Princess has no clue where we will be docked...

I hope you get this resolved. I have visions of luggage being placed on the wrong ship.

 

A bit OT: The 1/30 sailing of the Crown is scheduled to embark at Pier 93 in San Pedro, but disembark at Pier 46--a long walk with luggage if you are parked at 93. There are 3 ships scheduled to be in port that day, not 4 last I checked, so not sure whey they are using 46 at all. I called Princess to ask if there would be a shuttle provided from 46 to 93 for disembarking passengers, but the phone rep wasn't sure.

 

Does anyone know if Pier 46 is equipped to handle immigration since it is rarely used, or if we have to get transferred to 91, 92 or 93 to be processed?

 

 

We'll be interested to see how this plays out also, as we're on a back to back during this snafu. :)

This is not Princess's first time at the Rodeo.....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We'll be interested to see how this plays out also, as we're on a back to back during this snafu. :)

 

You should be okay, since according to the dates on your signature you will be embarking on 1/30 at Pier 93, and disembarking on 2/6 at 93 also. You will dock at Pier 46 on the 2/2 turnaround day between your two cruises. So parking and luggage shouldn't be a issue for you. It will be those doing just one or the other of your B2Bs that may have a problem.

Edited December 21, 2014 by Ryndam2002

There is a substantial difference between a busy airport, where most gates service more than one flight a day and a cruise terminal where the arrivals and departures of ships are known months in advance. Tidal conditions are also calculable. It's not rocket science, and I am reasonably certain that the Harbormaster and port operator know precisely what's going to go down. They are not know for their abilities to improvise.

 

Why are people defending Princess on this? Every time Princess can't get a story straight between office, terminal operations and the ships, it gets waved away. Boarding times. BVE availability. Embarkation Day luncheon. Visa requirements. Use of certain cabins' balconies in motion.

 

As a longtime customer, I can vaguely cope with this. Perhaps I'm just resigned to it. As a shareholder whose investment is dependent on converting first time cruisers into repeat customers for a lifetime, though, it cheeses me off that these inconsistencies in the time from "let's consider a cruise" to the first rum drink could make people frustrated and frazzled to a point that it colors their entire cruise vacation experience.

 

Metatopic of all of this is shifting from "put something out there and see if people believe it" to "getting a story straight, being honest and forthcoming both when you know something to be a fact and when you don't know, and avoiding corporate BS as much as possible." Honesty and transparency go a long way, and making use of technology in the 21st century to align the facts among the stakeholders is not an unrealistic expectation.

You should be okay, since according to the dates on your signature you will be embarking on 1/30 at Pier 93, and disembarking on 2/6 at 93 also. You will dock at Pier 46 on the 2/2 turnaround day between your two cruises. So parking and luggage shouldn't be a issue for you.

 

Of course, on that turnaround day, you MAY want to return to your car...to drop off those cheap bottles of Kahlua you bought on the first cruise...so you can bring more through at the end. Or to drop off any gifts or dirty laundry or stuff you don't want to keep with you for the duration...But, again, there is the trolley--which runs from 10:00 am on days there are ships in port...

 

There is a substantial difference between a busy airport, where most gates service more than one flight a day and a cruise terminal where the arrivals and departures of ships are known months in advance. Tidal conditions are also calculable. It's not rocket science, and I am reasonably certain that the Harbormaster and port operator know precisely what's going to go down. They are not know for their abilities to improvise.

 

Why are people defending Princess on this? Every time Princess can't get a story straight between office, terminal operations and the ships, it gets waved away. Boarding times. BVE availability. Embarkation Day luncheon. Visa requirements. Use of certain cabins' balconies in motion.

 

As a longtime customer, I can vaguely cope with this. Perhaps I'm just resigned to it. As a shareholder whose investment is dependent on converting first time cruisers into repeat customers for a lifetime, though, it cheeses me off that these inconsistencies in the time from "let's consider a cruise" to the first rum drink could make people frustrated and frazzled to a point that it colors their entire cruise vacation experience.

