Transfer To and Boarding in Ensenada...A Nightmare or Not?

[micheleg]

Hi Everyone,

 

We're sailing on the April 17th 14 Day Panama Canal Transit on the Infinity. We'll be flying into San Diego on Saturday and have booked the pre-cruise with Celebrity which includes the transfer to Ensenada on Sunday.

 

Has anyone experienced this? What time did the buses come to pick up and take everyone to the ship in Ensenada? How long did the ride take?

 

We've also heard that they actually take care of the boarding process on the bus and then you sit on the bus until they're ready to board the ship? Is this strictly rumor or true? If so, how long was this process? How long did you sit on the bus until you could board?

 

Any information would be helpful, because getting any info from Celebrity is impossible. :mad:

 

Thanks and happy cruising all!

Michele

[cruisinjudy]

We did the transfer to Ensenada for our Hawaii cruise. They used to return to San Diego to pick up Panama Canal passengers. Anyway, we were met at the airport where we boarded buses, i think it may have been around noon. Then a couple hour ride down to Ensenada along the coast. There was a lunch bag on each of our seats. The ride is actually very interesting. Our driver gave us a lot of info as we drove, though some said their drivers said nothing and did not speak English. There was one bus that got a little lost and one that caught on fire. in the engine. Those people did not have such a good trip. Last November they took us to a hotel in Ensenada to do the boarding process and we were offered a drink. Then we reboarded the busses to the ship. I think we were on the ship by three. We were on one of the first three or four busses that left the airport.

[Desertbelle]

We sailed on the Legend of the Seas to Hawaii last December and we left from Ensenada. We arrived in San Deigo a few hours before the buses were to arrive to get us, so I think the worse part was the hanging around an airport for several hours waiting for the buses.

 

When the buses arrived we loaded on. There were very nice box lunches and a bottle of water on each seat. The trip to Ensenada only took an hour or two....including the stop at the border. When we arrived in Ensenada we were taken to a hotel where we were checked into the cruise. This only took a few minutes. They gave as a can of soda and let us use the bathroom facilities. Then we got back on the buses and we continued the last few miles to the pier.

 

At the pier a security person came on the bus, talked to us a while about what would be happening next and a short time later we were allowed to exit the bus and board the ship.

 

All in all I found it an adventure. There were, of course, complaints from some some people that the bus was too hot, the wait at the pier too long (the Legend had only docked a few minutes before we got there so we did have to wait for her to get moored and the gang plank put in place, etc) and whatever else they could find to complain about. But I was on vacation and just how bad can a bus ride down a beautiful Pacific coast be?? The scenery was beautiful and we could even see the Legend making her way to Ensenada :)

 

I would do it again in a moment for such a wonderful cruise.

[micheleg]

Thanks for the info everyone..

 

A couple more questions...Did anyone book the pre-cruise (hotel + transfer) with the line...If so...they picked you up at the hotel right? If so..around what time...if not..don't even tell me you had to schlep back to the airport???

 

Margie...when you said the buses were too hot..they were air conditioned weren't they? Are we talking about old rickety buses here or the ones that they use for tours? LOL..Now you're scaring me. ;)

 

Thanks again all,

Michele

[Desertbelle]

They were very modern, air conditioned buses....and it was a very chilly, rainy December day. It seemed the complaints came from the back of the bus, so maybe it was warm back there. We were towards the front of the bus and the temperature was fine. The buses also had toilet facilities, though I had no need to use, we were only on the bus for a short time. Don't be afraid.....you're on vacation, how bad can anything really be?? :D

 

We didn't have a hotel package with the cruise line, so I can't help you there.

 

You are going to have a wonderful time, don't sweat the bus to Ensenada!!

[shipperx]

We stayed at the same hotel Celebrity uses for the precruise and booked the transfers thru Celebrity. There was a some waiting around both in San Diego and Ensenada, the ride down was beautiful I enjoyed the scenery. Bring a book to kill the time waiting. Trust me you won't remember it aftet the cruise is over.

[micheleg]

Hi again all,

 

Thanks for the great information!

 

Margie..actually I'm not the one concerned about all of this. Once I leave Miami and get on the plane, I'm on vacation and could care less. One of our friends doesn't like bus rides and I want to ensure that we have enough information for her to decide if she's going to be ok with the bus ride, or if she should consider hiring a car.

 

As long as the ship doesn't leave without me, it's all good.:) I'd ride on a donkey's (or should I say burro) back if that's what it took to get to Ensenada. :p

 

Thanks again!

Michele