First time cruiser with questions re: Ensenada!

[neongoddess]

Hi all! I'm new here and am going on my first cruise (4 day Carnival to Catalina and Ensenada) in March. I have a couple of questions:

 

1) Has anyone ever gone to the Estero Beach Resort? I was thinking it might be a fun excursion due to having heated pools (I understand that the pools on the ship will be cold) and a swim up bar and a restaurant. If you've been there, how was it?

 

2) I have never been to Mexico, but have heard, of course, to not drink the water/eat anything made with water/etc. So will it be unsafe to have an icy margarita? The last thing I need is food poisoning.

 

Thanks!

[riffatsea]

Hi,

I live in San Diego . Many of my friends go to the resorts in Ensenada like Estero Beach for weekend getaways. It is a nice place but IF this was my first trip to Mexico I'd rather wander in the town or take the wine tour or go to La Bufadora(the blowhole) instead of just going to a hotel and swimming in a pool.

You will be OK having a Margarita or eating in a restaurant in town or at the hotel. No one wants to "poison" the tourists and they know how to treat the ice.

IF you are worried then just have a beer or a drink without ice.

[neongoddess]

Thanks for the reply. The reason I like the idea of the resort is that it has heated pools, and the pools on the ship will be way to cold to swim in, since I'm going in March! :D I also plan to do a little shopping, but I'm really not interested in the "group" kind of tour experiences, and am way to scared to walk around Mexico with just my husband and I. Also, I thought the museum at the resort might be kind of cool (I really like museums).

 

For a total scaredy cat who hates group tours, are there other things I should look into doing? Normally I'd want to rent jet skis or something, but I'm afraid it will be too cold in late March to really do much in/on the water.

 

ETA: I really don't have that much of a desire to go to Mexico in general (I'm not opposed to it or anything, but Ensenada is not on my top 10 places I really want to visit before I die). While it will be cool to at least say I've been to Mexico, my main reason for booking the cruise is for the experience of being on the ship! I have never been on a cruise, but it sounds like a good way to relax.

Edited December 6, 2013 by neongoddess

[2011mom]

I've done this 4 day cruise several times, and i'm leaving on Monday for another one! I love the zipline in Ensenada. Just get a taxi to take you there, and they can swing by the blowhole as well. Look up Las Canadas on tripadvisor - it's really fun and very inexpensive!

[riffatsea]

I have no idea why walking around in town would be "scarey" for you ???? Folks do it every day!

Of course it is your vacation so do whatever sounds like fun!

[SadieN]

 

Lonely Planet shows 5 museums/Historical buildings in Ensenada. I know that three of these are within walking distance of the port.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mexico/baja-california/ensenada/sights

The former Casino building is the huge white building across the street (look to the south) from the port. Go east from the southens end of the Casino property and less than a block east (before A Lopez) is museum with revolving exhibits. In town the old army barracks-turned-jail-turned museum (free, donations accepted, 10 minute museum) is on Gastellum just to the west of A Lopez. It is a white building with a red strip at eye level.

 

***

Here is a thread with good info about restaurants. We have been going to the area for over 22 years and never been sick from the food. The restaurants buy purified water and have ice (purified water) brought in.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1825083&highlight=map

 

***

The most dangerous thing about Ensenada are the sidewalks. A. Lopez and the streets leading to it are fine. Sidewalks more to the east have open utility holes in them. Just watch where you step.

 

***

When walking there will be people trying to sell you something, a "No thank you' stops them. And don't forget to bargain!

Edited December 9, 2013 by SadieN

[xplnusa]

There is no reason to be scared of walking around Ensenada. Its just like any other town, keep your wits about you, pay attention and if something doesn't feel right don't... Go where the people are! We took a bus right off the ship into town for $3. There were some great shops.

 

We also went to La Bufadora and it was excellent!

 

I honestly can't wait to go back to Ensenada...

[BajaSteve]

On a Baja forum I read that there are some land protests going on at the entrance to La Bufadora. Has anyone gone there this last week?

 

We have a house south of Rosarito Beach. We only go to Ensenada when we have company as we have been going down there for over 40 years and there's not many new things except for a lot on new restaurants. Our favorite store closed a couple of years ago. A local artist named Guadalupe had a gallery but it closed, too. She uses a unique process of etching the drawing into a copper plate, filling the etched-out areas with paint then pressing paper onto the plate. Several shops still carry her prints and they are very collectable.

[neongoddess]

Thanks for the replies! Someone asked why I am scared. I guess it is because of Mexico's reputation for crime. I realize it is unlikely I'd be a victim of violence but I am scared anyway, especially since I speak no Spanish. I plan to learn a few phrases, but still. I've never been out of the US at all, so it makes me nervous.

[xplnusa]

The vast majority of the people you'll meet at the port and the vendors speak English just fine.

