Ensenada’s Tourism Boost: Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas Visit

If you thought Ensenada’s port had seen it all—piña coladas, mariachi send-offs, and sunburnt cruise tourists clutching giant margaritas—think again.

On Monday, June 2, Royal Caribbean’s “Ovation of the Seas”, one of the world’s largest cruise ships, officially became the biggest floating city to ever dock in Baja California. And it did so with flair, ease… and roughly 4,284 passengers and 1,500 crew members ready to stretch their legs (and swipe their cards).

Bigger Than Your Airbnb

Let’s break it down: this ship is 347 meters long (that’s more than three football fields), weighs over 168,000 tons, and is taller than a 16-story building. It’s got rock climbing walls, a skydiving simulator, and robotic bartenders—because who needs human hands when you’ve got sea views and a rum punch?

Ovation’s arrival is not just a tourism flex. It proves that Ensenada is now equipped to handle some of the biggest cruise liners on Earth, thanks to recent upgrades to its docking infrastructure by API Ensenada and SECTURE.

Cha-Ching for the Local Economy

Let’s talk numbers. A ship like this drops serious pesos into the city—restaurants fill up, street vendors cash in, and tour buses do overtime. According to officials, each passenger spends an average of $75–100 USD during port calls. Multiply that by 4,000 and—yeah, let’s just say La Bufadora had a good day.

A Warm (and Foggy) Baja Welcome

Despite some light marine haze, the port crew pulled it off like pros. There were welcome committees, security briefings, and enough souvenirs on display to outfit a small country. Local artisans, food stalls, and city tours were ready and waiting.

Why It Matters

Tourism in Baja isn’t slowing down—it’s scaling up. With more megaships like this one already on schedule, Ensenada is carving out its name as a serious West Coast cruise hub, not just a sleepy tequila stop.

And hey, if you spot a floating city out your window this week, don’t panic—it’s just Ovation of the Seas reminding us that sometimes, size does matter.

📍 Docked at the Port of Ensenada, June 2, 2025

📷 Photo credit: Ensenada Cruiseport Village / Royal Caribbean Press Team

💬 Were you there? Send us your snapshots or best “cruise ship tourist caught buying a luchador mask” story—we might just print it.

Luisa Rosas-Hernández

Luisa Rosas-Hernández is a writer for the Gringo Gazette North, where she covers Baja’s wine scene, good eats, and public safety—with a healthy dose of wit and no bad news allowed. By day, she’s a health researcher recognized by Mexico’s National System of Researchers (SNI), and by night, she handles the Gazette’s finances and dabbles in social media—making sure the numbers add up and the posts pop. When she’s not chasing stories or crunching data, you’ll likely find her in the Valle enjoying a glass of red (or a crisp white with oysters)… for research purposes, of course.

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