Embarkation in San Francisco

[dtwcal]

We are booked on the Grand Princess on February 3rd. We just received an email from Princess informing us that they have staggered the boarding by deck. We are asked to board at 2:00 pm. The problem is that we have to check out of the hotel by noon. Do we have to sit on our luggage on the sidewalk for two hours, or is it possible to drop off our bags with the porters at the terminal at 11:30 or so, and then go and find a nice place for lunch?

[goodie2shoes]

We planned to exactly that the last time we sailed out of SFO, so we took our luggage to the boarding area, and a nice Princess rep helped us unload it and give it to a porter. Then, as we were about to leave he said we could go ahead and check in. We parked our car and came right back, and were allowed in the building immediately. I don't know why - maybe because we were nice and smiling or something, but I certainly feel we were extremely lucky. We were among the first to board the ship!

 

If they say you have to come back later, you are very close to Pier 39 with lots of restaurants.

 

Good luck!

[24639]

Even if they don't let you check in, they will take your bags. There are lots of places to meander along the Embarcadero if you have to wait. I think we handed over our bags around 10am because we arrived so early by bus.

[Colo Cruiser]

In the past it has just been a suggestion.

[Times Prince]

Just remember to keep your "cruise busters" in a safe place with you: Passport, boarding pass, credit card(s), required medicines. The local tourist attractions can be quite crowded, especially on weekends.

 

I.E. Don't check your essentials with the porters! You may need them. ;)

[caribill]

As pointed out in an above post, the suggested check-in time is just a suggetion in an attempt to reduce crowd size and thus length of the wait to check in.

 

Princess realizes that many have constraints such as hotel check-out time, arrival by Princess xfer. etc., and that you can check in earlier if you wish.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I got to the ship about 12:30 and there was no line. Amazingly I walked right up to the counter and was onboard in 10 minutes flat! I think most people do try to check in earlier than that. There were a million cars though clogging the street in front and this may have been the reason that there was no line. Perhaps all the passengers were stuck in traffic- I traveled to the ship by bicycle taxi. He got me there with no delay!

 

I was off the ship by 8AM when we disembarked and there are plenty of taxi's.

Edited January 24, 2014 by rebeccalouiseagain

[shepp]

If they say you have to come back later, you are very close to Pier 39 with lots of restaurants.

 

Or, if you want to do what we locals do, avoid the tourist-trap mediocrity of 39 and eat at the Ferry Building instead.

[sally885]

This is Off Topic, but I'm on the same cruise. We haven't been given our room assignment yet. I've read on these message boards that they normally assign rooms at least 2 weeks in advance. Anyone have a reason for our non assignment? thanks.

[shepp]

This is Off Topic, but I'm on the same cruise. We haven't been given our room assignment yet. I've read on these message boards that they normally assign rooms at least 2 weeks in advance. Anyone have a reason for our non assignment? thanks.

 

There's no telling when they'll assign a guarantee, and I've never heard of the two-week thingy. (The Princess site says "just before departure date," or some such.) Last time, we didn't know about an upgrade until we were already onboard. You'll hear "the longer it takes, the more likely a big upgrade," but really, when it comes to Princess cabin algorithms and the Upgrade Fairy, nobody knows.

 

It is, in fact, a bit irritating to be kept waiting so long (we're in the same boat, so to speak) though, because if you're assigned to a cabin you don't like, your TA might be able to switch it for you. The longer the wait, the less likely.

[bdjam]

If you have priority boarding, you can "officially" go anytime. But I've found there have not been any restrictions at Pier 35 for boarding by boarding time. Getting on the pier is different, although the last time we were there and told the pier would open at 1:00 we were ushered in at noon time...I think it just all depends on how the passenger flow from the previous cruise goes...

[aaerobear]

The terminal is generally supposed to open at 1:00pm and, NO, there is no place to sit inside and wait (even it you are platinum or elite). Lining up outside the terminal is also not allowed as long as there are passengers still disembarking. The reason for this should be obvious as the sidewalks become very crowded with regular pedestrians and disembarking passengers with their luggage. City ordinances give us only so much space to block at any time.

 

When you arrive early you can most definitely leave your luggage with a porter and then head off to pier 39 or fishermans wharf to enjoy some tourist time. At the end of the terminal are places to sit and relax and when the terminal opens, someone fro the port staff with come and let you know that the terminal is open.

[pris993]

Or, if you want to do what we locals do, avoid the tourist-trap mediocrity of 39 and eat at the Ferry Building instead.

 

Another option for any one in town for more than a day... is Tadish Grill on California Street, great fish place. Sinbad's on the other side of the Ferry Building is not bad either. Then of course there is Chinatown on Grant Avenue too.