Port ready yet?

Lately I've received inquiries from friends about the cruise departure advertised for December 7 of this year. Have they been making major progress on the port and I just haven't heard about it?

As of last month, zero activity on the jetty, block making facility. Supposedly going to use the convention center as the cruise center and shuttle people to the harbor to get ferried to the ship.

Some enterprising film crew ought to be down there for the shuttling and ferrying of 550 passengers and their luggage. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have to think there will be some grumpy passengers by the time they get on the ship.

Grumpy passengers probably, but all paid up so the promoters are happy.

audsley said:

Some enterprising film crew ought to be down there for the shuttling and ferrying of 550 passengers and their luggage. Maybe I'm wrong, but I have to think there will be some grumpy passengers by the time they get on the ship.

You are just tooo NEGATIVO. I bet you have not bought your condo at Encantame yet.

I'm thinking that the temporary cruise line is a trial balloon to determine how quickly they may or may not want to get the port built.

Where is the money going to come from? For every $ they spent on it, some how only received 30-40% in actual work.
Too many hands are grabbing the $ before it actually can be used to pay for the Port. That's just the reality of this so far.
If this ever gets finished, I'm OK with that.

Well yeah -- that has been the problem. Either they get serious about it and fix the problem (direct and protect the funding) or not. And yes, I too am okay either way.

They are going to ferry customers:
"Rocky Point Cruise Ready To Launch This Winter Despite Unfinished Port ."

Call me crazy, but I think this WILL happen this time and this year!

https://rockypoint360.com/sights-set-on-december-cruise-from-puerto-penasco/#

https://www.rockypoint.com/planning-meeting-held-for-the-first-cruise-ship-to-depart-penasco/

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://fronterasdesk.org/content/1080161/rocky-point-cruise-ready-launch-winter-despite-unfinished-port&ved=2ahUKEwjH2M7LjdbjAhWCMnwKHaECCxcQFjAAegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw1zE0YWa7UBXsMo-z1BlUXO

Quote "" Cruise and Maritime Voyages expects most passengers to come from Arizona and other western states, Dennis said. And many of them will likely fly into Phoenix or Tucson airports. So the company is arranging ground transportation from Phoenix and Tucson to Rocky Point.
“So our guests will not only cruise with us, but we’re going to ask them to leave the driving to us,” he said. ""

I think this is a key to success. Not sure how many will fly in but I think nice busses form Tucson , Phoenix, and even LA will bring them in. No muss no fuss. Retirees will love it. Wonder if other large cruise lines run initial transportation to the dock ?
The choke point here will be getting them from the shore to the boat. Will be some interesting times when we have a huge sea with lovely screaming wind like today. Wonder where they will load up on shore?? Anyone heard where they will fuel and provision ?

I do hope things are structured to create jobs for local people.

So they bus them in from Phoenix and Tucson, and then what, drop them on the beach at the Wrecked with all their luggage. Every cruise I've been on went through checking in and security stages before I even stepped foot on the ship. I don't recall seeing any structure being made for that purpose. Loading the tenders ought to be something to see. Maybe they'll just load them into the rock trucks and tilt them off at the end of the pier.

Bob Oso said:

So they bus them in from Phoenix and Tucson, and then what, drop them on the beach at the Wrecked with all their luggage. Every cruise I've been on went through checking in and security stages before I even stepped foot on the ship. I don't recall seeing any structure being made for that purpose. Loading the tenders ought to be something to see. Maybe they'll just load them into the rock trucks and tilt them off at the end of the pier.

They will be using the Convention center as the cruise terminal so they say.

Ever hear of the Fyre festival? I could be wrong and I hope I am, but I think it may go over kinda like that :confused:

Reminds me of our own legendary BoomerFest!

what was/is the Fyre Festival ??

I doubt that the Rocky Point cruise will register as high on the disaster scale as the Frye festival, but here's what he's talking about.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fyre_Festival

Anyone know of anyone that has actually signed up for this.... ♪ ♫ 3 hour tour ♫ ..... ♪3 hour tour♫

I know 4 people who signed up for dates in January.

I know of a lot of people on the first cruise.

I just purchased a combo ticket to Boomerfest and the first cruise. Should be fun! Fun fact: Boomers are one of many slang terms used to describe Magic Mushrooms...

Every time we're driving around by the port or over by the jetty I always revert back to the same thought; What KOOLAID are these people drinking?! This must be the same KOOLAID all those Trump supporters drank when he told them they were getting better healthcare for a fraction of the cost, not going to lose their jobs at the factories (a few of which has now closed) and the truckers were going to get a YUUUUUUGE tax break by the Tax cuts and now in the news a few days ago these truckers are pissed because they took away their ability to itemize deductions leaving one trucker with a "$8,000 greater tax liability than the previous year". SHOCKER!!! Who could have seen that coming?!

