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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8970
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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Baja Cruises - I'm considering it. Based on your experience, would you do it again?
Is it worth the price of admission? $300 for 2 people/4 nights? Seriously? Or, does a first-timer get nickel and dimed to death???
Beautiful Sea Life as seen from a massive cruise ship
Military support used to bring a dead cruise ship back to life
World Class Entertainment! Ole!
Fun, new people to hang out with.
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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If in fact the $300 includes all taxes and port charges, go for it! Make sure that $300 includes that.
Hell, 4 nights for $300? For $37.50 each per day (plus tips) you could spend that much on the land just for food.
The will nickel and dime you to death but if you don't play their game you will be fine. When you boared they will take your credit card info. and
you simply sign for everythin for the entire time. The drinks are expensive and it's soooo easy to just sign for them.
Lots and lots of corny fun and I am not even sure it's worth getting off the ship at the ports of call.
Don't forget to go to the napkin or towel folding class, so you can make all sorts of great animals out of an ordinary towel or napkin. Naturally
have a couple of coktails first!
If you do go, U2U me and I will give you some major money saving tips.
Howard
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Would never go on a cruise unless I had a balcony room.
Spend the extra money and do a 7 night trip
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
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Mood: TEQUILA!
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I'm with Terry on this one. I've been on several of them (about 14, all to either Alaska or Mexico).
Pay the extra $ and take a small balcony room. We've even been in the Captain's sweet...great for extra space, but you don't see any more.
For the three day, take a cabin on the left side (port side)
If you fall for the extras, count on about another $500.00+ (drinks, optional dining, beers, soft drinks, photos, duty-free shopping, gambling, etc.)
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8970
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
If you fall for the extras, count on about another $500.00+ (drinks, optional dining, beers, soft drinks, photos, duty-free shopping, gambling, etc.)
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This is the part where I would have a problem. I would bring my own liquor and soft drinks on the ship - walking to the stores from the ports of call
myself. No Taxis, no one to run errands for me, etc.
Truthfully, Ensenada (Ruta de Vino) by Jeep sounds so much easier and less expensive.
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Islandbuilder
Senior Nomad
Posts: 555
Registered: 11-9-2011
Location: nob
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Mood: bewildered
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As the operator of an "Un-Cruise Ship" I would be appalled if you went and enjoyed yourself. Most folks on here seem to be more hands-on adventurers
than many of the people I see wandering Juneau or Ketchikan.
If you want to see Ensenada and Cabo (and why, at least as far as Cabo is concerned, would you?) you'll get more out of wandering on your own when
there's no ship in port than you will joining your new 3000 friends as they experience the "Cruise ship in town special pricing" shopping of the port
towns.
When we go through Juneau in early May, the stores aimed at cruise guests (and owned by the cruise lines) are just taking down their plywood window
covers. The day the windows are opened up, the 70% Off Sale signs go up, and stay there until they're packed up in September and moved to Cabo or
Nassau.
Why willingly subject yourself to that?!
I will admit that I'm intrigued by the engineering behind the sceens in the big ships, but not enough so that I'm willing to risk Legionaire's disease
to check it out first hand.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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??????
| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
This is the part where I would have a problem. I would bring my own liquor and soft drinks on the ship - walking to the stores from the ports of call
myself. No Taxis, no one to run errands for me, etc. . |
Actually, you are "prohibited" from bringing your own alcohol/soft drinks aboard. When you board, it's just like an airport. You have to go through a
metal detector and again after every time you get off the ship. Not sure if they are x-raying luggage yet.
If you buy bottles of alcohol on shore, they "hold it" for you till you disembark.
Best bet is to get the soft drink package for the ship and get your fill of beer/alcohol on the port stops.....why pay $5 for a beer on the ship when
you can get one off the ship for $1.
No cash transactions on board.......they charge EVERYTHING to your credit card.
[Edited on 1-6-2012 by bajaguy]
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bajamedic
Nomad
Posts: 392
Registered: 12-5-2008
Location: Northern California
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Mood: Just waitin for baja
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I did the seven day cruise with Royal Caribbean, out of San Pedro as part of my honeymoon in 2004. We stopped in Ensenada, Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerto
Vallarta; I would gladly do it again, as I have many very affectionate memories  on that trip. Mazatlan was the only city that I wished that we would have just stayed on the ship. And yes the honeymoon part was
memorable, but getting out and exploring the sites both in and around each of the city’s left us ready to visit again. JH
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6364
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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That's what we did after our second cruise.
They never check your LUGGAGE on the way in. Hide the drinks in the closet or drawers.
| Quote: | | Originally posted by Ken Cooke I would bring my own liquor and soft drinks on the ship |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8970
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Udo
That's what we did after our second cruise.
They never check your LUGGAGE on the way in. Hide the drinks in the closet or drawers.
| Quote: | | Originally posted by Ken Cooke I would bring my own liquor and soft drinks on the ship |
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Thanks for the tip, Udo!
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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Ken....
That cruise originates out of San Pedro....for many years. Cruising is good only if you want to lay back....and get a "taste" the areas the ship is
pulling in. The port calls are short. If you wish to get away for the port "area" and travel outward...consider taxi fare and such. Cruising is great
for taking kids on...the wife perhaps...certainly Grandma and Grandpa. Just dont expect to see the "country much". We cruise.....only when the wife
demands it......
The Baja cruise is good for the fare cost.....if you feel like relaxing. The food sucks. They will nickel and dime you to death.
Hey.....cruise over to Catalina!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The wife will love you for that. Catalina is like going to Caribbean.
