San Francisco embarkation area?

[sfpd3000]

2 hours ago, Denverite said:

The previous day we took a taxi from the airport to our hotel. It was Sunday and the traffic around Pier 39 was bumper to bumper. Taxi was about $70.

Wow $70!   That meter must have been really ticking while sitting in traffic.  That sucks.

[Denverite]

Our driver decided to go though some back streets because of all the traffic. I was prepared for $60. At our hotel I was going to call Lyft to take us to the pier because their desk person said a taxi would take a long time to get there. Paid about $2 extra for priority service and Lyft was there in one minute.

[trbarton]

On 3/28/2023 at 3:40 AM, Plato123 said:

We walked from the Riu Plaza Fishermans Wharf to Pier 27 and were on the ship in less than 45 minutes from leaving the hotel.  We did leave early and originally planned to take an Uber but the surge pricing was too much, and even with my bad back the walk was not bad.

Here is a picture of the line up that was taken from our balcony..

What time was this photo taken?  I arrive around 9:30 am & usually by 10 am I’m in the terminal. I’ve never been in a long line. 
 

Tom😀

[trbarton]

On 3/28/2023 at 1:37 PM, FrankieJayIII said:

I would like to ask a question.   If our boarding group is A and its from 11-11:30... what time should we get to the terminal?   What time is bag drop off...  

What is the earliest we can arrive at the terminal?

 

Thank you!

I arrive around 9:30 am & usually by 10 am I’m in the terminal. There is usually about 10 people in line at that time. I’ve never been in a long line. I’ve never been questioned about my time. I believe the long lines are later in the day while I’m onboard having a nice sit down lunch. 
 

I’ve only seen one delay, once inside the terminal, & that was because their was not enough Custom’s agents to process people. 
 

Tom😀

[Plato123]

13 hours ago, trbarton said:

What time was this photo taken?  I arrive around 9:30 am & usually by 10 am I’m in the terminal. I’ve never been in a long line. 
 

Tom😀

Probably about 1 PM.

[sfpd3000]

14 hours ago, trbarton said:

I arrive around 9:30 am & usually by 10 am I’m in the terminal. There is usually about 10 people in line at that time. I’ve never been in a long line. I’ve never been questioned about my time. I believe the long lines are later in the day while I’m onboard having a nice sit down lunch. 
 

I’ve only seen one delay, once inside the terminal, & that was because their was not enough Custom’s agents to process people. 
 

Tom😀

Yep.  That’s later in the day.   A few cruises ago, there were two long lines.  One to drop off luggage, and then another one to get inside the terminal.

 

Luckily US Customs is streamlined now.   Just look into a camera on an iPad screen, and if your face matches, you’re good to go.   Less than 2 seconds.

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, sfpd3000 said:

Yep.  That’s later in the day.   A few cruises ago, there were two long lines.  One to drop off luggage, and then another one to get inside the terminal.

 

Luckily US Customs is streamlined now.   Just look into a camera on an iPad screen, and if your face matches, you’re good to go.   Less than 2 seconds.

 

When I went through customs at the SF terminal last year it consisted of walking past the guy looking at his cell phone.  Very streamlined.   😀

[ldubs]

On 3/24/2023 at 6:27 PM, Ombud said:

 

 

Bart -> Embarcadero -> Pier 27 = about 1 hr & $2.40

 

We have taken bart to Embarcadero and then the old trolley cars to the pier.  Worked pretty good.  

[sfpd3000]

6 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

When I went through customs at the SF terminal last year it consisted of walking past the guy looking at his cell phone.  Very streamlined.   😀

When we disembarked in January, I just saw one customs officer.  It was the terminal Princess employees who guided us through the “look at the screen.  {{match}}. Ok you’re good.  Next.”

Last week there were at least three or four customs officers, but they were just looking at us coming off the gangway.   It was, once again, the terminal Princess employees guiding us through the process.  In fact, the lady right outside the gangway kept telling everyone, “Nope.  You don’t need bring out your passport.”

[ninka26]

On 3/19/2023 at 2:03 AM, SCX22 said:

Double check the cruise ship schedule and make sure there aren't 2 ships doing full turns on your embarkation day.  If there are, plan on arriving earlier rather than later because of the traffic on the Embarcadero this causes.  One ship will be berthed and Pier 27 and the other at Pier 35.  It can be a 30 minute traffic jam to go a few blocks.  Experienced this in Oct '23 when the Royal Princess and Ruby Princess were in town doing full turns on the same day.  

Hi first time cruiser here, where can I check cruise ship schedule? 

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, ninka26 said:

Hi first time cruiser here, where can I check cruise ship schedule? 

 

Typically you can find cruise ship schedules at the port websites.  SFport.com has a listing for all of 2023.  I tried to copy a link here: 

 

https://sfport.com/files/2022-10/2023 San Francisco Cruise Schedule 2022-10-18_3.pdf

 

Another source I like is "whatsinport.com".  For most places they include a link to the port's cruise ship assignments.    

Edited April 2, 2023 by ldubs

[ninka26]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

Typically you can find cruise ship schedules at the port websites.  SFport.com has a listing for all of 2023.  I tried to copy a link here: 

 

https://sfport.com/files/2022-10/2023 San Francisco Cruise Schedule 2022-10-18_3.pdf

 

Another source I like is "whatsinport.com".  For most places they include a link to the port's cruise ship assignments.    

Thank you!!!!!

[ldubs]

On 3/18/2023 at 11:03 PM, SCX22 said:

Double check the cruise ship schedule and make sure there aren't 2 ships doing full turns on your embarkation day.  If there are, plan on arriving earlier rather than later because of the traffic on the Embarcadero this causes.  One ship will be berthed and Pier 27 and the other at Pier 35.  It can be a 30 minute traffic jam to go a few blocks.  Experienced this in Oct '23 when the Royal Princess and Ruby Princess were in town doing full turns on the same day.  

