Caribbean Princess out of San Juan

[arizonaperson]

For an 11pm departure out of San Juan what time does one need to be onboard by? Do most people get on at normal time?(11:30am-2pm)

How about dinner and shows the first night? Do they happen,etc? I am considering a Southern Caribbean cruise and have always departed at 5pm never at 11pm. What time is the general emergency stations drill?

Thanks for any help.

[macaroni]

We boarded before noon, walked around the ship, had lunch and then left for a bit. You don't need to be back before 9pm. The first night is more open seating. Don't remember what time the drill was. They had shows the first night.

[mlbcruiser]

In Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, nearly all cruise ships have a sailaway time of around 4 - 5 p.m. This time is 10 to 11 p.m. in San Juan. I believe it could be because so many people fly in on embarkation day and the extra time is to make sure more people can get there. It's fun to go up to the grounds of El Morro at night to watch all the ships leave, one by one! A very beautiful sight!

[Michael Kays]

just got back yesterday..Pan Am pier embarkation and disembarkation in San Juan is a nightmare..boarding starts at 1400, we waited until after 1600, it was a zoo..took us over an hour to get inside the door with the main line..nowhere to sit, no overhead if it is raining you will get soaked without an umbrella. Once inside it would have been at least another hour, but we were priority boarding and got eight on, despite the fact we asked several Princess reps for priority boarding information and was told to just sit over there and fill out your form like eveyone else..finally saw the sign for PB and went right in. You must be onboard by 2100..muster drill at 2015, second seating dinner will wait for you..

 

Disembarkation took over 4 hours !! They had only 2 immigration officers for the entire ship, not Princess fault. with a 1730 flight we were last off.. 1145..there were 6 passengers onboard when we got off..we were 5th and 6th, good news was our luggage was easy to find

[Caribbean Sunsets]

just got back yesterday..Pan Am pier embarkation and disembarkation in San Juan is a nightmare..boarding starts at 1400, we waited until after 1600, it was a zoo..took us over an hour to get inside the door with the main line..nowhere to sit, no overhead if it is raining you will get soaked without an umbrella. Once inside it would have been at least another hour, but we were priority boarding and got eight on, despite the fact we asked several Princess reps for priority boarding information and was told to just sit over there and fill out your form like eveyone else..finally saw the sign for PB and went right in. You must be onboard by 2100..muster drill at 2015, second seating dinner will wait for you..

 

Disembarkation took over 4 hours !! They had only 2 immigration officers for the entire ship, not Princess fault. with a 1730 flight we were last off.. 1145..there were 6 passengers onboard when we got off..we were 5th and 6th, good news was our luggage was easy to find

 

I have friends that boarded last Saturday. I'm curious to hear their report on how the process was when they return. Last time I left out of San Juan, it was from OSJ pier and very swift and orderly. Sorry about your experience...not the way you want to start or end a cruise.

[Michael Kays]

anyway I can get on board is ok with me..its not how you get there~

[maygoddess]

We did the Princess this past April. We got to the pier somewhere around noonish or so. There was already a long line, but nothing horrible. I don't think we waited longer than a half hour. I really didn't count the minutes or care as I was standing in line ready to get on board a ship for a cruise!!! I can wait!! Once inside the building, there really was hardly a line to check in..went quickly. Then we walked into the port duty free shop..more of a line in there to buy alcohol! We got some bottles, stashed them in teh carry ons and went through security and then walked up and go to the ship with tiny bit of wait as people got on the ship.

 

We didn't even get off the ship. We immediately started exploring the ship looking at every nook and cranny..got to our room and hung out there and made some drinks..then went to dinner (open seating)..saw whatver show was there..I think actually a comedian. Then we went to the sailaway party up on deck, finally went to casino. I know we were just before sailaway because they wouldn;t let us gamble until we were out of the harbor and in open water.

 

 

I think each embarkation/deembarkation process will be wildly different..varies by staffing, attitudes of both passengers and staff..etc..really folks..you are heading on vacation...chill out...get through the lines and then just enjoy. with 3000+ people cramming onto a ship mostly at once..there WILL be lines, wait etc..it doesn't last long in the scheme of the whole vacation. After a few pina coladas you will forget all about it!! i did! :-)

[CEVannoy]

Just got back from Caribbean Princess yesterday. All aboard by 9pm. The emergency drill is at aprox 8pm. If you miss the drill, they have a make up drill the next day. Pan Am Pier is a nightmare. I have sailed twice in the past from the downtown pier which is better in my opinion. I'm pretty much convinced I will never sail out of San Juan again. Plenty of checkin counters but the security lines (only 2) are slow as hell. That was a major backup that caused massive delays and lines. If you have to do it, show up after 5pm and keep your sanity.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

Just got back from Caribbean Princess yesterday. All aboard by 9pm. The emergency drill is at aprox 8pm. If you miss the drill, they have a make up drill the next day. Pan Am Pier is a nightmare. I have sailed twice in the past from the downtown pier which is better in my opinion. I'm pretty much convinced I will never sail out of San Juan again. Plenty of checkin counters but the security lines (only 2) are slow as hell. That was a major backup that caused massive delays and lines. If you have to do it, show up after 5pm and keep your sanity.

 

Friends of mine were on that same cruise and said it took them over two hours to board. I've boarded (Crown) from OSJ, and, yes, so much easier and quicker.

