Here's your noscript Carnival Spirit Ensenada April, 2010

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Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada

 

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

001: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - San Diego Airport

002: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Trucking our luggage from the 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

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

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

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

006: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Pine tree

007: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

007: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

008: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Star of India

008: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Star of India

009: 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

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 !?!?!?

011: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - there she is - still in San Diego !?!?!?

012: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Follow the bus

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

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

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

015: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Carnival Spirit funnel

016: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Carnival Spirit lifeboat

016: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

017: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - the secure but not secure luggage check area

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

018: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - the secure but not secure luggage check area

019: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Lifeboats

019: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Lifeboats

020: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - loading some supplies and chairs

020: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - loading some supplies and chairs

021: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Pier Cafe, Seaport Village

021: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Pier Cafe, Seaport Village

022: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Please Don't Feed The Birds

022: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Please Don't Feed The Birds

023: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - a street perfomer

023: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - a street perfomer

024: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Seaport Deli and Salad Bar - where we had lunch

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.

025: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - my Club sandwich - not bad, I've had better.

026: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - my Club sandwich

026: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - my Club sandwich

027: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Carnival Spirit was still there when we returned

027: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Carnival Spirit was still there when we returned

028: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

028: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

029: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - a different group from ours

029: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - a different group from ours

030: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Welcome to San Diego's Big Bay

030: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Welcome to San Diego's Big Bay

031: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - a couple of ring leaders

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

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

033: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

034: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - pulling out of the port

034: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - pulling out of the port

035: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Santa Fe

035: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Santa Fe

036: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Spaghetteria - never seen one of those before

036: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - Spaghetteria - never seen one of those before

037: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - at the border

037: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - at the border

038: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - border crossing

038: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - border crossing

039: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - U.S. Customs and Border Protection

039: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada - U.S. Customs and Border Protection

040: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

040: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

041: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

041: Carnival Spirit, San Diego/Ensenada -

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