Love how you Ben and David all connect and go together. At least you have travel partners and makes is safer for you. Sean made sure that happened so he knew you would be safe.
My wife and I got off the ship and just walked around Ensenada on our own. We’re in our 70’s and didn’t feel unsafe at all. It was our first time there and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. There are several cities in the USA that I wouldn’t feel safe in.
Glad you felt safe in Ensenada. It wasn’t the nicest experience for me but I did feel fine being with my group. I wouldn’t recommend go out there solo. And yep, there are a lot of US cities that I wouldn’t feel safe exploring alone as well. Saying another city is unsafe doesn’t make another safe
My husband and I have been on 32 cruises with NCL. Sometimes we don't even get off the ship if it is a sketchy place like Mexico. It is wonderful to stay on the ship when everyone is off and you have the ship to yourself.
I love that you travel with Ben and David and know they love traveling with you! I live in CA and have done a lot of the W. Coast cruises. Ensenada is known for being filthy and nasty. It's kind of a throw away port. The cruise lines should try to figure another place to hit, cuz there's just nothing there. Great video as usual Stef!
Stef love your honesty about how you felt in port and you did it with a ☺ it is wonderful that you travel with Ben and David and family. Sean is making sure you are always safe. Looking forward to your next adventure. Xoxo
I am so glad you did not give up youtube awhile back. I am also so happy that Ben & David are there for you and there with you to enjoy life. I hope to meet you all some day.
Thank you for all the love and support. I am very thankful to have B&D in my life. They are such great friends. It would be awesome to cruise together one day 😊
Stef, my husband and I took a California coastal cruise in 2017 and had the same experience in Ensenada. We have another California coastal at the end of March (yay!), and we are staying on the ship on Ensenada day. I'm so glad you were with a group, especially Ben and David's group! I'm with you - I would have run back to the ship.
It’s such a shame it is in such a bad state. If I wasn’t with everyone I definitely would have gone back. Spidey senses were like danger danger danger 😂
I love a nice Calif coastal cruise. Even though hubby and I are both from CA, born and raised, we love that itinerary. There's nothing like sailing away under the Golden Gate Bridge after a beautiful day in SF. We pretend the Ensenada portion is nothing but a grungy sea day.
I'm booked on the Bliss for November of 2023. We are scheduled to stop in Ensenada, but I had already decided to make it a ship day. We are also going to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Cabo. Plenty of opportunity to see the better parts of Mexico. Thank you for your honesty. As a female solo traveler, safety is always at the top of my list.
Please only take shore excursions through the ship, not independently in those ports. Native Southern Californian here, and everywhere in Mexico is unsafe for a lone female.
Yeah, Ensenada is a tour-only port. Or better yet, a nice day to spend chilling out on the ship! I really enjoyed the winery tour I did through NCL a couple years ago, especially the ride home in a bus full of wine-enhanced cruisers singing along with the driver's radio. I've also really enjoyed my last couple visits to Ensenada which were spent drinking Johnny Rockets milkshakes on the sun deck.
My mother and I did a very similar shore excursion as to what you did in Ensenada and it was through the cruise line and we still didn’t feel super safe walking through that market, so I totally agree with you about going in a group definitely not alone.
Oh that’s great to know. Thank you. I want to check out the food and wine scene the next time I am there. I’ll have to look for something like that through the cruise line
Nothing privileged about being stalked and cased by people around you. The area that we were in was not safe and it was also not close to the pier. The bus took us farther away to a private area that was sketchy. I said in the video that I would take a private tour through the cruise line if I were to visit again. Im sure there are some nice areas in Ensenada, unfortunately we did not see them
I lived in Southern California for several years and would never venture out into Ensenada! Very dangerous area. We did a 7-day Mexican Riviera on the Bliss in 2019 and it was fabulous. Ensenada was not one of our ports of call thankfully. Thanks for your honest evaluation and warnings.
I totally agree with you (as a native southern Californian!) Before we all turned 21, I had many friends who would go into Rosarito and Ensenada to drink - everyone always came back sick (from bad alcohol or food) and would get shaken down by the local cops for cash. I don’t understand why the cruise lines would want to stop there, although I’m sure it’s just to have a foreign port on the itinerary to comply with the passenger vessel laws.
We absolutely loved our wine tour in Ensenda that we booked through NCL! We had the best guide ever and loved their wine. I would highly recommend - our highlight of the cruise!!!
I had heard this about Ensenada but you definitely verified what I thought about that port. So glad you had buddies along with you. We LOVE all your videos!!!! -Melissa
I've been curious about the port of Ensenada and as a single female cruiser I really appreciate the heads up Stef. Takes courage sometimes to voice an honest review of a port.
Thank you for your kind words. I don’t like to be negative and I try to find good in things (which there were some lovely parts of the day. The blowhole was really cool) but needing to find a corner to back myself into just to avoid the men that were circling around me, was not a good feeling. I would love to go back and take a cruise tour to one of the wineries. They look lovely.
I'm so sorry about Ensenada being such a dive. It's horrible! We got off once in our first cruise and never again. We're from the West Coast, so we've done the Mexican Riviera several times and we never get off the ship. We pretend it's all just marvelous sea days and no land. We've only been on one NCL cruise. We didn't like the food at all on the Pearl but it looks like it's much improved from 10+ years ago. I'm so glad you were safe with B&D and the others. If only to be as oblivious as Oscar in port. You've made me really want to see Six! ❤👸🏽👸🏻👸🏼👸🏽👸🏽👸🏿
Ensenada wasn’t the greatest but I would like to check out the wine but through a cruise tour only. I totally get pretending it’s a sea day too. NCL seems to be hit or miss with food these days. Sometimes it is great and sometimes it’s not that good. Sorry you had a bad experience on the Pearl. Definitely recommend giving Norwegian another try. Loved traveling with B&D. We had such a great time. I was honored to be a part of their family during the time we were in California
Interesting video! We did that cruise on Bliss last March and we really enjoyed it. So much so that we did an Alaska cruise on Bliss in August. We really enjoyed that ship a lot. We love the Observation Lounge and The Local. I’m glad you are doing well.
