Oakland, Ca Airport To Sfo Cruise Port

[SUNDOWNER]

Need advice! Estimate of cost and driving time to port. Best shuttle service or taxi company from Oakland, Calif. airport to Pier 35 in San Francisco, CA on a Tuesday in Sept. 2004. Flight arrives on Southwest at 1:35pm and need to be on Sun Princess by 4 pm -- is this possible or is this too short of time to allow? Please help ASAP as we need to confirm flights by 8-11-04 and cruise is booked. Thank you!!!

[pvangordon]

Assuming the flight's on time and your luggage makes it, it's plenty of time, in my opinion. Oakland isn't a big airport, so it's pretty easy to get out of there. With little traffic at that time of day (and a reverse commute anyway), you should be able to breeze over to the city. I think you could make it by 3 pm at the latest.

 

Unfortunately I don't have a shuttle service to recommend. That would be the cheapest, but taxi may be faster. Might cost you $50 plus tip.

[SUNDOWNER]

Thanks so much for your help -- I feel better, but you know how you worry about the little things. Although, this could be a costly problem.:)

[Sharcruiser]

Just my personal opinion - we live about 20 minutes from the Oakland airport and go in and out of there all the time. While it is my airport of choice and I highly recommend it, it depends on a lot of things. Flight delays - don't know where you are coming in from but we just came in two weeks ago from Florida and were delayed 2 hours. If you come into terminal 2, that is Southwest terminal and your luggage will be right downstairs quickly. If you arrive into terminal one, you have to walk a little to get to the luggage claim and it will take a little longer for your luggage to get there. You will most likely go over the Bay Bridge, which, if all is going well, will be around 2:30p.m. in the afternoon and should not be bad but, if there is any type of accident (which there are) that will be a problem. The best form of transportation would be a taxi as they can zip in and out.

 

My husband calls me crazy because I like to be at the airport two hours before the plane leaves and I am always early for everything. A potential arrival time at 1:35p.m. to make a 4:00p.m. cruise is again, in my opinion, taking a big chance. If you could arrive any early, I would try to do it.

[SUNDOWNER]

Good morning and thanks for your help.:cool:

We will coming from Nashville, TN with no plane change with only 1 stop in Ontario, CA and arrive 1:35 pm vs. a flight that leaves Nashville earlier and we would have to change planes in Phoenix and layover 1 hr or so and arrive at 12:45pm if all goes well. We thought having the same plane would be an asset in case in Phoenix there could be problems causing delays.

Like you we hate to cut it this close, but thanks to my eagerness to book the cruise -- we have no choice now. :eek:

Also, which taxi company -- looked on airport site and came up with 2 which I called and the "Friendly Cab Co." was much more informative than "Veteran's Cab" -- but need most dependable one to get us to ship on time.

Again, thanks so much for your help as this is a major cause of stress

for us!!:confused:

[WASUP]

SFO airport or OAk???

 

Thanks

[jrtmouse]

Okay people. I just happened to be in San Francisco last weekend and the traffic was horrid! We were driving in from Sacramento on a Saturday. I can tell you right now, the toll bridge is one of the reasons causing the traffic back up for miles! Be prepared for that lovely mess. Once you pass the toll booths and take the exit for Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 and cruise ships, traffic was still backed up. It was 2:30ish and people were just getting to the embarkation station. To me, that's cutting it really close when the ship was to leave at 4:00.

 

I would suggest flying into Oakland several hours ahead of the ship leaving. If you find yourself with extra time on your hands, you can always walk down to Pier 39 to kill an hour or two.

 

Although, I probably would have been there at 10:00 in the morning waiting to get on the ship, but that's just me.

[WASUP]

I am booking tonight the airfare to SFO, Oakland is 50 dollars cheaper to fly into right now...I am just wanting to make sure it is the airport to fly into...

 

Thanks alot

[billybob123]

Although it might be a big pain in the arse to haul your bags onto public transit, you can take the BART from the Oakland Airport/Coliseum station (there's a $2 bus from the airport to the station), and get off at the Embarcadero station, and call a cab from there. It will save you incredibly in terms of the time stuck in traffic. It takes the BART about 20 minutes to cross from OAK to S.F., no traffic, ever! Will cost you about $3 or $4 per person. It's really a great way to get to San Francisco from OAK, I've done it on multiple occasions.

 

http://www.bart.gov - all the details you could possibly need.

 

Edited to add, you can take the BART from SFO now too - and it's almost as quick to the port. It's great to sit on the train watching the traffic sit there watching you speed by!!!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[RubyLee]

Check out East Bay Connection (925) 609-1920. I've used them for rides to the SF airport from the East Bay Area and they're competitive with their prices.

[SUNDOWNER]

Thanks so much for all the wonderful help!! Flying in day before and booked Sheraton at F.Wharf for $60 thru priceline. Will check out shuttles from Oakland Airport to FW. Hope to be at hotel by 3 pm to explore and take cable car and eat, etc. -- any tips greatly appreciated.

Also, any information on Panama Canal from SF to Ft. Lauderdale.

Thanks so much.