 

Metatopic of all of this is shifting from "put something out there and see if people believe it" to "getting a story straight, being honest and forthcoming both when you know something to be a fact and when you don't know, and avoiding corporate BS as much as possible." Honesty and transparency go a long way, and making use of technology in the 21st century to align the facts among the stakeholders is not an unrealistic expectation.

 

I AGREE...

And, frankly, this one is just a mild irritation...really won't make much difference to me in my enjoyment of the cruise...

 

And I am not a "first-timer", so it won't have any real effect on me as to whether I book another with Princess...

 

OTOH, there are several things that I've decided--after a few with Princess--that Princess does not do well...And they are things that could easily be fixed...

Top of my list is the poor job Princess does with managing "Anytime" dining--which result in long lines and waits at the dining room. These ARE avoidable with some minor tweaks...I know because I've done anytime dining on three other cruise lines, none of which experience the same issues...

 

What Princess has going for it...for me...in this market (SoCal)...is that their only real competition most of the year is Carnival--which, in my book, does a whole lot worse...

 

But, Princess, though not overall a bad product, could do a whole lot better...Rather than listen to their biggest fans, they should pay a little attention to their critics...There IS plenty of room for improvement...

 

What Princess has going for it...for me...in this market (SoCal)...is that their only real competition most of the year is Carnival--which, in my book, does a whole lot worse...

 

But, Princess, though not overall a bad product, could do a whole lot better...Rather than listen to their biggest fans, they should pay a little attention to their critics...There IS plenty of room for improvement...

 

VibeGuy is right, of course. There is no acceptable excuse for the poor Princess communication issues. Bruin Steve is also right. In our market, we have two choices, basically. I do cruise Carnival on occasion, but I vastly prefer Princess. If I lived in Florida (or had lots more money for airfare) I guess I'd expand my cruise line choices, but in Los Angeles, it is what it currently is.

Of course, on that turnaround day, you MAY want to return to your car...to drop off those cheap bottles of Kahlua you bought on the first cruise...so you can bring more through at the end. Or to drop off any gifts or dirty laundry or stuff you don't want to keep with you for the duration...But, again, there is the trolley--which runs from 10:00 am on days there are ships in port...

 

Good point. Hard to believe that Princess (or the phone reps, at least) can't advise if there is a plan in place for direct shuttles that day.

Edited December 21, 2014 by Ryndam2002

Shouldn't be any different that this day when we came in on the Crown.

Returned to find the Star parked in our departure spot.

 

IMG_4841 by MauiLvrs, on Flickr

 

IMG_4829 by MauiLvrs, on Flickr

 

 

It isn't that far ... less than a ships length...

 

20140419_091038 by MauiLvrs, on Flickr

 

 

The folks on Celebrity got stuck way out in the boonies ...

 

IMG_4828 by MauiLvrs, on Flickr

Edited December 21, 2014 by MauiLvrs

This is not Princess's first time at the Rodeo...

 

Very true. That makes Princess' poor communication even more frustrating.

Case in point to the above post, even if you cant see their name plates up on Sun Deck, if you saw this, could you tell which ship is Grand Princess and which is Crown Princess?

 

 

Yes, yes, I can... :) Crown on top, Grand on the bottom. But sure, some folks aren't as ship geeky as I am and may not know the difference at all... And there are certainly signs at the World Cruise Center that will point the way. And, as someone just pointed out, they're within walking distance... Pier 46 does not matter at all in this conversation.

 

btw, OP, just came back from a 7-day on Crown Princess. Great cruise, great crew... we had a fabulous time.

Edited December 21, 2014 by RickEk

Yes, yes, I can... :) Crown on top, Grand on the bottom. But sure, some folks aren't as ship geeky as I am and may not know the difference at all... (SNIP)

 

btw, OP, just came back from a 7-day on Crown Princess. Great cruise, great crew... we had a fabulous time.