Love the Bliss! It is a fantastic ship and my favorite NCL ship that I have been on. I bet Alaska was beautiful on the Bliss. I hope to get there one day. Glad you had a great cruise 😊
You made it further in Ensenada than I did! Solo mobility challenged traveler...waited 25 minutes for an Accessible van into town and never got off. Didn't feel it would be wise, even if the driver thought I was crazy!
Clicked on a couple of ad's. Not sure if it helps you financially, but worth a try. Thanks for the information. We may be doing a west coast cruise this year.
It’s all right. It happens. I’m just thankful I was there with a group. Sometimes you can wing it when it comes to a port and sometimes you have to plan an excursion. You don’t know until you go. This one is a definite cruise line tour port for me in the future
I am sorry you didn't have a good experience in Ensenada. We were on the same cruise as you. We did the winery tour through the ship. Went to an old family one and a newer one. They were excellent! I recommend that if you go back. After, we went across the street to the old hotel. They claim to have invented the margarita. It was the best we've ever had!
Six is a fantastic show! Saw it when it first came out on the Bliss three years ago, just prior to Covid. One of the two playwrights, Toby Marlow, was onboard the ship at the time as well.
I have discovered that I like O'Sheenan's more than The Local from atmosphere to the food quality. Glad you were not alone in port. So happy you had a good cruise with your buddies!
Steph you were very brave going there,I love b&d you can’t beat them 2 beautiful brilliant men so happy you are friends with them. Looking forward to seeing you on your next cruise, yes sean is always with you and looking after and helping you,he is by your side always xxxx
Next time you come to California, you need to take the 7 day cruise to Mexico. It takes you to Cabo, and the beautiful cities of Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. The weather is fabulous, the people are gracious and both cities are clean. You will not be disappointed.
I solo cruise to Ensenada a lot, living here in So Cal. I usually stay onboard, nothing like feeling alone on the ship. Find a lounge, read a book and sip a drink.
Was in Costa Maya on the NCL Pearl and, ventured just into the shopping area alone. Was called to "Come see what I have in the back of my store" (kept walking, avoided eye contact!) and in the large store where I purchased my souvenirs, one of the clerks (male) came up to me and said "Pretty lady, I have three children at home who need a mother. Will you be their mother?". You can believe I bought my stuff and practically ran back to the ship! Never more scared in my life.
I know you miss him in immeasurably greater ways, and I didn't know him other than from the videos of you and him (and I was following before), but I miss him too. He would be so happy with you, and for you. He would be proud. That might seem trite from an unknown subscriber, but I had something less tragic but similar once.
The 1st my husband and I went to Ensenada and it was for sure a place we wouldn't want to go to again. We were always having people trying to nickel and dime us. We went to the wine tour and we didn't drink wine. But, there was so many drugs, beggers, peddlers and pick pockets. It was my husband and I on our anniversary cruise and it was the 1st cruise we went on. We live in Southern Utah and we are about 7 hours from the port. But, we won't do that cruise again. I'm planning on booking our next cruise with Don since I watch his channel and so many other cruise channels like Ben and David, Tony at la Vida Loca. I started watching the cruise channels about a year before the pandemic. Thankfully I wasn't ready to book a cruise to Alaska before the pandemic. I was planning on a cruise in the summer of 2020. Since the pandemic happened, I learned a lot more about cruising and now I feel comfortable enough to book. But, the cruise you're on won't be one of them. We are wanting to do the Alaskan cruise next summer.
I've always been told not to book a tour that isn't through the cruise line because if you run into issues getting back in time they will just leave you.
That is a really great rule of thumb to have while cruising. Taking a ship sponsored excursion guarantees the ship will wait for you if things run late (which has happened to me before). We always recommend that if you are taking a private tour, make sure you are in port for longer than 6 hours and find a tour that fits comfortably inside the hours you are in port, with plenty of buffer time on the back end to get back to the ship on time. Private tours are great and typically there are more offerings and at a cheaper rate but do a lot of research on reviews from previous customers. That will tell you a lot about their time management and tour quality. Not every tour is created equal so definitely recommend doing some homework.
OMG… Steph, I LOVE Six as well…. Tried to see it twice on the Breakaway but the second showing was cancelled on our sailing which left me so glad I got into that first showing!!
We've done that La Bufadora tour through a Carnival cruise. Took awhile to get there but it was beautiful! The gauntlet market you have to go through to get there, just ignore the guys trying to sell you everything under the sun. The taco shop next to where the main parking is was so worth it though!
Hi, we were on the same cruise as you and we are sorry that we didn't meet you. Over all it was a good cruise with a few hiccups. We didn't dress warm enough for the cruise or our beach stay in LA the pool was too windy and cold for us. Ensenada was the low point, after walking around for an hour we returned to the ship and will stay aboard if we ever stop there again. We did not feel unsafe but I am a retired police officer. Back on board we did have lunch at the Local, the food has been downgraded from past visits though breakfast is still good.
I'm a Southern California native, and I would never get off the ship in Ensenada or anywhere there. Mexico is a dangerous place, worse than when I was younger. I was concerned when you said you were not going on a cruise tour; I'm glad you are OK. Thank you for being honest and forthright about it. A female alone in Mexico is risky, and a very bad idea. Be careful out there.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy your time. We don’t always get off of the ship because we’ve been there a lot. But with that said, there are fun things to do. We’ve gone shopping in Rosarito, had lobster in Puerto Nuevo, wine tasting, and off roading. One of our favorite leather shops is near downtown. We always make a point to pop into that store if we have time. We try to seek out new things to do each time.
It sounds like Roatan. Roatan outside the port area is downright scary when we were there. Granted, there was a contentious election (in Honduras) going on, but I am not sure things were much different before or after the election. We were just in Nassau and can't wait to see the new port construction finished! I think they said it will be done in May.
