after cruise flight

[fortyseven]

We booked a Celebrity Cruise San Diego to Hawaii--15 days

we choose their cheapest Ocean View--$1399 cabin to be announced--what can we expect?

 

Also it arrives at pier in San Diego at 6 a.m. and we were told we could not book flight home prior to 12:45 p.m. --and get transfers from them--even though

we found a 12:35 pm...we had to change our flight from 11:20 to 1:45...good thing we had credit at Southwest--and easy as pie to change, but what the heck? We thought 11:20 flight was reasonable--airport 5 miles from pier--but we are relatively new at this..thanks for any input anyone has to offer...

[panoramaofthepast]

It takes awhile for the ship to clear customs/immigration and then unload. The 1pm flight time is really reasonable. On our last cruise, we were four hours late docking and lots of folks were scrambling to rebook flights because the airports are an hour or more away from the port.

 

It sounds like you got a good deal on your cruise. The one time I booked a guaranteed room, we ended up with a really nice location, but it is pot luck.

[CruiserBruce]

Customs can be a hassle at San Diego. Thus, Celebrity is recommending a safe time. After 12 is good, IMHO. I would cancel the transfers- a cab will cost you $10-15 for the cab.

 

For Celebrity info, go over to the Celebrity board, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=28

 

I am sure you will have lots more questions before your cruise. There will be tons of info there.

[kitty9]

San Diego Customs and Immigration is awful !!! On a recent Celebrity cruise, there were so many problems that people with flights before 1pm missed their flights. SD is probably the worst cruise terminal in terms of disembarkation. But, as long as your flight is after 12 noon, you should be OK.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

I think you have a 99% chance of making it

[Dayenu]

I am glad I've opened this thread, never thought San Diego can be bad! Now I'll do all I can to avoid this port. Thank you for warnings, all, and to 47 for starting this thread! :confused:

[Gonzo70]

Definitely cancel the transfers; the port and airport are so close together you could walk if you wanted! It would be a very cheap (and fast) cab ride. It still is wise to book an afternoon flight in case the ship arrives late and/or customs is slow clearing the ship once it arrives, but no reason to spend money on a cruise line transfer.

[fortyseven]

I am new to Cruise Critic and I am so pleased with info and support by other members...I should have asked about cruise pre hotel stay--we live in Massachusetts so we built in a day to get to cruise in San Diego--we were quoted $130---being as naive as we are--we didn't realize that it was pp--so we are paying $260 for a night's stay--that includes transfers to pier (but not from airport to hotel)...after the fact we looked on line and could have paid $189 per night and that would include breakfast with our AAA membership...the hotel is Sheraton Suites downtown San Diego--from info I am now getting from you all is that we could have taken taxi and saved $50 or $60...my mistake was not to ask these questions of members before making decisions! thanx again!

[LHT28]

If you can cancel the hotel package there is a Holiday Inn right across from the port among others within a short walk

[G.M.T.]

I can never understand the view, OK we had a great fun and relaxing cruise, but that is now over so we must rejoin the rat race asap.

 

Hell, you haven't even cruised yet but are stressed out about the return flight. Take a late afternoon or even next day (San Diego is a great town) flight, enjoy a relaxing breakfast and lunch onboard.

 

The arrival time could easily be affected by bad weather or mechanical problems, besides the clearance of ship and passengers by Immigration and Customs.

 

Enjoy aour cruise.

 

Ron

[LHT28]

enjoy a relaxing breakfast and lunch onboard.

 

Ron

No time to enjoy lunch on last day they want you off A.S.A.P

Usually before 9:30 am

[G.M.T.]

No time to enjoy lunch on last day they want you off A.S.A.P

Usually before 9:30 am

If you have arranged a flight through the cruise line and it is later flight, you will be able to stay onboard (brealfast and lunch) til your transfer is ready. So goes if you have not booked via cruise line. Staying onboard tiol at least 12:00 is no problem.

 

Ron

[Gonzo70]

If you have arranged a flight through the cruise line and it is later flight, you will be able to stay onboard (brealfast and lunch) til your transfer is ready. So goes if you have not booked via cruise line. Staying onboard tiol at least 12:00 is no problem.

 

Ron

 

The OP is sailing on Celebrity. Perhaps that is the policy on Costa, but on Celebrity everybody must be off the ship by somewhere around 9:30am-10:00am unless the ship arrives late and/or a customs delay occurs.

[tulsacubfan]

I agree with cancelling the hotel if you can. And the transfers if you can. You can find a much cheaper hotel....

[fideauxdon]

We booked a Celebrity Cruise San Diego to Hawaii--15 days

we choose their cheapest Ocean View--$1399 cabin to be announced--what can we expect?

