San Francisco embarkation area?

[Clampram]

What is this area like...I have seen images of people waiting in a long line outside?

Is there an inside building/facility and , more importantly, does it have rest rooms? We have a bit of a drive into San Fran so I am worried about where the "facilities" are, LOL

Thanks in advance

[travelin.sisters]

56 minutes ago, Clampram said:

What is this area like...I have seen images of people waiting in a long line outside?

Is there an inside building/facility and , more importantly, does it have rest rooms? We have a bit of a drive into San Fran so I am worried about where the "facilities" are, LOL

Thanks in advance

We haven't sailed out of SF since 2019,but yes there is an inside building w/restrooms. We have had to wait outside (in the rain) until they were ready to let us enter, but even then, the let people in to use the restroom

[Clampram]

Phwew!! Thanks!!

[cruisequeen4ever]

The line outside is for luggage drop off. Then you go inside, up escalator, and get into the security line. Once through security, you get into the check-in line. 

[trbarton]

9 hours ago, Clampram said:

What is this area like...I have seen images of people waiting in a long line outside?

Is there an inside building/facility and , more importantly, does it have rest rooms? We have a bit of a drive into San Fran so I am worried about where the "facilities" are, LOL

Thanks in advance

Yes there are restrooms inside. If there is a long line there is a restroom inside where people are leaving the ship where they may let you in. 
 

I live in SF & if you’re able to arrive early there is usually a short line into the terminal. 
 

Any other questions please ask. 
 

Tom😀

[milolii]

We embarked a few weeks ago.  We didn’t get there until about 1330.  There was a long line outside, but it moved quickly.  So don’t worry about that line.   Bathrooms are inside.  Princess personnel had I-Pads and were checking people in while they were in line.  So if you’re green in the app, you are good to go. There was a line for those without the medallion. 
 

One large group tied to skip the line (more than once) and security wasn’t having any of it.  
 

We held onto our luggage all the way, no bag drop.  Screening machines were large enough.  I think it took about 30 minutes. When we got to the cabin, we could still see the line.  About 30 minutes later, it had shrunk. 

[Clampram]

19 hours ago, trbarton said:

Yes there are restrooms inside. If there is a long line there is a restroom inside where people are leaving the ship where they may let you in. 
 

I live in SF & if you’re able to arrive early there is usually a short line into the terminal. 
 

Any other questions please ask. 
 

Tom😀

Thanks Tom....we are boarding on March 27....we are also suite passengers.....how early should we arrive/ Coming down from Sacramento

[Ombud]

@tbarton this will be only my 2nd SF port experience.  4/23/22 wasn't too bad even with ArriveCAN but that was because I was within the 1st 50. Still hoping 2 things have been fixed.

> no Priority embarkation line

> confusing disembarkation  ... routed through luggage area even though I carry off

Have they improved?

[neverbeenhere]

@Cruiseradier She should be able to give you a complete tour of the San Francisco Pier area.

[trbarton]

4 hours ago, Clampram said:

Thanks Tom....we are boarding on March 27....we are also suite passengers.....how early should we arrive/ Coming down from Sacramento

If you like to be one of the 1st to board, you can go directly to your stateroom, I get there around 9:30 am & am usually in the terminal around 10 am & we board around 11-11:30 am once the ship is cleared of passengers. Their is a waiting area for suite & Elite Passengers that’s near the boarding door. Less people in line when I arrive early. 
 

For lunch at 12 noon I go to the Main Dinning room on deck 6 where I have a nice relaxing meal without all of the people in the buffet. 
 

Glad to help!

 

Tom😀

[trbarton]

4 hours ago, Ombud said:

@tbarton this will be only my 2nd SF port experience.  4/23/22 wasn't too bad even with ArriveCAN but that was because I was within the 1st 50. Still hoping 2 things have been fixed.

> no Priority embarkation line

> confusing disembarkation  ... routed through luggage area even though I carry off

Have they improved?

I was just on a cruise in November/December & most things went smoothly. The only snag was boarding, as there was not enough customs staff, so it took a long time before we could board. That’s my only time boarding in San Francisco with any problems & I have 35+ cruises most from San Francisco. 
 

Everyone is in one line when entering the terminal. Once inside it’s separated depending on what level your in. 
 

Tom😀

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Like Trbarton, we like to be there early too, usually park across the street & roll bags over.