A week ago today we were in Ensenada I didn’t get off our ship having been before I didn’t care for it! We were only there for 3 hours on the way back from Hawaii enroute to San Francisco my husband and friends used the shuttle to go to town to pharmacy and straight back!
Wow… I had a totally different experience with the locals in Ensenada! I’m a guy so I wonder if that played a huge part. I did the exact same thing you did and did it all solo. The driver of the shuttle to the blow hole was so sweet and bought me a taco since I joked around with him on the ride entertaining everyone. I feel like Cozumel and Nassau were way more pushy on sales. Always bring some cash in the lower income ports, credit costs money so a lot don’t take it. Freeport is my least favorite port atm.
Reading all these comments, I thought Wow, am I the only one that has ever had a great time in Ensenada? I have never felt unsafe. Yes the venders can be a little pushy but nothing like Ocho Rios in Jamaica or Nassau. I really don't ever want to visit those ports again. I've never gotten sick either from eating any food in Ensenada. Actually I look forward to eating there when I get off the ship. But, I don't drink the water or get ice in my drink.
Oof! Yeah, Ensenada is an absolute Armpit! I Completely agree with you that this is the Worst port in the Western Hemisphere, as it has a reputation of!
We first visited Ensenada on a cruise in the 70's. It was fun then. We have returned many times and other than the wine tour would not recommend it. The only other port just as bad is Jamaica, but at least there the tour options are better. However, if you want to experience the world give Ensenada a try. If anything it makes you appreciative your life.
If you are ever back in that area, book the winery tour to the Valle de Guadaloupe via NCL. One of the best excursions I've taken at only $48 a person.
I have never been to Ensenada. My worst port was Belize. Now....this was my very first cruise ever. Maybe 10 years ago? Maybe it has changed. We were in a group of 9 and decided to walk down the street to a local "bar". I honestly didn't feel safe off of the port shopping area. While at the bar, i found a newspaper and read an article how some guy killed his father in law with a shotgun. The police tracked him down and found him on the side of the road with a "self inflicted shotgun wound to the back of the head" . Think about it. So, Belize is a "stay on the ship" for us.
My sister had beef to Ensenada before we did a 3 day cruise. She and I did walk from the ship to town ourselves as she knew where there was a great chocolate shop. We ate lunch there and then wandered the side streets shopping and looking at buildings. Back at the chocolate shop we found they also owned a massage business so we walked over to check it out and ended up having an amazing hour massage from ladies we didn't understand but knew how to give therapeutic massages. on the way back to the ship a man suddenly ran out of a store in front of us and about 5 police cars screeched up all around him and us. i pulled my sister into a doorway as they all had guns drawn. She rook her phone our to film and i told her to put it away because she shouldn't film foreign police arresting someone. In about 10 minutes it was over and we went on our way, but close to the ship little kids were aggressively begging for food and money. We've been overseas so are used to this but for most US passengers it's uncomfortable. Being with my sister helped a lot, I wouldn't take this cruise alone or go to Mexico at all right now.
Im Filipino living in Ensenada for 4 years and I never seen any needles in the ground and Ensenada is nice and don’t be mean everywhere you go is not safe. You cannot just comment if you’re only in Ensenada for few hours 🙄
I was never being mean about Ensenada. I was simply stating what I saw and experienced in the area that we were in. There are places in New York City that I would never go to but I can’t say that crime doesn’t exist there because I haven’t seen it. I also never said do not visit Ensenada but rather said you should go through the cruise line with an organized excursion. I would love to come back to Ensenada and take a wine tour. I heard the wine and food is great in En. (which I also mentioned at the beginning). If you missed all of that, maybe rewatch. I was very factual with my experience
Hmmm. So you and Ben and David say the same thing about Ensenada. (I’ve been and have never seen anything like the needles you both mentioned). It’s a good video , but …to not know to already have cash as a seasoned cruiser in Mexican ports seems a bit strange . I’ve never heard of a walk-on bus that accepts anything but cash. I’ve done the winery excursion in Ensenada and loved it. No, It’s certainly not a wealthy or over commercialized area, and I wouldn’t eat in many towns in Mexico depending on location, though Cabo has some delicious places however!
No one said we didn’t have cash. We just didn’t have enough for the tour that was offered. Because I am a seasoned cruiser, I do not walk off the ship with large amounts of money. In my experience, if a place is asking for a large sum of money, they accept credit cards (which we also had). In hindsight we should have gone back to the ship but we really thought Ensenada was going to be beautiful. You never know what a port is going to be like until you experience it. I would love to go back and visit a winery. I use to live in Central Cali and would love to compare the wine
Love the video and the whole series. Your week in So Cal made me realize I live in a great city. I need to go to Disneyland soon I do not get off in Ensenada. I'm going on NCL Joy to Cabo and Ens. Taking an excursion in Cabo for whale watching. Living in Long Beach we are limited on destinations. I have gone north a few times from either LB or San Pedro. But most cruises go to Mex. I did book NCL Bliss for Alaska in Sept. Met some solos on the Getaway last June and we are heading to Alaska. My 3rd time but 2nd cruise. We really like NCL solo programs.
LA is such an awesome city. Sean & I lived in Paso Robles way back in the day and we would drive into LA almost every other weekend for Disney. Love Cali! Awesome about your upcoming Joy cruise. I would love to sail on that ship. Whale watching sounds amazing! I really like the Mexican Riviera. The scenery is fantastic. I would love to go back to Ensenada and take a cruise tour to a winery. Would love to compare the wine to central or northern Cali. Have a great time on your cruise! 😊
Oh Stef….I should have told you before you sailed that Ensenada was really a port to stay on board for. I used to sail down there a lot when I lived in CA and haven’t gotten off there in YEARS. It’s very dirty, somewhat dangerous, and you definitely can easily get Montezuma’s revenge there. You absolutely do NOT want to go into Ensenada alone. And La Bufadora is usually a waste of time. What a sucky way to end the cruise.
