BlaakLane.com books San Diego cruise car service at a fixed fare. The Port of San Diego's two cruise terminals, B Street and Broadway Pier, sit side by side on North Harbor Drive downtown, only 7 to 15 minutes from San Diego International. Your chauffeur brings you to the San Diego terminal curb and, after the cruise, waits in the pre-arranged vehicle area.
Two terminals on the Embarcadero
San Diego keeps its cruise ships close to the city. The B Street Cruise Ship Terminal at 1140 North Harbor Drive and the Broadway Pier Cruise Ship Terminal at 1000 North Harbor Drive face the bay on the downtown Embarcadero, a short walk from the Santa Fe Depot and the USS Midway Museum. Lines that sail from San Diego include Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line and others, depending on the season, with itineraries to the Mexican Riviera, Baja, Hawaii and the Panama Canal. Your documents say which pier.
How to book
Choose San Diego International, a hotel, or a Los Angeles address as the pickup, enter the terminal name and select a vehicle. The price is fixed before you confirm, with no meter and no surge. San Diego trips are driven by a vetted affiliate operator from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network, held to the BlaakLane.com written standard, with dispatch from our 24/7 desk in Toronto. The confirmation names operator and chauffeur.
Getting there: airports and drive times
| From | Distance | Typical drive |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego International (SAN) | about 3 miles | 7 to 15 minutes via North Harbor Drive |
| Downtown and Gaslamp hotels | 1 to 2 miles | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Coronado | about 6 miles | 15 to 20 minutes over the Coronado Bridge |
| La Jolla | about 14 miles | 20 to 35 minutes |
| LAX | about 125 miles | 2 to 3 hours via I-5 |
| John Wayne, Orange County (SNA) | about 85 miles | 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours |
San Diego International sits almost on the waterfront, so the airport-to-ship transfer is one of the shortest anywhere. Some travellers find cheaper fares into LAX or John Wayne; the drive down I-5 is long and heavily trafficked, so allow a generous buffer. The chauffeur tracks your flight, waits 30 minutes free on domestic arrivals and 60 on international ones, and meets you at the airport's designated pickup area for pre-arranged vehicles. Meet and greet inside the terminal is an add-on in selected locations.
Boarding-day drop-off
The chauffeur uses the drop-off lanes in front of your terminal on North Harbor Drive. Porters tag and take the checked luggage; keep ID, medication and valuables with you. Because the terminals are close to the airport and hotels, there is no reason to arrive hours early; aim for the start of your check-in slot.
After the cruise
Ships dock in the early morning and guests leave by group after customs and immigration. Private cars wait in the ground transportation or pre-arranged vehicle area near the terminals. Call or text the chauffeur once you have your bags; you will be sent the precise spot. At San Diego, the booking includes 15 minutes of waiting from the pickup time, after which 15-minute blocks apply.
Flying out of SAN, a domestic departure from about 11:30 am is realistic. Driving back to LAX takes most of the morning, so an international flight in the late afternoon or evening is wiser.
Hotels for the night before or after
Downtown hotels such as the Manchester Grand Hyatt, the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, the US Grant and the Pendry San Diego are 5 to 10 minutes from the piers. The Hotel del Coronado across the bay adds a resort night before or after the cruise. Hotels in Little Italy, next to the Embarcadero, are close enough that some guests walk without luggage.
Private tours in and around San Diego
An hourly booking, minimum 3 hours, covers a pre-cruise afternoon or a post-cruise day with luggage stowed in the vehicle. Popular stops include Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo, La Jolla Cove and the Torrey Pines coast, Coronado Island, Old Town and Point Loma's Cabrillo National Monument. A longer day reaches the wineries of Temecula, about 60 miles north. The USS Midway Museum sits next to Broadway Pier if you have time before boarding. For San Diego day plans, read hourly chauffeur service and city tours and day trips.
Choosing a vehicle
- Standard Sedan, Luxury Executive Sedan, Executive First Class Sedan (Maybach): 2 passengers and 2 bags.
- Standard Black SUV, Executive Black SUV: 6 passengers and 6 bags, a common San Diego family choice.
- Sprinter Van: 12 passengers and 12 small bags; the best choice for families with luggage, especially on the long LAX run.
- Luxury Stretch Limo (8), Party Bus (14): evening celebrations in the Gaslamp Quarter; limited luggage room.
- Sprinter Luxury Jet Van: 7 passengers, carry-on only; better for touring San Diego than for a luggage run.
Vehicle photos for San Diego transfers are on the fleet page, and planning ranges are on rates.
Groups and crew
Group sailings, military reunions and crew changes are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing. See cruise lines and ports and intercity transfers for the Los Angeles run.
Downtown events and the border crossing
North Harbor Drive links the airport directly to the cruise terminals, so the main delays come from downtown events: Padres games at Petco Park, conventions at the San Diego Convention Center, and Comic-Con, usually in July, which fills downtown streets for several days. Some travellers fly into Tijuana International and walk across the Cross Border Xpress bridge to Otay Mesa on the US side, which is roughly 25 to 40 minutes from the piers by car. Book the pickup at the CBX building on the San Diego side with your flight number.
Cancellation
Cancel free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% applies within 72 hours, 50% within 48 hours and 100% within 24 hours or for a no-show.
Official cruise information is on the Port of San Diego site, airport updates on San Diego International Airport, and visitor ideas from San Diego Tourism. More: San Diego chauffeur service, the San Pedro World Cruise Center and all services.
