On the final morning of our two week Panama Canal cruise onboard the Disney Magic, I woke up early once again just after 6:00am, ready for what would turn out to be a truly wonderful day. Even though I had been hoping to wake up a little later, it was perfect timing as the sun was just starting to rise in the Pacific as I walked out onto our verandah. It was such a beautiful morning and we sat in bed with tea and pastries and there really was no better way for us to start our last day.

Originally, the final day of this cruise was due to be a day at sea, as Ensenada was never part of our original itinerary as it had been added to replace our cancelled Puerto Vallarta stop when the port order was changed a few days before we sailed. Unlike some on the cruise it seemed, I was actually really excited about this change, as neither of us had ever been to Ensenada before and I always love having any opportunity to visit somewhere completely new. We were in absolutely no rush and had no fixed plans for the day other than getting off the ship to explore the town on foot and at our own pace.

The landscape as we approached the hazy coastline close to Ensenada slowly became more spectacular and dramatic and we could even see La Bufadora geyser (one of the most popular attractions and excursions in the area) as we sailed past before picking up our pilot at 8:45am.

Whilst the landscapes as you approach Ensenada are beautiful, the view changes very quickly as you arrive, when you are greeted by a large industrial port instead. From reading online, Ensenada seems to be a real love it or hate it stop for cruise passengers, with some people outright saying to not even get off the ship, but I was staying completely open minded as I was keen to judge it for myself.

As we slowly made our way into the harbour just after 9:00am, we sailed past some giant container ships as well as the Carnival Firenze (which was a strange looking Costa-Carnival hybrid ship) before docking alongside the pier at 9:30am. We even had a sea lion escort us in as we docked, which felt like a wonderful welcome back to Mexico.

The Disney Magic was officially cleared for disembarkation at 9:55am, but the best part of the morning was that we were in absolutely no rush whatsoever to be anywhere and we were both more than happy to sit back and let everyone else run off the ship first. Around this time there were also crew drills taking place, with emergency alarms sounding throughout the ship just after 10:00am.

On our way to Cabanas for a late breakfast just before 10:30am (it was open until 10:45am that morning), we noticed once again that there were no tea bags left at the drink station on Deck 9, as they had all mysteriously vanished yet again – you really could not make it up at this point. For my breakfast I grabbed some toasted muffins with butter (along with the Marmite I had brought onboard with me), some fresh pineapple as well as a pineapple Danish. We sat outside on the open deck to eat and the weather that day was absolutely perfect as it was 21 degrees Celsius, so not too hot with no humidity and with bright blue skies, sunshine and a great view looking right out over Ensenada harbour.

Once we had finished eating, we walked back to our stateroom to collect our hats and sunglasses before heading off the ship. I made a conscious decision that morning not to take a bag with me purely for convenience (as I had absolutely no worries about safety in Ensenada), as there was not really much that I needed at all. Since I was wearing my cargo trousers, I could easily put my Key to the World card, driving licence, phone and spare camera batteries into one of my many pockets and just keep my camera in my hand – and as we were not going far, carrying very little and travelling light was perfect.

We made our way down to Deck 1 aft and disembarked at 10:50am onto the dock, where we were able to take some photos of the Disney Magic close up, including Goofy on the stern of the ship as well as the area where our stateroom was located, which we had not really had many opportunities to do during the rest of the cruise.

The entire cruise port area of Ensenada was incredibly clean and well maintained (which is the complete opposite to how I have heard some people describe it online), with plenty of photo opportunities including some giant Ensenada letters in front of the ship. There was a bit of a queue to get a picture at this time, so we simply decided to get our photo later that day when it would be much quieter. Even though there is a shuttle bus from the port to the downtown area which costs $4 round trip, the walk is so quick and easy (as well as completely flat) that there really is no need to wait or pay for the bus.

Ensenada is also a port where you definitely do not need to book an official excursion to make your day worthwhile. Even though we were just going to explore the town on foot, if you do want to visit La Bufadora, you can easily take a taxi or an Uber from the port for the hour drive there – just make sure to time your visit for high tide to see it at its best. Likewise, if you want to visit one of the many local wineries in the area, you can also grab an Uber or a taxi for the quick thirty minute journey.