 

Please help school a newbie. I'm seeing some small differences in the two ships. What are the major differences you are seeing? I am just seeing two beautiful ships that I can't wait to sail on period! There will be only one ship in port on the day that I sail (Grand), so I won't be able to compare in person.

Thank you!

Please help school a newbie. I'm seeing some small differences in the two ships. What are the major differences you are seeing? I am just seeing two beautiful ships that I can't wait to sail on period! There will be only one ship in port on the day that I sail (Grand), so I won't be able to compare in person.

Thank you!

 

It's actually pretty easy.

 

1. Bridge - Crown Princess has an extra deck. Her main bridge is located on this deck (Riviera). Grand Princess' bridge is located on Lido deck.
   
2. Movies Under the Stars - Crown has a dedicated location for the MUTS screen back near the funnel. You can see a lattice area that surrounds it. Grand's MUTS is over the forward middle pool area. She has a sliding glass magradome covering the pool that is closer to the funnel.
   
3. Skywalkers - Crown has a Skywalkers nightclub that is just aft of the funnel. Grand used to have the "shopping cart handle" Skywalkers like her sister ships Golden and Star, but it was removed a few years back.
   
4. Upper Promenade - Grand has a small walkway that just out from the side of the ship that is part of the connection between the upper and lower Promenade. Crown does not have this.

 

Those are the biggest cosmetic differences...

Deleted post.

Edited December 22, 2014 by Ryndam2002

The Crown has Sabatini's located on deck 16; plus, there's an Adagio Lounge next to Sabatini's. On the Grand, Sabatini's is located on deck 7. No Adagio Lounge.

Of course, on that turnaround day, you MAY want to return to your car...to drop off those cheap bottles of Kahlua you bought on the first cruise...so you can bring more through at the end. Or to drop off any gifts or dirty laundry or stuff you don't want to keep with you for the duration...But, again, there is the trolley--which runs from 10:00 am on days there are ships in port...

 

 

 

I AGREE...

And, frankly, this one is just a mild irritation...really won't make much difference to me in my enjoyment of the cruise...

 

And I am not a "first-timer", so it won't have any real effect on me as to whether I book another with Princess...

 

OTOH, there are several things that I've decided--after a few with Princess--that Princess does not do well...And they are things that could easily be fixed...

Top of my list is the poor job Princess does with managing "Anytime" dining--which result in long lines and waits at the dining room. These ARE avoidable with some minor tweaks...I know because I've done anytime dining on three other cruise lines, none of which experience the same issues...

 

What Princess has going for it...for me...in this market (SoCal)...is that their only real competition most of the year is Carnival--which, in my book, does a whole lot worse...

 

But, Princess, though not overall a bad product, could do a whole lot better...Rather than listen to their biggest fans, they should pay a little attention to their critics...There IS plenty of room for improvement...

 

Sounds like you have "hit the wall" with Princess if a minor irritation is sending you into a tizzy and indicating that most passengers are so stupid they can't find the right ship. If finding that other lines suit your anytime dining needs better, then they deserve you business.

[quote name='Ryndam2002']You should be okay, since according to the dates on your signature you will be embarking on 1/30 at Pier 93, and disembarking on 2/6 at 93 also. You will dock at Pier 46 on the 2/2 turnaround day between your two cruises. So parking and luggage shouldn't be a issue for you. It will be those doing just one or the other of your B2Bs that may have a problem.[/QUOTE]



Our concern is how they will handling going thru customs between the two cruises. Do they have facilities at berth 46 or will we shuttled back to either pier 92 or 93. That's more than just a little walk there and back. Edited December 22, 2014 by mkitchy

[quote name='Bruin Steve'][COLOR=Red]Of course, on that turnaround day, you MAY want to return to your car...to drop off those cheap bottles of Kahlua you bought on the first cruise...so you can bring more through at the end. [/COLOR] Or to drop off any gifts or dirty laundry or stuff you don't want to keep with you for the duration...But, again, there is the trolley--which runs from 10:00 am on days there are ships in port...



