{"id":6918,"date":"2017-04-27T15:06:28","date_gmt":"2017-04-27T15:06:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carnival.com\/awaywego\/?p=6918"},"modified":"2021-02-18T19:03:26","modified_gmt":"2021-02-18T19:03:26","slug":"a-weekend-getaway-guide-carnival-cruise-to-catalina-island-ensenada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carnival.com\/awaywego\/cruising-fun\/a-weekend-getaway-guide-carnival-cruise-to-catalina-island-ensenada","title":{"rendered":"A Weekend Getaway Guide: Carnival Cruise to Catalina Island & Ensenada"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Carnival<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a fun, creative way to get away, a cruise may be just the ticket!\u00a0Carnival<\/span>\u00a0offers an incredibly affordable and amazing 4-day cruise that stops in Catalina Island<\/a> and Ensenada, Mexico<\/a>. It leaves from Long Beach Cruise Terminal so you won\u2019t have to deal with the airport.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a great option for an extended weekend getaway since lodging, meals and entertainment are all included in the cost. You won\u2019t have to worry about driving anywhere and you can have fun all night long and be just a few flights of stairs away from your room.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no point in worrying about getting bored on the cruise because there\u2019s literally a million things to do. Since I don\u2019t want this blog post to go on forever, I\u2019ll only highlight my top 13 things to do on a Carnival Cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eat to your heart\u2019s content<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 \u00a0On Carnival Imagination<\/a>, there\u2019s no shortage of food since there are dining options 24\/7. There\u2019s fine dining for dinner where you can enjoy a beautiful 3-course meal or a casual buffet, depending on your mood.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Beautifully<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch some great shows<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Looking for something to do after an amazing dinner? There\u2019s too many options<\/a> to choose from! Enjoy one of the live musical shows, watch some comedy, sing (or just watch) at the karaoke bar \u2013 there are endless entertainment options.<\/p>\n

Relax and treat yourself at the spa<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The onboard spa<\/a> is pretty amazing! I opted for the Spatopia treatment which included a full body massage and a full facial. It was so relaxing and my massage therapist also recommended a detox ritual that I\u2019m currently doing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lounge by the pool<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 If you want to just chill, then enjoy\u00a0lounging\u00a0by the ship\u2019s main pool. You can take a dip or hang out in the hot tubs. If there\u2019s too many kids around, you can head over to the 21 and over area<\/a> for a more serene environment.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Carnival<\/span><\/p>\n

Shop \u2019til you drop<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Looking for some retail therapy? The shops onboard feature souvenirs, fine jewelry, cosmetics, liquors, accessories and more! They have lots of sales and promos going on all the time, so make sure you drop by a few times.<\/span><\/p>\n

Win big at the casino<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 You don\u2019t have to go to Vegas to gamble! There\u2019s a casino onboard<\/a> and you\u2019ll get to play your favorite table games and maybe even win a jackpot on\u00a0the slots.<\/span><\/p>\n

Explore Catalina Island<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 On this cruise, you\u2019ll get to stop at the quaint town of Avalon. It\u2019s a beautiful island town with lots of history and plenty of activities to do while the cruise is docked for the day. Make sure you book an excursion and make the most of your time at Catalina Island.\u00a0Note: Excursions are not included in the cruise price and are an extra charge.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Many<\/span><\/p>\n

Go on a food tour<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 We are so happy to have booked the\u00a0Taste of Catalina Food Tour<\/span><\/a>! Our amazing tour guide was a local and knew so much about the island. We went\u00a0to 7 different restaurants and had incredible tastes at each spot. I highly recommend it!<\/span><\/p>\n

Travel to\u00a0another\u00a0country<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The second stop on this cruise is to Ensenada, Mexico. If you\u2019ve never been, this will be your chance to experience a little bit of local Mexican culture. There are many types of excursions available to book during your time here including horseback riding, ATV adventures, winery tours and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Eat local Mexican cuisine<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 During our time in Ensenada, my mom and I had an\u00a0incredible lunch featuring fresh oysters, steamed clams, abalone pasta and a panna cotta to finish. I\u2019m still thinking about that meal even now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dine at the Chef\u2019s Table<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 For fellow foodies, I highly recommend experiencing the Chef\u2019s Table dinner. This dinner is limited to only 15 guests and you will be personally escorted by the chef to the galley where you\u2019ll see where over 20,000 meals are prepared each day.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll enjoy some tastings and also meet the Head Pastry Chef who will show you how to make their delicious chocolate cake. The main dinner features a 7-course meal that is beautifully presented. During our dinner, we also had the pleasure of a magic show in-between courses \u2013 a true delight!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Gwen<\/span><\/p>\n

Enjoy world-class\u00a0customer service<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 If there\u2019s anything I can really rave about the Carnival cruise, it\u2019s the service! The crew is really service-oriented and will go out of their way to make your trip the best one ever. From our room steward, Ketut, who always made sure we had enough towels, to Ian, the senior maitre\u2019d, and his assistant Rod, who made sure our food was always impeccable, the attention blew us away.<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you\u2019re looking for a fun, creative way to get away, a cruise may be just the ticket!\u00a0Carnival\u00a0offers an incredibly … read more<\/a>","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":6982,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[21],"class_list":["post-6918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cruising-fun","tag-planning"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Weekend Getaway Guide: Carnival Cruise to Catalina Island & Ensenada<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ready to make the most out of your weekend? 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