Princess boarding procedures San Pedro

[93yearsyoung]

I am not sure I am understanding Princess boarding procedures in San Pedro now. I get that there are arrival groups; we are "Green Lane" in the app now, so what is boarding like? There has to be some kind of line to show someone you are Green and your Covid test, but how long of a line? We are Suite & Elite, does that matter anymore?

[suekel]

1 hour ago, 93yearsyoung said:

I am not sure I am understanding Princess boarding procedures in San Pedro now. I get that there are arrival groups; we are "Green Lane" in the app now, so what is boarding like? There has to be some kind of line to show someone you are Green and your Covid test, but how long of a line? We are Suite & Elite, does that matter anymore?

The only thing that Suite/Elite matter for anymore is once you get inside the building.  We stood in line for 30+ minutes just for that to happen.  They never once looked at our boarding time.  You get in the long line outside, go inside and once you get upstairs there is a Elite/Suite line.  That's when you show your covid test/vaccine card etc. I've cruised out of multiple cities and thought this was the worst but I hear since the restart that San Francisco is rather a mess.  

[riffatsea]

We  are also suite passengers

We get to the port around 11 and never wait on long lines

We go right in and find check in quick

Then we sit 8n the suit elite area to wait to board

We do choose the first boarding group in the app but that doesn't really matter if you're suite elite

[mtnesterz]

Since you are in OC, you have likely sailed out of San Pedro, so I'll use terms you would know. Usually, the Princess ships dock at berth 93. But on our recent sailing, we got out of the car at berth 91. There was no posted sign for this! We were early, second boarding time group. There we turned over our luggage and went inside that building for testing. Once our group cleared testing, some shuttled, we walked, to 93. Going inside, there was no waiting for someone to handle our Medallion App mess. After that, no wait to board and walked right on. That said, the ship was about 60% booked.

[LACruiser88]

We usually arrive after 1:00 pm and walk right on.

[mtnesterz]

12 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

We usually arrive after 1:00 pm and walk right on.

May I ask how you commute to the port of LA? We are in the West Valley too and used to use local shuttle vans, but the company just serves LAX, not the pier area since Covid. Last time a relative drove us. Uber/lyft unreliable.

[93yearsyoung]

57 minutes ago, suekel said:

We stood in line for 30+ minutes just for that to happen.  They never once looked at our boarding time.  You get in the long line outside, go inside and once you get upstairs there is a Elite/Suite line. I've cruised out of multiple cities and thought this was the worst but I hear since the restart that San Francisco is rather a mess.  

 

Thanks for both your replies. I am still fuzzy on details.

 

Yes, I understand that TSA clearance, the metal detectors, etc is separate from actual Princess check-in. My question is, I guess, is what is like actually checking in for the cruise? Is it faster than it used to be? Are there separate lines for Suite/Elite? I recall being checked three different times our last Princess cruise; once at the metal detectors, once for actual check-in and again upstairs before actually getting on the gangway (which is WAY too long) onto the ship.

 

Has the Green Lane, etc made the process faster, easier?

 

I also agree that San Pedro is terrible for boarding vs FL and BC.

 

34 minutes ago, mtnesterz said:

Since you are in OC, you have likely sailed out of San Pedro, so I'll use terms you would know. Usually, the Princess ships dock at berth 93. But on our recent sailing, we got out of the car at berth 91. There was no posted sign for this! We were early, second boarding time group. There we turned over our luggage and went inside that building for testing. Once our group cleared testing, some shuttled, we walked, to 93. Going inside, there was no waiting for someone to handle our Medallion App mess. After that, no wait to board and walked right on. That said, the ship was about 60% booked.

 

Princess has testing at the port? Is this in lieu of getting it from Rite Aid or CVS? If the ship is departing Berth 93, can you not be dropped off at Berth 93?

 

[suekel]

23 minutes ago, 93yearsyoung said:

 

Thanks for both your replies. I am still fuzzy on details.

 

Yes, I understand that TSA clearance, the metal detectors, etc is separate from actual Princess check-in. My question is, I guess, is what is like actually checking in for the cruise? Is it faster than it used to be? Are there separate lines for Suite/Elite? I recall being checked three different times our last Princess cruise; once at the metal detectors, once for actual check-in and again upstairs before actually getting on the gangway (which is WAY too long) onto the ship.

 

Has the Green Lane, etc made the process faster, easier?

 

I also agree that San Pedro is terrible for boarding vs FL and BC.

 

 

Princess has testing at the port? Is this in lieu of getting it from Rite Aid or CVS? If the ship is departing Berth 93, can you not be dropped off at Berth 93?

