Early flight out of San Diego

[Chrisfromco]

Hi everyone! 

We are debating on heading home right after our cruise on Eurodam out Of San Diego. Is the airport close enough to make an 11:15 flight? The next option is 3:45 and I'd rather not sit in the airport all day. Any advice would be much appreciated!

[summer slope]

You could probably make this early flight, but I strongly urge you to get the later one.  Anything can happen and why add the stress to your relaxing cruise.  Delayed exiting the ship, traffic jams, accidents, etc.  Relax at the airport with a cup of coffee and no stress.  JMHO

[knittinggirl]

It's only about 15 or so minutes from the port. 

 

But I strongly suggest the later flight.  We got off the ship once in Baltimore and were slowed by a parade.  Fog delayed us getting into port once.  The luggage ramps didn't work right on another disembarkation.  Slow immigration.  California is pretty time consuming.  If people don't get the word about no fruits, nuts, etc.  It could slow everything down.  We've been known to miss our afternoon flight too.

 

That's why we take a post cruise hotel stay.  And we have our choice of all the flights the next day.

[Randyk47]

The San Diego airport is about as close if not the closest to the cruise terminal of any port so if the ship arrives on time and clears without issue then you’d have plenty of time.  Of course as Summer Slope correctly points out stuff happens so you have to take that into consideration.  

Edited November 17, 2018 by Randyk47

[DaveOKC]

You should be able to make the flight (I would say 90%+ of the time), but as already mentioned, things can happen.  Just to be safe, I would do self-disembarkation so that you will be in the first group off the ship. 

[knittinggirl]

On our very first cruise.  Weather caused us to be hours late returning to Miami, then our transfer bus broke down in the airport.  We missed the original flight, the replacement flight, and spent the night in Miami. 

 

But 90% of the time, it's o.k.  It's the other 10% you have to plan for.

[dchip]

Returning to San Diego after a perfect cruise in 2016, they couldn’t get the gangway aligned properly to disembark. We were very happy our flight was at 1:05. 

 

Cheers, Denise

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have sailed into San Diego many times and quite a few times the ship has arrived late or people ignored the immigration process causing the ship to not be cleared until after 10:30 and many people missing their flights.  One time the ship was late in arriving due to fog.

 

Take the later flight.

[canadianbear]

We are on the Eurodam out of San Diego soon and had a choice of our flight leaving before noon or 3:30.  We would prefer the earlier one but chose the latter.  Just don’t want to stress about missing it.  

 

If all goes well the earlier flight is easy as the airport is so close-depends on your stress level.  

[Copper10-8]

3 hours ago, Chrisfromco said:

Hi everyone! 

We are debating on heading home right after our cruise on Eurodam out Of San Diego. Is the airport close enough to make an 11:15 flight? The next option is 3:45 and I'd rather not sit in the airport all day. Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

 

How close? Very close! San Diego cruise ship terminal (main cruise ship B-Street pier in white, Broadway Pier above/south of it, and the Navy Pier with the USS Midway museum ship above/south of it, all visible on top right of the pic, with San Diego's Lindbergh Field single runway, (RWY 9/27) in the center of this pic. For trivia purposes only, U.S. Coast Guard Air Station as well as small boat station San Diego (Coast Guard Sector San Diego), "across the street" from the airport, visible with its two white aircraft hangars just above the "San Diego Sky Tours" sign

 

As far as making that 1115 hrs. flight? Yes, you can make that easy in San Diego, IF everything with Eurodam's return to San Diego goes to plan, which includes Mr. Murphy not making an appearance. if you decide to take that AM flight, I would have a Plan B handy if that (unforeseen delays) were to occur

[Tabbymom]

We were on the Eurodam arriving Nov. 11 - it docked an hour late at 6:30 am but they didn't start disembarkation until 8:30.  No reason given.  So if you were carrying your own luggage, the 11:15 flight is certainly doable.  If you have to pick up bags inside the terminal, that might have been a problem.  We live in San Diego so were in the last group off, no rush.

[igraf]

On 11/17/2018 at 6:30 AM, Chrisfromco said:

Hi everyone! 

We are debating on heading home right after our cruise on Eurodam out Of San Diego. Is the airport close enough to make an 11:15 flight? The next option is 3:45 and I'd rather not sit in the airport all day. Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

This is OK for San Diego as the airport is so close.  You could take a sidewalk pedicab or even walk to the airport if there was a traffic catastrophe.  There is an occasional holiday parade on Harbor Drive (MLK parade, for example).

 

I thought that I read that the cruise ship no longer has to wait for every last non-USA passenger to report to customs before disembarkation commences.  Any no-shows would be flagged if they tried to exit the ship.  Can anyone confirm this?

 

igraf

 

Edited November 18, 2018 by igraf

[Chrisfromco]

Thank you all for your feedback! It's been very helpful in thinking through this. I don't think it's worth the risk. I agree with your assessment that it's better not to end the trip with a stress filled day! 😉

[HokiePoq]

Nightmare in San Diego

 

The airport is very close,  as close as any we've gone to after a cruise.  However....

When we arrived, customs held us up until 10:30 although we'd docked on time.  Our flight left at 11:30.   People did not report as they should have as many stayed on for the next cruise.  Names we called and we waited and waited.

Finally we were allowed to leave.  We literally ran for the exits....could not wait in the line for the elevator...carried luggage down the steps.....ran for a cab....made the gate at the airport after running for it just as it was closing.

Tore up my knee doing the above and had to have surgery after I got home.   Trip insurance refused to pay as I could not and did not report it until after I got home and could not prove it happened exiting the ship.  Never been held up like this at any other port.  Disastrous results for my knee.

Book the later flight.

[JudithLynne]

13 hours ago, Chrisfromco said:

Thank you all for your feedback! It's been very helpful in thinking through this. I don't think it's worth the risk. I agree with your assessment that it's better not to end the trip with a stress filled day! 😉

It is more than a "stressed filled day."  It will take away any worry you would feel during your cruise.  You made a good decision.

[Chrisfromco]

I was able to get the later flight. Does anyone know if luggage direct is offered from San Diego? I tried signing up for it, but it wouldn't let me choose San Diego for the airport. I'm assuming this is because it's not offered from this port?