If Cruising Out Of san Juan..How Early Would. - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

NCCruiser · 08-26-2006, 06:46 AM

If taking a cruise out of san juan....whats the earliest time you would consider booking a flight home? Do they get you off the ship as quickly as they do in Miami?

sue miller · 08-26-2006, 07:25 AM

I suggest 1 p.m. Ship can be delayed for any number of reasons.

Krazy Kruizers · 08-26-2006, 07:52 AM

One time we stayed over in San Juan to get an early flight out the next day since we knew we did not have a direct flight home.

Another time we got a flight out around 2 - made our connection in Atlanta - really got home late.

It all depends on where your home town is and if you can get a direct flight.

BarbO1999 · 08-26-2006, 01:24 PM

We have used SanJuan twice one the flight was 1:30 and that was great. and the other it was 6:00 and that was great we did an excursion with the cruise line and it ended at the airport. we got to the airport around 4:00 not bad at all.

MD11F · 08-26-2006, 06:33 PM

When we cruise from San Juan, we travel back home the following day.

Cat Woman · 08-27-2006, 10:11 AM

The first time we sailed out of San Juan we had a 6pm flight home. We didn't get home until after 1am which made a very very long day.:thumbsdow

This time we have a flight booked around 2pm and we will be getting home around 9pm. Much better!

I found the disembarking time in San Juan no different than in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami.

Red Sonja · 08-27-2006, 01:31 PM

Since we have to fly all the way over to the west side of the country to get home, I like to book our flight home as safely as possible. Last time we had a 1:30 flight and that worked out just fine. The cruise ships try to get everyone off the ship based on their departure flight, so they can get to the airport in time. If you ARE able to make it off sooner, it's always possible to take standby on an earlier flight and get home a bit sooner.

wrp96 · 08-28-2006, 01:43 AM

The absolute earliest you should book out of San Juan is noon, the more time you can give yourself the better. The difference between San Juan and other ports like Miami is there is no self disembark option so yes, it can take longer to start getting people off the ship in San Juan.

For example I sailed out of Miami the week before sailing out of San Juan, with both ships having the same arrival time. In Miami they started disembarking the ship at 6:30 am, I was in the 4th color to be called after self disembark and I was off the ship at 7:15. In San Juan they didn't even start calling any colors at all until around 8:30. Early flights in Miami were those before 10am. Out of San Juan anything before 11 was considered early and if your flight was before noon you couldn't use the AA Onboard Check In that RCCL has.

MCcruiser · 08-28-2006, 02:31 AM

Unless your air is set up by the cruiseline, I would not leave earlier than 1. Even when we were getting off Adventure of the Seas (the biggest ship in San Juan right now), debarking the ship was pretty organized, and we were off the ship around 10.

The problems happen either if weather delays you getting into port or the transportation from the ship. The airport is close to the Panamerican pier and not that far from the piers in Old San Juan, and once you are on the road, things are fine. But finding the right bus or right driver - ay caramba!!!

The airport is not that big, but there can be lots of delays there too. It's my impression that everyone goes to lunch just before all the passengers show up for the large flights to the mainland.

sailingrose · 08-28-2006, 03:42 PM

If you are Platinum or above Crown and Anchor you will get off the ship earlier. We took an 11:20 flight out and had no problems in July. The airport is crazy if you get there too late in the day. Check to see how many ships will be with you that day. We had 2 Adventure and Destiny.