4 Hours + to disembark in San Pedro

[brianlojeck]

The Golden Princess got me roughly 600 nautical miles over 3 days with a deviation from the printed schedule of roughly 5 minutes.

 

The US Government couldn't get me from ship to shore in less than 4 hours.

 

I get that Customs was swinging their dorks around, showing how bad they were by making everyone wait for them, I realize that wasn't Princess's fault, but the ship gave us NO information. They didn't even announce that there was a delay until roughly 11:00am.

 

Even the staff didn't have any information. Ask three people when you might get off the ship and you'd get answers ranging from "your group has already left" (they hadn't) to "we don't know" to "you should just get in line now and don't tell anyone.".

 

The only people who got off the ship before noon were the ones who ignored the instructions to wait and just got in line on their own.

 

This had been one of my best cruises ever, amazing considering how short it was and what a pit Ensenada is... but when things go bad, that's when you find out how well run a ship really is... and Princess seemingly couldn't even handle a minor issue... makes me wonder what would happen if the stuff really hit the fan while at sea...

[notentirelynormal]

So if I'm understanding your post - Princess gave you a great cruise and the US Government screwed up your getting off the ship and you blame Princess. You do understand that Princess doesn't control the Customs/Immigration Department, right?

[chrismch]

I've done numerous 3 & day cruises out of San Pedro with no problems, sorry it wasn't the same for you.

[brianlojeck]

So if I'm understanding your post - Princess gave you a great cruise and the US Government screwed up your getting off the ship and you blame Princess. You do understand that Princess doesn't control the Customs/Immigration Department, right?

 

Did you read my post?

[Gig103]

So if I'm understanding your post - Princess gave you a great cruise and the US Government screwed up your getting off the ship and you blame Princess. You do understand that Princess doesn't control the Customs/Immigration Department, right?

 

He didn't blame Princess for the delays, he faulted them for not explaining it. There's a difference.

[notentirelynormal]

Did you read my post?

 

Yup, I read your post. You had a great cruise and the disembarkation controlled by the US Government made it really difficult and you blame it on Princess. What do you want Princess to explain (as another poster stated)? They deal with the same BS as the rest of us. They can only do what they can do. You are told to go to a designated area. They announce when you can then go forward based on the US Government. The timing is not up to them. Sure they could announce over and over that Immigration Control was not in place and what exactly would that accomplish?

 

When you go to the airport and TSA holds you up do you blame the airline you are flying on? Do you expect that airline to keep you informed with constant announcements? Sorry, but not quite getting your complaint against Princess.

 

I get that the OP didn't enjoy the disembarkation but to say that Princess should have done a better job.... well....

[Griller]

Yup, I read your post. You had a great cruise and the disembarkation controlled by the US Government made it really difficult and you blame it on Princess. What do you want Princess to explain (as another poster stated)? They deal with the same BS as the rest of us. They can only do what they can do. You are told to go to a designated area. They announce when you can then go forward based on the US Government. The timing is not up to them. Sure they could announce over and over that Immigration Control was not in place and what exactly would that accomplish?

 

When you go to the airport and TSA holds you up do you blame the airline you are flying on? Do you expect that airline to keep you informed with constant announcements? Sorry, but not quite getting your complaint against Princess.

 

I get that the OP didn't enjoy the disembarkation but to say that Princess should have done a better job.... well....

 

Yes Princess should have done a better job keeping passengers accurately informed, even though the debarkation delay was not of their making.

[PunkiC]

So did you ever discover what caused the problem?

[chamima]

There were 2 ships in port last Monday. If you look at the San Pedro port schedule that only happens once or twice a month.

I think they don't have the infrastructure in place to handle 2 ships.

http://www.sanpedrocalendar.com/scripts/calcium40.pl?CalendarName=sanpedrocruiseship&Op=ShowIt&Amount=Month&NavType=Absolute&Type=Block&Date=2013%2F11%2F1

[Piepkorn]

We mustn't forget that the 'sequester' is still in place. I will leave my commentary out.

[sammiedawg]

We lucked out a couple times in San Pedro but we heard lots of stories about customs and immigration. A cruise employee told us they were notorious for holding up disembarkation and our cab driver said he hears complaints all the time. Last March the cruise employee said the government officials are dysfunctional in this port and cruise staff dreads turnaround days here. Numerous official complaints have been filed by cruise lines over the years.

[swedish weave]

There were 2 ships in port last Monday. If you look at the San Pedro port schedule that only happens once or twice a month.

I think they don't have the infrastructure in place to handle 2 ships.

http://www.sanpedrocalendar.com/scripts/calcium40.pl?CalendarName=sanpedrocruiseship&Op=ShowIt&Amount=Month&NavType=Absolute&Type=Block&Date=2013%2F11%2F1

 

I have sailed into and out of San Pedro many times, and the facility is equipped to handle three ships. Piers 91 and 92 use one building and pier 93 (which Princess normally uses) is separate from the other two. I believe this problem is with the US Govt not supplying the manpower to handle two ships rather than the facility itself.

[chamima]

I have sailed into and out of San Pedro many times, and the facility is equipped to handle three ships. Piers 91 and 92 use one building and pier 93 (which Princess normally uses) is separate from the other two. I believe this problem is with the US Govt not supplying the manpower to handle two ships rather than the facility itself.

 

Both ships were Princess last Monday and I meant more scheduled manpower than physical plant.

