San Pedro Parking- Getting Out

[J&KCruisers]

I am looking for reviews on the efficiency of the San Pedro Lot when getting off the ship. This is a really good lot, very convenient but was a real negative at disembarkation.

 

We were on the Sapphire Princess Thanksgiving week cruise last year and it took us almost two hours to get out of the parking lot. They only had two attendents at the exit and a single aisle for cars to exit. To say it was a mess would be an under statement. A real sour end to a great cruise!

 

We are booked on the same cruise this year and are looking for alternatives if this parking lot is a mess all the time. We have a seven hour drive after the cruise and starting with a two hour traffic jam is not our idea of a good start.

 

Any reviews as to whether this was an exception or the norm would be appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Cruisin' Chick]

We have been on six cruises out of SP and have parked in the lot for five of them and don't remember any traffic jam actually leaving the lot. Maybe because our wait is more for hubby retrieving our car and getting a space by the berth so that we can load up the car with our luggage. Possibly by the time that happens, many of the cars have already left. Also, we don't try to be the first off the ship...we just wait for our normal color to be called.

 

But then our last cruise out of there was back in 2006, and maybe there's construction or budget cuts affecting the parking lot.

[Tempo]

On are last trip out of the SP parking lot I found we were DOUBLE billed on the credit card. The credit card company made it good after the 45 day wait,but I can now see how they do it when they double swipe a credit card.

Like the other post I have found if you take you time an get off later it does not take much time. BE SURE AN GET THE RECEIPT FROM THE PARKING LOT.

[johnieo]

I've been on a few cruises out of this port and never had more then a 5 minute wait to get out through the parking attendant

[deepnite10]

6 time out of san pedro and rarely a wait at all..drove right up to

the attendant and out we went..

 

our only bad experience was getting snow d in at the top of the grapevine..a 6hr drive turning into a 10hr detour..:mad:

[JJ2sail]

We have never had a problem with getting out of the parking lot either.

 

If you don't want to take the chance, you could do a park and sail package at the Crowne Plaza or Double Tree.

[J&KCruisers]

I appreciate the responses. It was probably just a bad day for them.

 

The option I have been considering is the Crowne Plaza stay and park. The kids want to do Disneyland the day before, so this option would not be optimal. It is easier to stay across from the park and drive to the ship in the morning.

 

We will risk it in a more tactical manner by simply parking along the exit row so we can push into the line if we have a repeat of last year. It really was a mess and a sour note from what really is a great cruise.

 

Thanks

[mtncouple]

We have left from SP 6 times in the last 2 years. Never a problem. We sometimes do self-disembark or get off later. Its never made a difference. But its never been during a holiday.

[andynlala]

Does anyone know how much they charge?

[mtncouple]

$12 a day