 

On 3/19/2023 at 8:22 AM, Cruise Raider said:

Yes .. we experienced that in April ‘22 when the Majestic was in port at pier 27 so, our embarkation on the Ruby was at pier 35.  What a mess!  I don’t know whose bright idea it was to put embarkation at pier 35 when the Majestic was just there for a port stop!  I now always look at the port schedule and won’t ever book a cruise whose embarkation is at pier 35!  I don’t think Princess will make that mistake again as they got so many complaints about it.  
 

 

SF traffic can be the worse.   We have taken the E-line street car along the Embarcadero to the cruise terminal before.   That could be a neat option for folks depending on their hotel location.  Though, I wouldn't do it if I had a lot of luggage or wasn't able to lift my luggage up the streetcar steps.  

[brisalta]

On 4/2/2023 at 6:27 AM, ldubs said:

 

Typically you can find cruise ship schedules at the port websites.  SFport.com has a listing for all of 2023.  I tried to copy a link here: 

 

https://sfport.com/files/2022-10/2023 San Francisco Cruise Schedule 2022-10-18_3.pdf

 

Another source I like is "whatsinport.com".  For most places they include a link to the port's cruise ship assignments.    

 

An updated schedule has been published:

https://sfport.com/files/2023-04/2023 San Francisco Cruise Schedule 2023-04-20.pdf

 

[coo359a2]

48 minutes ago, brisalta said:

 

An updated schedule has been published:

https://sfport.com/files/2023-04/2023 San Francisco Cruise Schedule 2023-04-20.pdf

 

Thanks for the update.  Hope it doesn't change as now the Grand Princess is the only ship in San Francisco on 26 Sept

[Napagirl]

We were on Ruby in April 2022 and after getting through the disembarkation crowds (another ship that was in port) we waited three hours in line at Pier 35. FYI someone asked about bathrooms. The line was all the way backed up to Pier 39 and we made friends in the line, took turns holding their space while others used the public restrooms at Pier 39.

 

I think my question was answered in this thread about showing up extra early even when your boarding group is later. I didn't know if they'd make us wait to the side until our time comes up. We're traveling with a couple that would struggle to stand in a three hour line, just in case that happens again. 

[Kay S]

My new SF terminal story:  We were on the Majestic on her first stop in SF after the shutdown.  It was the first cruise ship, period, to dock at the reopening of cruising.  We had an over night stop.  The first night when we were going back to the ship after dinner on shore, we walked into a crazy sight.  A woman (she said she was a local neighbor) was standing at the entrance yelling at the guards to let her talk to the captain.  They told her she couldn't go on the ship so she screeched (best description of it) that he had better come down and see her.  After a few minutes of this, they got her to say why she needed the captain.  It was because the ship made too much noise docking and she would not have it!  They hadn't let us into the building during all of this, and there was a line forming to get back on the ship.  I guess they calmed her down a bit by telling her "an officer" would come to talk to her.  Then they let us pass.  I kind of wish I had stuck around to see the rest of it.

[Smudgesmama]

sailing out of Pier 27 in November on the Crown-is there parking at the port? I"m not so much concerned about cost as much as convenience and safety of the car. Thanks 

[RV Queen]

If we have Princess transfers from airport to the pier, do our luggage get transported from that bus to our rooms?  Or do we have to wait for our luggage to come off the transfer bus and lug them to luggage check in line?

[brisalta]

On 6/19/2023 at 10:51 AM, Smudgesmama said:

sailing out of Pier 27 in November on the Crown-is there parking at the port? I"m not so much concerned about cost as much as convenience and safety of the car. Thanks 

 

See https://sfport.com/maritime/cruise#tab-12453-pane-2

 

[brisalta]

On 4/24/2023 at 1:55 PM, coo359a2 said:

Thanks for the update.  Hope it doesn't change as now the Grand Princess is the only ship in San Francisco on 26 Sept

 

Another update to the SF Cruise Terminal schedule has been posted.

https://sfport.com/files/2023-06/2023 San Francisco Cruise Schedule 2023-06-02.pdf

Edited June 25, 2023 by brisalta

[ldubs]

On 6/19/2023 at 1:06 PM, RV Queen said:

If we have Princess transfers from airport to the pier, do our luggage get transported from that bus to our rooms?  Or do we have to wait for our luggage to come off the transfer bus and lug them to luggage check in line?

 

Every Princess transfer we have had, you gather your luggage at the bus then wheel it over for check-in at the cruise terminal.  

[coo359a2]

1 hour ago, brisalta said:

 

Another update to the SF Cruise Terminal schedule has been posted.

https://sfport.com/files/2023-06/2023 San Francisco Cruise Schedule 2023-06-02.pdf

Thanks. Still looks good

[theloo]

14 hours ago, brisalta said:

 

Another update to the SF Cruise Terminal schedule has been posted.

https://sfport.com/files/2023-06/2023 San Francisco Cruise Schedule 2023-06-02.pdf

Do you know when they might have a schedule for 2024?  Looking at a cruise in March and want to avoid the dreaded pier 35.

[2 cruises a year]

8 hours ago, theloo said:

Do you know when they might have a schedule for 2024?  Looking at a cruise in March and want to avoid the dreaded pier 35.

I say this lightly, I know it sounds worse than I mean it:

Really, you plan a cruise around the embarkation terminal? Yes, Pier 35 is dated. But it is really not that bad.  It worked for years. Pier 27 has its bad days also. Don't miss the itinerary you want because of the embarkation terminal.