|
This cruise was listed at a very good rate. We booked our cruise & then flight from Seattle to San Diego thru Celebrity's Choice Air. Our arrival was 1:57 pm. Originally we were to board a bus to Ensenada directly from the airport. About 10 days prior to the start of the cruise on Nov. 1st, we received an e-mail stating "to further enhance or enjooyment of the cruise, we would be transferred by bus to the San Diego cruise pier, then board buses to Ensenada, and that a "catered lunch and refreshments would be provided."
We waited for a bus to the San D. Pier, arriving at 3:30 pm, where we discovered that there was no longer any kind of food or beverage left. A staff member asctually told me " we didn't know how many people would be arriving." Don't they know how many bus transfers they had? Ridiculous. We waited an hour for a bus. As we boarded we were given a bottle of water and a package of crackers. We had had no lunch--others who had traveled a greater distancer than we, hadn't eaten all day.
The bus was held up at the border for over an hour, then several times during the 60 mile trip to Ensenada, forced to the shoulder by Mexican police and made to wait an additional time, up to an hour. What should have taken no more than an hour or so lasted 6 hours. We arrived at about 10 pm to get leftovers from the buffet, the first time we had eaten all day.
On board, we discovered that most of the other buses to ensenada had had simalr problems. Do NOT take a cruise with an itinerary starting in Ensenada. Yes, Celebrity was at the mercy of border officials and the Federales, but they need to change this itinerary: board in San Diego and then sail to Ensenada to satisfy the Jones Act requirement of a foreign port of call.
Century is a fine old ship, due for refurbishing but attractive and well-laid out; we enjoyed the serivce and food, but the start of this cruise put a damper on our first few days, as it did for everyone else we talked to aboard the ship. NEVER AGAIN
|