I’ve been to Ensenada many many times on Carnival and with all do respect your opinion is definitely your opinion based on your personal experiences. I have been on the La Bufadora tour they are aggressive and the guides get a kickback to refer you to shops but never have any said you will get sick if you eat the food, that’s a loss of money for them to turn you away. The guides do tell you if you’re not from Mexico the water will upset your stomach to drink closed containers bottled beverages etc you sorta exaggerated saying you starved while there was tons of food options that were sealed and safe. It’s a shame you say the Port was filthy as I’ve walked into the tour area and it’s heavily patrolled for tourists and beautifully clean! Your van ride wasn’t 2 hours it was 45 minutes each way you made it sound like it was the end of the world not to mention you complained about your food being cold. Based on all your complaints I believe you are very hard to please and this town was beneath you as your putting alot of negativity out there for those who have never been. Needles, never. It’s a good thing you won’t be wondering in their city again. Good luck to you.
I’m certainly glad you had a better experience than I did. I only spoke about the things that I experienced. I did not dramatize the conditions and judging from the other comments on this vid, I am not alone. Good luck to you with your travels and stay safe out there
If you think that was dirty don't get thru Castries St Lucia. Was there a few weeks ago on the Getaway and we dock at not the normal cruise pier but the working pier. The amount of trash in the city and along the roads was sad
Sad experience in Ensenada. We had the same reaction to the safety issues and no plan to get off in our next trip in March. Have you booked a solo cabin on Norwegian ships? I'm looking to travel solo later in the year. Would love your input. Glad you enjoyed California!!
Yo soy de Baja California y Ensenada me encanta, fuiste a la Bufadora, pero debiste ir a calle Segunda o a los viñedos. Mis niñas (dos y seis años) siempre se sienten contentas en la ciudad. Hay ciudades muy peligrosas y llenas de sustancias feas, Ensenada no lo es.
Me alegra que tengas grandes experiencias en Ensenada. Esa no fue mi experiencia y, a juzgar por estos comentarios, no estoy solo. Mantente a salvo ahí fuera (I am glad you have great experiences in Ensenada. That was not my experience and judging from these comments, I am not alone. Be safe out there)
Cabo was fantastic. I think Ensenada would be great with a cruise line tour. They are known for their food and wine so if I go back, I’ll be looking for one of those to take
5 days is really short. A cruise line tour would be great in Ensenada. The next time I am there I really want to check out the food and wine….on an organized tour, lol
been in this port a lot. you just have to know what to do there. we have toured and walked a ton of places. is it perfect... no but its a real world city not a cruise port.
Yes Ensenada is not great. There are cruises from the west coast that stop at Catalina Island which is so much better. The 7 day itinerary to Mexico stop in Cabo, Matzalan and Puerto Vallarta, so much better!
Hi Stef. I was there many years ago. There was a 10 year old little boy trying to sell us his 6 year old sister. He wanted $20. I told him to go away. He kept following us. All I could think of was, get me out of here and how sad that was. I haven't been back.
I was on this same cruise last week. Did the blowhole and winery tour. I liked the blowhole but walking through all those vendors was ridiculous. Would never do that tour again. Luckily it only cost me $9 bucks. I got food poisoning the last night on the Bliss. Had the country fried chicken at Taste. I will never eat chicken again on a cruise ship.
I was kind of insulted about the way you describe Ensenada BUT then I remembered I've been going since I was a kid and I don't really like it either. Got off last year when we were on a Carnival Cruise and it reinforced my distaste for the beach city. Sure there are nice things you can do but definitely not there where you guys went which is where we ended up as well and I regretted it for sure. Going back in April and definitely staying on the ship.
@seanandstef My uncle and aunt have cruised down there as well and they say the same thing: do an axcursion, and thats coming from my uncle who used to go and party down there in his younger days!
Love how you Ben and David all connect and go together. At least you have travel partners and makes is safer for you. Sean made sure that happened so he knew you would be safe.
Sean totally watches over me for sure. I know he put B&D in my life to be friends forever. I love traveling with them ❤️
So sorry to hear about your experience.
My wife and I got off the ship and just walked around Ensenada on our own. We’re in our 70’s and didn’t feel unsafe at all. It was our first time there and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. There are several cities in the USA that I wouldn’t feel safe in.
Glad you felt safe in Ensenada. It wasn’t the nicest experience for me but I did feel fine being with my group. I wouldn’t recommend go out there solo. And yep, there are a lot of US cities that I wouldn’t feel safe exploring alone as well. Saying another city is unsafe doesn’t make another safe
Thank you Stef for being so real about what the port was like a lot of other people would have tried to gloss it over.
Can't say enough how much I admire your heart, spirit & drive!!
Thank you for all the support and love ❤️
My husband and I have been on 32 cruises with NCL. Sometimes we don't even get off the ship if it is a sketchy place like Mexico. It is wonderful to stay on the ship when everyone is off and you have the ship to yourself.
So glad to see you traveling with my sweet Ben and David, they are the best. Love you Steph ❤
I love that you travel with Ben and David and know they love traveling with you! I live in CA and have done a lot of the W. Coast cruises. Ensenada is known for being filthy and nasty. It's kind of a throw away port. The cruise lines should try to figure another place to hit, cuz there's just nothing there. Great video as usual Stef!
So glad to see Ben and David with you.
Stef love your honesty about how you felt in port and you did it with a ☺ it is wonderful that you travel with Ben and David and family. Sean is making sure you are always safe. Looking forward to your next adventure. Xoxo
I am so glad you did not give up youtube awhile back. I am also so happy that Ben & David are there for you and there with you to enjoy life. I hope to meet you all some day.
Thank you for all the love and support. I am very thankful to have B&D in my life. They are such great friends. It would be awesome to cruise together one day 😊
The Bliss was great on our cruise last year.. The food and shows were outstanding. The adult area on the aft of the ship nice place to hang out.
I was on my cruise for 10 days and sea bands really worked for me. Thank you for the videos.
Stef, my husband and I took a California coastal cruise in 2017 and had the same experience in Ensenada. We have another California coastal at the end of March (yay!), and we are staying on the ship on Ensenada day. I'm so glad you were with a group, especially Ben and David's group! I'm with you - I would have run back to the ship.