Were usually at the Front of the line, but don't get inside until Everyone is off the ship.

They USED to let you inside the building to use Restroom if you were in line, waiting to board.

But they stopped doing that.  So its a bit of a hike to get to other bathrooms.

So manage that, if you plan to get in line early.

 

There are 2 lines if you arrive early.  One trying to get inside building and the other can be for

luggage drop off.

We also stopped dropping off bags in 2nd line, and just go inside with our roller bag,

then head to our cabin soon as we can. 

Sometimes were able to start unpacking while the Muster video is playing.  Get that overwith.

Since pandemic were not big MDR diners anymore.

We usually head up to Lido and hit the Grill for lunch, or Pizza inside if not too busy.

 

Early is also a Nice time to walk around the ship before the long line of passengers boards.

Plus take some pics.  Pier 27 has some Nice views.

 

 

 

[Cruise Raider]

We cruise out of Pier 27 in SF often.  There is sometimes a line around the building outside but sometimes, they let you go right in through the security line to await embarkation in the terminal.  Yes, there are restrooms inside the terminal.  
Everyone is in the same line until you are past security.  From there, you have priority and non priority embarkation lines.  They both move equally as fast.  
there is also an area for elite an suites if embarkation hasn’t quite started yet.  We have been as early as 10 AM and gotten to board or as later as noon.  This is from pier 27.  If you happen to be scheduled for pier 35, it could be hours on the sidewalk waiting to get into the terminal but it’s doubtful they will have you board at pier 35 after the fiasco last year.  
 

 

[sammyjoanne]

We went in April last year and we joined about 11am and there was no line. Following week when we got off, we had a bit of hanging round to do as our flight was later and didnt want to go straight to the airport. We saw around lunch time the line started to form, but people was getting moved quickly enough. They was very quick to take your luggage from you which was nice, and it seems pretty organised. It was our first time though so dont have anything to compare it to, but it seems pretty quick enough, we got onto the ship within 45 minutes.

[SCX22]

Double check the cruise ship schedule and make sure there aren't 2 ships doing full turns on your embarkation day.  If there are, plan on arriving earlier rather than later because of the traffic on the Embarcadero this causes.  One ship will be berthed and Pier 27 and the other at Pier 35.  It can be a 30 minute traffic jam to go a few blocks.  Experienced this in Oct '23 when the Royal Princess and Ruby Princess were in town doing full turns on the same day.  

[Cruise Raider]

9 hours ago, SCX22 said:

Double check the cruise ship schedule and make sure there aren't 2 ships doing full turns on your embarkation day.  If there are, plan on arriving earlier rather than later because of the traffic on the Embarcadero this causes.  One ship will be berthed and Pier 27 and the other at Pier 35.  It can be a 30 minute traffic jam to go a few blocks.  Experienced this in Oct '23 when the Royal Princess and Ruby Princess were in town doing full turns on the same day.  

Yes .. we experienced that in April ‘22 when the Majestic was in port at pier 27 so, our embarkation on the Ruby was at pier 35.  What a mess!  I don’t know whose bright idea it was to put embarkation at pier 35 when the Majestic was just there for a port stop!  I now always look at the port schedule and won’t ever book a cruise whose embarkation is at pier 35!  I don’t think Princess will make that mistake again as they got so many complaints about it.  
 

[sfpd3000]

2 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

Yes .. we experienced that in April ‘22 when the Majestic was in port at pier 27 so, our embarkation on the Ruby was at pier 35.  What a mess!  I don’t know whose bright idea it was to put embarkation at pier 35 when the Majestic was just there for a port stop!  I now always look at the port schedule and won’t ever book a cruise whose embarkation is at pier 35!  I don’t think Princess will make that mistake again as they got so many complaints about it.  
 

And that’s why I don’t work full turns at Pier 35!

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

I remember day we embarked at Pier 27, when the Blue Angels would be flying.

When was that.... Sept.?  I don't recall, not that long ago, anyway...

 

Luckily we got to ship EARLY.  Traffic only got worse and the line Long....

We had terrific seats up on deck to what we Hoped would be best seats EVER for Blue Angels.

Well, it was overcast/cloudy that day, and we could HEAR them, but really didn't see much.

So much for our terrific planning! lol

 

 

[sfpd3000]

On 3/17/2023 at 1:13 AM, Clampram said:

Phwew!! Thanks!!

