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arrowhead
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Ensenada losing cruise ships...again
The article in El VIgia says that Carnival Lines has decided to stop port calls of its ship Elation at Ensenada. The reason stated is that Carnival is
charged $7,000 every time it docks for services it does not use nor require, like tugboat service. The modern cruise liners don't need tugs to dock as
they have directional controls.
Then the owners of the only other cruise ship calling in Ensenada, the Radiance of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean, complained to the city that
the town was dirty and the streets full of beggars and vendors. So they only guaranteed 9 more port calls.
http://elvigia.net/noticias/?seccion=generales&id=54291
No soy por ni contra apatía.
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mulegemichael
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..too bad..when we passed through ensenada last week there were two big ol cruise ships in port and the streets were bustling with actividad...the
town really needs those tourist dollars and i would think they would clean it up...actually, didn't look too dirty to me and i don't think there were
any more beggars than you would find on the streets of los angeles or sacramento....picky, picky, picky
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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Udo
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I feel that the Port of Ensenada should be paying the cruise ships for bringing in all the tourists.
I could be wrong with current policies of cruise lines, but about ten years ago we took one of the cruises to Ensenada and I remember the ship charged
us $5.00 U.S. to disembark.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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surfer jim
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Bad news for the city....probably good news for the tourists.....
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k-rico
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The Elation isn't making any money. It's changing home ports from San Diego to Mobile Alabama.
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/sep/28/san-diego...
With a full boat fo 2000 passengers, even half full with 1000 passengers, $7000 should be easy to come up with.
[Edited on 10-15-2009 by k-rico]
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DENNIS
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It would be my wish that they would quit stopping here completely for a period of time long enough to cause the junk stands at La Bufadora to close up
and blow away. What a mismanaged embarrasment. The Buf is a natural landform phenomona which deserves better than being piled high with shops that
sell Chinese made Mexican curios and fake Viagra.
That said, the government apparently doesn't agree. They are in the surveying process of widening the road from Maneadero to the end of the road to
accomodate more vehicles. When the ships are in, there's a lot of bus traffic on the road.
I'm not sure what's going on out here but, the Tiger Woods development may have something to do with the funding of the road project. The area is
still considered rural and home owners don't pay taxes or have the headaches of building in other places. No impact studies...no building
permits...no nothing. Looks like that will change soon enough to generate funding for projects such as the road.
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MikeLikeBaja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mulegemichael
..too bad..when we passed through ensenada last week there were two big ol cruise ships in port and the streets were bustling with actividad...the
town really needs those tourist dollars and i would think they would clean it up...actually, didn't look too dirty to me and i don't think there were
any more beggars than you would find on the streets of los angeles or sacramento....picky, picky, picky |
Um.......I don't recall people taking cruises to Los Angeles and Sacramento 
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k-rico
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The loss of the Elation is a big hit to San Diego's tourist business also. The article I linked to states it's due to the US economy, not enough
passengers. If the economy was strong things would be "cruising along." I bet when the economy picks up the cruise ships will return to both San Diego
and Ensenada.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by k-rico
I bet when the economy picks up the cruise ships will return to both San Diego and Ensenada. |
Hope so. There has to be that point of no return that when enough places close down for lack of business, there won't be anything left to attract
tourists.
Then again, it could be just like this Lassie movie:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0625629/
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Bajahowodd
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The cruise industry faces a major crisis if there is not a near-term improvement in the economy. They have been building ever larger and tricked-out
ships, thinking the boom would continue. If you recall, years back, the ships making the LA-Catalina-San Diego-Ensenada run tended to be much smaller
and older. The newer larger ships have to deal with fixed costs that require a certain occupancy rate. Geez. they're launching ships with 4,000
passengers that have landscaped interiors that resemble hotel courtyards!
That said, the issue of port charges sounds like deja vu. Cabo San Lucas and the cruise lines have played chicken over port fees several times in the
past. In Cabo, there is no cruise ship dock. Ships anchor in the bay and use their own boats to tender the passengers into the marina. One of the
dustups a few years ago involved locals demanding that the local boats do the hauling.
In any event, it seems to me that for Ensenada, the cruise ship traffic represented the lion's share of tourism for the past few years. It could be a
major blow. But then, again, how long will a vacuum last? Some other company may bring a smaller ship into the fray.
As for Dennis' complaint about the tacky bazaar at La Buf, first of all, from what I've gathered in chatting with myriad ship passengers ambling
around there, they enjoy the experience. It may not be what you like. It may be wrong. But it represents a stereo-typical Mexican experience for many.
And, the La Buf businesses have already been suffering. Didn't Celias close earlier this year?
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
But it represents a stereo-typical Mexican experience for many. And, the La Buf businesses have already been suffering. Didn't Celias close earlier
this year? |
If that's a stereotypical Mexico experience, this country needs another PR firm. Besides, don't they sell Viagra on the ship? They should put it on
the pillows like mints.