[Edited on 1-7-2012 by mcfez]
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
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Mood: Optimistic
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No brainer. Just Go.
Waste quality time with your gal?... because you're thinking about saving a few bucks?
Naw, you know better.
In fact, go POSH.
Portside Out, Starboard Home.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Packoderm
Super Nomad
Posts: 2116
Registered: 11-7-2002
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Late last summer, my son and my sister took a 4 day cruise from L.A. to Catalina Island to Ensenada and back. The cruise cost a little over $350 each
of which my son paid his own way with his allowance money he saved during the year. My son bought a pendant thing that got him unlimited soft drinks
on board. That didn't cost too much. The meals are free. They took the shuttle to La Bufadora, and my son says he liked that a lot. Don't listen to
the haters. Cruises are fun and cool in their lame kind of way. Bring a swimsuit.
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
Location: Bat Cave
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Mood: Sling time!
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here is why i don't like cruises:
no.1 the bars and casinos on board are a total ripoff as far as drinks, beers, wine - WINE!! That is a huge cash cow for them and revenue stream. If
you like to drink especially on vaca - expect to spend thru the nose unless you only have one or 2. If you want to get a good buzz or polish a full
bottle of good wine - will cost you plenty - daily!
here's how some friends do it. and they love cruises.
they pack rum inside plastic large shampoo and conditioner bottles. they have never gotten busted. for a 7 day deal they bring plenty of shampoo
etc... and on shore leave they enjoy plenty of cheap booze before re embarking so a buzz has begun, then toddies on the balcony.
the food is good tho and too much of it.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
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Mood: mellow
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| Quote: | Originally posted by capt. mike
here's how some friends do it. and they love cruises.
they pack rum inside plastic large shampoo and conditioner bottles. they have never gotten busted. for a 7 day deal they bring plenty of shampoo
etc... |
And here I thought I invented this.
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24baja
Senior Nomad
Posts: 952
Registered: 2-3-2009
Location: Grants Pass Oregon/Bahia de Los Angeles
Member Is Offline
Mood: Wishing we were in BOLA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
This is the part where I would have a problem. I would bring my own liquor and soft drinks on the ship - walking to the stores from the ports of call
myself. No Taxis, no one to run errands for me, etc. . |
Actually, you are "prohibited" from bringing your own alcohol/soft drinks aboard. When you board, it's just like an airport. You have to go through a
metal detector and again after every time you get off the ship. Not sure if they are x-raying luggage yet.
If you buy bottles of alcohol on shore, they "hold it" for you till you disembark.
Best bet is to get the soft drink package for the ship and get your fill of beer/alcohol on the port stops.....why pay $5 for a beer on the ship when
you can get one off the ship for $1.
No cash transactions on board.......they charge EVERYTHING to your credit card.
[Edited on 1-6-2012 by bajaguy] |
Our friends got around the alcohol rule by filling several camel bags and puting them in their luggage. Apparently they exray the luggage, but since
it is not in a bottle they don't have a clue. If you go, have a good time
[Edited on 1-7-2012 by 24baja]
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Howard
Super Nomad
Posts: 2353
Registered: 11-13-2007
Location: Loreto/Manhattan Beach/Kona
Member Is Offline
Mood: I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done.
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Necessity is the mother on invention !
Got one better for the booze. I took my nephews on the cruise and I gave them one assignment. Figure out how to smuggle vodka and gin on the ship.
This is genius.
They took 2 very large bottles of Listerine in plastic bottles and cleaned them out thoroughly. Poured the vodka in and added food coloring to match
the exact color of Listerine. Worked perfectly and if they asked, of which they did not, we were going to tell them it was Dr. orders to gargle
multiple times a day.
The ships only serve juice in the morning, so stock up in the A.M. and get ready for your Happy Hour later that day!
Got to love the younger generation.
We don't stop playing because we grow old;
we grow old because we stop playing
George Bernard Shaw
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4848
Registered: 9-27-2006
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NO.
We took a western Caribbean cruise in 1991 and haven't done another one. We flew into Miami and spent a day and night there before we left. The
cruise was fine, good value, but all I have wanted to do since in thinking about the trip, is to go back to South Beach and travel down to the Keys
and go fishing.
That is how I'd spend my "cruise" money.
Ken
[Edited on 1-7-2012 by tripledigitken]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8970
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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I have seen deals for appox. $150/4 nights including Ensenada and Cabo. For the price, I think it would be fun and not cost too much money out of
pocket (if I bring my own shampoo).
In 2006, I took a 4 hr. ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, and it was a great experience - getting to travel and be among the Scandinavians and
Europeans. Not having to worry about driving (since Leidys does not know how) will be a treat. If we can find a deal that takes us to Baja for
$300-$400 combined, I will go for it.
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AmyPNW
Newbie
Posts: 17
Registered: 1-4-2012
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My husband loves cruises and we do them regularly. We went on a 3-4 night cheap cruise once and thoroughly enjoyed it. Well, except for the one day
storm that even made half the crew sick and took out electricity and knocked down trees on shore. But that was a rare occurrence. It was cheaper
than lodging, transportation and food combined off the cruise (not counting liquor.)
Just check out the reviews on your cruise line and ship, what is included in the price and if you like the ports of call. Most of the short Baja
cruises I googled only went to Ensenada and maybe Catalina and the price didn't include taxes and gratuities. If it really is $300 for two people for
everything (except maybe liquor, soft drinks and excursions) it should be a fun get-away for a few days.
Unless you're dying to try one of the excursions, and there are some good ones, walk past the obvious ship business in port to the public
transportation and check with the locals. I have had some great times doing that.
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