San Diego Port procedures

[larjani]

Hello,

Just curious how they sort out all the Port Arrival Times (PAT) at the San Diego Port. Some of the youtube videos I've seen shows lines could be possible. Is everyone with different PAT in the same lines, or do they separate? I imagine it being like boarding at Southwest, where you line up according to your Boarding group.

 

[ichoose2believe]

We sailed in Dec 2023 and they had different lines for different port arrival times. Sadly for us there wasn't an announcement, I just happened to overhear someone say that is what the lines were for. So we dropped off our bags and then got in line. While we were there they did double check our arrival time. We parked across the street at the Wyndham and walked over about 20-30 min prior to our PAT time. As a note, it's not as streamlined as some of the other ports. This could be due to the fact that it's not just a Disney port.

Overall the experience wasn't bad and once we went in things move pretty quickly. I hope that you have a ton of fun on your trip

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

In my experience, the different PAT times line up in roped off queues outside the terminal. They had small signs that said which line was which time. We chose not to arrive early and line up in the hot sun with no shade for an hour, and showed up right at our PAT, which seemed to cause all manor of confusion for the staff because our PAT group had been let in already and they could not figure out what to do with us (let us in maybe?). There were around a dozen people standing there with us who were either in our PAT or slightly late arrivals for the PAT right before us. Eventually they let us into the terminal, and from there it went smoothly.

It's a very small terminal so they just don't have the room to have people waiting around. Also the place you drop your baggage for loading into the ship is down the pier a short bit from the queue lines. Meaning you have to drop your bags, and then walk back to the queue area to get in line. It's all a little messy.

 

[larjani]

That's good to know. From what I read, we are supposed to show up at our PAT. The DCL website said We could get turned away if we show up before. I wasn't sure what that meant though.

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

That's good to know. From what I read, we are supposed to show up at our PAT. The DCL website said We could get turned away if we show up before. I wasn't sure what that meant though.

The queues with PAT times only were the next 3-4 PAT times. I saw people who showed up 2 hours early just sitting on the curb area of the pier with all their luggage waiting for their PAT time to get closer. This is a port that seems to lend itself to don't show up late, don't show up to early. If the procedures were the same, I'd probably show up 15-20 minutes early just to not cause all the confusion with the staff. But it's also possibly that since the last cruise season in San Diego that they change the PAT procedures. Just show up close to your PAT, look around, ask questions, and just generally be ready for a little mess and confusion and you'll be in the terminal shortly enough.

It feels like it shouldn't matter since it's 15 or 20 minutes of your vacation, but it really can make it a frustrating start to your vacation which does not set a great tone. It could be done better, even with all the space limitations, but since DCL only cruises out of there for a few cruises a year, it doesn't seem like a priority.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello,

Just curious how they sort out all the Port Arrival Times (PAT) at the San Diego Port. Some of the youtube videos I've seen shows lines could be possible. Is everyone with different PAT in the same lines, or do they separate? I imagine it being like boarding at Southwest, where you line up according to your Boarding group.

Our cruise out of SD, they had 3 lines set up by time for PAT, in 15 minute increments. You can see the little 11:45 and 12:00 signs on two of the lines here. Once a line was cleared (everyone in it inside terminal) they would switch the sign to the next available PAT and those people would line up there.

 

[larjani]

Cool, Thanks for the pic. That makes a little more sense. The only other pics I've seen didn't show any sort of organization. Just a big line that everyone with various PATs would wait.

 

[swimfin]

Hello,

Just curious how they sort out all the Port Arrival Times (PAT) at the San Diego Port. Some of the youtube videos I've seen shows lines could be possible. Is everyone with different PAT in the same lines, or do they separate? I imagine it being like boarding at Southwest, where you line up according to your Boarding group.

Hi! We are sailing the 7 night in 11 days… if you have a chance, can you update your experience after you sail?
Cheers!

 

[larjani]

Sure can. We don't sail until April. So it'll be about a month.

 

[swimfin]

Sure can. We don't sail until April. So it'll be about a month.

Oh sorry! I thought you were sailing this week!