It’s such a shame it is in such a bad state. If I wasn’t with everyone I definitely would have gone back. Spidey senses were like danger danger danger 😂
I love a nice Calif coastal cruise. Even though hubby and I are both from CA, born and raised, we love that itinerary. There's nothing like sailing away under the Golden Gate Bridge after a beautiful day in SF.
We pretend the Ensenada portion is nothing but a grungy sea day.
Steff, It was difficult to watch you so stressed but you handled it superbly. Thanks for the adventure and can't wait for the next one.
I'm booked on the Bliss for November of 2023. We are scheduled to stop in Ensenada, but I had already decided to make it a ship day. We are also going to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Cabo. Plenty of opportunity to see the better parts of Mexico. Thank you for your honesty. As a female solo traveler, safety is always at the top of my list.
Please only take shore excursions through the ship, not independently in those ports. Native Southern Californian here, and everywhere in Mexico is unsafe for a lone female.
I’m booked on the Bliss in November too 😊
@@vickiavery2732 on the 12th? We are going from the 12th to the 19th.
I'm booked on the Bliss in November. Planning to buy a shore excursion. Don't like to stay on the ship.
Yeah, Ensenada is a tour-only port. Or better yet, a nice day to spend chilling out on the ship! I really enjoyed the winery tour I did through NCL a couple years ago, especially the ride home in a bus full of wine-enhanced cruisers singing along with the driver's radio. I've also really enjoyed my last couple visits to Ensenada which were spent drinking Johnny Rockets milkshakes on the sun deck.
Six has been my favorite show on NCL. High energy !
My mother and I did a very similar shore excursion as to what you did in Ensenada and it was through the cruise line and we still didn’t feel super safe walking through that market, so I totally agree with you about going in a group definitely not alone.
Oh that’s great to know. Thank you. I want to check out the food and wine scene the next time I am there. I’ll have to look for something like that through the cruise line
I'm so glad to see you back, you are my absolute favorite!!!
Ensenada is safe to go . It seem that you are privileged. It really nice to be with the locals and it a nice walk from the pier.
Nothing privileged about being stalked and cased by people around you. The area that we were in was not safe and it was also not close to the pier. The bus took us farther away to a private area that was sketchy. I said in the video that I would take a private tour through the cruise line if I were to visit again. Im sure there are some nice areas in Ensenada, unfortunately we did not see them
I lived in Southern California for several years and would never venture out into Ensenada! Very dangerous area. We did a 7-day Mexican Riviera on the Bliss in 2019 and it was fabulous. Ensenada was not one of our ports of call thankfully. Thanks for your honest evaluation and warnings.
I totally agree with you (as a native southern Californian!) Before we all turned 21, I had many friends who would go into Rosarito and Ensenada to drink - everyone always came back sick (from bad alcohol or food) and would get shaken down by the local cops for cash. I don’t understand why the cruise lines would want to stop there, although I’m sure it’s just to have a foreign port on the itinerary to comply with the passenger vessel laws.
Hi Stef, just stopped by to say you are amazing. God bless and stay strong.
We absolutely loved our wine tour in Ensenda that we booked through NCL! We had the best guide ever and loved their wine. I would highly recommend - our highlight of the cruise!!!
Thank God for awesome Guy's like Ben & David , tht Port looked very scary and glad u enjoyed yourselves 💕💕👍
I had heard this about Ensenada but you definitely verified what I thought about that port. So glad you had buddies along with you. We LOVE all your videos!!!! -Melissa
So glad you had a wonderful trip with Ben & David and family, glad you have so much support.
It was such a great trip. I am blessed to have them in my life ❤️
I've been curious about the port of Ensenada and as a single female cruiser I really appreciate the heads up Stef. Takes courage sometimes to voice an honest review of a port.
Thank you for your kind words. I don’t like to be negative and I try to find good in things (which there were some lovely parts of the day. The blowhole was really cool) but needing to find a corner to back myself into just to avoid the men that were circling around me, was not a good feeling. I would love to go back and take a cruise tour to one of the wineries. They look lovely.
I'm so sorry about Ensenada being such a dive. It's horrible! We got off once in our first cruise and never again. We're from the West Coast, so we've done the Mexican Riviera several times and we never get off the ship. We pretend it's all just marvelous sea days and no land.
We've only been on one NCL cruise. We didn't like the food at all on the Pearl but it looks like it's much improved from 10+ years ago.
I'm so glad you were safe with B&D and the others. If only to be as oblivious as Oscar in port.
You've made me really want to see Six! ❤👸🏽👸🏻👸🏼👸🏽👸🏽👸🏿
Ensenada wasn’t the greatest but I would like to check out the wine but through a cruise tour only. I totally get pretending it’s a sea day too.
NCL seems to be hit or miss with food these days. Sometimes it is great and sometimes it’s not that good. Sorry you had a bad experience on the Pearl. Definitely recommend giving Norwegian another try.
Loved traveling with B&D. We had such a great time. I was honored to be a part of their family during the time we were in California
Interesting video! We did that cruise on Bliss last March and we really enjoyed it. So much so that we did an Alaska cruise on Bliss in August. We really enjoyed that ship a lot. We love the Observation Lounge and The Local. I’m glad you are doing well.
Love the Bliss! It is a fantastic ship and my favorite NCL ship that I have been on. I bet Alaska was beautiful on the Bliss. I hope to get there one day. Glad you had a great cruise 😊
You made it further in Ensenada than I did! Solo mobility challenged traveler...waited 25 minutes for an Accessible van into town and never got off. Didn't feel it would be wise, even if the driver thought I was crazy!
Sounds like a great end to your cruise. Glad you shared the information about Ensenada.
Clicked on a couple of ad's. Not sure if it helps you financially, but worth a try. Thanks for the information. We may be doing a west coast cruise this year.
Now I'm even more anxious to see SIX this spring at Playhouse Square in Cleveland!
