Teri West
When travel advisor Richard Ramnarine visited Ensenada, Mexico, on a cruise, he enjoyed an ATV excursion with a winery visit as well as deals at the bars and eateries near the port.
What didn't he find? Great swimming options, or much to offer for families with children.
That will change in a little over two years. Carnival Corp. announced last week that it is developing a resort for cruise guests at the Ensenada port, a $26 million project called Ensenada Bay Village that will include pool and spa experiences, recreational activities like ziplining and culinary options.
It's reminiscent of Royal Caribbean's Royal Beach Club concepts or the cruise destination Grand Lucayan Resort is developing on its Bahamas property.
Ensenada Bay Village will be a curated, convenient option for cruise guests to spend their day at the port, but those who want to explore and experience more of the destination will still likely choose to do so.
Carnival didn't state its reasons for choosing Ensenada. But according to advisors I spoke with, it's a port call that could benefit from a boost like this.
"People always are complaining about Ensenada," said Jasmine Ramnarine, Richard's wife. The Atlanta-based couple is affiliated with host Outside Agents.
The Ramnarines said the complaints likely have to do with the beaches being underwhelming compared with those in the Caribbean.
"When people think of a cruise, they're always expecting tropical, and it just isn't that," Richard said.
Still, many of Carnival Cruise Line's West Coast itineraries visit Ensenada, so infusing more of that tropical vibe and giving cruisers a reason to look forward to a visit could change the game for those cruise itineraries, the Ramnarines said.
Carnival says that half of the U.S. population lives within a five-hour drive of one of its homeports, and it's the West Coast residents who the cruise line can expect business from because of this project, predicts J.J. Kuykendall, a Conroe, Texas-based Cruise Planners franchise owner.
"I have clients in the west. They're within driving distance," Kuykendall said. "It gives them more choices."
Ensenada is also used as a required foreign-port stop for cruises traveling from California to Hawaii to satisfy the Jones Act. For those guests who booked the trip primarily for Hawaii, a new option in Mexico may be particularly appreciated.
Carnival has not yet announced how Ensenada Bay Village will be priced, but the advisors I spoke to hope that entry will have the inclusions that cruise clients look for, such as a meal and attractions.
Construction is expected to start in early 2026 and take two years to complete.