[cruznliz]

We disembarked from the Star Princess on Monday, in the "B" parking space, and we were called at exactly the time that was printed in our Disembarkation Instructions. We were at the curb within 15 minutes of leaving the lounge. :D

 

Princess has had the "no announcements" at disembarkation policy for a few years now. It's a mixed blessing. :rolleyes:

[sammiedawg]

In March we had an early flight and self disembarked about an hour late. We were standing near the gangway and overheard the walkie talkie type communications from the terminal. Princess terminal people radio'd government officials seemed ready to go but it was another forty minutes until anyone could disembark. At this point the cruise staff person was getting bombarded with questions why we were still waiting and he shared our frustrations. He told us turnaround days are dreaded in San Pedro. Our cabbie told us there are constant complaints about the government employee attitude and lack of efficiency here. But it is the government and cruise lines can do very little to intervene.

Anyone disembarking here should self disembark and be at the head of the line to do so. Don't wait in the lounge. Our cabbie told us they often start disembarkation, then officials tell them to stop. The whole thing reminds me of a time we landed after an international flight in Charlotte. Three international flights came in, lines were horrendously slow. Then we saw several immigration agents shut their counters down. We were told it was their break time.

[IECalCruiser]

He didn't blame Princess for the delays, he faulted them for not explaining it. There's a difference.

San Pedro is usually a smooth disembarkation. We had one delay of only about 30 minutes when we were waiting in line. The process started and then everything stopped. It was hard to get information from Princess but that is because they couldn't get information from ICE. The government does things in their own sweet time and does not share information. I can understand your frustration with the lack of info but they were probably just as frustrated. Princess should just tell you what they don't know. That is what they tried to do for us.

[PunkiC]

Were you on the ship the entire time? Maybe that wasn't so bad.

 

Once we took the first cruise of the season into Vancouver, B.C., and everything was so disorganized that it took us about 3 hours to get through the customs line. We would have been much happier waiting on the ship.

 

The reboarding process also took over three hours. We had gotten off one ship and were boarding another. It was such a mess that it made the front page of the local papers.

 

On another cruise we were delayed departing from SFO by US customs because we were missing a crew member. Sitting on our aft balcony watching the Oracle practice in the Bay wasn't too bad. :)

[critterchick]

In 2008, the Ports of LA and Long Beach started a program where US citizens could simply disembark, bypass immigration, collect their luggage and turn in their customs declaration forms on their way out of the terminal (subject to being pulled aside randomly or upon a dog's alert for a search of the luggage for undeclared or contraband items). I cannot for the life of me fathom why they have stopped doing that.

 

We were on Golden earlier this month, and disembarkation started early. We arrived at our lounge as scheduled (first group) and the Captain's Circle rep told us that we could just go if we were self-disembarking (I imagine that most of the ship was on a 3-night itinerary). We were probably 100th in line at that point and it took about 20 minutes to get through. I have to think that later groups took even longer.

 

It's not Princess' fault by any means (Royal had the same problems with Monarch) but it's really annoying that the port and CBP officials can't come up with something better. It isn't good for anybody.

[melody hounddog]

I wonder how many people missed their flights because of this?

[at-c]

I agreewith the OP. I posted my own account of disembarkation on this thread in the Princess forum.

Disembarkation delays at LA port

 

I had booked a 1:00pm flight thinking that I would have plenty of time. It turns out that I had about 30 seconds leftover to make the plane.

 

I also think that Princess could have done much better with announcements. If they are using a "silent" disembarkation, then the rep in the waiting lounge should have been making updates as they are known. There were a few overhead announcements that CBP was short staffed, and these were repeated a few times. So, with the overhead announcement being initiated, I would expect that there is an overhead announcement that disembarkation has finally begun. But, there was no such thing. The lounge reps just kept everybody waiting.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Now that is a good reminder not to book early return flights. Most of the times, it will be ok... But not always!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Now that is a good reminder not to book early return flights. Most of the times, it will be ok... But not always!

 

I've had different experiences with disembarkation in the eight times we've been in San Pedro. Sometimes we get off in time, but back in 2006, customs and immigration started close to an hour late. Princess started the silent disembarkation by the time we were on our next cruise, and from what most people say here, it seems to work fine, all else being equal (meaning how the government workers are running C/I). At least it seems to cut down on people hanging out on stairwells, which is unsafe. And probably counts down on a lot of line-jumping.

 

Because most of the time, we've sailed out of this port and we live an hour's drive from here, we're not worried about flights, and we aren't in any hurry. But for our other cruises from far off ports, we've usually add on a land stay afterwards. Then we aren't stressed about catching a flight. One time it was good that we had a same day flight as a hurricane was aiming for Miami, and it hit just a few hours after we got home. We don't want to finish a relaxing cruise with the stress of a morning flight.

[Guest fyree39]

We mustn't forget that the 'sequester' is still in place. I will leave my commentary out.

Sequestration ended ages ago. Furloughs replaced sequestration, but those ended this month.

 

I've heard that it takes longer to debark a Princess ship. I'll be interested to see how it goes for us in January.

[BassettMom]

Sequestration ended ages ago. Furloughs replaced sequestration, but those ended this month.

 

I've heard that it takes longer to debark a Princess ship. I'll be interested to see how it goes for us in January.

 

Sequestration has not ended and in fact will continue through this next year. Positions are being cut from many branches of the govenment to meet the budget reductions imposed by sequestration, and many more cuts are still to come since this year's cuts are even higher than last year's for many agencies. I don't know what the impact is to the CBP, but sequestration is going to continue to impact many branches of the govenment even more than before.

 

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[trbarton]

I was on the Golden last month and I too had to wait a long time. Their was only 2 customs agents on duty and when I mentioned about the delay he didn't want to say much except contact your Congress person. You can see Princess has no control as to how many agents are on duty. Perhaps someone on CC will contact someone in Congress and post their response. Whose going to contact them?

 

Tom:)