However, the funniest moment of our morning happened when I stopped to take a photo of the Disney Magic in the sunshine and overheard two passengers from the Carnival Firenze say very loudly that “all Disney cruisers are old and fat!” Without turning my head too much and making it obvious, I caught sight of them both out of the corner of my eye as they walked past and they clearly had not looked in a mirror recently, as it was truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

We started our exploring by strolling along the Malecon towards the Ventana al Mar plaza, where there is another set of giant Ensenada letters along with some dancing fountains which were not running at this time as it was still very quiet. We continued slowly walking along the waterfront past various bars, shops and small stalls selling souvenirs, toys, drinks and snacks as we gradually made our way towards the Plaza de las Californias and the seafood market – and again, contrary to other people’s experiences online, one thing that I immediately noticed was that we did not get hassled once by any of the local vendors and not once during our time ashore did we ever have any concerns about our safety at all. While there is not a huge amount to see in Ensenada itself, that was completely fine and actually perfect for us, as we were simply looking for a nice, chilled out day to finish our cruise.

We walked one block up from the Malecon to Boulevard Costero, where just around the corner we spotted a lighthouse along with yet another set of giant Ensenada letters. It was right next to here that I also saw a road sign for Tijuana and it was only at this point that I truly realised just how close to the US border we actually were. From Ensenada, it is approximately ninety miles and just under a three hour drive to San Diego which meant that we could technically get to our cruise disembarkation port faster by car than by sailing overnight – but as much as I love a good road trip, I would choose being on a Disney cruise ship any day of the week.

Nearly an hour after we disembarked the ship, our next stop was of course, Starbucks. It might sound completely random, but after two weeks on the ship, we simply wanted a small taste of something completely normal. We ordered a Venti Oat Latte and a Grande Iced Chai Latte and then just sat in a couple of the comfortable chairs in their covered outdoor terrace whilst we watched the world go by. Sitting there in the shade and the peace and quiet with coffee along with free and fast Wi-Fi felt absolutely glorious and it was the perfect way for us to spend our final morning ashore.

As we were sitting there, I was really having a strange sense of deja vu (despite never visiting Ensenada before) and all of a sudden, I felt at home which was a strangely comforting feeling. It took me a little while to work out why, but then I realised that it really felt like I was back once again in Los Angeles – which makes sense given how close Southern California is – which is somewhere that I have spent a lot of time over the last twenty five years and somewhere that I always feel completely content, happy and refreshed.

Having that little bit of normality was just what we needed to recharge our batteries and once we finished our coffees, we continued walking along Boulevard Costero towards the Plaza Civica de la Patria where, along with the palm trees and the hills in the distance, it made me once again feel like I was back in Southern California.

We then walked over to the historic Riviera del Pacifico, which is one of the most recognisable buildings in Ensenada. It originally opened in 1930 as a hotel and casino for wealthy Americans escaping US Prohibition who crossed the border for alcohol and gambling and it also claims to have invented the Margarita cocktail. It is now the city’s civic and cultural centre which opened in 1978 and we spent a few minutes there exploring the beautiful gardens which were free of charge to enter.

We walked back through the market (though we did not end up buying anything) as we made our way back towards the Ventana al Mar plaza. It was much busier than it had been earlier in the day and the fountains were now dancing along to music with so many people hanging out with their families and just enjoying their weekend.

Once we were back at the entrance to the port a few minutes later, we showed our Key to the World cards to the security guard before walking back towards the ship. The whole dock area was completely empty at this time, so we were easily able to get our photo of the giant Ensenada letters with the Disney Magic in the background without anyone else in the shot, proving that good things really do come to those who wait.

Looking back on the final day of our cruise, Ensenada turned out to be the port day that I never knew I needed. I had arrived with completely low expectations and was ready to feel pretty meh about it given that it does not have the best reputation online. Whilst it certainly is not “beautiful” in the way Cabo is and it definitely is not going to be the absolute highlight of any bucket list itinerary, it was such a chilled few hours and I genuinely had the absolute best time when I was there. A port is always what you personally make of it. While I once would never have picked Ensenada as a destination based on what people have said, I would now be more than happy to see it on any future itinerary because I know I can have a relaxed day there. People are often far too quick to judge a place simply because it does not have a giant list of well known attractions or beach clubs.

