San Pedro cruise port question- for those parking car for cruise

[Jetswdo]

  My cruise departs from San Pedro port.  I live about 1 half hours from the port, so we are planning on just driving to the port in the morning and would like to get there about 10:00 am.  As I am completely ignorant of how this works, I would really appreciate it if someone can explain the procedure.

Here are my questions:

1.  Is it difficult to find a spot, and do you just park anywhere in the lot?

2.  When we enter the parking lot, are there sections for specific cruise lines.  (This is for Celebrity Eclipse- 1041  B93, whatever that means)

3.  If you just park anywhere in the lot,  do you get on with your luggage on a shuttle?

4.  I believe there are two ships in port that day:  Celebrity Eclipse and RC Navigator.  A there porters specifically for each ship, or do you bring your luggage inside the terminal building.?

Thanks for any knowledge of the above, and any other tips.  Anita

 

[taznremmy]

11 minutes ago, Jetswdo said:

  My cruise departs from San Pedro port.  I live about 1 half hours from the port, so we are planning on just driving to the port in the morning and would like to get there about 10:00 am.  As I am completely ignorant of how this works, I would really appreciate it if someone can explain the procedure.

Here are my questions:

1.  Is it difficult to find a spot, and do you just park anywhere in the lot? Not usually.

2.  When we enter the parking lot, are there sections for specific cruise lines.  (This is for Celebrity Eclipse- 1041  B93, whatever that means) No, it is first come first served.

3.  If you just park anywhere in the lot,  do you get on with your luggage on a shuttle? No guarantees.  I usually take my luggage and walk.

4.  I believe there are two ships in port that day:  Celebrity Eclipse and RC Navigator.  A there porters specifically for each ship, or do you bring your luggage inside the terminal building.? There are two ships, but there are also two terminals.  Try to park as close to yours as possible.  Each terminal has their own baggage handlers.

Unless it has changed recently, it is $20 a day.

Thanks for any knowledge of the above, and any other tips.  Anita

 

 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

We usually drive and park.

 

I drop off DW and whomever else I am with curbside, in front of our ship's terminal. She/they get the luggage to a porter while I go park. When I get back (walking from where I park) we go check-in. Easy peasy.

 

Parking is easy. If there is a parking lot shuttle, I am unaware of it. The parking lot isn't really a huge area.

 

Look at the map below, you park closest to your Berth.

 

https://goo.gl/maps/AJpbJDv5tKkwrMyg7

 

We reverse when we arrive back. She/they organize the luggage, I go get the car.

[Jetswdo]

thanks for the info.   Anita

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

July 2022 we sailed from there and did the park & sail at a hotel.  Once I saw the parking lot at the cruise port I knew I made a mistake.  The parking lot wasn't even close to being full and was an easy walk to the terminal for check in.  The big advantage is when you come back as you can be off the ship, in your car, and on the road before most people can get transport.  We had pre-booked an Uber so it was there when we walked out.  Many people hadn't called for an Uber until that morning and had been waiting 45 minutes and some got canceled on route.  

[KeepCalmBearOn]

45 minutes ago, ATSEAMYLIFE said:

The big advantage is when you come back as you can be off the ship, in your car, and on the road before most people can get transport.

 

The big advantage is when you come back as you can stay longer in the buffet for breakfast while everyone else is in a panic, running around like a chicken with its head cutoff. 😁

 

My last cruise out of San Pedro my 93 year old parents were along and we were almost the last ones off the ship. There was no line at customs and immigration and porters looking for one last off load before they moved over to the incoming passengers. It was delightful.

[jcc1025]

23 hours ago, Jetswdo said:

  My cruise departs from San Pedro port.  I live about 1 half hours from the port, so we are planning on just driving to the port in the morning and would like to get there about 10:00 am.  As I am completely ignorant of how this works, I would really appreciate it if someone can explain the procedure.

Here are my questions:

1.  Is it difficult to find a spot, and do you just park anywhere in the lot?

2.  When we enter the parking lot, are there sections for specific cruise lines.  (This is for Celebrity Eclipse- 1041  B93, whatever that means)

3.  If you just park anywhere in the lot,  do you get on with your luggage on a shuttle?

4.  I believe there are two ships in port that day:  Celebrity Eclipse and RC Navigator.  A there porters specifically for each ship, or do you bring your luggage inside the terminal building.?

Thanks for any knowledge of the above, and any other tips.  Anita

 

We live about 20 minutes from the port and park there all the time. If you get there at 10 there will be lots of parking available. You get a ticket when you come in and pay with a card when you leave. The lot is not separated by cruise ship. The B93 is the pier number, you will see them when you arrive. Parking for the Battleship Iowa is separated to the west of the cruise ship parking. A tip we got from a shuttle driver once was to look for the tall tower to the west end of the lot and park near it. I will be a longer walk to the terminal but when you leave the parking lot can be very congested and from that location you can get out easier than if you’re parked up close. Last time we came in we were off the ship, through customs and out of the lot in about 45 minutes. If you park close just need to be prepared for a longer wait to get out of the lot upon return, they are just across the street from the terminals.

There are shuttles that tour the lot when you come in. You must take your own luggage from the parking lot to the terminal. Porters are available at the terminal, but this is the one area where patience is needed as it’s not the best organized operation but still did not take long. Have fun, happy cruising.

[Jetswdo]

Thanks, now I know what to expect.  Really appreciate it.  Anita

[happy42cruise]

I googled the port & the map has street view of the road around the parking lot & terminals.  I found it very helpful to see how you get around the area.

[Bruin Steve]

We used to drive down and park in the lot--which had always been fairly easy...

But we haven't done that for awhile now...

Now, we do one of two things:

1)  If we book early enough, we get a cheap enough park'n'cruise rate at the CP...or, if we have a lot of Hilton points, stay a night at the Doubletree and leave the car there...or...

2)  We just Uber/Lyft there and back.  We live OVER AN HOUR from port (Calabasas) and we've gotten Uber/Lyft rides for about $50-60 each way (Edit:  I just looked it up on my "activity" tab on the Uber app--last three rides between home and the pier cost me, including tip, $55.97, $58.96 and $77.94--last one must have had a bit of "surge" and $65.54--Lyft on that last one...So, the last two cruises had round trip costs, including tips, of $114.93 and $143.48...Considering the lot for 7 nights is $20 per--or $140 plus about $25 just in gas, even at its worst, Uber/Lyft has been a bargain)...IOW, for about $100-120 plus tips--less than 7 nights parking at the port, we don't have to drive.  We don't pay for gas (5-6 gallons at $4.50-5:50 per gallon), no wear and tear on the car, we don't have to leave a car exposed to the elements and risks outdoors for a week, we don't risk accidents or traffic tickets there and back...and our driver drops us off and picks us up at the curb...If I lived closer to the port, it would be even more of a no-brainer.

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by Bruin Steve