 

Also it arrives at pier in San Diego at 6 a.m. and we were told we could not book flight home prior to 12:45 p.m. --and get transfers from them--even though

we found a 12:35 pm...we had to change our flight from 11:20 to 1:45...good thing we had credit at Southwest--and easy as pie to change, but what the heck? We thought 11:20 flight was reasonable--airport 5 miles from pier--but we are relatively new at this..thanks for any input anyone has to offer...

 

You don't have to book your flights thru the cruiseline, and you shouldn't book their transfers unless there are no alternatives available. The port in San Diego is VERY close to the airport, and you can find a cab outside the cruise terminal for a minimal fare.

[Donray]

I am glad I've opened this thread, never thought San Diego can be bad! Now I'll do all I can to avoid this port. Thank you for warnings, all, and to 47 for starting this thread! :confused:

 

Used this port three times and never had a problem.

[gingerboo]

As far as transfers go, the bus won't leave until all paid transfer cruisers have boarded the bus, regardless of who has what flights. Cancel the transfer and get a taxi! (This is the same reason I hate the open-air taxis on St. Thomas and other Caribbean locations and refuse to take them).:D

[jschm27]

Hell, you haven't even cruised yet but are stressed out about the return flight. Take a late afternoon or even next day (San Diego is a great town) flight, enjoy a relaxing breakfast and lunch onboard.

 

Ron

 

Get off the ship, check into hotel near airport, take taxi to Old Town and enjoy a great mexican meal and a margarita or two and do some shopping. Imagine dining on patio in the warm sun with the mariachi band playing, humming birds flittering around the blooming flowers, and eating some really good food. Fly home next day. Geeze, I think I'm going to book a flight down there next weekend! That sounds like fun. :D

 

John

[kitty9]

If you have arranged a flight through the cruise line and it is later flight, you will be able to stay onboard (brealfast and lunch) til your transfer is ready. So goes if you have not booked via cruise line. Staying onboard tiol at least 12:00 is no problem.

 

Ron

 

That is NOT the policy for Celebrity, and especially not for cruises out of North American ports. Everyone will be off the ship before 10am, unless there is a Customs/Immigration problem. In all my many cruises, even on other lines including the luxury lines, has lunch ever been offered to disembarking guests. Seeing how they begin boarding new passengers at 11 am, it's impossible to serve lunch to those who are disembarking.

[EGG]

We've only sailed out of San Diego once on HAL, but I was very impressed that they were able to embark and debark 2 ships simultaneously and efficiently at this very small pier. (Do you hear me RCCL in Cape Liberty, NJ).

 

We stayed at the Hampton Inn a few blocks from the pier. The price included transfers from the airport (very close), to the pier (even closer) and a typical Hampton Inn breakfast. We were able to walk to the Italian restaurant part of town for dinner, and the next morning we walked past the cruise ship pier and did some sightseeing. There is a destroyer docked her, a WWII memorial, and a touristy shopping center on the water.

 

Because we live in NJ and our choice of flight home were 8:45 or very late in the day, we chose to stay over a day and get in a full day of sightseeing. There were tons of hotels to choose from and we kept our eyes open and snagged a deal for less than $100 (with free transfers to the airport).

 

I hate transfers to the airport because you have to wait until everyone gets their luggage and the bus fills up. You often have to wait for one person who can't find their luggage. Then you have to wait while they unload everyone's luggage or make multiple stops. For this convenience you pay a premium to a taxi.

[beachchick]

We've only sailed out of San Diego once on HAL, but I was very impressed that they were able to embark and debark 2 ships simultaneously and efficiently at this very small pier. (Do you hear me RCCL in Cape Liberty, NJ).

 

We stayed at the Hampton Inn a few blocks from the pier. The price included transfers from the airport (very close), to the pier (even closer) and a typical Hampton Inn breakfast. We were able to walk to the Italian restaurant part of town for dinner, and the next morning we walked past the cruise ship pier and did some sightseeing. There is a destroyer docked her, a WWII memorial, and a touristy shopping center on the water.

 

Because we live in NJ and our choice of flight home were 8:45 or very late in the day, we chose to stay over a day and get in a full day of sightseeing. There were tons of hotels to choose from and we kept our eyes open and snagged a deal for less than $100 (with free transfers to the airport).

 

I hate transfers to the airport because you have to wait until everyone gets their luggage and the bus fills up. You often have to wait for one person who can't find their luggage. Then you have to wait while they unload everyone's luggage or make multiple stops. For this convenience you pay a premium to a taxi.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. We have heard many "horror" stories about both the port and airport in San Diego.

 

I have one little correction though. I'm pretty sure you are referring to the USS Midway, which is an aircraft carrier. Just thought it might help others with planning.

 

beachchick