Seeing us off in San Francisco

[Tedferg]

Our Daughter, her Husband and Granddaughter would like to come and see us off on Sail Away day in San Francisco. However, having read about boarding delays, traffic congestion etc. We wonder if we would have any time together and if it would be worth the effort.

 

We also wondered about BVE but do not see any information on Princess website. Have you had visitors use BVE and where you able to spend time with them ?

[2pbears]

Our daughter and son-in-law joined us for the BVE on the Grand in November and it was a wonderful experience. Princess seemed to have the process very well organized. They told us to arrive at 11:00 AM, which we did, and there was a check-in desk right at the entrance for BVE guests. We did have to sit in a waiting area for about 30 minutes after checking in before the ship was cleared to board passengers but after that it was very smooth. We passed on the group tour and just took our things to our room. We then went down to lunch in the main dining room and after lunch we had plenty of time to show them the rest of the ship. It was a delightful day and DD and DSIL (who have never cruised) really enjoyed being able to see the ship. They were able to stay on board until an hour before sailing.

 

Just call Princess and tell them you want to do the BVE. They will check the calendar to see if it is available for the day of your sailing and if so, they will take the names and info about your guests. The guests will then need to log in to Cruise Personalizer using their confirmation number and fill out their registration (just as if they were actually going on the cruise).

 

Also, one thing to note, if you are bringing wine on board each of your guests (over 21 years old) will be allowed one corkage free bottle so you can technically bring on four bottles corkage free.

[Tedferg]

Great information, thank you. Did you all stay together as a group prior to boarding, after checking in ?

 

I feared we would check in separately and find it hard to meet up.

[bmench]

Great information, thank you. Did you all stay together as a group prior to boarding, after checking in ?

 

I feared we would check in separately and find it hard to meet up.

 

When you make your reservations for the BVE just make sure that you tell The BVE representative that you want your booking linked with theirs so you will be able to go on the ship at the same time which is earlier than you normally would board. Enjoy

Becky

[partybarbie]

Here's the wording from the Princess site:

 

The Bon Voyage Experience is an innovative new program harkening back to the nostalgic tradition from the early days of cruising, allowing guests the opportunity to invite family and friends aboard your ship on embarkation day. The program's new twist also allows cruisers new to Princess to see the inside of a Princess ship and experience the excitement of cruising first-hand -- even if they're not affiliated with booked guests.

 

Guests will spend up to four hours onboard before the ship sets sail, where they'll enjoy a four-course dining room lunch (including wine), a guided ship tour, and a souvenir photo! Plus, the $39 per person cost of the program can be applied toward a future cruise with Princess. Only 50 guests are able to participate in the Bon Voyage Experience on any given embarkation day, so make sure you make your reservations soon!

 

To learn more about Bon Voyage Experience reservations and availability near you, please contact your Travel Consultant or call 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237) as long as it is not within 7 days of sailing.

 

Your guests will get a reservation number. Make sure that your reservation number is linked with theirs, then you will all get to board together. When we did this with our family, they got about four hours on the ship with us. I would advise you to arrive at the port around 10:30 am. This way you can drop off your bags and park the car. You want to be ready to board at 11:00 am.

[Tedferg]

Also, one thing to note, if you are bringing wine on board each of your guests (over 21 years old) will be allowed one corkage free bottle so you can technically bring on four bottles corkage free.

 

That's great - did they have to carry the wine on-board versus you bring all four bottles. Do you know how they handled parking at the pier ?

 

Will call Princess and see if it is available for May 1st.

[partybarbie]

That's great - did they have to carry the wine on-board versus you bring all four bottles. Do you know how they handled parking at the pier ?

 

Will call Princess and see if it is available for May 1st.

 

Take the wine in a carry-on bag. As long as the four of you board together, it doesn't matter who's carrying the bag. If you check in at 11:00 am, the wine table might not even be set up yet. On our last two cruises out of Pier 27, we didn't even have to check our wine.

 

As far as the parking goes, there are private lots nearby.

[2pbears]

Great information, thank you. Did you all stay together as a group prior to boarding, after checking in ?

 

I feared we would check in separately and find it hard to meet up.

 

We all rode over together. The guys dropped me and my daughter off at the pier with the luggage and we waited for them while they parked the car and walked to the pier. We all stayed together the entire time.

Edited January 25, 2016 by 2pbears

[2pbears]

That's great - did they have to carry the wine on-board versus you bring all four bottles. Do you know how they handled parking at the pier ?

 

Will call Princess and see if it is available for May 1st.

 

There are many parking lots near the pier. We used a website called spot hero to locate the closest lot at the best price. If you google them you will be able to get discount codes to use when you make a reservation through them. The lot we parked at was about 1/4 mile from the pier and with the discount I think it was less than $10 for the day. The parking space was reserved for us and paid in advance and the process was very easy.

[Tedferg]

We would have DD, SIL and 6 year old Granddaughter - is it $39 for six year old ? Princess said lots of BVE room for our cruise but was not clear on charge for minor. Sounds like a great way to kick off a cruise !

[raider23]

There are many parking lots near the pier. We used a website called spot hero to locate the closest lot at the best price. If you google them you will be able to get discount codes to use when you make a reservation through them. The lot we parked at was about 1/4 mile from the pier and with the discount I think it was less than $10 for the day. The parking space was reserved for us and paid in advance and the process was very easy.

