New San Francisco Cruise Terminal Photos

[trbarton]

Regarding TRBarton's comment about showing your Elite card to gain priority entrance at SF Piers...

 

This does not happen.

 

Passengers all are in one line until they pass through Security/X-Ray. That is why the lines on the 20th were hours long at one point for everyone, regardless of status.

 

Once inside, there are priority check-in lines and a seating area with refreshments, but until you are inside...pack a lunch and bring a good book.

 

Question...What happens to people that have a mobility problem or seniors and others that can't stand in line for 2 hrs. What options do they have? And god help everybody if there is heavy rain with people with caring or carryon items.

 

Tom:)

 

[waltd]

What options do they have? That's a question for the people that run the terminal. But don't go around telling people to go to the front of the line just because they are elite.

[BEAV]

Port security, from what I understand, is not run by Princess.

 

I'm under the impression nothing is run by Princess, but rather Metro Shore Services. :confused:

[trbarton]

Yes...Metro Shore Services controls everything in the building so I guess they would be the ones to ask if anyone had problems standing in line.

 

My earlier post I was not telling people to go to the head of the line just mentioning what someone mentioned to me that has Elite Status.

 

Tom:)

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Question...What happens to people that have a mobility problem or seniors and others that can't stand in line for 2 hrs. What options do they have? And god help everybody if there is heavy rain with people with caring or carryon items.

 

Tom:)

 

 

There also appears to be little or no shade for those forced to wait long periods in line. Some people are sun-sensitive and can't take long periods in the sun even with sunscreen. For those unfamiliar, the fall tends to be the sunniest time of the year in SF.

[shepp]

How about the cruise terminal at San Pedro?:D You don't have to walk.

 

Yep. And instead of the terminal being served by quick, cheap, and efficient mass transit, you have to take a taxi or a shuttle that creeps along the L.A. freeways. Instead of disembarking right in the middle of one of the world's great cities, you disembark in…San Pedro. Muuuch better!

 

Cripes! I'm not enough of an SFO chauvinist to suggest that Pier 27 isn't deeply flawed. Sure, it's unconscionable to have a two-hour line. But honestly, this thread seems to have its share of spoiled brats complaining that the new pier is a fifth of a mile farther from the refrigerator-magnet shop on Pier 39, or that you have to walk - gasp!- 2 minutes to get to the entrance to the terminal (though I bet, from the look of things, that there are Princess passengers who haven't had that much exercise in years).

 

All the before-the-fact kvetching here brings to mind that delightful old Noel Coward song from Sail Away: "Why oh why do the wrong people travel while the right people stay back home?" Can't we just go back to important matters, like bemoaning the toilet paper dispensers on the Royal?

Edited September 26, 2014 by shepp

[shepp]

Celebrity is "testing the water" with a few round trip Alaska cruises and 2 Panama Canal cruises.

 

My first Alaska cruise 6 1/2 years ago, was on Celebrity out of SFO (though ending in Vancouver). And X blankets The City with ads more than all the other lines combined. So it's not that they don't realize there's a market here. And I really doubt their near-absence has to do with Pier 35 being beneath their clientele's standards. I'm thinking it's about the money, specifically that they figured they was more gelt to be got sailing from elsewhere.

[shepp]

How about the cruise terminal at San Pedro?:D You don't have to walk.

 

Yep. And instead of the terminal being served by quick, cheap, and efficient mass transit, you have to take a taxi or a shuttle that creeps along the L.A. freeways. Instead of disembarking right in the middle of one of the world's great cities, you disembark in…San Pedro. Muuuch better!

 

Cripes! I'm not enough of an SFO chauvinist to suggest that Pier 27 isn't deeply flawed. But honestly, this thread seems to be full of spoiled brats complaining that the new pier is a fifth of a mile farther from the refrigerator-magnet shop on Pier 39, or that you have to walk - gasp!- 2 minutes to get to the entrance to the terminal (though I bet, from the look of things, that there are Princess passengers who've had that much exercise in years).

 

All the before-the-fact kvetching here brings to mind that delightful old Noel Coward song from Sail Away: "Why oh why do the wrong people travel while the right people stay back home?" Can't we just go back to important matters, like bemoaning the toilet paper dispensers on the Royal?

[Gimer]

Tom, again you did a fabulous job on photographing the ceremony, I felt I was there. Only thing I missed seeing was your photos at the Reception and the food layout. Many thanks again. Gimer

[waltd]

Yep. And instead of the terminal being served by quick, cheap, and efficient mass transit, you have to take a taxi or a shuttle that creeps along the L.A. freeways. Instead of disembarking right in the middle of one of the world's great cities, you disembark in…San Pedro. Muuuch better!

 

Cripes! I'm not enough of an SFO chauvinist to suggest that Pier 27 isn't deeply flawed. But honestly, this thread seems to be full of spoiled brats complaining that the new pier is a fifth of a mile farther from the refrigerator-magnet shop on Pier 39, or that you have to walk - gasp!- 2 minutes to get to the entrance to the terminal (though I bet, from the look of things, that there are Princess passengers who've had that much exercise in years).

 

All the before-the-fact kvetching here brings to mind that delightful old Noel Coward song from Sail Away: "Why oh why do the wrong people travel while the right people stay back home?" Can't we just go back to important matters, like bemoaning the toilet paper dispensers on the Royal?

 

Just to say that we love the San Pedro terminal. It is definitely not San Francisco but to be able to drive to San Pedro and park right next to the ship and walk on is great. There is something about a very active port that I find interesting and love each and every time we leave from there. San Pedro has started to clean up its act and has some nice places of interest to visit and it even has a shop with magnets. :) But we do love San Francisco.