They have opened the public restrooms closer to the street.  They closed them for years due to the homeless abusing them.  Might be the new port manager’s call.

[sfpd3000]

Just now, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

I remember day we embarked at Pier 27, when the Blue Angels would be flying.

When was that.... Sept.?  I don't recall, not that long ago, anyway...

 

Luckily we got to ship EARLY.  Traffic only got worse and the line Long....

We had terrific seats up on deck to what we Hoped would be best seats EVER for Blue Angels.

Well, it was overcast/cloudy that day, and we could HEAR them, but really didn't see much.

So much for our terrific planning! lol

 

 

October (Columbus Day weekend).  I was smart enough not to work that day  either.  Our SFPD guys had to call two on duty patrol units to “escort” them (we bring our personal cars to work the port) off the Embarcadero 

[trbarton]

5 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

Yes .. we experienced that in April ‘22 when the Majestic was in port at pier 27 so, our embarkation on the Ruby was at pier 35.  What a mess!  I don’t know whose bright idea it was to put embarkation at pier 35 when the Majestic was just there for a port stop!  I now always look at the port schedule and won’t ever book a cruise whose embarkation is at pier 35!  I don’t think Princess will make that mistake again as they got so many complaints about it.  
 

The Majestic is a much larger ship in size & pier 35 was not built/designed for ships of that size. Be aware that Princess does not control where their ships dock in any port. I’m guessing that their are many cruises where the pier where they dock while on a cruise is not the most ideal & I wonder if people would not book a cruise based on which piers they arrive at. 
 

FYI….Pier 35 was the cruise terminal for many years. I’ve had many cruises from pier 35, they can hold 2 cruise ships & I only had one cruise that was disaster & that was last year on Carnival to Alaska. 
 

Tom😀

[Cruise Raider]

6 hours ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

I remember day we embarked at Pier 27, when the Blue Angels would be flying.

When was that.... Sept.?  I don't recall, not that long ago, anyway...

 

Luckily we got to ship EARLY.  Traffic only got worse and the line Long....

We had terrific seats up on deck to what we Hoped would be best seats EVER for Blue Angels.

Well, it was overcast/cloudy that day, and we could HEAR them, but really didn't see much.

So much for our terrific planning! lol

 

 

I believe that was October 9th .. we were there as well but on the second leg of a B2B.  We heard a couple of jets fly by as well, but most of it was canceled due to the weather being so overcast.  
 

[Cruise Raider]

2 hours ago, trbarton said:

The Majestic is a much larger ship in size & pier 35 was not built/designed for ships of that size. Be aware that Princess does not control where their ships dock in any port. I’m guessing that their are many cruises where the pier where they dock while on a cruise is not the most ideal & I wonder if people would not book a cruise based on which piers they arrive at. 
 

FYI….Pier 35 was the cruise terminal for many years. I’ve had many cruises from pier 35, they can hold 2 cruise ships & I only had one cruise that was disaster & that was last year on Carnival to Alaska. 
 

Tom😀

I am aware and knowing what I know, I would never book a cruise again that embarks at pier 35. 
That is one of the reasons I may not cruise on the Crown Princess towards the end of this year .. too many embarkations scheduled at that pier on her.  
 

FYI … I’ve been cruising out of SF since the old Sky Princess was here.  I didn’t care for it then, really don’t care for it now.  I will just choose my cruises more carefully to avoid such chaos.  

 

[Cruise Raider]

6 hours ago, sfpd3000 said:

And that’s why I don’t work full turns at Pier 35!

I hope we see you again soon.  We have 2 more cruises booked for this spring out if SF, one on March 27 and one on April 30th.  

[SCX22]

If just calling, Pier 35 is better because it's closer to the Pier 39/Fisherman's Wharf tourist area.  The problem is that it's just a warehouse, not a terminal.  If doing a full turn, it doesn't help that you get dropped off at on the sidewalk, unlike Pier 27 where there's actually a staged pick-up/drop-off area.  Port of SF can really only handle one ship at a time because of the Embarcadero--not really designed to handle a lot of traffic.

 

@Cruise Raider

I think the Port of SF's cruise schedule is wrong.  The only ship Princess homeported to SF is the Crown Princess for Fall/Winter '23 (up until the end of Sept '24).  The Ruby Princess moving to Fort Lauderdale at the end of '23 Alaska season out of SF.  There's still a chance that the Crown Princess will be assigned Pier 27.