Boarding in Barbados with a stop at San Juan info on customs rules please

hello we are cruising carnival for the first time and also the Caribbean for the first time.

Ive been reading recent reviews and came across this in one of them

Feel that I must point our that if you embark in Barbados when you call in at Puerto Rico

You have to get off and go through customs again, we had to be off the ship early morning

Walked appro 4 miles to customs had to stay off the ship till 1.30 then evening meal ran from 5.45 to 7.30 then every thing closed down until 9 to allow people who boarded in Puerto Rico to have life boat drill,

This is a little concerning , is it true? Can anyone elaborate on what we need to do in Puerto Rico ? eg what time do we have to get off ? where do you go ? Obviously we want to plan our day in Puerto Rico I just presumed it would be like any other port

Hi, I've only ever boarded in Barbados. Yes you have to get off the ship and go through customs, but the walk is no where near 4 miles. Also the process is fast and painless. The meeting time to get off the ship has always been 8 am in my experience. And you meet in the lounge, also you have to fill out a customs form. I am not sure if you have to stay off the ship until a certain time because we always come back in the evening after a day of shopping.

You don't need to pack or take off you luggage. You can dress for you day touring and just get off and do your thing and get back on after.

Yes evening meals are stopped early in the evening for the drill and there are serious about the closed time. Even being a minute after the time, you are not aloud to join the line and there is a worker there taking up the pans after the last guest in line is served.

Any other questions? I will be happy to try and answer.

Ps. This only relate to guest who start their cruise in Barbados

Hi, I've only ever boarded in Barbados. Yes you have to get off the ship and go through customs, but the walk is no where near 4 miles. Also the process is fast and painless. The meeting time to get off the ship has always been 8 am in my experience. And you meet in the lounge, also you have to fill out a customs form. I am not sure if you have to stay off the ship until a certain time because we always come back in the evening after a day of shopping.

 

You don't need to pack or take off you luggage. You can dress for you day touring and just get off and do your thing and get back on after.

 

Yes evening meals are stopped early in the evening for the drill and there are serious about the closed time. Even being a minute after the time, you are not aloud to join the line and there is a worker there taking up the pans after the last guest in line is served.

 

Any other questions? I will be happy to try and answer.

 

Ps. This only relate to guest who start their cruise in Barbados

Thank you for your reply , We knew nothing about this until I read the review , having to get off at 8am will be annoying:eek: its early considering we are on holiday. Do you think if I email carnival they will be able to give me the full information?

Thank you for your reply , We knew nothing about this until I read the review , having to get off at 8am will be annoying:eek: its early considering we are on holiday. Do you think if I email carnival they will be able to give me the full information?

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this news of having to get off has thrown our plans, we were thinking as most passengers would get off in San Juan that we would enjoy an empty ship for the morning and get off to explore in the afternoon as sailing isnt until 9.30pm . So now we need to re think totally

If we book an excursion with Carnival do they ensure that its timed so you can do the immigration checks and be ready for they excursion in time?

Because we have no ideas on timings we dont want to risk booking an outside tour and missing it..

Any help would be appreciated thanks

This is listed on my cruise shore excursion page for San Juan. It provides some contact information when it comes to excursions for those boarding in barbados.

https://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/san-juan-puerto-rico/important-information-for-barbados-embark-guests-427029?b=68433433374E687643564955734361446B3570756F673D3D

thank you for the information so far

Any one else on here also have experience of this?

Looking at this information page that iriecruising provided it looks like Carnival is very sensitive to those that board in Barbados...they've even set up an e-mail account specifically for those passengers to contact them.

This is listed on my cruise shore excursion page for San Juan. It provides some contact information when it comes to excursions for those boarding in barbados.

https://www.carnival.com/shore-excursions/san-juan-puerto-rico/important-information-for-barbados-embark-guests-427029?b=68433433374E687643564955734361446B3570756F673D3D

I have never heard of this type of boarding in another port that was not the same start to finish, just curious, what ship does this???

I have never heard of this type of boarding in another port that was not the same start to finish, just curious, what ship does this???

This one. Usually used for foreigners from Europe (at least all that I met that boarded here were from there). Carnival used to do other sailings like this that had multiple embarkation points, the one I remember had embarkation in Tampa and New Orleans but that was years ago.

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This one. Usually used for foreigners from Europe (at least all that I met that boarded here were from there). Carnival used to do other sailings like this that had multiple embarkation points, the one I remember had embarkation in Tampa and New Orleans but that was years ago.

 

 

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Ty, that explains a lot!

NP, glad to help

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I have never heard of this type of boarding in another port that was not the same start to finish, just curious, what ship does this???

Yes we are on the Fascination 2 embarkations Barbados and San Juan We are from the UK and its easier to fly to Barbados.

If you ever try the Italian Cruise line MSC in Europe they have embarkation/disembark at every port on many ships :D

Yes we are on the Fascination 2 embarkations Barbados and San Juan We are from the UK and its easier to fly to Barbados.

If you ever try the Italian Cruise line MSC in Europe they have embarkation/disembark at every port on many ships :D

Thank you for your reply , We knew nothing about this until I read the review , having to get off at 8am will be annoying:eek: its early considering we are on holiday. Do you think if I email carnival they will be able to give me the full information?

You're welcome. I believe Carnival should be able to provide the information.