Booking Ensenada exu

I have a co-worker who did the same cruise I am about to embark on down to Ensenada. He said that he did not book an excursion when he got off the ship and that most of the excursions you could book online are waiting for you at the port with discounts. I suppose these tour operators are trying to reach their quotas and willing to charge less to do it? Perhaps this is only something you should do in Ensenada versus most ports like Alaska or the Caribbean or does it hold true to most ports of call?

Granted. There is a great and terrible vacation ruining "risk" that venues will be sold out.

:rolleyes: For me, it's not really a big deal. I could just as easily shop and have most the ship to myself as I could do the famous La Bufadora or Zip Line tour. But i'm actually leaning on renting a quad and just exploring the beach or town for a bit.

In any case, has anybody booked tours as soon as they get to port versus booking them online or with the cruise ship? Any tours that specifically require this? Any suggestions perhaps?

I'm an avid Scuba Diver, but not paying $180.00 to dive in largely the same type of kelp forest setup I can basically do for free along the Southern California Coast. La Bufadora seems like something every tourist HAS to do at least once, but also feels like something that would just get old really quick. Can't really go wrong with a Zip Line and canopy tour. The Quad Combo that goes with it if you book it seems okay, but I hear you are just driving down a highway on quads, dodging traffic as you go. Don't drink as a personal choice, so bar hopping/wine tours wouldn't float my boat.

Perhaps just a quad for a few hours on the beach and a look around town would float my boat...

P.S.: Asked the same question on the Carnival forums but largely got a very gentle remand on why I shouldn't do this and why it would be better to book with the ship, etc. Still not convinced. :cool:

Is there a question in here somewhere?

A taxi, from the taxi stand in town, will take you to the zipline for $15. (Sign didn't say if it's pp or the whole taxi) No idea how much to get back. Similar pricing to the Bufadora.

The information booth tours are $20pp to the Bufadora. But there's a slight discount if you take the shuttle from the dock and then buy the tour from them.

The Bufadora is impressive at high tide after a storm, others it's just OK.

Carnival offers a kayak tour to the Bufadora.

Our short list of restaurants -Taquiero Lindo for tacos, Guadalajara for birria, Potrero Viejo for gorditas and Aqua Frescas (strawberry is very good), El Meson de Don Fernando for a Molcajetes , El Hacienda Del Charro for rotisserie chicken and handmade tortillas. Michoacana has very good Aqua Frescas and ice cream. Bonus---all have clean bathrooms, throw all paper into the trashcan.

!!! 1ST CRUISE !!!

!!! YIPPEE !!!

Ok... Quality of life... a well reviewed tour here or on tripadvisor for a private tour beats a dusty hot street haggle with a middle man for an unknown experience (more than likely, a lesser quality experience)

Time in port is VERY LIMITED... a dusty hot street haggle with a middle man and other delays can be extremely time consuming (they call it a "Mexican Minute" for good reason)

Your friends and family... a dusty hot street haggle with a middle man can be extremely unpleasant for your timid friends and family (they were all excited before, and now... all you see is fear in their eyes)

The Experience... In many ports, after a dusty hot street haggle with a middle man, they take your cash, and put you in, what's left of a, 1983 Chevy van conversion that doubles as affordable housing at night. You may sit there sweating for an hour+ as they try to fill the van (a Caribbean specialty, with a slight exaggeration, to make the point).

On the bright side... Ocean and weather sensitive tours might be best committed to upon arrival... knowing the seas are calm and the skies are clear. A windy angry white capped surging ocean is not an option for us to whale watch.

So your best bet is to research and plan, in advance, here and tripadvisor (sister website, extremely valuable forum advise). Try to book a tour, yet don't actually commit to pay, if at all possible, until you arrive (a credit card reservation can many times be reversed); and your chances of having a pleasant and most affordable experience in the short time frame allowed are optimized.

Rookie Cruiser... We took ships tours for the 1st few cruises. They are most enjoyable, and a very good way to meet and learn from seasoned travelers, and perhaps an important part of the cruiser lifestyle education.