For us, our time ashore cost practically nothing apart from a couple of coffees, proving that you really do not need to spend a fortune to enjoy yourself. After two weeks onboard the Disney Magic, along with complete sensory overload while in Cartagena and when crossing the Panama Canal, having a low effort and low pressure day with no plans was simply the best and I enjoyed every single minute. It was an ordinary few hours in somewhere new that also felt so normal, and that is precisely what made it so wonderful.

Ensenada gave us that familiar, comfortable, laid back Southern California vibe with bright sunshine, palm trees and a chilled out atmosphere where we could just wander around and people watch right when we needed it the most. It was surprising how much that simple little port stop completely rejuvenated us after two weeks on the go and it was the perfect reset before disembarking the ship the following day.

I did not need Ensenada to blow me away as I simply enjoyed it for what it was. Sometimes the best port on a long voyage is not the one with the grandest sights, but the one that allows you to slow down, take it easy and just be and also matches your state of mind when you arrive. A place that might get a lukewarm review from someone arriving fresh from home can feel completely different to someone who has just spent two weeks on a ship crossing from ocean to ocean. It ended up being the perfect and relaxed finale to an unforgettable cruise.

We reboarded the ship just before 2:00pm and immediately took the elevator straight up to Deck 10 to take in the view once more of Ensenada in the sunshine from the very front of the Disney Magic. It was also fascinating to see Quiet Cove busier than I had ever seen it before on any port day, as so many people had chosen to stay onboard the ship and relax by the pool for the final day of their cruise.

Given the time, we thought we had missed Cabanas for lunch, as they were supposed to close at 2:00pm, but we noticed that they stayed open a little longer that day so I went to see what was available. The special for our final day onboard was the All American Corner, which featured a random and questionable mix of Corn Dogs, BBQ Beans and Fries. However, I was thrilled to see that my favourite Crispy Breaded Tofu was finally back for the first time since day four of our cruise (which seemed such a long time ago) which I got along with a few desserts and some fresh pineapple for us both from Daisy’s De-Lites.

While I grabbed some lunch for us in Cabanas, my boyfriend headed back to the stateroom to order some room service. We had both fallen in love with the Spinach and Feta Pide earlier in the trip, so we ordered one to share for lunch plus an extra one to save for a late night snack that evening along with a bowl of tomato soup to share as neither of us wanted a huge meal since we wanted to save plenty of room for our final dinner at Palo at 6:00pm.

We also found some Goofy luggage tags waiting on the bed for us, which we would not actually need, as we always carry our own luggage off the ship ourselves using Express Walk Off so we can disembark as early as possible on the final morning. Once we finished our lunch, we decided to get the rest of our packing done and as we had spent the previous afternoon putting all of our clothes back into packing cubes to save time on this day, so all we had to do was pull our suitcases out from underneath the bed and pack them all away.

We still had some time to kill before dinner, so we checked the schedule for any character appearances. There were not too many meet and greets on the last afternoon, but we knew that we wanted to see a few familiar faces to be able to say our last goodbyes after two amazing weeks onboard. We walked down to Deck 5 to see Daisy at 4:30pm followed by Minnie on Deck 4 at 4:45pm for a final hug. For the first time, we did not even bring our big camera with us like we always do, as we simply used our phones instead for one last photo and a selfie with each of them. After meeting them, I honestly thought that was it for the cruise as we had said our goodbyes, taken our final photos and I walked away feeling quite emotional.

Before heading back up to our stateroom to start getting ready for dinner, we decided to walk one final lap around an empty Deck 4. We took in the view of Ensenada one last time along with the added bonus of watching some drunk pier runners sprinting across the port to get back to the Carnival ship – which is always great entertainment no matter where you are.

This was the third time we had decided to book Palo on the final night of a cruise and it is now one of our absolute favourite ways to spend our last evening onboard. As we reserve an earlier time for dinner, it means that we can enjoy a relaxed meal and slowly wind down before watching the farewell show with the characters in the Lobby Atrium without any rushing whatsoever which for us is the perfect way to end our cruise on a high.

We arrived at a very empty Palo where Kaviraj was looking after us once again. We were shown to the exact same table that we had sat at for brunch earlier in the cruise, which was perfect as it was still light outside, meaning we could enjoy the ocean views as we sailed away from Ensenada.