I think there's posts on here where I said cruise ship port ain't happening until 2020 and that was in 2012!!!! I used to get nervous that my quote would look really bad for me over time but man, my intuition wins again... with help from my ego.

Any realistic person that objectively observes the congestion and overall lack of infrastructure in the current port area that is already overcrowded with Shrimp boats would ask the question, how is this going to go smoothly? 550 people with luggage? I can barely drive my mid size truck through that area some times, let alone getting 550 people and their luggage aboard tenders to take them to some beat ship made in 1947?

Maybe they will give the unhappy customers free vouchers to Boomerfest as consolation after their less than stellar experiences and overall disappointment....

I know 2 women here in GV that have purchased tickets on the first cruise and they think of it as an adventure. They are staying at a condo on SB. I think Princessa. They will leave their car there and the condo has arranged transportation for them to where the boat will take them to the ship. They feel very confident that it will all work out fine. Their cell phone already work both in US and Mexico.

Found a pic of the cruise director for the Astoria. Looks like a nice guy.

He looks like he cannot decide if he wants facial hair or not !!!

I understand the ship will be using a shuttle four boarding etc. Where are they planning on docking and what about immigration issues.

Wood Spinner said:

I understand the ship will be using a shuttle four boarding etc. Where are they planning on docking and what about immigration issues.

It's Mexico. There are no immigration issues.

We are booked on the 2nd cruise going out the 18th Tenders from the port, then off on an adventure. Only 550 passengers on the oldest cruise ship in operation. 1948 build.

Cool! Looking forward to some trip reports. I would love to really see the sea of cortez

johnh said:

We are booked on the 2nd cruise going out the 18th Tenders from the port, then off on an adventure. Only 550 passengers on the oldest cruise ship in operation. 1948 build.

Pics or it didn't happen!

johnh said:

We are booked on the 2nd cruise going out the 18th Tenders from the port, then off on an adventure. Only 550 passengers on the oldest cruise ship in operation. 1948 build.

"...Tenders from the port...", Why the need to build a half mile long jetty then? Line the pockets of government officials? Just another half finished eye sore that will never be completed. Hey, at least it gives the place a little character just like that scar across Al Capone's face.

And, I heard it’s holding some nice pinto and small grouper.

Something Capone’s scar couldn't do. Ha, ha

Over on FB, someone posted that the Dec cruises are cancelled. Somebody actually signed up was called by the cruise line to confirm.
Here is the quote from FB.

"The December Cruise Maritime Voyages sailings aboard the Astoria on the Sea of Cortez have been cancelled.
Reason Provided: "extended dry dock time needed for the ship".
It's still listed on their website, but need to call, you can't do a reservation on the site.

A few days will tell if this is real. Dave Cooper was the original poster.

brokenwave said:

Over on FB, someone posted that the Dec cruises are cancelled. Somebody actually signed up was called by the cruise line to confirm.
Here is the quote from FB.

"The December Cruise Maritime Voyages sailings aboard the Astoria on the Sea of Cortez have been cancelled.
Reason Provided: "extended dry dock time needed for the ship".
It's still listed on their website, but need to call, you can't do a reservation on the site.

A few days will tell if this is real. Dave Cooper was the original poster.

Absolute SHOCKER!

Mexico Joe said:

Absolute SHOCKER!

Jerry, you and others predicted this when it was announced.

brokenwave said:

Jerry, you and others predicted this when it was announced.

The fat lady hasn't sang yet... They will still attempt to resuscitate this dead carcass a few more times before they throw in the towel.

It's officially done for round one, looks doubtful it will get out of the ER.

I think if there would have been a high enough percent of booking on all the cruise dates the ship would have come. They had about a 4 week window to sail the ship from England to RP via the Panama Canal...not cheap. It's all about the money, always is.

I saw an article on RP360 that said it was only 30% booked and they were going to do promo's to get it to 60% for it to fly.
Hence the free airfare and hotel stays, guess that didn't help enough.
Think of all those vendors that haven't been paid, that worked on the Jetty and other stuff to try to make this work. Sad

The cruise ship is on it's way! Made it through the Panama Canal and on it's way to Penasco:
https://www.cruisemapper.com/?imo=5383304

https://www.facebook.com/cometorockypoint/photos/a.244430685598342/3428910060483706/?type=3&theater

Also, they're planning a lunch on 1/8/20: https://rockypoint360.com/dinner-gala-on-the-astoria-jan-8/