San Diego disembarkation

[divemom3]

Has anyone had recent experience in disembarking in San Diego? We are cruising on HAL in March and I am reading that San Diego's procedures are different from other ports and getting an expedited departure to make a 10 am flight may not be practical. Any experience with this (We booked this cruise prior to finding out my teen aged son may be needed back in Phoenix for participation in a sports tournament. We're hoping to send him flying back while we drive.)

[kenish]

Although it's not "recent" both my cruises into SD had long disembarkation delays. The first cruise in 2005 put me on the street around 1030am and the last of our group at 130pm. The second cruise in 2010 had me streetside at 11am...a friend missed her noon flight and I barely made the 11am Amtrak which had been delayed (and I ran the 2 blocks when I saw the train still sitting at the depot)

 

In San Diego, passengers cannot disembark until everyone has cleared Immigration on board. Despite plenty of printed announcements to non-citizens the last day and evening, there are always several clueless parties being urgently paged on the all-ship PA so that disembarkation can begin.

 

More than one ship arriving in SD seems to compound the delay.

 

For a 10am flight your son will have to be on the street by 830am at the absolutely latest. Even if my experiences were flukes, a 10am flight is probably too early. I'd go with a more sure bet of noon, and even that isn't a certainty. Depending on your son's sport, arriving a few hours late may or may not work, I realize.

[mjesf]

The ONLY way this will work is if everything goes PERFECTLY (ship arrives at 7:00 AM, kid self debarks and makes it to the airport by 8:00 - 8:30 AM, gets through LONG security line at SAN and makes it to gate by 9:45 AM.)

 

There is the little issue of Murphy's Law. Kenish gives good examples of that as far as disembarkations go. The only thing working in your kid's favor for this plan is that the SAN is about ten minutes away by cab from the cruise terminal.

 

In order to avert disaster (and a tired, stressed out kid who won't be at 100% for the sporting event) try this. Assuming this is the Mexican Riviera Cruise on the Zaandam, have the kid disembark early at Cabo San Lucas and fly from SJD to PHX? US does it non stop and the kid will be well rested to contribute to his athletic event.

 

Hope it all works out!

[Northern Aurora]

We have disembarked several times in San Diego, the last time being in October, 2011. We also had the problem of several non-US passengers not being at their assigned location to clear immigration. Despite numerous announcements asking these passengers by name to go to their assigned meeting room, everyone was stuck onboard until about 9:30 AM. It wasn't a problem for us since we were staying in San Diego for several days post-cruise, but was a serious problem for a number of others.

[SadieN]

Also make sure that he has nothing that smells like fruit in his bags.

The Ag dogs have very sensitive noses. They've caught me smuggling off a box of Froot Loops.:p Don't want to waste time with the Dog.

[kenish]

If your son's event is either attend all or nothing, flying from Cabo is probably the best plan. If SDC-PHX fares are high, an offbeat suggestion is SDC-SNA (Orange County) on either AirTran or Interjet, then US Airways or Southwest to PHX.

 

The SDC-SNA flights are fairly new and there's some good fares.

[CruiserBruce]

If your son's event is either attend all or nothing, flying from Cabo is probably the best plan. If SDC-PHX fares are high, an offbeat suggestion is SDC-SNA (Orange County) on either AirTran or Interjet, then US Airways or Southwest to PHX.

 

The SDC-SNA flights are fairly new and there's some good fares.

 

SDC is Sandcreek Airport, in Guyana. Try again?

 

Cabo San Lucas, if that is what you want, is either CSL or SJD. I see it listed both ways.

 

As to OP's original question, we have disembarcked 4 times in San Diego, although none in the last 3 years. 3 of the 4 were delayed to near 9am. One- coincidently the one we needed to move quickly, cleared by 7:30.

[kenish]

Cabo San Lucas, if that is what you want, is either CSL or SJD. I see it listed both ways.

 

Oops, you're right. They are actually two different airports. Major airlines use SJD, (S)an (J)ose (d)el Cabo.

 

CSL is a smaller airport with domestic air taxi flights. (It also accepts international general aviation flights so it's also listed as an international airport).

[cr8tiv1]

I also concur. I disembarked from an HAL ship in October 2012. Granted, it was continuing on from Vancouver, San Diego, Hawaii. But they called for 6 passengers that didn't show up for about 45 minutes. That held everybody else up.

 

10:00 AM is really chancing it. I realize that your son will probably just leave with his backpack, but he still needs to clear immigrations before leaving the terminal. Then find a taxi, get through the airport security, etc.

 

Good luck,

Renee

[tweakes]

Just to reiterate what others said... I live in SD, but only disembarked from a pretty small ship once where I went straight to work (less than half a mile from the ship to where I worked) and I got there about 10am. The airport is super close to the port and the security lines are often short, but I wouldn't chance it. You could try a SW flight... I think they let you standby for earlier flights without a charge and you might have luck that way.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

We have not disembarked in San Diego for a number of years but when we did we were off by 9AM. I do think a 10AM flight is a bit early. If all went well you would make it, but as others have said, apparently lately there is a problem with immigration officials ( as well as lazy passengers) here.

[OCruisers]

:) Thanks very much for the current info on disembarkation in San Diego.

We were wondering what to expect there. So glad I did a "search" and found this.

 

LuLu

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