I went to San Diego on Thursday, one day before departure. Wyndham San Diego Bayside provided a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel, which is directly across the street from the departure port. The hotel was very nice, the area seemed completely safe, and walking around the port area was interesting. Had I understood how beautiful San Diego is, I would have gone a day or two earlier.
I'm pretty sure this was my 38th cruise overall, with probably half of those on NCL.
I walked over to the ship at about 11 a.m. on departure day and was onboard around 11:30. Lunch was available in the main dining room at 12:00. My bag was delivered before 2 p.m.
Great location. I was worried that it might be noisy because of proximity to elevators and atrium, but this was not the case. Very roomy for an inside, plenty of storage. Easy access to dining and entertainment venues.