Legend 6/06

[bigwhistle]

We are heading out of San Diego on June 6 on the Legend, and are looking for a review from someone who has been on this ship recently.

[cruisldy]

Bigwhistle,

 

Did you sign up for the "Meet and Mingle" party?

Hubby and I booked this cruise while we were on the Mercury New Year's cruise and I registered for the CC party back in January. I also posted on the "roll call" board, but to date nobody else has replied.

 

We live in San Diego, so it is so easy for us to get to the pier.

 

I see you have just started posting to CC and I can't answer any of your questions about the Legend, but 8 years ago we were on the Sister ship, the Splendor cruising Scandanavia/Russia, so I think it should be a beautiful ship, from that experience.

 

If there is anything I can help you out with information in regards to San Diego just ask. That is unless you live here as well. Can't tell from your information.

 

Sheila

Likes to cruise twice as much for half the price.

[suziehmkr]

Wave as you are getting OFF on the 13th - We will be boarding!

 

Side note: When a cruise ship does a turn around like that... (in at 8am and out at 5pm) what time can the boarding cruisers start boarding? Wondering if we should count on lunch in SD or if we can head to the Windjammer for lunch onboard?

 

Thanks!

Tina

 

<font color=purple>Viking Serenade 6/1992

 

</font>

until Legend of the Seas 06/13/04

[cruisldy]

suzi,

 

The turnaround at the San Diego pier is good. I think the latest we have gotten off a ship, for normal debarkation is 10:30. To tide the flow however, there is a sign that the pier puts up out on the street that says in essence that no cars are allowed in for current ship embarkation until 11 or 11:30AM. Since we have always been dropped off and never just walked in, I'm not sure if they let folks on foot in earlier than that.

 

Since we live just a 20 minute drive from the pier, we always leave the house around 11:30 or noonish and have always been able to get a porter for our luggage and check in immediately.

 

As for lunch, I would wait and have lunch onboard, just my opinion, because at times you are not allowed in your cabin until 1:30 or so and the lunch is served before that time, in the Lido, on most ships we have been on. Then your cabin would probably be ready just after you eat or thereabouts.

 

Sheila

Likes to cruise twice as much for half the price.

[pearlandmom]

Hi everybody!

 

Finally found some folks sailing on the Legend around the same time we are. We sail on May 30th. I'm a little nervous about our flight arrival from Houston. We don't get into San Diego until 1:02PM. How far is the pier from the airport? There are five of us and we'll probably have to get a van from the airport - how much should we expect the fare to be? We booked the air ourselves because I had two free vouchers and enough miles for another free ticket - just hope we have enough time and there are no flight delays!! We would have flown in the day before but the vouchers were not good on that Saturday.

 

Legend of the Seas

<center>

[cruisldy]

I'm going to guess here, because I'm not good with distances, but I would hazzard a guess that the airport is about 2 miles and not more than five miles from the pier. I don't know which terminal 2 or 1, you are landing at but for either you will grab your luggage at baggage claim, just down the stairs and then have to go up and over the street level, via a covered walkway to catch a taxi. They are plentifull and organized, so you should have no problem making it to the pier in time, at the time you are arriving. I do agree that with 5 you will probably need a van, but there will be a coodinator at either terminal that will find in the que of taxis what you need, all you have to do is ask them.

 

Sorry, since I have only taken a taxi from the airport to my home, 20 minutes away, I don't know the fare from airport to pier, however since I pay $26 on the meter + tip, I would venture a guess that the fare shouldn't be more than $20. They are metered and the fares per mile are listed on each cab door. And I think, from memory that you should only have about 5 stop lights to go through before you will be at the pier and you will see the ship prior to your arrival,looming out the window.

 

Enjoy your cruise and if you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask. I'll do my best to answer.

 

Sheila

Likes to cruise twice as much for half the price.

[suziehmkr]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by cruisldy:

 

As for lunch, I would wait and have lunch onboard, just my opinion, because at times you are not allowed in your cabin until 1:30 or so and the lunch is served before that time, in the Lido, on most ships we have been on. Then your cabin would probably be ready just after you eat or thereabouts.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Thanks Sheila!!! If they let us on that early then definitely will eat onboard! I appreciate the info!

