Trying not to panic regarding disembark time in San Francisco

[Mingus]

The last time we docked in San Francisco. It was 7:00AM when we arrived, I had made plans to meet a friend around 11:30 for a lunch. We got into San Francisco and had to go through customs! Bummer. Oh well, I figured that I had 4 1/2 hours, we would be through by then with customs and clearing and disembarking. Wrong!!!!!!

 

It was around 1:15PM before customs was cleared. No one could leave the ship until everything was cleared by the officials. I felt like half of the day was shot.....I had to contact my friend and cancel lunch. We did meet up later for a quick cup of coffee, but the day was totally ruined as I had looked forward to enjoying the day with my friend.

 

I forgot to mention that this was not the final port of call on the cruise. It was a stop on the itinerary.

What was the port prior to San Francisco?

[Northender]

http://graylineofsanfrancisco.com/

 

Thank you. :):)

[BEAV]

What was the port prior to San Francisco?

 

I'd bet my bottom $$ SF was the first U.S. port after leaving Canada. Fortunately, in the OP's case, immigration won't be an issue having only sailed up to SF from LA.

[Thrak]

The last time we docked in San Francisco. It was 7:00AM when we arrived, I had made plans to meet a friend around 11:30 for a lunch. We got into San Francisco and had to go through customs! Bummer. Oh well, I figured that I had 4 1/2 hours, we would be through by then with customs and clearing and disembarking. Wrong!!!!!!

 

It was around 1:15PM before customs was cleared. No one could leave the ship until everything was cleared by the officials. I felt like half of the day was shot.....I had to contact my friend and cancel lunch. We did meet up later for a quick cup of coffee, but the day was totally ruined as I had looked forward to enjoying the day with my friend.

 

I forgot to mention that this was not the final port of call on the cruise. It was a stop on the itinerary.

 

It sounds as if you had been to a foreign port. Otherwise no customs would have been necessary.

[Mingus]

I'd bet my bottom $$ SF was the first U.S. port after leaving Canada. Fortunately, in the OP's case, immigration won't be an issue having only sailed up to SF from LA.

 

I'm wondering if these lengthy delays from a foreign port are normal or happens often.

We'll be on the Sept. California Coastal, embarking at Vancouver, sailing to Victoria, then arriving in SF at 8:00am. Trying to determine a "safe" time to book the Alcatraz tour.

[librarians@sea]

I'm wondering if these lengthy delays from a foreign port are normal or happens often.

We'll be on the Sept. California Coastal, embarking at Vancouver, sailing to Victoria, then arriving in SF at 8:00am. Trying to determine a "safe" time to book the Alcatraz tour.

 

Thanks for asking this question!

 

We are on the same cruise and I don't understand why, if we go through U.S. customs (or is it immigration?) before getting on the ship in Vancouver, we would have to spend half a day :eek: getting through customs in San Francisco...

 

/Christine :)

[Mingus]

Thanks for asking this question!

 

We are on the same cruise and I don't understand why, if we go through U.S. customs (or is it immigration?) before getting on the ship in Vancouver, we would have to spend half a day :eek: getting through customs in San Francisco...

 

/Christine :)

 

We might not go through US Immigration in Vancouver since our next port is Victoria.

[librarians@sea]

We might not go through US Immigration in Vancouver since our next port is Victoria.

 

Ha! I completely forgot that we are stopping in Victoria!

 

I had assumed that it wasn't possible to get to the cruise line's check-in area without passing through U.S. customs first. ... but I have only cruised twice before, both times from Vancouver and both with US ports only (Hawaii and Alaska), so I know little about the whole process!

 

Thanks for your reply. :)

[aaerobear]

The only time there are significant customs delays are when a ship has been out of the USA for more than three months (IE sailing in South America) and San Francisco is the first port of entry. Then the ship is required to have a FULL customs and Immigrations inspection which can be brutal as many can tell you. If just coming from Canada or Mexico it is not to bad.

 

Fog has not been a real problem this summer and the ships have been pretty much on schedule arriving in SF, Disembarkation has generally started about 7:30 to 7:45 for walk-offs., so everyone should be fine.

 

Just be aware that many times the ship will only let the people that are booked on Princess Booked tours first, then others, so clear it with someone first.

[redtogo]

What was the port prior to San Francisco?

 

Nanaimo was the port before San Francisco.

[redtogo]

I'm wondering if these lengthy delays from a foreign port are normal or happens often.

We'll be on the Sept. California Coastal, embarking at Vancouver, sailing to Victoria, then arriving in SF at 8:00am. Trying to determine a "safe" time to book the Alcatraz tour.

 

 

To be on the safe side, I would book a tour later in the afternoon. Another advantage, if there is fog, it would have time to clear.

[caribill]

To be on the safe side, I would book a tour later in the afternoon.

 

Not possible in this case:

o Tour already has been booked and is non-refundable

o Tour provider does not offer the same tour later in the day

o To visit the sights that this tour has requires a departure time that early.

[Jaberwocky]

Thanks for all of your suggestions and ideas. I feel better about at least having a good chance of making our tour, and if we don't, we don't. Can't let it ruin our good time at this point. At least now I know that many times people are able to disembark in a timely manner, and hoping that will be the case on our cruise. Cruise critic is a great place to get help, especially for those of us who haven't cruised too many times. I will also add that I have found the Princess boards to be the nicest and most helpful, compared to several others!

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for all of your suggestions and ideas. I feel better about at least having a good chance of making our tour, and if we don't, we don't. Can't let it ruin our good time at this point. At least now I know that many times people are able to disembark in a timely manner, and hoping that will be the case on our cruise. Cruise critic is a great place to get help, especially for those of us who haven't cruised too many times. I will also add that I have found the Princess boards to be the nicest and most helpful, compared to several others!

 

You are right! I have to shake my head in disbelief when I visit certain boards. :eek:

[redtogo]

Not possible in this case:

o Tour already has been booked and is non-refundable

o Tour provider does not offer the same tour later in the day

o To visit the sights that this tour has requires a departure time that early.

 

Carbill, I was responding to Mingus. Mingus made a comment about choosing a safe time to schedule a site seeing trip while in San Francisco.