Carnival Paradise Cruise ~ Ensenada, Baja, Mexico

DH and I had such a fun time on our cruise to Baja, Mexico this past weekend!  It was our first cruise, but I don’t think it’ll be our last.  For the most part, the weather was absolutely gorgeous -- a little cool in the mornings and evenings, but sunny and warm during the day.  There was also the threat of rain late Sunday, but it never dampened our fun. 

Everything went smoothly and we had no problems at all – except that I mistakenly deleted all my pictures before uploading them to my computer!  My first instinct was to cry; but I quickly recovered because I knew DH and my BFFs had taken many pictures and knew they would share.

Day One, Friday: Embarkation, Long Beach, California – We got to the parking structure about 2:30 pm and had to walk down the 4 flights of stairs because the elevator was broken.  No problem.  Because we had registered online, we already had our boarding pass and luggage tags. We quickly gave our luggage to the porter and made our way to check in.  We had to wait in line for a short while, but it was not bad at all.  We received our “Sail & Sign” card (it’s not only your room key, but it’s also linked to your credit card for on-board purchases); and before we knew it, we were on board the ship!  It was such a smooth process.

By then, we were starving so we quickly found our way to the Lido Deck (10th floor) and a wonderful buffet of all you can eat at the Paris Restaurant!  By the time we finished eating, we’d made contact with my traveling buddies, Viv & Lori, who were sharing a room right next to us.  We had interior rooms on the 5th floor because we signed up late for the cruise, but we were all just happy to be on board! 

At 4:30 pm, everyone was required to attend a “Safety Briefing” – this is where they cover the emergency procedures with life jackets and life boats.  And, finally at 5:30 pm, we set sail and left the port of Long Beach.  DH and I were like little kids just running around the ship and taking in all the sights and action.  What a beautiful sunset to see!

We wandered around the ship for awhile … there are so many things to see and do!  There are several restaurants, a casino, shops, jogging track, pools/Jacuzzis, bars, music lounges … even a showroom! 

At 8:00 pm, we made our way to the Elation Restaurant for a late sit-down dinner.  We were pre-assigned our dinner time and table; and it remained the same for the rest of the cruise.  Dinner was fabulous!  Oh, did I mention, it’s all you can eat.  Sometime towards the end of dinner, all the servers got together to entertain us as they danced to “YMCA” by the Village People.  It was hilarious!

By 10:30 pm, we were beat and called it a night.  Our first night ever sleeping out at sea … we slept like logs!

Day Two, Saturday: Shore Excursion, Ensenada, Baja Mexico – By the time we woke up the next morning, we were already docked in Ensenada.  DH is an early riser, so he was up and at-em by 5:00 am.  I begged him to let me sleep in until 6:00 am!  By 7:00 am, we were sitting down eating breakfast at the Paris Restaurant.  It’s the most popular dining area because it’s open 24 hours and it’s a very casual affair, buffet-style.  It has 5 different food stations and 2 beverage stations.  I opted for hot oatmeal, lots of fruit, and coffee … gotta have my cup of java!

While my BFFs decided to sleep in and stay onboard, DH and I opted to take have some fun ashore.  There were several on-shore excursions to choose from, and we chose the 4-hour Tour to La Bufadora (The Blow Hole).  By 9:00 am, we were on a bus through main street Ensenada to the famous La Bufadora.  According to our guide, there are only 2 others in the world -- one in Australia and one in Hawaii:

This is a VERY popular tourist attraction … and what would a tourist attraction be without the usual flea market vendors?

You HAVE to walk this way to get to/from the blow hole and you are bombarded by hawkers inviting you into their stand.  Don’t speak Spanish?  No problem!  They speak English!  Jewelry, bags, huaraches, pottery, clothes, serapes, etc. … it’s all there!