 

I also think it is nice to finally find some others on the Legend soon. I just checked yesterday and my sailing is almost completely full - so there must be others! LOL

 

Thanks again!

Tina

 

<font color=purple>Viking Serenade 6/1992

 

</font>

until Legend of the Seas 06/13/04

 

[pearlandmom]

You're right about the sailings being full. Usually, if there are lots of cabins available, you'll start to see some fare reductions. I haven't seen any reductions on the June sailings of the Legend.

 

We're really excited about this trip. My sweetie and I have been on 4 other cruises with my three kids (2 boys 21 & 18 and a girl 17) but they were all western Caribbean. We're looking forward to seeing three new ports. In addition, both my daughter and my son are graduating from high school in May, my oldest just turned 21 and I'm having a milestone birthday this year (sorry, not telling )!

 

Sheila - thanks so much for the info on the airport and transportation to the pier. I've only been to San Diego once and that was on business. Unfortunately I didn't get to see much of the city but it looks beautiful and, as everyone knows, the weather is spectacular. Wish we could spend some time there but it just didn't work into our plans.

 

Maybe next time. Are there any other ships that sail out of San Diego?

 

Legend of the Seas

<center>

[cruisldy]

Yes Pearl, we have a few ships that sail out of here, including Holland's Ryndam and at times Statendam and some time around October we even have a couple of weeks that the Carnival Spirit starts out of our port. Also Celebrity's Mercury starts around December and goes into January. We have taken all of those and especially liked the Ryndam's Sea of Cortez cruise, as we had never been to LaPaz or Loreto and found Loreto quite charming.

 

In fact I am looking now to book the Mercury for January 5, 2005 for 10 nights all the way to Acapulco and return. Took her New Year's 2004 for 11 nights and really enjoyed the ship and the alot of people I met on this board who also sailed with us.

 

Last year we even had one cruise out of here by the Crystal Harmony and just a few weeks ago I was checking out the pier cam and saw a Silver Seas ship, who I found out was embarking passengers to sail out of here.

 

For many years we have had this cruise port, but it was underutilized until about 6 years ago. Holland America made a commitment to our city and it finally took off, much to my delight. I it so conveniently located to the airport, hotels, eateries and shopping, not to mention our zoo and Sea World or Old Town.

 

I have lived here off and on for 37 years and I call it home.

 

Sheila

Likes to cruise twice as much for half the price.

[mcarnett]

Hi suziehmkr: We are on the Legend 6/13/04 also. I have started a roll call on the Roll Call board, but have only heard from one family so far. We have nine people signed up for the M&M party and we are looking for more. Come say hi to us and join our group. Looking forward to hearing from you.

 

Legend of the Seas

June 13, 2004

 

[suziehmkr]

GREAT!!!!! Finally found someone on our sailing! I posted a Roll Call ages ago, but with the searches not working very well here it is tough for cruisers to find. I will check it out and definitely sign up! Thanks!

 

<font color=purple>Viking Serenade 6/1992

 

</font>

until Legend of the Seas 06/13/04

 

[mcarnett]

I did to, but it got lost somehow. Looking forward to hearing from you. You may have to page at least 3 or 4 pages to find us, I will try to keep poting so we are always in the first few pages so we are easy to find.

 

Legend of the Seas

June 13, 2004

 

[CRUISERCOUPLE]

Hi cruiseldy, we are going out of San Diego in Dec. on Legend and maybe you or someone else can help. We will be driving into San Diego and will be on a 14 day cruise through the Panama Canal then flying back to San Diego. Do you know of any good parking arrangements in the area of the pier for this lenght of time. Air port parking seems rather extreme. Would also like to hear your thoughts on Legend upon your return.

[D4]

Cruiseldy: We're going on the Legend later in the summer. We'll stay in San Diego 2 nights before and one night after the cruise.

 

Any recommendations on where to stay? Someone else on here suggested the Holiday Inn on the Bay and said you could actually walk across the street to get on the ship. Do you think it's that close? That would be super convenient both ways.

[suziehmkr]

I booked at the Best Western Bayside Inn for the night before our cruise. They have a Stay, Park & Cruise package for $139 which includes 7 nights of parking. Each extra night is only $5.

 

http://www.baysideinn.com/packages.htm

 

I haven't been there, but seems extremely convenient with the parking issue.

