Worst Disembarkation EVER in SF

[Love.II.Cruise]

Wow the Star is still sitting in San Francisco, it's 8:50 right now:eek:

 

Ouch! :eek:

 

So when is this new terminal going to be complete? Someone said after the America's Cup, but when exactly will the terminal be complete?

 

The first time Sapphire Princess was in Sydney, we were boarding. What a disaster. We boarded about 4 hours late. The terminal was not designed for a ship of her size. We were told at the time that she was the largest ship to ever go to Sydney. But I will say, the 30 minute fire work display in the evening before we set sail was awesome!!! Sydney knows how to do a show with new ships!

[kwahl1]

Hey neighbor, me again (C703). Our experience was not like yours, as it was the normal "hurry up and wait" I've come to expect when more that 100 people gather for one event. We were delayed exactly 1 hour for our posted time and were on the curb waiting for a taxi at 10:15. We road to Milbrae, right next to SFO. One minor delay I encountered and thought it was going to be a biggie, my crusie card gave a "buzz" when I tried to walk out the gangway. Security pulled me aside, wife to one side and then SF police looked at my customs card and said it's OK. Dogs were in the gangway and in the luggge area.

 

Our nightmare disembarking came last year in LA, arriving on a Sunday. Federal government and Sundays don't mix. Majority of the Panama canal cruisers were non-US citizen. Four INS agents for those and there was three agents for us U.S. citizens. A four hour delay just to get to the desk! Then for Customs it was two guys with their dogs walking around.

 

Come to think of it....today there were no Customs people inspecting baggae today either.

[gcvt]

Ouch! :eek:

 

So when is this new terminal going to be complete? Someone said after the America's Cup, but when exactly will the terminal be complete?

 

The first time Sapphire Princess was in Sydney, we were boarding. What a disaster. We boarded about 4 hours late. The terminal was not designed for a ship of her size. We were told at the time that she was the largest ship to ever go to Sydney. But I will say, the 30 minute fire work display in the evening before we set sail was awesome!!! Sydney knows how to do a show with new ships!

 

Pre-development May 2009 – December 2009

Programming January 2010 – April 2010

Concept Phase April 2010 – December 2010

Design & Entitlements January 2011 – January 2012

Phase 1 Construction January 2012 – January 2013

America’s Cup Use* January 2013 – April 2014

Phase 2 Construction May 2014 – October 2014

Cruise Terminal Opening November 2014

 

[notentirelynormal]

I wish people that didn't need to get off the ship right away, would just wait until those with early flights get off. A few times we needed to get off early and it is such a hassle, when we are doing a post cruise or have a late flight, we just go to the pursers and get tags for the last group and stay out of the way of those that do need to get off. I don't know what the hurry is for those that don't have early flights.

 

You reminded me of a time we got to the airport after our cruise. We pulled up in the bus and they were taking "whoever". Not once did they ask who was going when. It was horrible. We had a earlier flight and I remember that they could not have cared less who needed to be processed first. They insisted that they process people as they got off the bus. It was a madhouse and one of our worst experiences. One of the last times I used cruise air and Delta because of it. People that were leaving 5 hours later were processed before those that were running late.

[Sea Fan]

Pre-development May 2009 – December 2009

Programming January 2010 – April 2010

Concept Phase April 2010 – December 2010

Design & Entitlements January 2011 – January 2012

Phase 1 Construction January 2012 – January 2013

America’s Cup Use* January 2013 – April 2014

Phase 2 Construction May 2014 – October 2014

Cruise Terminal Opening November 2014

 

 

I hadn't seen the concept drawing....I can't wait fot it to be done, It's been a long time coming!

Thanks for posting.

[Sea Fan]

Hey the Star is on the move!!

Bon Voyage!

[gcvt]

I hadn't seen the concept drawing....I can't wait fot it to be done, It's been a long time coming!

Thanks for posting.

 

No problem :) Here's page with all the info including PDF files of the renderings, floor plans, etc.

 

http://38.106.4.220/index.aspx?page=282

[Quenby]

Pam - sorry to hear you missed your flight. We were in the first Express Walk Off group. They started on time (8:30), but what a mess. NOT one of the finer moments for Princess, ICE or our fellow passengers. There was no crowd control by Princess in the elevator/stairwell lobby. As we rounded the corner into the lobby, the first elevator door opened and a group moved into the elevator, ahead of the people already waiting for elevators. I got stuck on the stairs for quite a while, and was delayed behind the rest of my group

 

ICE was a MAJOR part of the delay in the area to finally leave the ship. They only allowed six people at a time to leave. We had to line up for searches by the dogs. There were personnel and dogs from multiple law enforcement agencies - I had at least three dogs search my luggage. It was either a training or joint agency exercise.

