From the Midwest we flew to San Diego, arriving at 9:30. Celebrity took our luggage to load onto the Century - docked in San Diego - but made us wait until 11 to be bused to the pier. Fortunately we had a bit to eat at the airport, unaware how long it would be before we had a decent meal again.
At 11 we were taken to the pier and checked in. The Century was there, but we couldn't board it in San Diego. We were "fed" rolls and small sandwiches (one type), which didn't help my gluten-free wife. Meanwhile the Century set sail for Ensenada, to which we were to be bused. We weren't loaded on our bus until 2:30, and the driver said it would be a 2-3 hour drive, but he guaranteed it would only be 2. Actually it was a painfully long, slow drive of five hours! At the border we were given Mexican immigration forms to fill out in Spanish (which we and most others couldn't speak or read, much less write). There and later we saw Mexican teenagers with machine guns hanging around, presumably as protection.
In Ensenada, at the ship, we were told to leave our bags (the ones with our valuables, our other luggage having been taken onto the ship at San Diego) to speed things up - just walk through security and our bags would be brought in for us. No, no! Again teenagers with guns hanging around, and everyone revolted - we were NOT going to abandon our bags, we would take them through security with us. This was eventually allowed, but the staff warned us it would delay things.