Yes...Celia's closed and there are a couple of others just hanging on by the skin of their teeth but, the cruise ships don't affect their business too
much anyway. These people don't necessarily come down here to eat since they get fed to death on the ship.
Another thing...All that crap that they sell at the Buf is available on Lopez Mateos in town. The forty mile bus ride through traffic just doesn't
have it's rewards, as far as I'm concerned. There are some folks who take the cruise more than once but, I'll bet they don't go out to Punta Banda
but one time.
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Bajahowodd
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Dennis- Please note that I did say it wasn't necessarily right. However, I must say that I've seen many a cruise ship passenger enjoying themselves
whilst walking around the area. Also, let's not forget that for many ship passengers this experience involves visiting a "foreign" country. The more
timid will always opt for the escorted experience. Having never taken one of those 3-4 night trips, I have no idea what shore excursion options are
available. But I surmise the La Bufadora trip is probably in competition with a winery trip. Probably the most ludicrous is when I see folks on an
escorted walking tour downtown. Considering anyone can walk off the ship and just walk around, why pay someone to steer you to stores that are giving
a spiff to the cruise line?
As for the La Buf experience, I frankly cannot tell you how many times I've been there. Having had vacation rentals at Punta Banda, having stayed at
the Estero Beach hotel, or in a number of downtown hotels, if we're in town for more than a day or two, we invariably drive out to La Buf. I enjoy
joking with the merchants, drinking a beer, and maybe even some of that bootleg tequila some of the merchants will pour.
As for viagra on the ship. Maybe if one has a Rx.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
for many ship passengers this experience involves visiting a "foreign" country. |
That is amazing, isn't it. These folks would have to be from central Kansas to get a new thrill from the ambiance of Mexico.
Speaking of.....I went into WalMart yesterday and saw a huge gondola of Halloween decorations and candy. I'll bet the Día De Los Muertos purists are
steamin' about that.
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Bajahowodd
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Anything to make a buck. Did you see any Xmas decorations?
http://www.directfrommexico.com/mexican-folk-art--dod.html
[Edited on 10-15-2009 by Bajahowodd]
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
It would be my wish that they would quit stopping here completely for a period of time long enough to cause the junk stands at La Bufadora to close up
and blow away. What a mismanaged embarrasment. The Buf is a natural landform phenomona which deserves better than being piled high with shops that
sell Chinese made Mexican curios and fake Viagra.
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denny:
the type of people that go on cruises or visit la buf'a apparently are the type of people that love buying junka. the stalls selling junka would not
be there if the crap didn't sell.
anyways, i think blow holes are kind of boring. seen one, seen 'em all... so no problem if they want to commercialize la buf'a
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
denny:
the type of people that go on cruises or visit la buf'a apparently are the type of people that love buying junka. the stalls selling junka would not
be there if the crap didn't sell.
anyways, i think blow holes are kind of boring. seen one, seen 'em all... so no problem if they want to commercialize la buf'a
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That's a rather ungreen evaluation of the area and it's having been raped by junk commerce coming from you who has been bleating the rightousness of
environmentalism on this board since you appeared here.
[Edited on 10-16-2009 by DENNIS]
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Anything to make a buck. Did you see any Xmas decorations?
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Yes. At HomeDpo. A week ago I saw a whole room full. Everything but real trees.
Feliz uh...Nava.....Nevi.....Nuvvvo....Ah, screw it. MERRY CHRISTMAS.
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The Gull
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS and fake Viagra.
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...and how do you know?
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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The Gull
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
It would be my wish that they would quit stopping here completely for a period of time long enough to cause the junk stands at La Bufadora to close up
and blow away. What a mismanaged embarrasment. The Buf is a natural landform phenomona which deserves better than being piled high with shops that
sell Chinese made Mexican curios and fake Viagra.
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denny:
the type of people that go on cruises or visit la buf'a apparently are the type of people that love buying junka. the stalls selling junka would not
be there if the crap didn't sell.
anyways, i think blow holes are kind of boring. seen one, seen 'em all... so no problem if they want to commercialize la buf'a
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Mennis, making widesweeping, uninformed generalizations of people more wealthy than a civil servant who choose to spend their disposable income on
cruise ships, is the exclusive purview of GoatBoy. His omniscient condition is not to be taken lightly. Ya seen one know-it-all on this board, you
seen them all.
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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The Gull
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Anything to make a buck. Did you see any Xmas decorations?
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Yes. At HomeDpo. A week ago I saw a whole room full. Everything but real trees.
Feliz uh...Nava.....Nevi.....Nuvvvo....Ah, screw it. MERRY CHRISTMAS. |
Fleas on your huevos!!!
�I won\'t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.� William F. Buckley, Jr.
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