Ensenada - April 11 - Sun - Depart 9pm
Well, without a doubt this has been one of the worst "embarkation" experiences ever. We are still in San Diego and Carnival Spirit is just now leaving the dock for Ensenada. The ship was supposed to sail at 10am and it is just now sailing 2:05pm. Now sure what the holdup was.
They did seem to board some luggage and some passengers for the b2b. I guess since they aren't debarking the ship until Vancouver, they get to ride the ship from Ensenada.
Anyway, once you check in at the port in San Diego, if you leave the terminal for any reason - to go to Seaport Village on the shuttle busses or to drop your carry-ons off at the "secure" area (but external to the terminal building) you have to go back through the lengthy security screening process.
Note to Carnival - put a second carry-on check room in the main terminal area and/or better training for the mall cops. Something is messed up.
Finally at a little after 3pm they started boarding buses. Somewhere near the first bus, VIPs were supposed to board but we never heard them called. VIPs had no number, but suddenly Zone 1 was called. A very disorganized scramble for buses. It went from bad to worse, but no use dwelling too much on it. Basically we were no the bus around 3 and sat in the parking lot for a hour. Then some more delays at the border which was expected. Then for no apparent reason, we sat, and sat, and sat within sight of the ship in Ensenada. After being on the bus for something like 4 1/2 hours, we were finally allowed off of the bus. One last item - the buses were definitely not unloaded first come, first served and not all buses took the same route. I think we were the fourth bus to leave the San Diego port, but definitely not the fourth bus to unload.
Backing up a minute, taking the Carnival shuttle from the San Diego airport to the port was a good thing. There were trucks waiting to take our luggage there, so were didn't have to fool with the checked luggage from then until it showed up at our cabin door.
Also, we are supposed to be getting a $15 OBC per person since we were unable to eat lunch on the ship. This did cover the cost of a couple of sandwiches at Seaport, but certainly nothing fancy.
No lifeboat drill tonight - yea - the downside is it is scheduled for 10am in the morning. Well, I guess that will be our wakeup call!
Ok, done venting. Maybe. ;-)
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May 12th Update: To make up for yesterday - the Captain has added a cocktail hour tonight for all passengers - I think that is more than fair - all is forgiven!
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001: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - San Diego Airport
002: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Trucking our luggage from the San Diego airport
003: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - One of several lines for us today
004: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Now waiting for one of several buses today
005: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - One the first bus of the day - actually the buses were nice
006: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Pine tree
007: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -
008: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Star of India
009: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Star of India
010: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Popcorn Chicken - I don't know
011: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - there she is - still in San Diego !?!?!?
012: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Follow the bus
013: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - VIP check-in to the left and Carnival's Liquor and Beverage policy
014: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - in line for bus number two of the day - from the San Diego port to Seaport Village
015: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Carnival Spirit funnel
016: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Carnival Spirit lifeboat
017: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - the secure but not secure luggage check area
018: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - the secure but not secure luggage check area
019: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Lifeboats
020: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - loading some supplies and chairs
021: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Pier Cafe, Seaport Village
022: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Please Don't Feed The Birds
023: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - a street perfomer
024: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Seaport Deli and Salad Bar - where we had lunch
025: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - my Club sandwich - not bad, I've had better.
026: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - my Club sandwich
027: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Carnival Spirit was still there when we returned
028: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -
029: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - a different group from ours
030: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Welcome to San Diego's Big Bay
031: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - a couple of ring leaders
032: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - finally on another bus - this one is supposed to take us to Ensenada
033: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - fourth bus of the day
034: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - pulling out of the port
035: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Santa Fe
036: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Spaghetteria - never seen one of those before
037: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - at the border
038: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - border crossing
039: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - U.S. Customs and Border Protection
040: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -
041: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -
