Can I make an 11:45 flight out of SFO ?

[bmtpsu]

I have never cruised out of Port of San Francisco. It shows the Star will be the only ship in port that Friday in May but Princess recommends no flight before 12:15. I plan to take a taxi to airport after clearing customs.

[Loonbeam]

I repeat the same advice I give whenever this question is asked.

 

If you feel you have to ask the question, the answer is no. It will simply add stress.

[caribill]

Princess recommends no flight before 12:15.

 

There is a reason Princess says that.

 

Most times you could make your flight. Some times you might not.

[calimn]

Yes if things are on time. The estimated time is very conservative for legal reasons. Also depends on the day if weekend vs weekday better chance you will not have issue(much more traffic is SF during work commute times which is till 10) The real question is what is the consequence if running late? If airline is someone like Southwest you can call and inform them and pay the difference on flight. If others may have to pay $150 in change fee. In either case will be able to call in most cases as will be close enough to use cell phone. But if making the 11:45 gets you home in the afternoon vs late evening it may be worth it. In the end it depends on how much risk you want to take and only you can answer that

 

I always went conservative, but recently decided the risk was worn it to get home early from east cost to west, but knew I risked missing a day of work and having to call my boss. But worked out 9:15 flight out of FLL no problem. So again in the end you need to decide.

[satxdiver]

I used to travel many times a year to SFO for work. Recently I have sailed a few times out of SF. The traffic in SF is next to horrible with only a few ways out of the city to the airport. If you have never been to SF, you probably cannot comprehend the traffic problems. If it were me, I would get a later time.

[jwm51]

Just a heads up...

 

Princess docks near in Pier 39 in SF.

 

SFO (airport) is actually in another city & county south of this (San Bruno in San Mateo County).:eek:

 

Traffic can be horrendous on the 101 & freeway access from the piers is not close (10 blocks i.e. 20 REAL blocks(!) with stoplights at ever corner).:(

 

Keep this in mind. Have fun!:D

[ldubs]

I think you will be OK under normal circumstances (boat on time, no custom hold-ups). There can be some late commute traffic on weekdays but generally you should be OK -- biggest problem will be getting out of the city. Weekends should be no problem from a traffic standpoint, unless there is something going on like Bay-to-Breakers.

 

Another alternative is the BART train. Not suggesting this is necessarily a better solution, but here is some info. The Embarcadero station is closest to the pier, but probably too far to walk with luggage. Trains run every 10 to 20 minutes (weekends are 20 minutes) and take about 40 minutes to SFO. Trains might be a little crowed from Embarcadero to Montgomery station, which is only one stop, but after that you will be counter-commute and will have plenty of room. The BART station at SFO is basically at the international terminal.

Edited January 4, 2014 by ldubs

[philabos]

I have never cruised out of Port of San Francisco. It shows the Star will be the only ship in port that Friday in May but Princess recommends no flight before 12:15. I plan to take a taxi to airport after clearing customs.

 

Just returned from GRAND and made it to SFO at 0935 - admittedly a Saturday. Made an 1145 flight.

[Loonbeam]

The recent spate of these questions has prompted me to add a new FAQ post:

 

Can I Make my XX:XX Flight?

 

This question comes up a lot and the safe answer is:

 

 

If you have to ask? No.

 

Most disembarkation ports have a suggested earliest flight time for a reason (and most lines will not provide transfers for departures prior to that). Those times are suggested for a reason, to allow for not only the expected challenges of arrival and disembarkation but also to provide a safety cushion.

 

 

Unfortunately, the airlines know this and price flights from those port cities accordingly. So sometimes you do have to consider an earlier flight (note – later flights might be cheaper as well, always consider that option if it fits your plans. There is no such thing as too much time to get to the airport.

 

 

If you do want to take a flight before the suggested times, there are a number of things to consider:

 

• How much luggage do you have? Princess offers a self-debarkation option. These passengers are often first off the ship giving you the best shot at an early flight. Passengers choosing this option MUST be able to handle ALL of their own luggage WITHOUT assistance and possibly with limited access to elevators. This option can greatly increase flight flexibility.
  
• How many ships will be arriving the same day as yours? How big? – The number of ships in port will affect the time it takes to clear customs, availability of taxis, congestion at port gates, etc. As an example, if the Island Princess is the only ship in port, I would be much more comfortable about an early flight than say if the Royal was porting at the same time as the Allure of the Seas and perhaps the Ruby as well. The more ships, the more possibility of issues arising.
  
• What port? – Some ports are noted for customs delays, traffic issues, etc. Identify where the airline is in relation to the port and how you get there. Ft. Lauderdale is relatively close to the airport and on a fairly fast-travel route. San Francisco is in another city along one of the worst highways in the country for congestion.
  
• What day/time are you arriving? Rush hour on a Tuesday or before dawn on a Saturday?
  
• Transport? Planning on a taxi or car service? Car services provide the advantage of a guaranteed waiting vehicle, at a higher cost.
  
• Finally, what is Plan B? Are there later flights you can hope to get on (at possibly some expense) if you miss yours? Remember, flights are closer to full than ever, there may not be any seats the rest of the day.
  

So, should you book that early flight? Thinking on all the factors above, look at the time your ship is scheduled to arrive. Remember, the ship itself has to clear customs itself before disembarkation can begin. Think about all of the factors above and make your best guess when you could get off the ship and clear customs. Estimate travel time to the airport and time to check in and clear security. Then, add an hour at least to allow for any issues/delays. If your flight is after that, MAYBE you can make it.

Or, as I noted above, book the later flight.

 

 

 

It’s vacation, do you really want to spend the last day stressing about air travel?

 

 

http://www.loonbeam.com/PrincessFAQ/?p=40