San Diego area questions

[cruiserstyle]

We are planning a cruise with Princess for Oct. We are thinking of arriving in San diego a day or two earlier before heading out on the cruise. I have never been, and was wondering about the hotels, San Diego Zoo, Sea World ,cruise ship docks and getting around to each without a car rental. ANY HELP ??? Is this possible at all even ??? Thanks

[gratefulguy]

San Diego is a great place to visit before (or after) your cruise. As a new poster to these boards, you may want to learn how to search for past posts which answer many of the questions you will have about the ports, the ships, and excursions while on your cruise. There are "Roll Calls" for most individual sailings where people going on the cruise help each other with info and sometimes plan to meet the night before you sail.

Here are some other resources which may help:

http://www.sandiego.com

http://www.signonsandiego.com

http://www.sdcommute.com

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/

http://www.tripadvisor.com

It is relatively easy to see the sights using public transport or the "Old Town Trolley Tours" (cheaper if tickets bought on-line), and the cruise pier is a short cab ride from the airport.

There are several hotels near the pier, but these fill quickly. Cloud 9 or Xpress Shuttle can get you most any place else, if the hotel doesn't offer free shuttle service. When "Splinter" sees your post, you'll get some more specifics, because he has lived here longer than I.

Hope you enjoy your time in this beautiful city!

[Splinter]

San Diego is pretty much the perfect cruise embarkation/disembarkation port since everything is close to the cruise ship pier, the pier is in a beautiful non-industrial area, we have wonderful weather, and there is so much to do here.

 

Use your search feature for this forum and you find a lot of information. Here are a few previous messages you may want to review:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=460325

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=438721

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=452726

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=450190

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=394739

 

I am a San Diego native (and a "she"). Ask away and I will try to find you some answers. We love tourists who come with their money (and then go home again)!!!!

[Sailorgirlseattle]

I'm doing the same thing, in March. I've been to SD before and I'm excited to go back. You'll DEFINITELY want to see the zoo ... it is outstanding. Old Town and Gastown (Gaslamp? Always get SD's and Vancouver's mixed up) is also really cool. Take the little water taxi over to Coronado Island. A bus there will take you to Hotel Del Coronado. They have a great beach, and the hotel is worth seeing (expensive, even for a drink at the bar, but worth it at least once). If you stay down by the bay and marina, there is a lot you can walk to ... lots of shopping too.

[gratefulguy]

Oops!

Sorry, Splinter--it's that old bias of expecting "er" endings to be masculine. I'll try to do better.