San Diego-- debarkation-- luggage

[tomculb]

This seems to be one of the most active boards in all of the CC website, so I'm reposting here:

 

More as a matter of principal than anything else, I avoided irritating luggage charges by booking us on Southwest to San Diego, but I realize now I may have shot myself in the foot.

 

The ship returns early in the morning, our flight out is in the evening, we had planned to do some pedestrian sight-seeing during the day, and SWA does not participate in the ship-board baggage checking service HAL has with some other airlines. So the question becomes what to do with our luggage for the day. I called the Holiday Inn across the street, where we're staying the night before we depart, and was told by a very nice lady that they cannot keep our luggage on the following weekend -- apparently they get this request all the time. Her only suggestion was to rent a car for the day. Which raises a couple of questions:

 

1. We can change our before-cruise hotel reservation: has anyone had better luck elsewhere getting a hotel to check bags for the day, if you're spending a night the week before but not the night you need the bags checked?

 

2. Viewing this as a blessing in disguise, any must-see suggestions for things to do around San Diego with a car? We have been to La Jolla and Coronado, but if the weather is good walking around in the Cabrillo National Monument looks intriguing. Anyone spent time out there, or have any other suggestions?

 

Thanks

[kakalina]

Hi and welcome to Cruise Critic. We take a lot of cruises that dock in SD. I don't see a lot of choices for you here. I think renting a car might be the best way around the problem. You might check with the SD Chamber of Commerce to see if there is some type of short term luggage storage elsewhere.

 

Things to do in SD. There are so many. The SD Zoo, the wildlife park, Balboa park is amazing and the conservatory there is really special. There is SeaWorld also.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done the Zoo and Balboa Park. Also have toured Midway.

 

And there are lots of places to eat lunch down at Seaport Village.

[jtl513]

We enjoyed the views at Cabrillo N.M., and watching plane and ship activity in the area, but there isn't much there to fill a lot of time.

[gregdude]

If you have enough time The Wild Animal park is a great place to visit, but is maybe 35 miles north of San Diego.

 

Since the airport is only three miles away, how about going there, checking in with your luggage and then taking a cab back into town for a few hours before returning. Old Town is interesting and a great place for a Mexican lunch.

[memorylaneleduc]

I work for a Canadian airline and up here you can't check your bags till 4 hours before your flight. Check with your airline before heading there. What if you had the cruiseline do the express bag check out. Then they deal with your bags. Might be worth the cost

 

norah

[Crusing Bob]

Southwest doesn't participate, that is their problem they are dealing with.

[jbhcw]

Have you checked directly with Southwest to see if they offer this in San Diego? We were told last year on the Westerdam that Southwest did not participate..but when we got off the ship a Southwest rep was there taking luggage for 10.00 per bag.

 

We were very glad we happened to see them as we had resigned ourselves to hanging around the airport for several hours babysitting the luggage:) Instead we were able to drop our bags and spend the day enjoying Fort Lauderdale.

[CruiserBruce]

Since the airport is only three miles away, how about going there, checking in with your luggage and then taking a cab back into town for a few hours before returning. Old Town is interesting and a great place for a Mexican lunch.

 

You can take a cab, which will cost maybe $10 to the airport, and then whatever it may cost back to a downtwon destination.

 

Or, you could take a bus ($2pp, anytime, anywhere) that runs right past the cruise ship terminal, to the airport. Check or stow your baggage, then take the same bus back towards the cruise port. The Midway, and various other entertainment there could keep you busy for a good while.

 

Or go a little further, and see an afternoon Padres game at Petco Park (about 1.5 miles from the cruise port).

 

I have stayed in the cruise port area and seen a lot of San Diego using the buses and trollies.

[duck tune]

This is one of the problems with San Diego so DH and I have learned to stay over one night and fly out the morning after a cruise. He absolutely does not like waiting around the airport for several hours and would rather not hassle with a car unless we are staying after for more than one day so I just book a hotel downtown and we go from the ship to the hotel. Even if our room is not ready we can still store the luggage. I've learned to book a hotel out of view of the bay so I do not cry when the ship leaves with a new group of passengers:o!

[mudscraper]

Rumor has it that the doorman/valet at the HolidayInn across from the port will store your bags. Of course you would show your appreciation for this kindness by tipping him generously.

 

 

Rich

[tomculb]

Have you checked directly with Southwest to see if they offer this in San Diego? We were told last year on the Westerdam that Southwest did not participate..but when we got off the ship a Southwest rep was there taking luggage for 10.00 per bag.

 

We were very glad we happened to see them as we had resigned ourselves to hanging around the airport for several hours babysitting the luggage:) Instead we were able to drop our bags and spend the day enjoying Fort Lauderdale.

 

Looking at their website, it appears that their "Bags to Go" service is offered only at Fort Lauderdale.

[tomculb]

You can take a cab, which will cost maybe $10 to the airport, and then whatever it may cost back to a downtwon destination.

 

Or, you could take a bus ($2pp, anytime, anywhere) that runs right past the cruise ship terminal, to the airport. Check or stow your baggage, then take the same bus back towards the cruise port.

 

Somewhere here at CC I read that you cannot check bags in more than 4 hours before your flight.

[CruiserBruce]

Somewhere here at CC I read that you cannot check bags in more than 4 hours before your flight.

 

That referred to a Canadian airline, in Canada. Is that who you are flying?

 

I wonder if you could stow your bags in a locker at the airport, or at the Amtrak station, which is 2-3 blocks inland from the cruise port.

[cruzn single]

Most major airlines have the same rule about not checking luggage more than 4 hours before the flight. Happens all the time to Hawaiian cruisers who all have "red-eye" flights out of there back to mainland.

 

Does HAL offer any luggage storage right at the pier? Just an idea.

[Aunty Pat]

The airlines don’t have consistent restrictions on how long before a flight you can check in your luggage. I’ve run into 2 hours before flight and 3 hours before flight in San Diego on the mornings I’ve come off of a cruise ship. I suggest you check directly with Southwest. You might also find information on the San Diego Airport website to see if they show luggage storage on the airport maps. But unless you want to limit yourself to going only where you can walk to you cheapest option is to rent a car. There is so much to see & do in San Diego that isn’t within walking distance of the pier or the airport.

 

Aunty Pat

 

 

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[Wesley Furman]

There is a UPS Store 7 blocks away, 501 W BROADWAY, STE A, you could mail your luggage home. $$$