 

What a way to end a great cruise!

[Pam in CA]

Chris, we were aware of the hold-up for the walk-off people and we heard the dogs. We heard a rumor that Princess opened another disembarkation exit it was so bad and were disembarking those in later groups right off the ship. My issue with Princess is that we were stuck on the stairwell for over an hour and unable to move up or down, nor did we want to move based on rumor. There was no option or communication nor was any priority given to those with early disembarkation who were stuck. People were pushing and shoving; it wasn't pretty and absolutely no one from Princess was there to assist or tell us what was happening or let us know there was another option.

[JLC@SD]

No problem :) Here's page with all the info including PDF files of the renderings, floor plans, etc.

 

http://38.106.4.220/index.aspx?page=282

 

Thanks for the link. Please tell me that is not a 3 story Lava Lamp......:eek:

 

http://www.sfport.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=1337

[gcvt]

Thanks for the link. Please tell me that is not a 3 story Lava Lamp......:eek:

 

http://www.sfport.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=1337

 

Well, it is San Francisco. What would the new terminal be without a 3-story lava lamp, a delay of 2-3 years and a budget overrun in the Billion dollar range? :p

 

Seriously, I did notice the conspicuous absence of any and all aggressive panhandlers in all the artistic renderings. Hmm.

[CaribbeanIsland]

The time listed in the disembarkment instructions is often the meeting time, not the disembarkment time. I recently read this and was surprised. It is often up to Immigration and Customs as far as the order in which numbers are called - not up to Princess. San Francisco is often a mess for embarking and disembarking.

[gooch47]

Stories like this has made us start booking an extra day AFTER the cruise as well as before. I know everyone can't afford the expense or maybe the time, but it sure makes for a much more relaxed disembarcation.

[Northender]

I just boarded my new flight so will arrive home three hours late. Not a biggie. My frustration was with Princess and the lack of priority for those to whom they'd already given priority as first to disembark plus the lack of communication.

 

Anyway, had a nice cruise and met some incredible people who will be lifelong friends. :)

 

They are the lucky ones:)

[Pam in CA]

The time listed in the disembarkment instructions is often the meeting time, not the disembarkment time. I recently read this and was surprised. It is often up to Immigration and Customs as far as the order in which numbers are called - not up to Princess. San Francisco is often a mess for embarking and disembarking.

Completely agree. However, when your color is called and even after repeated assurances that we would be led and assisted off the ship as we had early flights (mine was just five minutes before the recommended Princess earliest flight) with Princess transfers, we were told to just make our own way down three flights of steps with our carry-ons to deck 4. Again, my issue is how Princess handled it after calling the colors/numbers to disembark, not Customs and Immigration.

[compozer]

I wish people that didn't need to get off the ship right away, would just wait until those with early flights get off. A few times we needed to get off early and it is such a hassle, when we are doing a post cruise or have a late flight, we just go to the pursers and get tags for the last group and stay out of the way of those that do need to get off. I don't know what the hurry is for those that don't have early flights.

 

I sorry you had to go thru this and hope your connections go smoothly.

 

And I'm afraid in the future, things will get worse. Many people only think of themself.

 

Years ago when a flight was late coming in, they would ask that passengers remain in their seats and let the people with connecting flights off first. Nowadays it is terrible - People jump up as soon as the wheels touch down and start pushing their way forward. And what about the people that use the first overhead compartments when they are sitting in the back.

AS my husband sayd, "Travel use to be fun, not anymore".

[luv2travel77]

Just disembarked the Star this morning. I'd booked my flight home independently for 12:35pm, later than the recommended Princess time, but AA changed the flight time to 12:10pm. I also booked a Princess transfer to the airport.

 

There were many groups that somehow disembarked before us but I have no idea how or where. There was no communication whatsoever or assistance.

 

I realize that part of the problem was US Customs and Immigration but Princess bears a great deal of the fault by not communicating anything and not disembarking people in the correct order or even close to it. It appeared to me that most of the colors were disembarked before the earliest ones as the terminal was almost empty of luggage when I finally got there. As I was looking for my luggage, I ran into a friend who was scheduled to disembark 45 minutes after me. Go figure.

