Gambling cruise fails to land in Mexico on first voyage

SAN DIEGO - Departure was an hour late. Gamblers had less than three hours to wager. Television reception was fuzzy in the sports bar. And the ship never got closer than 50 feet to its Rosarito, Mexico destination.

So went the maiden voyage of the Enchanted Sun, a casino ship operated by the Viejas Indian tribe of Alpine and Commodore Cruise Line of Hollywood, Fla., two newspapers reported.

''Overall the experience was good,'' Paul Holdy said in Sunday's edition of The San Diego Union-Tribune. ''But there are some things Commodore and Viejas need to work out.''

The 433-foot ship, refurbished at a cost of more than $27 million, left its homeport of San Diego at 7 p.m. Friday and returned just before 2 a.m. Saturday without ever touching land in Mexico.

Concern about a damaged section of a new 1,800 foot, $3.5 million pier at the Rosarito Beach Hotel prompted the captain of the Enchanted Sun to decide not to dock the ship.

Instead, they paused just offshore to comply with a state law that permits gambling on California-based cruise ships in international waters if they have a destination outside the state.

The ship did dock in Rosarito on its second trip Saturday, spokesman Ken David said.

Some were disappointed about not making it to Mexico the first night. Alice Ford of Minnesota said she had planned to hit the duty-free shops in the small coastal city.

''It was kind of a big plan,'' Ford, sipping a margarita on deck, told The Los Angeles Times.

The Enchanted Sun, which holds up to 850 passengers, is the first partnership between an Indian tribe and a cruise line in the state. The trip costs $58 to $68, depending on departure.

Some passenger grumbled that they didn't get much time to play the table games and 370 slot machines. The casino was open only 80 minutes each way because gambling is not allowed within three miles of shore in California or Mexico.

''As soon as you find your momentum they cut you off,'' complained Alan Moss, 41, of Escondido, who won $200 at the craps table. ''They need to get out of port quicker.''

Despite the glitches, many of the 400 passengers on board the first cruise said they enjoyed the trip.