 

There is a separate line inside.  The hold up was on the outside.  I found everything to be terribly slow epecially if compared to Fort Lauderdale.  

[PacnGoNow]

13 minutes ago, suekel said:

There is a separate line inside.  The hold up was on the outside.  I found everything to be terribly slow epecially if compared to Fort Lauderdale.  

What time did you get in line?  TIA

 

 

 

[mtnesterz]

31 minutes ago, 93yearsyoung said:

Princess has testing at the port? Is this in lieu of getting it from Rite Aid or CVS? If the ship is departing Berth 93, can you not be dropped off at Berth 93?

I do not know what current policy or gov't regulations are. Relating our experience end of Feb. At that time, there was a required test within "two days" of cruising. Done through our HMO. Then tested at the port.  Also tested at our cabin two or three days at sea. I think the last one was a Hawaii thing. 

If you don't remember the port area, Google map it. You drive into the lot, loop around by the USS Iowa then a light colored building on the right past the guard shack. That's 91. But are they still testing preboarding? I don't know. But that's where testing was done. Just find out what the requirements when and where you're going.

 

[LACruiser88]

2 hours ago, mtnesterz said:

May I ask how you commute to the port of LA? We are in the West Valley too and used to use local shuttle vans, but the company just serves LAX, not the pier area since Covid. Last time a relative drove us. Uber/lyft unreliable.

We do lots of cruises in/out of San Pedro.  We use a private car service (the owner lives nears us), at $200 each way, including the tip.  It might sound expensive, but if you figure in the parking lot fees, gasoline and the convenience factor, for us it is well worth it.

[Mike45LC]

This was in March, 2022, a few months ago, at San Pedro.  We were “green lane.”   Elite and Club Class.

 

We overnighted at Double Tree.  We were assigned to a shuttle to the pier – I think it was an 11:15 departure from the hotel, giving us time for a nice breakfast.   The Double Tree shuttle dropped us off at the pier at 11:30 a.m.  There was a scrum at the luggage check-in.  No clear line.  We finally got to a porter, waved money at him and he took our bags.

 

Off to our left was another building with a long line.  We went through the Security (metal detector, carry-on baggage screening), and then the long line continued.  We were finally peeled out of the lane and taken to the head of another line right by a long counter with clerical people.  Our guide was very ineffective at getting us to a counter-person, but after about five minutes we were at the counter.  We’d done everything early using the Medallion application – passports, vaccination records, ID photos, avatar photos, etc.   So that went quickly and we were allowed to take the escalator up and board the ship.  By 12:30, we were on board.

 

We had done the proctored via Facetime Covid tests three days before the cruise, so we’d have time to cancel the hotel room if the test results were bad.  
 

[Ronnieslady]

The last 2 cruises we took out of San Pedro Nov. 2021 & April 2022 , we got there about 10:30am . We were Green with our Medallions & we walked right in, showed our travel pass to the nice lady @ the door & went right up the escalator. Then we waited about 2 minutes & showed that lady our vaccination & negative tests &  passports . She gave us a little sign that said Suite. Then we went thru that security thing like @ the airport. Then as we entered the Elite- Suite room this young girl comes up to us & has a list & confirmed our names & Suite # & tells us she will be escorting us to our Suite. The Elite room was already full, with just a few seats left.  It wasn’t even 11:00 yet.  About 5 minutes later she takes all our carry-ones & says follow me & of course we did. No one had even started boarding yet.  She made us feel very special.   We were the very 1st to board it was great.  Both sailings were on the Grand.  We have sailed over 30 cruises with Princess & always in a full suite, but we have never been escorted.  The last one in April we were 200 passengers under being completely full.

   So yes, it does help to be in a full suite.  Was it a fluke? Or because we were early? We always get to the terminal early.  Or is it something Princess is doing now when in a suite, I don’t know. Hopefully 93yearsyoung will be lucky like we were.

   The very worst boarding we ever had was in Ft. Lauderdale.  We said never again.  What a circus.  

Edited July 12, 2022 by Ronnieslady

[suekel]

17 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

What time did you get in line?  TIA

 

 

 

A bit after 11.  We had group A but traffic held us up a bit.  We were onboard in time to have lunch in the MDR.  