[/quote]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS]That's what did recently & if you max out your liquor allotment on the first trip who's to know on the subsequent cruise?:D [/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Many advantages to driving. [/FONT];)

[B]With the larger passenger load ships now sailing from San Pedro (Ruby in March 2015, the Crown, parking will be more difficult. We are on Ruby
March 21st and noticed the Crown will be there same time. The Ruby will be coming from South America so that day I would imagine that Immigration will be a big hangup especially with both ships and large passenger load. We intend to arrive by 10:00am to get parking, and then go for a walk. Doubt if things will go as smoothe as usual that day.
We are also on B2B and usually do bring stuff out to our car. So very hopeful we get docked at either 92 or 93 when we arrive back in port.
And with the other Princess ships coming through the canal, the Grand or Star, etc. traffic and docks will be getting very crowded, not to mention other cruise lines too.
[/B]

[quote name='mkitchy']Our concern is how they will handling going thru customs between the two cruises. Do they have facilities at berth 46 or will we shuttled back to either pier 92 or 93. That's more than just a little walk there and back.[/QUOTE]

That is a good question, since 46 appears to be rarely used. I have had to move my cruise to the one just before yours for personal reasons, so I'll dock at 93 at both ends. But I will be interested in seeing how this plays out anyway.

[quote name='MauiLvrs']The folks on Celebrity got stuck way out in the boonies ...

[url=https://flic.kr/p/ne6ZYS][img]https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2900/13931777182_cc89901be6_c.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/ne6ZYS]IMG_4828[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/people/76929352@N00/]MauiLvrs[/url], on Flickr[/QUOTE]

Thanks for sharing these great pictures of the ships at dock in San Pedro! I was on the Solstice in May 2013, when we docked at Pier 46, but it was just for the day, not an imbarkation port. I liked being out there for a change. Would never have discovered 22nd Street Landing Restaurant. It is my understanding that Disney spent a lot of money on the infrastructure, roads, and landscaping leading up to Pier 46. Their plan was to develop that pier for their ships, until the bottom fell out of the Mexican Riviera a number of years back.

I've never been concerned about which berth as there's the sign by the guard booth before you drive up to the where the ships are docked. It would be good to know if your ship will be at that southern 46 one (hopefully the shuttle will take passengers between there and the parking lot) or even ending up at the Carnival berth for a port day. But 91, 92, 93...I wouldn't be concerned until you're driving toward your ship in the World Cruise Center.

I do need to say the Trojans have that saying wrong:

A Bruin for four years...OJ got life.:D And yes, I went to both football and b-ball games (I was there when John Wooden retired) and was in Rally Com.

[quote=Cruisin' Chick;45035503] I do need to say the Trojans have that saying wrong:

A Bruin for four years...OJ got life.:D And yes, I went to both football and b-ball games (I was there when John Wooden retired) and was in Rally Com.[/quote] LOL, thanks for that! In my younger days I'd be offended. Now I just love it. Rivalry is soooo fun. BTW, I was across town when Wooden retired. A great man.

Okay...

Putting the rivalry aside for a moment...and back to the original point of the thread...

At 8:30 this evening, I received an e-mail from Princess with the following message:

[B][COLOR="DarkRed"]IMPORTANT NOTICES
CROWN PRINCESS - EMBARKATION INFORMATION
Please be advised that Crown Princess will berth at Pier 92 and not Pier 93 on Satuday, January 3, 2015, as previously communicated. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused, and look forward to welcoming you aboard Crown Princess. [/COLOR][/B]

Do you think they've been reading this thread? LOL.

[quote name='Lovetocruiseprincess'][FONT=Comic Sans MS]That's what did recently & if you max out your liquor allotment on the first trip who's to know on the subsequent cruise?:D [/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS]Many advantages to driving. [/FONT];)[/QUOTE]


The allotments are every 30 days.