 

<font color=purple>Viking Serenade 6/1992

 

</font>

Legend of the Seas 06/13/04

 

[D4]

Suziehmkr: That's a great deal for you. We'll fly in and won't have a car, so the free parking won't help us. I'm looking for a place where we can do things before and after the cruise without running up huge taxi bills.

[suziehmkr]

If you like to be down by shopping & such, there quite a bit of hotels down by the convention center. Walking distance to Seaport Village and Horton Plaza for shopping & food. Most should offer free shuttle service to the marina. When I was there about 5-6 years ago, we actually used bicycle taxis to get around to see things. Those guys are fun. We actually stayed at the Horton Grand Hotel, which is a couple of blocks up from the convention center, near Horton Plaza in the Gaslamp District. Nice old Victorian hotel. Depends on what you are looking for.

 

Also, The Holiday Inn San Diego-on the Bay that you mentioned actually has free shuttles to the places that I mentioned and more. If I didn't have to worry about parking, I would probably stay there myself! I had inquired about a package there, but they didn't offer them.

 

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/HI/1/en/hd/sanem

 

Not sure if this helps or not... but there really are alot of hotels in the area from what I remember.

 

<font color=purple>Viking Serenade 6/1992

 

</font>

Legend of the Seas 06/13/04

 

[cruisldy]

Cruisercouple,

 

I remember days when departing from our airport and driving myself, I could get covered parking for $6 a day, but unfortunately those days are past.

 

Since I very rarely use this service anymore, but pass off-airport parking sights on my way to the airport, I did a mini search to find any. I came up with this one that looks like it might fit just what you are looking for. It says they service the cruise port and airport with their shuttle, so if you drove to San Diego, parked there, they probably could get you to the pier in no time, then when you flew back, would pick you up at the airport to transport you back to your car. They even have a discount coupon, unfortunately it expires before you cruise.

 

Off airport parking

 

Sheila

Likes to cruise twice as much for half the price.

[cruisldy]

D4,

 

The Holiday Inn that Suzie gave you the link for is indeed right across the street from the pier. In fact if you get a room facing the bay, you will be able to see the ship/ships arriving.

 

I have stayed at this hotel many years ago, when I lived in Northern CA (moved there to get re-married, long story) and came here to cruise out of San Diego. At that time we paid $99 for a night stay, which didn't inlcude a view, but the room was not fabulous, but OK. It has been there for many years, but I'm sure they have upgraded their accomodations over the years.

 

We had decided to just walk, with luggage across to the pier, when outside there was a shuttle and the driver insisted that we ride with he and his passengers across the street for "free", so we did.

 

We now use the phone booth in front of the Holiday Inn, whenever we cruise, to call our neighbor to pick us up, when we return from cruising. It is that close.

 

In my opinion this hotel is centrally located enough so that you can walk to most places in the downtown area that you would like to see, except of course, if you wanted to see the zoo or Sea World, which would be necessary to take a cab. Or they might even have shuttle service to those places.

 

I found a sight this morning that I hadn't seen before and looks to have a lot of information on it. Hope this helps anyone who has plans to cruise out of San Diego and maybe plans to stay a few days pre or post cruise.

 

San Diego Travel guide

 

Sheila

Likes to cruise twice as much for half the price.

[CRUISERCOUPLE]

Thanks Selia, Thats a great help I didn't find this place in my web search.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by cruisldy:

Cruisercouple,

 

I remember days when departing from our airport and driving myself, I could get covered parking for $6 a day, but unfortunately those days are past.

 

Since I very rarely use this service anymore, but pass off-airport parking sights on my way to the airport, I did a mini search to find any. I came up with this one that looks like it might fit just what you are looking for. It says they service the cruise port and airport with their shuttle, so if you drove to San Diego, parked there, they probably could get you to the pier in no time, then when you flew back, would pick you up at the airport to transport you back to your car. They even have a discount coupon, unfortunately it expires before you cruise.

 

http://www.longtermparking.com/COUPONS/cpampcosda.htm

 

Sheila

Likes to cruise twice as much for half the price.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[D4]

Sheila, thanks for all the great information on San Diego and that Holiday Inn. I'm glad we're going to have two full days to see some sights in San Diego. My kids (16 & 19) are looking forward to the zoo.