Sapphire Coastal California--Disembarkation

My family is taking the California Coastal cruise October 12-19 on the Princess Sapphire. We are booking a tour of LA post-cruise. Question for people who have taken this cruise--what time should we schedule the pick-up (post-cruise) at the San Pedro Cruise Terminal for our tour. I was thinking 7:30? We are scheduled to dock @ 7:00 a.m. We can do express walk-off if needed. Our flight is at 2:35 out of LAX. Any advice is welcome/appreciated--thanks!

Wow, I think that is optimistic. I would factor in a late arrival, and that it takes forever to clear customs, even if you walk off with your luggage.

Also, traffic in LA is horrible. Factor that in to your tour time.

Personally, I think 8:30 -9 am disembark is more likely, and you need to be at LAX at least 1 hr before your flight. They say 2 hrs early. IMO :)

Pat

My family is taking the California Coastal cruise October 12-19 on the Princess Sapphire. We are booking a tour of LA post-cruise. Question for people who have taken this cruise--what time should we schedule the pick-up (post-cruise) at the San Pedro Cruise Terminal for our tour. I was thinking 7:30? We are scheduled to dock @ 7:00 a.m. We can do express walk-off if needed. Our flight is at 2:35 out of LAX. Any advice is welcome/appreciated--thanks!

I agree with the others. I think the 7 am time is why the ship is blue to start the process of immigration. I was in the third walk-off group in December and we weren't called until 745 and there was a backup for customs that early.

We did express walk off on the Sapphire Coastal cruise in April, and we were out by the curb around 8:45am. There were plenty of people that got off before we did, but there were still a ton still on the ship. I wouldn't schedule a pickup before 9am personally. But anything can happen, you could get out of the ship earlier, or the ship could be delayed for many reasons.

My family is taking the California Coastal cruise October 12-19 on the Princess Sapphire. We are booking a tour of LA post-cruise. Question for people who have taken this cruise--what time should we schedule the pick-up (post-cruise) at the San Pedro Cruise Terminal for our tour. I was thinking 7:30? We are scheduled to dock @ 7:00 a.m. We can do express walk-off if needed. Our flight is at 2:35 out of LAX. Any advice is welcome/appreciated--thanks!

I've been in traffic at LAX for half an hour just to get from airport entrance to the terminal. Lines are usually very long for check-in and Security, and then it's usually a long walk to your gate. I fly out of LAX and always plan on being at the airport at least an hour and a half before a domestic flight, at least two hours before an international flight.

Thanks everyone for your input. Pardon my LA ignorance--being form the midwest and never traveling to the LA area before--I just didn't know. We've cruised about a dozen times--but never in/out of LA. We're touring on a Saturday--I just thought traffic might be a little better--apparently not. It looks like I'll go for a later pick up time and a lot shorter tour :(.....Thanks again for your advice!

No, Saturday traffic can be just as bad. :( Not true so many other places but LA has got to have the worst traffic in the world. It's not unusual to see stop-and-go traffic on a Saturday on the freeway.

Another vote for skipping a tour as LA wins the traffic war. I live about 45 miles from Long beach ( long beach is just down from the pier of San Pedro and where Carnival docks) and it took me three hours to get home on a Friday afternoon. My husband works in LA and had to drive out on a Sunday morning and it took 11/2 hours (for what should be mileage wise a 45 minute drive. ). About the only stop you will have time for is a quick lunch from Mc Donald's.

Toward the first part of the cruise, the Passengers Service desk will send you a disembarkation letter. If you are requesting an early departure, you will need to take the letter to the PS Desk before the deadline and explain the reason for your request. They will likely give you an early time, but you will need to check the color of your luggage tags received at the end of the cruise against the list on the disembarkation information form to make certain of the approximate time. If you are new to Princess, they do not do announcements for disembarkation any longer, but you need to be in the area designated on the info form for your color tag at the time indicated. The person in charge of that area will then tell you when you can disembark. We have cruised out of LA many times, and disembarkation start times really vary. I'm with everyone else...8:30 AM would be one of the earlier times. If I am having anyone pick me up for transport, I make arrangement to call them about 45 minutes before our estimated time, then I call them again when we are actually off the ship and arrange a pick up spot. Good luck! We are also on this particular cruise with you. Did it last year,too. Had a great time! Love the Sapphire!

Thanks for the information---appreciate it! We are really looking forward to this cruise. It's my first time in California--can't wait to see it! Again, thank you!