Another great series Stef! Thanks for your honesty about Ensenada. Excited for your next adventure. 🛳🌊💙
Oh. Oh dear. I'm so sorry you had that experience. But, THANK YOU for being candid about it! You had a DAY. 🤦♀️
It’s all right. It happens. I’m just thankful I was there with a group. Sometimes you can wing it when it comes to a port and sometimes you have to plan an excursion. You don’t know until you go. This one is a definite cruise line tour port for me in the future
I am sorry you didn't have a good experience in Ensenada. We were on the same cruise as you. We did the winery tour through the ship. Went to an old family one and a newer one. They were excellent! I recommend that if you go back. After, we went across the street to the old hotel. They claim to have invented the margarita. It was the best we've ever had!
Great show! My daughters high school classmate was the Gold Queen in the Orlando show! Those girls were so nice!
Thanks. Heard you loud and clear. #book through the ship
Six is a fantastic show! Saw it when it first came out on the Bliss three years ago, just prior to Covid. One of the two playwrights, Toby Marlow, was onboard the ship at the time as well.
Thanks for your heads up. I too am now a solo traveller. I had a really bad experience in Cartegena. Do not go there alone
I have discovered that I like O'Sheenan's more than The Local from atmosphere to the food quality. Glad you were not alone in port. So happy you had a good cruise with your buddies!
Steph you were very brave going there,I love b&d you can’t beat them 2 beautiful brilliant men so happy you are friends with them. Looking forward to seeing you on your next cruise, yes sean is always with you and looking after and helping you,he is by your side always xxxx
Next time you come to California, you need to take the 7 day cruise to Mexico. It takes you to Cabo, and the beautiful cities of Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. The weather is fabulous, the people are gracious and both cities are clean. You will not be disappointed.
I solo cruise to Ensenada a lot, living here in So Cal. I usually stay onboard, nothing like feeling alone on the ship. Find a lounge, read a book and sip a drink.
Was in Costa Maya on the NCL Pearl and, ventured just into the shopping area alone. Was called to "Come see what I have in the back of my store" (kept walking, avoided eye contact!) and in the large store where I purchased my souvenirs, one of the clerks (male) came up to me and said "Pretty lady, I have three children at home who need a mother. Will you be their mother?". You can believe I bought my stuff and practically ran back to the ship! Never more scared in my life.
I know you miss him in immeasurably greater ways, and I didn't know him other than from the videos of you and him (and I was following before), but I miss him too. He would be so happy with you, and for you. He would be proud. That might seem trite from an unknown subscriber, but I had something less tragic but similar once.
I've been there twice alone including last summer. Walked around alone, shopped, ate, drank (used Google reviews) with no issues. ,
Yes that port looked dangerous glad you were with Ben and David so you were safe.
I saw Six 5 times. Its WONDERFUL.
The 1st my husband and I went to Ensenada and it was for sure a place we wouldn't want to go to again. We were always having people trying to nickel and dime us. We went to the wine tour and we didn't drink wine. But, there was so many drugs, beggers, peddlers and pick pockets. It was my husband and I on our anniversary cruise and it was the 1st cruise we went on. We live in Southern Utah and we are about 7 hours from the port. But, we won't do that cruise again. I'm planning on booking our next cruise with Don since I watch his channel and so many other cruise channels like Ben and David, Tony at la Vida Loca. I started watching the cruise channels about a year before the pandemic. Thankfully I wasn't ready to book a cruise to Alaska before the pandemic. I was planning on a cruise in the summer of 2020. Since the pandemic happened, I learned a lot more about cruising and now I feel comfortable enough to book. But, the cruise you're on won't be one of them. We are wanting to do the Alaskan cruise next summer.
Nice to see you back
Glad you got to see Six again since they are not showing it anymore.
I am so happy too. I can’t believe NCL is taking off the shows. That’s really sad
I've always been told not to book a tour that isn't through the cruise line because if you run into issues getting back in time they will just leave you.
That is a really great rule of thumb to have while cruising. Taking a ship sponsored excursion guarantees the ship will wait for you if things run late (which has happened to me before).
We always recommend that if you are taking a private tour, make sure you are in port for longer than 6 hours and find a tour that fits comfortably inside the hours you are in port, with plenty of buffer time on the back end to get back to the ship on time. Private tours are great and typically there are more offerings and at a cheaper rate but do a lot of research on reviews from previous customers. That will tell you a lot about their time management and tour quality. Not every tour is created equal so definitely recommend doing some homework.
OMG… Steph, I LOVE Six as well…. Tried to see it twice on the Breakaway but the second showing was cancelled on our sailing which left me so glad I got into that first showing!!
We've done that La Bufadora tour through a Carnival cruise. Took awhile to get there but it was beautiful! The gauntlet market you have to go through to get there, just ignore the guys trying to sell you everything under the sun. The taco shop next to where the main parking is was so worth it though!
Hi, we were on the same cruise as you and we are sorry that we didn't meet you. Over all it was a good cruise with a few hiccups. We didn't dress warm enough for the cruise or our beach stay in LA the pool was too windy and cold for us. Ensenada was the low point, after walking around for an hour we returned to the ship and will stay aboard if we ever stop there again. We did not feel unsafe but I am a retired police officer. Back on board we did have lunch at the Local, the food has been downgraded from past visits though breakfast is still good.
I'm a Southern California native, and I would never get off the ship in Ensenada or anywhere there. Mexico is a dangerous place, worse than when I was younger. I was concerned when you said you were not going on a cruise tour; I'm glad you are OK. Thank you for being honest and forthright about it. A female alone in Mexico is risky, and a very bad idea. Be careful out there.
Sending love. Heading to Bliss and Mexico in a year!
You said it was chilly on the ship. When was this cruise?
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy your time. We don’t always get off of the ship because we’ve been there a lot. But with that said, there are fun things to do. We’ve gone shopping in Rosarito, had lobster in Puerto Nuevo, wine tasting, and off roading. One of our favorite leather shops is near downtown. We always make a point to pop into that store if we have time. We try to seek out new things to do each time.