Our amazing dinner began with my favourite Mushroom Gnocchi amuse bouche (I could easily eat an entire plate of these alone as the sauce is that good) along with a basket of freshly baked breads. I had tried the Heirloom Tomato Buffalo Mozzarella Caprese for the very first time on our Disney Fantasy cruise earlier this year and as I had enjoyed it so much, I knew I had to order it again.

As we were finishing our starters, the Disney Magic slowly began to leave the dock in Ensenada shortly before 6:30pm so I quickly ran outside for a few minutes to watch as we set off on the final part of our journey to San Diego, where we were due to arrive early the following morning.

For my main course, I had to order my favourite Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Sage Brown Butter, which was as heavenly as always and something I will definitely be ordering again on our next cruise. We also shared a side of the Fried Yukon Potatoes before I finished my meal with the Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta for my dessert, along with a complimentary shot of Frozen Limoncello, Apple Brandy and Prosecco. It truly was a wonderful way to spend the final evening onboard this long awaited cruise.

After thanking the wonderful team at Palo who had been so amazing throughout the cruise, we left the restaurant just after 7:30pm and walked back outside onto Deck 10. It was incredibly peaceful, the sky was so beautiful and the sea was so calm with barely a breeze in the air as we were sailing very slowly since we only had a short distance to travel to San Diego. It is moments like this that I always remember and miss whenever we are not onboard.

We made our way back to our stateroom to change into some comfortable clothes ready for the rest of the evening, but instead we got the biggest and most wonderful surprise when we found an invitation on our door inviting us to a special last night character meet and greet before ‘Til We Meet Again. We were both in shock and genuinely shaking, as well as being left completely speechless for a couple of minutes as we processed what was actually happening. We had been lucky enough to have received the same invite for the first time ever on our Disney Fantasy cruise in February, so never in a million years did we think we would be invited back again. This invitation only event cannot be bought, reserved or requested as it is simply “pixie dust” from the entertainment team onboard the ship as a thank you for making magic for the Cast Members on the cruise.

As we had some time to spare and as there was nothing else on our schedule until later that evening, we decided to sit in bed and finish off the last of the wine that we had brought onboard with us while watching Cars on the television – I do not think I have ever had such a relaxed final night onboard!

Just before 9:55pm, we made our way down to the D Lounge on Deck 4 and watched as one of the Cast Members began covering over the doors so that no one else could see what was happening inside. There were a handful of other families also invited and waiting outside with us and it felt a little awkward when some other guests who were walking past kept stopping to ask what we were all waiting for when none of us could really explain, as you do not want anyone to feel like they are missing out on something – and we even received a full blown scowl from one particular group of passengers who clearly knew exactly what was going on and were visibly annoyed that they did not have an invitation of their own.

Once inside, we were invited to meet and take photos with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto all together. When we had met Minnie and Daisy earlier that afternoon, we genuinely thought those were our final character hugs and goodbyes of the cruise, so getting to say a proper thank you to everyone was simply the best feeling ever. Our time in the D Lounge was once again a bit of a blur, but it was truly the best and most magical end to a wonderful cruise.

Once we left the D Lounge, we walked into a very busy and crowded Lobby Atrium just as all of the characters arrived for ‘Til We Meet Again at 10:15pm. I always love watching the farewell shows onboard and usually get there early to grab a good spot, but it simply did not matter at all this time given what had just happened that evening. However, as if by magic, the group of people standing in front of us all walked away from one of the railings to go off and grab some final character photos, leaving us with a fantastic view right where we would have chosen to stand anyway. It was definitely meant to be.

After ‘Til We Meet Again, we sat down in the Lobby Atrium and waited for a few minutes for the crowds to clear before we slowly made our way back to our stateroom just before 11:00pm, where we could see the Mexican coastline all lit up in the distance before we finally climbed into bed to try and catch a few hours of sleep before our early wake up the following morning.

It was another early start the next morning as I was awake once again just after 6:00am, which was even before my alarm clock was due to go off. As I could not even feel the ship moving (and as there was no rattle in the stateroom), I did wonder if we had already docked and if I had slept through it, but when I walked out onto our verandah, we were very slowly sailing past the Coronado Naval Base.