[suekel]

7 hours ago, Ronnieslady said:

The last 2 cruises we took out of San Pedro Nov. 2021 & April 2022 , we got there about 10:30am . We were Green with our Medallions & we walked right in, showed our travel pass to the nice lady @ the door & went right up the escalator. Then we waited about 2 minutes & showed that lady our vaccination & negative tests &  passports . She gave us a little sign that said Suite. Then we went thru that security thing like @ the airport. Then as we entered the Elite- Suite room this young girl comes up to us & has a list & confirmed our names & Suite # & tells us she will be escorting us to our Suite. The Elite room was already full, with just a few seats left.  It wasn’t even 11:00 yet.  About 5 minutes later she takes all our carry-ones & says follow me & of course we did. No one had even started boarding yet.  She made us feel very special.   We were the very 1st to board it was great.  Both sailings were on the Grand.  We have sailed over 30 cruises with Princess & always in a full suite, but we have never been escorted.  The last one in April we were 200 passengers under being completely full.

   So yes, it does help to be in a full suite.  Was it a fluke? Or because we were early? We always get to the terminal early.  Or is it something Princess is doing now when in a suite, I don’t know. Hopefully 93yearsyoung will be lucky like we were.

   The very worst boarding we ever had was in Ft. Lauderdale.  We said never again.  What a circus.  

The Grand is the only ship where we've been escorted to our suite.  It's lovely.  

 

[93yearsyoung]

11 hours ago, Ronnieslady said:

The last 2 cruises we took out of San Pedro Nov. 2021 & April 2022 , we got there about 10:30am . We were Green with our Medallions & we walked right in, showed our travel pass to the nice lady @ the door & went right up the escalator.

 

You walked right in after clearing the airport like screening area where they x-ray your carry on bags I presume you mean. How long was the wait there? Does anyone know if that is TSA manning that or is that a terminal/cruise line ground crew?

[93yearsyoung]

3 hours ago, suekel said:

The Grand is the only ship where we've been escorted to our suite.  It's lovely.

 

We've been escorted to our suite two of our last three San Pedro cruises. The one time we were not we arrived very early and the suite was not ready so we were escorted to it.

[suekel]

3 hours ago, 93yearsyoung said:

 

We've been escorted to our suite two of our last three San Pedro cruises. The one time we were not we arrived very early and the suite was not ready so we were escorted to it.

I just upgraded to a suite next March on the Sapphire.  We'll see what happens!  

[DiRonT]

For a number of years now, we have been lucky enough to cruise in Penthouse or Owners suites on Princess and almost all our of San Pedro.  Never have we received any special treatment as regards boarding.  Yes, we are able to wait in the suite/elite area and therefore able to board a little earlier than most, which is really all we have expected.  In April, boarding the Discovery at about 10:30am was chaos.  We started up the escalator and the crowds were backed up all the way to the top of the  escalators.  We were shuffled into a line and were in that line for almost an hour before we were finally able to move into the elite lounge, within about 15 minutes we were allowed to board.  We have 3 more cruises coming up out of San Pedro and we are hopeful it will have improved, but since one of those sailings is on the Sapphire assigned to Berth 46 we are quite anxious to see how that will work out.  We have decided, going forward, not to arrive at the port until about 1:00pm so maybe most people will be on board already.  We do not worry about lunch in MDR on embarkation and we don't need to reserve spaces in the Sanctuary - so no hurry to board.  Rather be relaxed than stressed when we do board.

  

[Mike45LC]

2 hours ago, DiRonT said:

We have decided, going forward, not to arrive at the port until about 1:00pm so maybe most people will be on board already. 

As I reported above, when we arrived at the pier at 11:30, we were on board at 12:30.  The only real drawback was the scrum at the luggage check-in area.  

[DiRonT]

2 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

As I reported above, when we arrived at the pier at 11:30, we were on board at 12:30.  The only real drawback was the scrum at the luggage check-in area.  

Since we drive in maybe we will shoot for noon and if things look crazy we can just wait in the car for a bit.

[Ronnieslady]

12 hours ago, 93yearsyoung said:

 

You walked right in after clearing the airport like screening area where they x-ray your carry on bags I presume you mean. How long was the wait there? Does anyone know if that is TSA manning that or is that a terminal/cruise line ground crew?

The TSA is not manning the x-ray machines. They are  Just  security type people, that work for the terminal.
 We walked right into the Elite- Suite waiting room after going thru that x-ray area.  You make a sharp left unless that room is too full.(depending on what time you get there)  Then there are people around showing you where to go.  Make sure you show them your Suite proof.   We waited about 5 minutes before the girl escorted us to our suite.  Someone just  posted that the Grand is the only ship that escorts you to your Suite.   Thats a real shame.   It would  be a great way for Princess to up their reputation, without costing them a penny.   Hopefully they will take a hint!!