Disembarking in San Francisco

We have booked a 12:10pm flight from SFO on the day we disembark. I'm am starting to have serious doubts about whether we can make that flight or not.

What has been your experience in getting off the ship early enough to make a noon flight?

We were recently on the Sapphire and had a stop in SFO, we only had to clear customs and didn't get clearance to get off the ship until 11:15am :eek::eek:

What do you think??? :confused:

Donna

We have booked a 12:10pm flight from SFO on the day we disembark. I'm am starting to have serious doubts about whether we can make that flight or not.

 

What has been your experience in getting off the ship early enough to make a noon flight?

 

We were recently on the Sapphire and had a stop in SFO, we only had to clear customs and didn't get clearance to get off the ship until 11:15am :eek::eek:

 

What do you think??? :confused:

 

Donna

I think you'll be okay. Last year we were on the Sea Princess and took the Princess transfer to SFO... I believe we were there by 10-ish...

I also think you will be ok with that. Use the Princess transfer...the port traffic is horrible and it is so much easier with the Princess transfer at the San Francisco port.

Well that all depends on the scheduled arrival and when the ship actually arrives. We were 3 hours late arriving in San Francisco (from Vancouver) due to rough seas on 9/26/11 and didn't arrive until 1 pm. They told those with flights before 6 pm to rebook them.

We were also an hour late arriving in SFO in 2010 too.

I just got off the Sea Princess in SF. They wouldn't allow me to book the 10:30 flight, but if you take their transfer, you should be ok.

Also, I was able to use the easy fly line at the airport. I had a business seat, which saved alot of time.

Pat

We were more than an hour late, returning from an Alaska cruise couple of years ago. They did not tell us, not even in the morning. Then, when we got off the ship, they got confuses about where our luggage was ( we were transfering to the hotel with Princess- actually a cab tranfer paid by them- and after going front to back of the terminal luggage area, someone found our luggage and we were off. There was a lot of traffic around that area. Good thing we did not have a tight schedule to catcha flight.

I just got off the Sea Princess in SF. They wouldn't allow me to book the 10:30 flight, but if you take their transfer, you should be ok.

 

Also, I was able to use the easy fly line at the airport. I had a business seat, which saved alot of time.

 

Pat

Pat,

Can you tell me what the Princess transfer cost is from the port to the SF airport? Several years ago we arranged for Super Shuttle to take us to the airport and it was such a mess in front of the port we waited over an hour in the crowds out front. Figured it is just easier (but more expensive) to take their shuttle.

Thanks

Debr

I think it was $29. pp. It was soooooo easy. The buses are big comfortable ones.

They ask you which airlines you're flying and they drop you off in front of that terminal.

I was Southwest, so I was dropped off first.

Do it~~no stress. As you pick up luggage, the port people direct you to the right bus.

Pat

I think it was $29. pp. It was soooooo easy. The buses are big comfortable ones.

 

They ask you which airlines you're flying and they drop you off in front of that terminal.

 

I was Southwest, so I was dropped off first.

 

Do it~~no stress. As you pick up luggage, the port people direct you to the right bus.

 

Pat

Pat,

Thanks for the info, I think we will just do that, plus do the program where you pay to have the cruise line send your suitcase home. We've done that before and it is so nice not dealing with any bags and just go straight to security with your boarding pass.

Debr

Good luck ! :)

Pat

I think if you are physically able to wheel all your own luggage off the ship, that is the route I would go. We live in the SF bay area so always take cruises out of the city when we are able to....so close to a dozen. We always opt to carry off our own luggage and never had a problem getting a cab or pre-ordering a shuttle to pick us up. Even if it is just to the nearest BART station -- which takes you right to the SFO airport. There are elevators at all the BART stations.

All this really depends on how much luggage you have -- but would question if the Princess transfers would be the best option -- especially if you are able to carry everything in one suitcase each. I think a cab to BART or a pre-arranged shuttle to the airport would definitely be a better option that the cruiseline transfers and way cheaper.

PS -- we live about 35 miles from the port and have always been home by 10:30 AM -- sometimes even earlier. Our voyages have never arrived in the city late, though....but if it were me, I would have no problem chancing it.

I think if you are physically able to wheel all your own luggage off the ship, that is the route I would go. We live in the SF bay area so always take cruises out of the city when we are able to....so close to a dozen. We always opt to carry off our own luggage and never had a problem getting a cab or pre-ordering a shuttle to pick us up. Even if it is just to the nearest BART station -- which takes you right to the SFO airport. There are elevators at all the BART stations.

All this really depends on how much luggage you have -- but would question if the Princess transfers would be the best option -- especially if you are able to carry everything in one suitcase each. I think a cab to BART or a pre-arranged shuttle to the airport would definitely be a better option that the cruiseline transfers and way cheaper.

 

PS -- we live about 35 miles from the port and have always been home by 10:30 AM -- sometimes even earlier. Our voyages have never arrived in the city late, though....but if it were me, I would have no problem chancing it.

Hi,

Should have mentioned I'm traveling with my 85 year old Mother, who has some leg issues:rolleyes:. Last time, even though we had a shuttle reserved to the airport, it took them over an hour because of all the congestion right at the port. Unless they have improved the situation at the port, don't want to put her in that situation again.;)

Debr

http://www.goldengatepedicab.com/

use these guys, they will bike you and your luggage from pier 35 to the nearest bart subway station which takes you directly to SFO airport. it's about a 10 minute ride. much faster than a taxi and around $20.

http://www.goldengatepedicab.com/

 

 

use these guys, they will bike you and your luggage from pier 35 to the nearest bart subway station which takes you directly to SFO airport. it's about a 10 minute ride. much faster than a taxi and around $20.

Thanks for the info:)

Debr

We've only come into SF twice but both times we did not get off the ship that early. They do not do a good job of handling the port in SF. I would change the time of my flight so that I would not be so stressed

We just got off the Coral Princess in San Francisco on 9/26. The ship was so late that they fed us lunch in the MDR and didn't let pax disembark until 1 pm at the earliest.