As we wanted to watch our arrival into San Diego, we quickly got dressed and walked up to the front of a very quiet Deck 10 as the Disney Magic slowly approached the B Street Pier at 6:30am, right as the early morning sun began to set a fiery glow across the city skyline.

Since we wanted to disembark as quickly as possible that morning, neither of us wanted anything to eat for breakfast, so we simply made ourselves a cup of tea to drink which we took back to our stateroom before having a shower and getting dressed ready to leave the ship. Express Walk Off was due to begin at 7:30am, so we left our stateroom a few minutes before and thankfully we did not even need to wait for an elevator down to Deck 3, which is so rare on the final morning of a cruise.

There was a short delay of about ten minutes while we waited for the ship to be cleared for disembarkation, causing the line for Express Walk Off to stretch all the way from the Lobby Atrium back to the aft elevators. This prompted one incredibly rude and obnoxious man to walk past everyone, making loud comments to himself that we were all stupid and pathetic for waiting in such a long line. However, as soon as the ship was cleared at 7:40am, the line moved very quickly and just after 7:45am, we tapped our Key to the World cards for the final time and disembarked the Disney Magic after being onboard for two whole weeks.

We quickly discovered that the one major downside of the San Diego cruise terminal is the complete lack of a ramp from the gangway down into the terminal building. You are also stupidly not allowed to use the escalators if you have bags, which forces everyone to line up for the one single elevator that they have which takes forever. We waited almost twenty five minutes which is ridiculous – and our cruise was on a smaller ship that was not even sailing at capacity – but thankfully, when we finally reached the main area of the terminal, there was no one waiting at immigration which took less than a minute. Once we walked outside the terminal at 8:15am, we were easily able to order an Uber XL to go to Alamo at San Diego Airport, which cost $13.48 plus tip which took ten minutes to arrive.

The journey to the Car Rental Centre at San Diego Airport took just over ten minutes and a few minutes later, we had collected our car and were on our way. After a quick stop outside the city for some much needed coffee and a panini for breakfast at a nearby Starbucks, we drove back into San Diego and headed to both Shoreline Park as well as Harbor Island Drive to take some photos of the Disney Magic from across the harbour.

For the last two nights of our trip, we stayed a little further up the coast at a Homewood Suites between San Diego and Los Angeles, which was significantly cheaper than the extortionate hotel prices closer to San Diego. After two weeks living in a small cruise ship stateroom, having a giant hotel room with a living area, bedroom, kitchen and a huge bathroom along with Wi-Fi and so much space to actually unpack and move around felt amazing, and best of all, there was not a single rattling noise to be heard while we slept.

After an incredible dinner out that evening and a brilliant night’s sleep in a giant hotel bed, we headed back to San Diego the next morning to properly explore. Although we could have spent some time in the city straight after disembarking the Disney Magic, waiting until we were fully rested meant we could actually enjoy our day and walk around with no tiredness and without the constant stress of leaving all of our luggage sitting in the back of a rental car in a random parking lot.

And as luck would have it, the Disney Wonder was docked in San Diego that day, so we knew we had to visit. She is one of my two favourite ships (along with the Disney Treasure), as she was the first ship we ever sailed on to Alaska back in 2013 and the one that made us fall in love with cruising. It was so good to see her once again – the last time was back in Vancouver after we disembarked from our Hawaii cruise four years ago – and she will always have a special place in my heart.

I actually had enough time off work that I could have easily booked the cruise on her that was departing that afternoon, flown home a few days later and still made it back in time for work. It was definitely tempting, but ultimately common sense won out.

After disembarking from the Disney Magic on the Sunday morning, we flew home from Los Angeles on the Tuesday afternoon and landed back in London on the Wednesday morning. And just like that, our epic holiday was finally over.

Whilst the Panama Canal was the main reason why we booked this cruise, what made it truly special was everything else around it, from being back onboard the beautiful Disney Magic and visiting South America for the first time, to the amazing crew onboard, the special atmosphere on the ship and all of those sea days which gave us the opportunity to slow down.

Now that this incredible trip is finally done, it is almost time for something completely different as we have some brand new countries to visit very soon, and after that, I think it is time for a new Adventure or two next year.

Until then, see ya real soon.

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