But the best were the tacos!  I had the BEST fish, shrimp and carne asada tacos I’ve ever had in my life!  I wished I’d skipped breakfast! I’m still drooling just thinking of them.  There was a small stand just on the opposite side of the taco place that was selling backpacks and other Mexican curios.  The sellers were an elderly Indian couple that were just too cute for words!  I bought 3 backpacks from them and would have loved to talk with them more but it was time to move on.  I wish I still had the picture I took of them …

From there, the bus made its way to the “Plaza Civica” … a beautiful civic community center that was at one time owned by Jack Dempsey.  The Spanish architecture and designs are just gorgeous!

By 1:00 pm we were back at the ship … and it was time for lunch!  While most folks (there were at least 1,000 guests) indulged in drinking, DH and I indulged in eating … I’m telling ya, we did alot of eating!  But that’s okay, because at 2:30 pm, we met up with Viv & Lori at one of the music lounges where the Latin band CHICO was playing; and I danced those calories away!  It was a blast and I haven’t had so much fun in a long time. 

The band finished playing at 5:30 pm so we all went to our rooms for some R&R.  Sometime soon after, we left the port of Ensenada; and before we knew it, we were out in the open sea.

At 8:30 pm we were seated at our dinner table.  Once again, dinner was fabulous!  I had the shrimp cocktail, lobster tails, and Baked Alaska, plus who knows what else!  And we were once again entertained by the servers … I so wish I had the video … it was hilarious!

By 10:00 pm we were seated in the showroom waiting for the late night show of “Eight More Seconds” starring the Paradise Dancers and singers Rachel and Julian with live music.  It was wonderful! 

So another day at sea ended … and we were dead tired!

Day Three, Sunday: A Fun Day at Sea – This time DH let me sleep in while he went exploring.  By this time, he had made some new acquaintances and was eager to meet up with them. 

By 9:00 am, DH & I were eating breakfast in the Paris Restaurant.  Well, I was eating breakfast; DH was snacking as he’d already had 2 breakfasts!  After breakfast, we wandered and explored the ship; did a lap around the jogging track; then sat out on the deck, relaxing and taking in the sunshine. 

Around noon, one of the shops was having a mega sale on their “designer” watch sets.  OMG, it was an all-out frenzy of folks grabbing as many sets as they could.  DH & I got the 2 we wanted, but folks were walking out with 10, 12, 15 sets.  They make nice gifts, but jeez, louise!

Anyway, by then it was lunchtime again!  This time we had a sit-down lunch at the Elation Restaurant with our friends Viv & Lori.  It was delicious!  I had the sushi, avocado soup, fillet of fish, and a caramel flan for dessert.

Then at 2:30 pm, it was time to hit the dance floor with more music from CHICO.  If you look closely at the picture below, you may be able to find me shaking my bootie!

This was Sunday afternoon, and the threat of rain was very real.  It drizzled a little and it was chilly, but it certainly didn’t dampen our spirits.  By the time the band finished playing at 5:30 pm, it was definitely time to go inside.  We then made our way to one of the music lounges where there was a small band playing Top 40 Hits.  It was right next to the sushi bar … it was delicious!  When the music finished at 7:30 pm, it was time to go to our rooms to get ready for dinner.

Our last dinner on ship was wonderful!  I had the shrimp cocktail, spare ribs and a delicious chocolate dessert.  The maître d’ gave a nice farewell speech and our server bid each one of us farewell.  It was a very nice ending.

We didn’t make it to the final show as we were pretty tired.  We watched a little TV and then lights out!

Day Four, Monday: Debarkation, Long Beach, California – Sometime between 4:00 and 5:00 am, the ship docked in Long Beach; and it was time to get back to the real world.  We had our final breakfast on ship at 7:00 am and then headed back to our rooms to gather up our final things. 

We decided to do the “relaxed debarkation” and had our luggage delivered to the terminal.  My BFFs Viv & Lori had to go directly to work so they did “self assist debarkation” and took their luggage with them.  We said our goodbyes and promised to take another cruise together.  They left the ship before us; and by 10:30 am, DH and I were on our way to our vehicle, our thoughts filled with memories of our trip.

I am so happy we decided to take this little trip.  Everything went smoothly, and none of us got seasick.  We had so much fun!  Another memorable birthday celebration for me.