 

It was the most screwed up, frustrating disembarkation I've ever experienced.

 

Sorry to hear about the bad disembarking experience you had. I guess a lot of people decided to line up to disembark without being called for their group due to the delay started by Customs & Immigration. It's a chain reaction.

 

Yes I do agree it was Princess' fault for not enforcing the order of disembarkation.

[wizard-of-roz]

Because of the "hurry-up and wait" and the rudeness of some my DH will no longer fly or cruise. He is sometimes destined to use his wheelchair when we travel and while wheeling him down a hallway [with my Service Dog in tow], I had kindly asked some folks in front of us if we could please wheel by them [so I could get my DH to a restroom] and they insistently said, "no, wait your turn!"

DH became very uncomfortable and dear dog needed to relieve herself, as well. I left my spot in line.....hunted down an officer and told him I had an emergency.......he came, pushed my husbands wheelchair past everyone to a public restroom, while I rushed my dog to her potty box.

Because of instances like this, DH prefers the comforts of our home. When I can, I still travel with friends & family and Service Dog.

Sometimes it's not always the fault of the cruise or airline and really depends on our fellow travelers to make it more pleasant for one another. I have been very lucky to encounter more of the postive/helpful and gently spirited folks than the one's who chased my husband away from the joys of travel.

[wizard-of-roz]

We were very fortunate to have traveled with Pam and I hope that I will have the chance to do so again on another cruise.

[bdjam]

yup. There is little to zero space in front of the "terminal" with the Embarcadero regular car/bus/trolly traffic and the tourists walking along Fisherman's wharf!! It's a mad-house coming in and going out....

I like it - great pre or post cruise energy...and being in San Francisco!!

[MTJSR]

I like it - great pre or post cruise energy...and being in San Francisco!!

 

I like it too! One of my favorite spots is the little (park?) like setting to the left of the terminal. I will walk my dog there when ships are in and daydream of my next cruise.:rolleyes:

[Pam in CA]

Sorry to hear about the bad disembarking experience you had. I guess a lot of people decided to line up to disembark without being called for their group due to the delay started by Customs & Immigration. It's a chain reaction.

Actually, that wasn't the case. What happened is that US Customs did a bag inspection with dogs for every passenger doing self-disembarkation which caused a huge delay and back-up. Everyone was held in lounges and we were told this was happening and the reason why "regular" disembarkation was delayed by well over an hour. Then, they called the first passengers with early flights and Princess transfers to disembark from the same area as the self-disembarkers and we got caught up in the further delay. Here's what I'm guessing happened after that based on talking to others: we were forgotten and no one checked to see what was going on or what was causing the back-up. We never saw any Princess staff until we actually checked off the ship. Others have told me that they were told by staff in their lounges for all colors to disembark but they were sent to a different disembarkation location. Don't know if that's true but it makes sense and why we were stuck and so many actually disembarked before we did. No matter what happened, Princess dropped the ball big time for those with early flights and Princess transfers.

[Pam in CA]

We were very fortunate to have traveled with Pam and I hope that I will have the chance to do so again on another cruise.

Same here. :)

[cruiselovers20]

we experienced the same as Pam! it was the WORST debarkation we have ever experienced! we were expected to be off the ship by 9 am and it didn't do so until 11:30 am!

We stayed in SFO and noticed that the ship didnt leave at 4 pm as it was planned. We were around the pier last nite at 9 pm and the ship was still there?!?!?!?! the Good thing, it was gone this morning. .....Wonder what happened that delayed their departure by at least 5 hrs?!?!?

[runnerodb83]

Not to defend any customs agents, and Princess should have somehow known better, but I think any ship thats been making stops in some of the countries that are the front line of the drug war deserve an extra examination of luggage. There have been far too many instances of drugs being brought in by cruise vessels lately.

 

That said, there's no way you could have known this and sorry to hear you missed your flight. We've had too many close calls or sat waiting for folks to join the bus that now we either grab a taxi or walk the mile or so to the bart station. However, I'm sure on a 16+ day cruise you had quite a load of cargo to haul off. To the point however, I hate the princess transfer program (or any transfer program for that matter). They would be better to just have 10 busses going back and forth to and from the airport picking up a full load each time they came back, similar to a taxi stand.

 

Did you embark in Santiago or Rio? When we disembarked in Santiago on Feb 4th, the dogs were everywhere. Chile is very serious about fruit and vegetables being brought into the country.