It sounds like Roatan. Roatan outside the port area is downright scary when we were there. Granted, there was a contentious election (in Honduras) going on, but I am not sure things were much different before or after the election. We were just in Nassau and can't wait to see the new port construction finished! I think they said it will be done in May.
A week ago today we were in Ensenada I didn’t get off our ship having been before I didn’t care for it! We were only there for 3 hours on the way back from Hawaii enroute to San Francisco my husband and friends used the shuttle to go to town to pharmacy and straight back!
Wow… I had a totally different experience with the locals in Ensenada! I’m a guy so I wonder if that played a huge part. I did the exact same thing you did and did it all solo. The driver of the shuttle to the blow hole was so sweet and bought me a taco since I joked around with him on the ride entertaining everyone. I feel like Cozumel and Nassau were way more pushy on sales. Always bring some cash in the lower income ports, credit costs money so a lot don’t take it.
Freeport is my least favorite port atm.
Reading all these comments, I thought Wow, am I the only one that has ever had a great time in Ensenada? I have never felt unsafe. Yes the venders can be a little pushy but nothing like Ocho Rios in Jamaica or Nassau. I really don't ever want to visit those ports again. I've never gotten sick either from eating any food in Ensenada. Actually I look forward to eating there when I get off the ship. But, I don't drink the water or get ice in my drink.
@@dawngrajeda exactly… everyone’s experiences are different but I’m glad we’re not alone!
It’s great to have great friends (Ben and David)
Be well
Steph I agree with you about Ensenada. I cruised to Ensenada in January & I was not impressed…..
wonder how ensenada rates with progreso? we thought progreso was a really bad place until we rode the bus into town and did some exploring.
Oof! Yeah, Ensenada is an absolute Armpit! I Completely agree with you that this is the Worst port in the Western Hemisphere, as it has a reputation of!
We first visited Ensenada on a cruise in the 70's. It was fun then. We have returned many times and other than the wine tour would not recommend it. The only other port just as bad is Jamaica, but at least there the tour options are better. However, if you want to experience the world give Ensenada a try. If anything it makes you appreciative your life.
If you are ever back in that area, book the winery tour to the Valle de Guadaloupe via NCL. One of the best excursions I've taken at only $48 a person.
This is EXACTLY what I want to do the next time I am in Ensenada. The area is known for its wine and I would love to taste it
I have never been to Ensenada. My worst port was Belize. Now....this was my very first cruise ever. Maybe 10 years ago? Maybe it has changed. We were in a group of 9 and decided to walk down the street to a local "bar". I honestly didn't feel safe off of the port shopping area. While at the bar, i found a newspaper and read an article how some guy killed his father in law with a shotgun. The police tracked him down and found him on the side of the road with a "self inflicted shotgun wound to the back of the head" . Think about it. So, Belize is a "stay on the ship" for us.
Thank you.
any port area is seedy. Mexico is great!
My sister had beef to Ensenada before we did a 3 day cruise. She and I did walk from the ship to town ourselves as she knew where there was a great chocolate shop. We ate lunch there and then wandered the side streets shopping and looking at buildings. Back at the chocolate shop we found they also owned a massage business so we walked over to check it out and ended up having an amazing hour massage from ladies we didn't understand but knew how to give therapeutic massages. on the way back to the ship a man suddenly ran out of a store in front of us and about 5 police cars screeched up all around him and us. i pulled my sister into a doorway as they all had guns drawn. She rook her phone our to film and i told her to put it away because she shouldn't film foreign police arresting someone. In about 10 minutes it was over and we went on our way, but close to the ship little kids were aggressively begging for food and money. We've been overseas so are used to this but for most US passengers it's uncomfortable. Being with my sister helped a lot, I wouldn't take this cruise alone or go to Mexico at all right now.
The chocolate syrup massage is amazing there I heard.....
Im Filipino living in Ensenada for 4 years and I never seen any needles in the ground and Ensenada is nice and don’t be mean everywhere you go is not safe. You cannot just comment if you’re only in Ensenada for few hours 🙄
I was never being mean about Ensenada. I was simply stating what I saw and experienced in the area that we were in. There are places in New York City that I would never go to but I can’t say that crime doesn’t exist there because I haven’t seen it. I also never said do not visit Ensenada but rather said you should go through the cruise line with an organized excursion. I would love to come back to Ensenada and take a wine tour. I heard the wine and food is great in En. (which I also mentioned at the beginning). If you missed all of that, maybe rewatch. I was very factual with my experience
We took a tequila and taco tour through the ship in Ensenada and felt fine. I don’t know if I would have gone by myself.
Great information!!
Hmmm. So you and Ben and David say the same thing about Ensenada. (I’ve been and have never seen anything like the needles you both mentioned). It’s a good video , but …to not know to already have cash as a seasoned cruiser in Mexican ports seems a bit strange . I’ve never heard of a walk-on bus that accepts anything but cash. I’ve done the winery excursion in Ensenada and loved it. No, It’s certainly not a wealthy or over commercialized area, and I wouldn’t eat in many towns in Mexico depending on location, though Cabo has some delicious places however!
No one said we didn’t have cash. We just didn’t have enough for the tour that was offered. Because I am a seasoned cruiser, I do not walk off the ship with large amounts of money. In my experience, if a place is asking for a large sum of money, they accept credit cards (which we also had). In hindsight we should have gone back to the ship but we really thought Ensenada was going to be beautiful. You never know what a port is going to be like until you experience it. I would love to go back and visit a winery. I use to live in Central Cali and would love to compare the wine
Love the video and the whole series. Your week in So Cal made me realize I live in a great city. I need to go to Disneyland soon
I do not get off in Ensenada. I'm going on NCL Joy to Cabo and Ens. Taking an excursion in Cabo for whale watching. Living in Long Beach we are limited on destinations. I have gone north a few times from either LB or San Pedro. But most cruises go to Mex. I did book NCL Bliss for Alaska in Sept. Met some solos on the Getaway last June and we are heading to Alaska. My 3rd time but 2nd cruise. We really like NCL solo programs.