[timetravler]

Thanks Tom for the great pictures. We were also at the ceremony but we're there to visit and pick up some friends that are on the Grand. A bunch of us went to dinner and then off to see Beach Blanket Babylon. That was a hoot and all had a great time.

I thought the pier was lovely and perfect. When we dropped off our friends on Friday so they could get back on the ship, we drove right on to the terminal just like in Fort Lauderdale. No hords of people or taxi' s on the Embarcadero, just make a right onto the pier and drive right up to the new terminal. We will be going on the Star Princess in December from San Francisco and now after being at the New pier 27, I can't wait.

[Calif. Cruisers]

There appears to be some parking right outside the terminal. Is that only for dropping off passengers, is there a time limit? Obviously wouldn't be doing long term parking there, but could someone on the Bon Voyage Experience park there?

[sfo2008]

There appears to be some parking right outside the terminal. Is that only for dropping off passengers, is there a time limit? Obviously wouldn't be doing long term parking there, but could someone on the Bon Voyage Experience park there?

 

Pier 29 has short term parking enclosed. We have reservations there today for our friends coming on BVE on Island Princess with us (we are doing Panama)

 

Speaking of which Island Princess is right off the Golden Gate Bridge. Time to Cruise!!!

 

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/310384000

[shepp]

Excellent article today by the S.F. Chronicle's terrific architecture critic on the pier and how it fits into the urban landscape.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Monochromatic-terminal-sheds-any-pretense-about-5784055.php

[Nancyquilts]

Excellent article today by the S.F. Chronicle's terrific architecture critic on the pier and how it fits into the urban landscape.

 

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Monochromatic-terminal-sheds-any-pretense-about-5784055.php

 

Thanks. I enjoyed the article.

[WINEMANVISALIA]

If we have to stand outside for long time...or porters are a pain then cruise experience has not improved...let's hope it will get better..100 million...really?????

[dchip]

Was it the same as last week? Long lines and no entry until 1 pm? We board in San Francisco on Wednesday for a "who knows where" cruise to Mexico. :eek:

 

Cheers, Denise

[shepp]

If we have to stand outside for long time...or porters are a pain then cruise experience has not improved...let's hope it will get better..100 million...really?????

 

Think of it this way: the median price for a home in SFO is now a million bucks, and Zuckerberg's new house cost ten times that. Before renovations.

[Cruzn ELM]

Just had a wonderful afternoon on board the Island Princess for the BVE. The new pier is great and everything seemed to be moving smoothly. No long lines, no disgruntled passengers. Watch for the live from that my nephew will be posting. He will let you know if he hears anything to the contrary.

[dchip]

Just had a wonderful afternoon on board the Island Princess for the BVE. The new pier is great and everything seemed to be moving smoothly. No long lines, no disgruntled passengers. Watch for the live from that my nephew will be posting. He will let you know if he hears anything to the contrary.

 

Thanks for the info. Glad you had a lovely BVE. They are so much fun....especially when you stay on the ship!!

 

Cheers, Denise

[Ahhh]

I disagree, I think a new terminal WILL increase cruise ships to SF. With a nice, modern terminal and (hopefully) a better embarkation/debarkation process, this will improve the experience for passengers in San Francisco. With a better experience comes higher demand. It sounds like the new terminal is off to a bit of a rocky start, but that should be improved because the terminal is better than what pier 35 has.

 

Since the new terminal can only accomodate one ship, there is no guarantee that a ship will be docked at the new facility. Pier 35 will still handle ships on days where there is more than one in port. I therefore would not book a cruise out of SF if only to experience the new terminal.

 

There are good and bad embarkation experiences at every port, the worst one I can think of is Ensenada, because passengers have to be bussed to/from San Diego, and many who have done it have said "Never again!". I haven't heard anyone say "Never again" to SF, because of our "history-rich" terminal.

 

Yes, we all wish we had more sailings out of here, but I feel demand is more dictated by where the ship goes, how many days the cruise is, and price. I don't know many people who cruise because of the terminal or not. Since most people are looking for a 7 day cruise, San Francisco does not have much to offer, and that will not change just because we have a new terminal.

 

Basically, out of SF, the options are: 10 or 12 day cruise to Mexico and back (way south of Ensenada), 10 days or longer to Alaska, Hawaii, or Panama Canal, or the start of a longer voyage to the South Pacific or beyond.

 

There has been an increase in the number of ships that make a port stop here, over the past several years, but that has nothing to do with our facilities. It's the City and the Bay Area that has created that demand.

 

Though I can appreciate the beauty of the new bulilding, I would rather have seen the port put the money into restoring historic Pier 35 with modern amemities. At least it holds two ships rather than just one.

[shredie]

 

There are good and bad embarkation experiences at every port, the worst one I can think of is Ensenada, because passengers have to be bussed to/from San Diego, and many who have done it have said "Never again!".

 

Huh? :confused:

[Ahhh]

Huh? :confused:

 

I believe for all cruises that start or end in Ensenada, passengers have to be bussed to/from San Diego. That bus ride from Ensenada can take up to 4+ hours, waiting in line with other busses, to go thru the border patrol. We did it last year and I never heard so many unhappy passengers.

 

What is it you don't understand, or am I missing something?

Edited September 29, 2014 by Ahhh

[cflutist]

I just searched the Princess website and there are no cruises that start or end in Ensenada.

 

Now we stopped there earlier this year on a RT CA Coastal from SF.

[Nancyquilts]

I just searched the Princess website and there are no cruises that start or end in Ensenada.

 

Now we stopped there earlier this year on a RT CA Coastal from SF.

 

It's a different line - probably X or RCCL. Thank goodness Princess doesn't do that, but the ones from Ensenada might be one-ways rather than round trips.