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Does this sound like a good idea. Carnival inspiration


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Hi guys,

 

So I am in the works of planning a summer vacation. I've been on many cruises before but never out of the West coast. My plan is to fly from VA to LA and spend a few days in LA and also San Diego, then take the Carnival Inspiration out of long beach for a 4 day cruise to Catalina and Ensenada, since I've never been on a cruise out of the west coast I would love to try it.

 

How does this sound? My dilemma is is a cruise worth it to take to Catalina and Ensenada on the Inspiration? or should I just stay in LA longer and skip the cruise?

 

I know Catalina is a tender port do you know if they skip the port if its say bad weather like they do with grand cayman a lot of times.

 

Thanks

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I really like that cruise. Catalina is really nice. I'm not sure how often they skip it due to weather; it's always been nice when I was there. I'm sure you will be fine in the summertime. Ensenada isn't really to my taste. I usually stay on the ship for that. A lot of people dump on this cruise but I think the ship is just fine and you can't beat the price. I'll be on that cruise next month, so maybe my opinion might change but as of now, I highly recommend it.

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This is our getaway cruise, although we take the Imagination simply because we prefer sailing on Sunday for traffic reasons. Done it 5 times and have one booked for September. Catalina Island is beautiful and Ensenada isn't horrible as long as you don't have high expectations. Understand these are Fantasy class ships, so not as many bells and whistles. With all of that being said, if you are looking for a cheap cruise that is quite different than east coast cruising, I'd do it. Just remember the Pacific Ocean is way colder than the Caribbean so if you are looking for water activities, you might be disappointed.

 

 

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When are you planning on going? Can't predict the weather but February is the usual start to our rainy season.

It's almost cheaper to visit Catalina on a cruise ship than doing a ferry/hotel package.

We've sailed the 3&4 day cruises out of LA many times and haven't been canceled. Most recently in December and March. Less chance now as Carnival is now using two Catalina Ferries, one holds about 270 pax and the other holds almost 400. These are more stable in rough seas than the small Catalina Tenders that they used to use.

 

ETA-- As ImaginationCruiseBride said West Coast cruises are a completely different animal than the Caribbean cruises. So much so that some CDs have a hard time figuring us out, lol.

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I did this cruise last August on the Imagination (because of the traffic issues that ImaginationCruiseBride mentioned). We just wanted to do a quick cruise for fun and the Imagination did not disappoint. We had a great day on Catalina--lots to do depending on your interests (we hiked)--and Ensenada is a great place to stay onboard and get a good spot on the Serenity deck.

 

My daughter lives in LA and has taken the ferry to Catalina for the day a couple of times. It's easy to do and since the ferries dock, you don't have to worry about missing the port. (However, I don't think missing the port is much of a concern for cruises to Catalina--not like it is at Half Moon Cay.) If you just want to see Catalina, that would be a cheaper option than a 4-day cruise.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I am going on this cruise for the second time in less than a year. I have not done the Catalina the 4 day, but I am sure the stop in Catalina would be fun...on the flip side, on the first cruise we didn't get off the ship in Ensenada, just stayed on board and sat by the pool and had everything to ourselves..

 

Hunt down Romey & Claudia, best bartenders on the ship

 

Go for it ! Enjoy....Sounds like an overall great vacation plan.:cool::cool::cool::cool:

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............

 

 

Hunt down Romey & Claudia, best bartenders on the ship

 

 

 

Go for it ! Enjoy....Sounds like an overall great vacation plan.:cool::cool::cool::cool:

 

 

Jason at the Alchemy.

 

 

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IMO this is a great little cruise, but be aware there may be a party atmosphere more so than on Caribbean cruises.

 

For Ensenada, I'd suggest the winery tour offered by Carnival. Very nice drive through the country side, great little history lesson from the tour guide and plenty of wines and snacks to try. We had always stayed on the ship in the past, but decided to be adventurous last time and from now on, I will do that same excursion.

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My family and I just took the Inspiration cruise last month. It was our very first cruise, so I really have no sense of comparison, but we enjoyed it so much that I booked a surprise (for the family) Caribbean cruise for next year on the Breeze. During the planning stages, I was told it would be a total 'booze cruise', but IMHO it really wasn't. On the other hand, I live in Vegas and work on the strip and the ship was tame in comparison to the Vegas nightlife I deal with in the casino here. Another thing everyone recommended was to stay onboard in Ensenada and simply enjoy the boat. It was enticing, but we ended up doing a zipline/bridge canopy tour that was unbelievably fun. I've never been to Ensenada before, and while different than other popular Mexican cities, it does have its own appeal. And it's always good to do something at least once :D

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We have taken this cruise many times. It is a party cruise for sure, especially in the summer. The ship is old and worn. Decor is tacky. I would spend the time touring California. Such a beautiful state with so much to see. Central coast is amazing. If you want to cruise off the west coast try a seven day Mexican Riviera cruise for a much better experience. Nicer ship, nicer ports.

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I love this cruise! We have done it many times:) We usually do the horseback riding on the beach, then hit Papas and Beers for entertainment! The CD's on the Inspiration and Imagination are fantastic! I agree about renting a golf cart in Catalina, so much fun! Enjoy your trip!

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If you've never been to any part of Mexico before and would like to see Catalina...go for it! The 4-day cruise is a party/booze cruise...lots of revelers because of the price point and Ensenada, but there are plenty of people come to relax, too. The music will be more on the club side than what you'll hear on a Caribbean cruise, and there are way less kids on this trip, too. We were able to find a good balance of party and relaxing when we went.

For Ensenada, if you're adventurous, I would suggest the ZIP line and obstacle course and some fish tacos at the Bufaladora "Blow Hole." If you go outside the port area, you'll find white buses that will take you downtown and reroute you to whichever adventure you'd prefer for way less money that what Carnival is charging...and you'll still be back on the ship way before it departs.

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IMO this is a great little cruise, but be aware there may be a party atmosphere more so than on Caribbean cruises.

 

For Ensenada, I'd suggest the winery tour offered by Carnival. Very nice drive through the country side, great little history lesson from the tour guide and plenty of wines and snacks to try. We had always stayed on the ship in the past, but decided to be adventurous last time and from now on, I will do that same excursion.

 

Hi, Last October myself, Mom & friend sailed on Imagination.We live locally and enjoy the 4 day cruises. Anyway, last time my Mom booked a Winery Tour via Carnival too. I don't even drink anymore, but it was an interesting tour inside. We all enjoyed getting away from the shops etc and seeing the countryside. I'd recommend it. We're going again this October, on the Inspiration. I really enjoy the small ships for our little getaways .... no flight either ..yeah!!:D

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When are you planning on going? Can't predict the weather but February is the usual start to our rainy season.

It's almost cheaper to visit Catalina on a cruise ship than doing a ferry/hotel package.

We've sailed the 3&4 day cruises out of LA many times and haven't been canceled. Most recently in December and March. Less chance now as Carnival is now using two Catalina Ferries, one holds about 270 pax and the other holds almost 400. These are more stable in rough seas than the small Catalina Tenders that they used to use.

 

ETA-- As ImaginationCruiseBride said West Coast cruises are a completely different animal than the Caribbean cruises. So much so that some CDs have a hard time figuring us out, lol.

 

With the larger ferries, do you have to wait for them to fill up to leave?

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With the larger ferries, do you have to wait for them to fill up to leave?

 

 

Mom and Sis just got off this cruise, they're now using slightly smaller tenders. But, yes except for (maybe) mid day they will wait for the Ferries to fill up.

 

 

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