San Diego Early Check in

[menmoo]

What time do you have to get to the port in order to get the early check in? What time is early check in? I have never boarded from San Diego. How is the parking etc.? We leave Dec 13. Can't wait

[yogi2929]

We get to port too late for early check-in, sorry.

There is parking directly across the street for $15/day. Google San Diego airport parking coupons for discounts. We like the Park & Go (?) lot on Kettner. Others like the Mission Brewery lot. Both of these lots have free shuttles and are extremely close to port.

[menmoo]

Great info thanks. I never even thought about looking for discount coupons at the airport. I usually just park at the port.

[jones391]

Try
Parking Discounts
http://www.longtermparking.com/california.htm

Go to San Diego and see lots of options

[pokergirl34]

I have never heard of "early check in". We sailed from San Diego in July and were at the port by 10:30. We made it into zone 3 for boarding and were on the ship by 12:30. There seemed to have been a hold up with Customs so we waited for quite a while before we could even check in. We had a much different experience in Miami so I believe it must have been a Customs or Immigration issue.

Here's a tip (YMMV) - sit in the row of benches farthest from the terminal openining....in the row closest to where you will go to check in. When we were there, they used the rows of benches as a preliminary "line" to security and allowed passengers in the closest rows to the security to go first.

Can't help you with parking since we had a rental car.

[cathyz]

Originally Posted by menmoo

What time do you have to get to the port in order to get the early check in? What time is early check in? I have never boarded from San Diego. How is the parking etc.? We leave Dec 13. Can't wait

There is no early check-in in San Diego like there is in Long Beach. There is a sign posted saying you can't get past security and on the pier until 11:00, but both times we've sailed from there, we've gone in about 10:30. We parked directly across the street both times, it's very convenient, no need for shuttles or taxis.

[Splinter]

Originally Posted by menmoo

Great info thanks. I never even thought about looking for discount coupons at the airport. I usually just park at the port.

There is no port parking now days. Years go there was parking on the pier, but after 9/11 that went away. The closest lot is across busy Harbor Drive and is $15/day. You can find other lots with significant discounts at the link above. Here is the information about parking (not complete) from the port district:

http://www.sandiegocruiseport.com/sa...uise-tips.html

The airport is only 2 miles from the port, so there are lots of off-site parking lots in the area (the airport parking starts at $20/day so off-site is very popular).

Here shows the pier with two ships in port. Note that there is a U shaped drive that goes around the pier for drop-off of passengers by either cars, taxis or shuttle, with a pick-up area in the center. You can see the closest lot (noted above) at the bottom of the photo. You can just see part of the airport at the upper right.

[Rosefloater]

Just used the Park & Go on Pacific Coast Hwy. $8 day with on line coupon. It is about 5 minutes from the pier and shuttle was waiting when we debarked.

[gargoyle999]

Originally Posted by Splinter

5 more days 'till we are there (first time)!... There seems to be a large building for the ship on the right, but not one for the ship on the left. Does that large building serve both ships?

[cathyz]

Originally Posted by gargoyle999

5 more days 'till we are there (first time)!... There seems to be a large building for the ship on the right, but not one for the ship on the left. Does that large building serve both ships?

Yes, if your ship is on the left, then you do the normal check-in, etc, in the building and then when they're ready to board, you have to walk back outside just in front of those white tent buildings (which is where your luggage will be at the end also).

[gargoyle999]

Originally Posted by cathyz

Yes, if your ship is on the left, then you do the normal check-in, etc, in the building and then when they're ready to board, you have to walk back outside just in front of those white tent buildings (which is where your luggage will be at the end also).

Thanks! That's good to know. I'd hate to be hanging out in those tents for a couple hours wondering when they were going to start checking people in!