recommendations by my foot doc and were not disappointed. we booked thru RCCL and there was a bus that took us out there. our driver was wonderful, took us on a short bus cruise of San Diego. I wish my foot had been able to walk around the place, saw it by wheelchair and that was an experience!!! Make sure you go and see the differnet areas,, especially the baby lions and tigers and giraffes. we saw them hand feeding the baby tigers-wow what beautiful animals. be sure to take the africa safari "bus" (that is not the right name) it is awesome and takes you around the park. they were working on a tram ride , but notnsure when that is to be ready. I would definately go back there in a heart beat.

 

AS afar as Ensenada. IF I ever go back, I would go to the blow hole--not sure of the Mexican name. heard from folks on our cruise that it was great. we took the bus into town adn were not disappointed. we have been to cozumel on almost every cruise and it is not our favorite and we almost did not go to E..., but were glad we did. very very clean and the shop owners were nice. if you are into haggling--not me--then by all means go out to the blow hole as we were told there is a market place out there where you can bargain. the only bargaining we saw was 20% discount if we used cash instead of credit. there is a wonderful stained glass shop--great prices and another shop Ramirez something or other that I bought crosses at.

 

have a great time.

[EggDropErin]

Thanks again! I'm quite excited now! :D