 

We would love to know how and where you got parking in SF for less than $10/day. I followed your advice to spot hero and the best I can find is $18/day:confused:

[2pbears]

We would love to know how and where you got parking in SF for less than $10/day. I followed your advice to spot hero and the best I can find is $18/day:confused:

 

If you go to spothero dot com and type in "Pier 27, San Francisco" it will bring up a map of the area with parking garages that have available spaces for your date and the price. I just checked it for today and I see 3 lots near the pier for $8. We actually parked at 55 Francisco which is .4 mile from Pier 27 but I am now seeing two others that are closer than 55 Francisco. They must not have had availability when we were looking in November. Hope this helps.

[2pbears]

We would have DD, SIL and 6 year old Granddaughter - is it $39 for six year old ? Princess said lots of BVE room for our cruise but was not clear on charge for minor. Sounds like a great way to kick off a cruise !

 

I am not sure about the charges for a minor as we did not have any little ones with us. You would have to ask Princess about that. I would also ask them what type of identification might be needed for the 6 year old. DH and I were just talking about taking our son, daughter in law and two grandsons aboard in October and we wondered what kind of ID the boys would be able to use.

[2pbears]

One more thought.....the package includes a photograph but in our case we really had to do some searching to find the photo. We completely forgot about it until after the ship had sailed so we went down to the photo area and looked through all of the embarkation photos and could not find our daughter and son-in-law anywhere. One of the photo employees took us over to a table where they had books which he said would include every picture that had been taken for the cruise. They weren't there either. We were about to give up when he suggested we ask the person behind the desk in the photo area. As soon as we said BVE he pulled out a different album and there they were. It was a $20 photo and there was no charge.

[cactusrose]

If they have never sailed Princess before you might want to do a referral before you do the BVE. That way, if they do decide to book and sail within two years, they will each get $25 OBC and you will get $25 OBC for each of them which can be used on a future cruise. I think they can also buy a Future Cruise Credit while on board during the BVE.

[bmench]

We would have DD, SIL and 6 year old Granddaughter - is it $39 for six year old ? Princess said lots of BVE room for our cruise but was not clear on charge for minor. Sounds like a great way to kick off a cruise !

 

Your grandaughter would also be charged the $39.00. We invited my sister, she took her two kids a 4 year old and 8 year and they were each charged the $39.00 charge. One thing you might want to know is that each person is given a photo for the $39.00 but there is a tendency to just take a one family photo but you can each get one whether posing with family or by yourself.

[Tedferg]

Thank you for all the replies, CC rocks !

[notentirelynormal]

We would have DD, SIL and 6 year old Granddaughter - is it $39 for six year old ? Princess said lots of BVE room for our cruise but was not clear on charge for minor. Sounds like a great way to kick off a cruise !

 

Honestly, I can't think of why you would think that a "soul" should pay a lessor fee than anyone else. There are 50 spots at $39 (although I thought it was $49). If a child takes up the spot of an adult, why should they pay less? I can guarantee you there is an adult waiting for that spot.

[notentirelynormal]

One thing you might want to know is that each person is given a photo for the $39.00 but there is a tendency to just take a one family photo but you can each get one whether posing with family or by yourself.

 

Good to know. We are doing this in April and would never have thought to ask for multiple copies.

[iceleven]

If you go to spothero dot com and type in "Pier 27, San Francisco" it will bring up a map of the area with parking garages that have available spaces for your date and the price. I just checked it for today and I see 3 lots near the pier for $8. We actually parked at 55 Francisco which is .4 mile from Pier 27 but I am now seeing two others that are closer than 55 Francisco. They must not have had availability when we were looking in November. Hope this helps.

 

Don't confuse these rates with daily parking rates vs. long term parking. As far as I know, 55 Francisco is the only long term parking available for cruise passengers. They probably will have a separate daily parking rate for OP's family with their own car.

[WAussieSFO]

If they have never sailed Princess before you might want to do a referral before you do the BVE. That way, if they do decide to book and sail within two years, they will each get $25 OBC and you will get $25 OBC for each of them which can be used on a future cruise. I think they can also buy a Future Cruise Credit while on board during the BVE.

Wish I had thought of this before signing my adult kids up for the BVE on my upcoming cruise.

[2pbears]

Don't confuse these rates with daily parking rates vs. long term parking. As far as I know, 55 Francisco is the only long term parking available for cruise passengers. They probably will have a separate daily parking rate for OP's family with their own car.

 

Did not intend to confuse anyone. We only parked the car for the one day as our daughter and son-in-law took us to the ship and then left with the car after the BVE.

[roobug]

Honestly, I can't think of why you would think that a "soul" should pay a lessor fee than anyone else. There are 50 spots at $39 (although I thought it was $49). If a child takes up the spot of an adult, why should they pay less? I can guarantee you there is an adult waiting for that spot.

 

For one reason the rate includes alcohol which a minor can not legally drink so part of what they are paying of they do not have access to.

[notentirelynormal]

For one reason the rate includes alcohol which a minor can not legally drink so part of what they are paying of they do not have access to.

 

They can still order a non alcoholic drink but my original comment stays. The are taking the spot of an adult and I am sure there is a waiting list for them so why should Princess offer discounts.

 

You don't get discounts on cabin fare because they are a minor. The opposite applies. They pay the adult fare and if there are benefits, like gift shop discounts or tender tickets - the minors don't get that.