[riffatsea]

You may be surprised to learn that folks from Europe are often frightened when they are planning trips to our cities like LA because they watch all those crime dramas on TV and think that there are gang members walking the streets trying to kill everyone!!!

Folks on this board have been going to Mexico for a long time and many others from the USA and Canada spend the winter there so really NO worries for you!

Take a deep breath and enjoy!!

[Gunner22aa]

Wife and I were there about three weeks ago. Paid the two bucks for the 5 min ride to the center of town and walked around for about two hours. Went well off the normal tourist track due to a small navigation error on my part. Never felt that we were ever in any danger and unlike some other places we have visited in Mexico were not pestered at all by street vendors. The only time we were bothered to by anything was on the peir walking back to the ship outside the security area.

[sarafinadh]

Thanks for the replies! Someone asked why I am scared. I guess it is because of Mexico's reputation for crime. I realize it is unlikely I'd be a victim of violence but I am scared anyway, especially since I speak no Spanish. I plan to learn a few phrases, but still. I've never been out of the US at all, so it makes me nervous.

 

Hi,

 

I understand you have not traveled much, and what is new is often frightening.

 

Try keeping this in mind when you visit a new place such as Mexico (Ensenada) or anywhere really.

 

Ensenada is like anywhere else. The people who live there walk around all the time. You can to.

 

You are from Sacramento. If you lived in the Fabulous Forties you would feel Sacramento was very safe, wouldn't you? But you might not feels so comfortable about Oak Park. There are prolly areas of west Sac you would not head to for an afternoon of shopping and lunch. They have reputations for crime, don't they?

 

And yet homes in Oak Park are getting very popular and the neighbourhood is considered up and coming.

 

Safe comfortable areas stand side by side less secure areas all over.

 

Do you ever come to San Francisco? If you do I suspect you have your favorite places to visit, where you feel safe and comfortable and wouldn't think twice about walking around. Pier 39? The Ferry Building? Union Square?

 

I live in the Mission District. Lots of people recoil in fright from the idea, thinking gangs and crime run rampant. But the Mission district is a very safe area, full of families, and the people who live here walk everywhere with no fear.

 

The unknown is what people fear. Once you visit somewhere, using common sense, there isn't anything to fear at all!

 

When you come south for your cruise are you considering going to Disneyland? You wouldn't let concerns about the safety of east LA keep you from going to Anaheim would you?

 

This turns out to be true everywhere I have ever been, and I, and others here on the boards, have been a LOT of places.

 

People are just people everywhere you go, even if they do not speak the same language as you. Meeting them is one of the true pleasures of travel.

 

If you don't get off the ship you will miss all that!

 

 

Regards,

 

Sara

Edited January 3, 2014 by sarafinadh

[Grammyluvs]

On a side note....one of my favorite Mexican souvenirs is their vanilla flavoring. It is the best. Always buy several bottles to last until I can get back.

[MAJPLO]

On a side note....one of my favorite Mexican souvenirs is their vanilla flavoring. It is the best. Always buy several bottles to last until I can get back.

 

Is there a particular place you recommend?

[SadieN]

Is there a particular place you recommend?

 

There are two supermarkets (Soriana and Calimex) on Gastellum about a block up from Ave Lopez. They take American money.

[Grammyluvs]

Is there a particular place you recommend?

 

I have traveled all over Mexico down to Matzalahn and have bought vanilla everywhere...even off street vendors. If you are nervous about the street vendors, you should try the local markets and grocery stores. I’ve never had a problem with any of it. If you like to bake, you will love it.

Make sure you get the pure Vanilla and not the artificial.

Edited January 15, 2014 by Grammyluvs

[rpcv77]

Well said, sarafinadh. I have been all over the world (ex-Pan Am) and each place I've visited has done something to enrich my life. I have sometimes been surprised that destinations that offered little promise turned out to be hidden gems.

[Dave_Baja]

On a Baja forum I read that there are some land protests going on at the entrance to La Bufadora. Has anyone gone there this last week?

 

.

 

 

I live in Ensenada yes they are having some problems but it does not affect

the tourists..

 

they had that problem for years ...... it was a small protest...

 

I take people recently and no problem at all ... there are having their usual problems with some stuff ..

[Dave_Baja]

Hi all! I'm new here and am going on my first cruise (4 day Carnival to Catalina and Ensenada) in March. I have a couple of questions:

 

1) Has anyone ever gone to the Estero Beach Resort? I was thinking it might be a fun excursion due to having heated pools (I understand that the pools on the ship will be cold) and a swim up bar and a restaurant. If you've been there, how was it?

 

2) I have never been to Mexico, but have heard, of course, to not drink the water/eat anything made with water/etc. So will it be unsafe to have an icy margarita? The last thing I need is food poisoning.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Stero Beach is great place but if you are comming on the Cruise better do a tour or something .....

 

The water is fine here . just DO NOT drink the water that you use to clean your hands on the batnroom