San Diego logistics

[Tikibear]

How close is the testing area to the San Diego terminal?

 

[happycamper47]

DCL tests in the terminal, if that is what you are asking about.

 

[Tikibear]

Right. I’ve seen vids of PC. There seems to be quite a lot of walking. My wife has difficulty walk a long distance due to injury. She would prefer not using a wheelchair

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

For my cruise last October testing was right inside the entrance to the terminal, on the way to the waiting area. However, what I’m unclear about is whether they sometimes do testing offsite using a shuttle if there are multiple ships in port. I saw someone do that on a vlog I watched but I don’t know how common that is.

 

[dianagisme]

We sailed on the Wonder out of San Diego on the 10/31 sailing and there were multiple ships at port so we had to take a bus to the testing area which was just about a block away. It was utter chaos and the port workers were completely unorganized for us. We waited 1 1/2 hours in the sun for our time to come up to load onto the bus because they were that far behind. We sail again next month and I'm hoping since Disney is one of the only cruise lines still testing passengers on the day of, that we will be able to test right at the port.

 

[dianagisme]

Right. I’ve seen vids of PC. There seems to be quite a lot of walking. My wife has difficulty walk a long distance due to injury. She would prefer not using a wheelchair

Depending on how you're arriving at the port, you can be dropped off right in front with minimal walking. If you're driving yourself, try to park at the Wyndham across the street, it is a short walk but you could also drop your wife off in front and then go across the street to park.

 

[happycamper47]

Depending on how you're arriving at the port, you can be dropped off right in front with minimal walking. If you're driving yourself, try to park at the Wyndham across the street, it is a short walk but you could also drop your wife off in front and then go across the street to park.

But she could still end up standing in line as I don't remember any seats outside.

When we did the EBPC there was a line of people outside waiting to get into the terminal. Fortunately we used DCL transfers and bypassed the waiting line, but we still had to walk over from the Inter-Continental which is about a block away. They do collect your luggage at the hotel prior so all you will have is your carry on if your are using transfers.

 

[DisneyMusicMan]

Just got back from a 2-nighter in San Diego. Testing was done as soon as you walk into the terminal. Then, you go through security, followed by the waiting area and then check in. Note this is different than Port Canaveral where you test, wait for results, then check in, and then go through security (check in is downstairs before security in PC now).

The amount of walking in San Diego is pretty much the same as always.

One thing to note. When we go off the ship, there was a Holland America ship in the main terminal, and we were on the other side of the dock.They were setting up photo ops for new cruisers in the makeshift tent, and you had to board via an inconvenient ramp, rather than through the terminal. For that day, I’m assuming you would still test in the main terminal, do security, check-in, etc. then, you would probably have to walk across the dock to the other side for photo ops and boarding. That looked super-inconvenient for new cruisers.

 

[dianagisme]

Just got back from a 2-nighter in San Diego. Testing was done as soon as you walk into the terminal. Then, you go through security, followed by the waiting area and then check in. Note this is different than Port Canaveral where you test, wait for results, then check in, and then go through security (check in is downstairs before security in PC now).

The amount of walking in San Diego is pretty much the same as always.

One thing to note. When we go off the ship, there was a Holland America ship in the main terminal, and we were on the other side of the dock.They were setting up photo ops for new cruisers in the makeshift tent, and you had to board via an inconvenient ramp, rather than through the terminal. For that day, I’m assuming you would still test in the main terminal, do security, check-in, etc. then, you would probably have to walk across the dock to the other side for photo ops and boarding. That looked super-inconvenient for new cruisers.

I was at the port yesterday afternoon and saw the passengers being bussed over to get tested because the holland America ship was there. So I think it just depends on if there are any other ships at port. Were there any other ships when you left on Friday?

 

[happycamper47]

I was at the port yesterday afternoon and saw the passengers being bussed over to get tested because the holland America ship was there.

Just curious, bused to where?

 

[DisneyMusicMan]

I was at the port yesterday afternoon and saw the passengers being bussed over to get tested because the holland America ship was there. So I think it just depends on if there are any other ships at port. Were there any other ships when you left on Friday?

Interesting. No, we were the only ship in port on Friday. I just assumed that they wouldn’t tear down the whole testing infrastructure if another ship was in port.

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

Just curious, bused to where?

I saw a YouTube video from last fall that said they were sent to the Intercontinental hotel across the street. Not far, but sounds like a pain in the butt compared to testing in the terminal. There are 3 (!) ships scheduled to be in port when my cruise embarks next month and I’m expecting it to be a madhouse.

 

[SoCalGoofy]

I thought DCL was the last company still doing at-the-port testing ..? Maybe it won't be too bad even with other ships there

 

[dianagisme]

Just curious, bused to where?

They are bussed to another port building about a block away for testing and then bussed back to complete the check in before boarding. We had to do this for our cruise in October and it was one of the first time that there were multiple ships in port and it was a big disorganized mess. We're sailing again next month and I'm hoping it will be better this time, especially if other ships are not doing testing day of.

 

[LeiaOfAlderaan]

They are bussed to another port building about a block away for testing and then bussed back to complete the check in before boarding. We had to do this for our cruise in October and it was one of the first time that there were multiple ships in port and it was a big disorganized mess. We're sailing again next month and I'm hoping it will be better this time, especially if other ships are not doing testing day of.

Thanks for these details, it is hard to find much info about embarking from San Diego.

I too am hoping they will be more organized for our cruise next month, but I’m worried that there have been so few cruises out of SD since the restart they still won’t have had much practice to get it right!

 

[happycamper47]

They are bussed to another port building about a block away for testing and then bussed back to complete the check in before boarding. We had to do this for our cruise in October and it was one of the first time that there were multiple ships in port and it was a big disorganized mess. We're sailing again next month and I'm hoping it will be better this time, especially if other ships are not doing testing day of.

When we did the EBPC it worked great right in the terminal. We walked in, tested and then only waited about 30 minutes. That is why I was asking. I can understand it being a PITA otherwise.