LA is such an awesome city. Sean & I lived in Paso Robles way back in the day and we would drive into LA almost every other weekend for Disney. Love Cali!
Awesome about your upcoming Joy cruise. I would love to sail on that ship. Whale watching sounds amazing! I really like the Mexican Riviera. The scenery is fantastic. I would love to go back to Ensenada and take a cruise tour to a winery. Would love to compare the wine to central or northern Cali. Have a great time on your cruise! 😊
Oh Stef….I should have told you before you sailed that Ensenada was really a port to stay on board for. I used to sail down there a lot when I lived in CA and haven’t gotten off there in YEARS. It’s very dirty, somewhat dangerous, and you definitely can easily get Montezuma’s revenge there. You absolutely do NOT want to go into Ensenada alone. And La Bufadora is usually a waste of time. What a sucky way to end the cruise.
Wild times in Ensenada!
I’ve been to Ensenada many many times on Carnival and with all do respect your opinion is definitely your opinion based on your personal experiences. I have been on the La Bufadora tour they are aggressive and the guides get a kickback to refer you to shops but never have any said you will get sick if you eat the food, that’s a loss of money for them to turn you away. The guides do tell you if you’re not from Mexico the water will upset your stomach to drink closed containers bottled beverages etc you sorta exaggerated saying you starved while there was tons of food options that were sealed and safe. It’s a shame you say the Port was filthy as I’ve walked into the tour area and it’s heavily patrolled for tourists and beautifully clean! Your van ride wasn’t 2 hours it was 45 minutes each way you made it sound like it was the end of the world not to mention you complained about your food being cold. Based on all your complaints I believe you are very hard to please and this town was beneath you as your putting alot of negativity out there for those who have never been. Needles, never. It’s a good thing you won’t be wondering in their city again. Good luck to you.
I’m certainly glad you had a better experience than I did. I only spoke about the things that I experienced. I did not dramatize the conditions and judging from the other comments on this vid, I am not alone. Good luck to you with your travels and stay safe out there
Wait, they had Six (the broadway musical) on board???
They did and it was awesome! As good (or maybe a bit better) than the West End! These ladies rocked the house!
If you think that was dirty don't get thru Castries St Lucia. Was there a few weeks ago on the Getaway and we dock at not the normal cruise pier but the working pier. The amount of trash in the city and along the roads was sad
I just don't get off the ship when I cruise Mexico....
Sad experience in Ensenada. We had the same reaction to the safety issues and no plan to get off in our next trip in March.
Have you booked a solo cabin on Norwegian ships? I'm looking to travel solo later in the year. Would love your input.
Glad you enjoyed California!!
Yo soy de Baja California y Ensenada me encanta, fuiste a la Bufadora, pero debiste ir a calle Segunda o a los viñedos. Mis niñas (dos y seis años) siempre se sienten contentas en la ciudad. Hay ciudades muy peligrosas y llenas de sustancias feas, Ensenada no lo es.
Me alegra que tengas grandes experiencias en Ensenada. Esa no fue mi experiencia y, a juzgar por estos comentarios, no estoy solo. Mantente a salvo ahí fuera
(I am glad you have great experiences in Ensenada. That was not my experience and judging from these comments, I am not alone. Be safe out there)
Just stay on the ship and drink. That's what I did. There really aren't any Northern Mexico standouts.
When my cruise stopped in Ensenada, on its last night, it smelled like urine, so I didn't get off.
Thank for the info heading on bliss for back to back in November. How were the other ports?
Cabo was fantastic. I think Ensenada would be great with a cruise line tour. They are known for their food and wine so if I go back, I’ll be looking for one of those to take
5 days is waaayyyyy too short!! 6 days is also too short. Ensenada is a no, then. Thanks for doing it so that I don't have to.
5 days is really short. A cruise line tour would be great in Ensenada. The next time I am there I really want to check out the food and wine….on an organized tour, lol
been in this port a lot. you just have to know what to do there. we have toured and walked a ton of places. is it perfect... no but its a real world city not a cruise port.
Yes Ensenada is not great. There are cruises from the west coast that stop at Catalina Island which is so much better. The 7 day itinerary to Mexico stop in Cabo, Matzalan and Puerto Vallarta, so much better!
I never leave the secure area. I look in there. Guards all around very safe.
also the vendors at the blow hole are crazy. we dont go there.
Hi Stef. I was there many years ago. There was a 10 year old little boy trying to sell us his 6 year old sister. He wanted $20. I told him to go away. He kept following us. All I could think of was, get me out of here and how sad that was. I haven't been back.
Yikes! That’s so sad 😔
i'm cruising soon. a short 5 day 2 port: ensenada/san diego...and the only thing i want to do in ensenada is zipline.
That sounds awesome. I would love to do an organized tour the next time I am there. Have a great time!
I was on this same cruise last week. Did the blowhole and winery tour. I liked the blowhole but walking through all those vendors was ridiculous. Would never do that tour again. Luckily it only cost me $9 bucks. I got food poisoning the last night on the Bliss. Had the country fried chicken at Taste. I will never eat chicken again on a cruise ship.
I would have loved to do a tour through the ship. Next time for sure. So sorry that you got food poisoning. That’s the worst
I was kind of insulted about the way you describe Ensenada BUT then I remembered I've been going since I was a kid and I don't really like it either. Got off last year when we were on a Carnival Cruise and it reinforced my distaste for the beach city. Sure there are nice things you can do but definitely not there where you guys went which is where we ended up as well and I regretted it for sure. Going back in April and definitely staying on the ship.
I would love to take a cruise sponsored tour the next time I am there. I just wouldn’t recommend winging it at this port
@seanandstef My uncle and aunt have cruised down there as well and they say the same thing: do an axcursion, and thats coming from my uncle who used to go and party down there in his younger days!
I was disappointed with Ensenada also
That is scary with the needles on the ground, no flip flops there that's for sure.
Yeah it wasn’t the best. I always get nervous with kids too cause they have tendencies to just sit down in random. places. That would be scary here