About Ensenada

[yiddishkopf]

Our 4-10 cruise from San Diego to Hawaii and then Vancouver we have a 4 hour stop in Ensenada. I know that this is done to comply with the law about stopping in a foreign port. Since it is such a short port stop, will we be able to get off the ship?

 

I checked the excursions a few days ago and nothing was posted for Ensenada. I don't know if there is much to see there, but I'd like to get to a drug store. Mexican pharmacies sell certain items without perscriptions that require perscriptions in the US. There are certain skin medications that I'd like to be able to purchase -- RetinA and Vaniqa are two.

 

I checked on the ports of call board but this issue was not addressed.

 

Thank you in advance for any advice.

[yiddishkopf]

I'm answering my own question about Ensenada. I checked once again on the HAL site and there is one tour, so I've answered myself.

 

The count on my posts is wrong! I recently had a bad computer virus (Trojan Horse, I think) and when it was cleared, I couldn't get on cruise critic so I had to re-register with a slightly changed name. My count should actually be about 250 more than the number that shows.

[Soundsgreat6]

You might want to join our Roll call for this cruise m8 has we currently have 1 informal meet n great on the four day down to San Diego and a formal Meet n Great on the Hawaii leg.

[GmaPajama]

... The count on my posts is wrong! I recently had a bad computer virus (Trojan Horse, I think) and when it was cleared, I couldn't get on cruise critic so I had to re-register with a slightly changed name. My count should actually be about 250 more than the number that shows.

If you will use the little red triangle at the upper right of your post (#2) above - and report this to our hosts - perhaps they have a way to restore your original screen name and post count. They DO work some magic on these boards.

[kakalina]

We have taken this cruise numerous times and never once has the ship actually stopped in Ensenada. There have been all kinds of reasons from weather to time constraints but we never stop. The ship slows down, the locals get on and sign off on the paperwork, debark and we are off again. Every single time.

[yiddishkopf]

I am on the roll call -- signed up as soon as we were booked. We've been many places in the world, but I've never been to Hawaii, so I'm looking forward to it.

 

My Significant Other, with whom I travel is a WWII veteran and was at Pearl Harbor, thankfully not during the bombing, but a few years later, so we've already booked the tour there. He said that even a few years after the attack, oil was still floating to the surface and the burning odor was still strong.

 

I will probably cry my way through the Arizona Memorial and whatever else we see there.

[CRUZBUDS]

We only missed Ensenada once ... well actually, we didn't miss it. ;)

 

Ensenada use to be what the called a technical stop. It was often very late at night and we were there just long enough to sign the papers. There was no opportunity to go ashore.

 

The last few years they have been scheduling a four hour stop in the early evening. My speculation was it was done to take some of the ammunition away from NCL America. They turned it into a real port call so the reason we have to stop there is not quite so obvious.

 

We got off last time just to check out the shops on the pier. Typical Mexican stuff. Their is a phamacy and liquor store. The liquor prices are high. I imagine you could do much better by going into town.

[casavaha]

If you can actually get off the ship, the walk into town is about 20 minutes, or take a

cab. There are plenty of pharmacies right in town. If you wanted to negotiate with

a cab, you could go to the Costo or Walmart about 10 miles s. of the cruise terminal.

 

Better deals on drug items.

[RlrCstr]

I have had the same experiences on the Ensenada (non)stop as Trish (Kakalina).

 

I have sailed the Hawaii cruise on HAL four times as well as once on Princess. None of my cruises have ever actually stopped in Ensenada, even when there were short excursions listed and sold. In each case, we were out in the bay and the govt officials came out in a boat and did the paperwork and we were on our way again.

Those with shore excursions were refunded for missing the tours.

 

You may dock there. But in 5 Hawaii cruises, I haven't. Just FYI.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did make our stop -- but we arrived late.

People who had signed up for the tour got to go -- ran late.

Most others just stayed in the terminal.

Since we got there so late we decided not to get off the ship.

[COP]

In Feb 2007 on the way back from Hawaii on the Zaandam we stopped for the 4 hours and did get off the ship and went into town.:rolleyes: Again on the X ship Summit, we also stopped for the 4 hours and the PAX were allowed to go into town (passsed that one up) .:DThe other two times, Again on X and RCCL, we got the papers signed and departed ASAP.:)

It is just hit and miss when you get to the port, if you get off or not.

Phil