[cleavesteam]

just got back yesterday..Pan Am pier embarkation and disembarkation in San Juan is a nightmare..boarding starts at 1400, we waited until after 1600, it was a zoo..took us over an hour to get inside the door with the main line..nowhere to sit, no overhead if it is raining you will get soaked without an umbrella. Once inside it would have been at least another hour, but we were priority boarding and got eight on, despite the fact we asked several Princess reps for priority boarding information and was told to just sit over there and fill out your form like eveyone else..finally saw the sign for PB and went right in. You must be onboard by 2100..muster drill at 2015, second seating dinner will wait for you..

 

Disembarkation took over 4 hours !! They had only 2 immigration officers for the entire ship, not Princess fault. with a 1730 flight we were last off.. 1145..there were 6 passengers onboard when we got off..we were 5th and 6th, good news was our luggage was easy to find

So is the Pan Am pier a more recent thing that Princess is doing? Since the Caribbean cruising season just started, maybe they just don't have their act together yet. At least I hope so. I'm on the December 6 sailing and I would hope any problems will be resolved.

 

Leaving out of OSJ was very easy and efficient on my past cruises. No long lines, got on the ship in less than an hour. If they can do that there, I wonder why it is so difficult to do the same thing at the Pan Am pier? Any idea why they changed Princess to Pan Am in the first place?

 

Princess always seems to get the shaft. First by relegating them to Crown Bay and now this.

[Fancy_Goods]

Does the Pan Am pier have a duty free liquor store like Pier 4 in Old San Juan? I've sailed out of San Juan before but the Pan Am pier is new to me.

[lgt]

We got off the Caribbean Princess on Nov.8th as well. It took us over 4 hrs. to get onboard; we have friends that arrived @ 4:30 & there was still a long line & took them almost 2 hrs. There is a nice duty free shop in the terminal; if you get in the bldg. & have to wait, this is a great place to go. Just put your stuff in your carry on & nobody says a word. Disembarkation was the worst ever as well. We were supposed to be off at 10:30 & waited around until after 12:00 when we were finally able to get off. We have been out of San Juan 5 times & will probably never do that again. I'm not sure if its the pier (we have done both) or if its the CB leaving on Sunday that is holding things up. Not Princess's fault, but you would think they could put some pressure on PR to improve. Just my opinion.

[Jeepers385]

I've also left from Pan Am and OSJ and never had a problem but it has been a couple of years.

From some of the comments I've read it seems Princess uses both piers, does anyone know if certain ships are assigned to a specific pier?

I definitely have to start researching hotels again and will probably use Priceline, have had great luck using them in the past.

[kitkat9438]

I think the problems you are having is the change in ship personnel and getting cleared through customs when the ship returns to San Juan to sail out of the caribbean. This usually happens at the Pan Am pier. We went in December last year on the Caribbean Princess out of the Pan Am Pier. As soon as we checked out of our hotel we went to the pier (around noon) and while there was a long line when we first got there, as others have said the wait wasn't very long and we were checked in and onboard within about 30 minutes. We also stopped at the duty free liquor store which is right across from the checkin counter, bought some refreshments, put them in our carry on and on board we went. Dropped off our carry on, went to have lunch, check out the ship and go swimming.

 

Enjoy your trip and relax. No sense worrying about what might happen. You are going to have a great time. We loved the CB

[cleavesteam]

I think the problems you are having is the change in ship personnel and getting cleared through customs when the ship returns to San Juan to sail out of the caribbean. This usually happens at the Pan Am pier. We went in December last year on the Caribbean Princess out of the Pan Am Pier. As soon as we checked out of our hotel we went to the pier (around noon) and while there was a long line when we first got there, as others have said the wait wasn't very long and we were checked in and onboard within about 30 minutes. We also stopped at the duty free liquor store which is right across from the checkin counter, bought some refreshments, put them in our carry on and on board we went. Dropped off our carry on, went to have lunch, check out the ship and go swimming.

 

Enjoy your trip and relax. No sense worrying about what might happen. You are going to have a great time. We loved the CB

This is what I figured. I have seen the same threads on this for ships coming out of New York for the first time in the season as well. I'm hoping all the kinks will be worked out when I leave two weeks from now. :D

[PhotogrFrGal]

Does the Pan Am pier have a duty free liquor store like Pier 4 in Old San Juan? I've sailed out of San Juan before but the Pan Am pier is new to me.

 

Yes - there is a liquor store there. Just make sure bottles are in your carry on when you go through security.

[O2B@Cagain]

We disembarked 11/22 and it was very quick and painless from the Princess side. However, there was no taxi dispatcher and the taxi line was a nightmare. People were just commandeering taxis willy-nilly. When we finally got in our driver said that the dispatchers had all been fired. I wasn't sure if this had anything to do with the general strike a month ago or if it was something more recent...or if it was something he was making up as an excuse for the poor welcome.

[Nanatravel]

So is the Pan Am pier a more recent thing that Princess is doing? Since the Caribbean cruising season just started, maybe they just don't have their act together yet. At least I hope so. I'm on the December 6 sailing and I would hope any problems will be resolved.

 

Leaving out of OSJ was very easy and efficient on my past cruises. No long lines, got on the ship in less than an hour. If they can do that there, I wonder why it is so difficult to do the same thing at the Pan Am pier? Any idea why they changed Princess to Pan Am in the first place?

 

Princess always seems to get the shaft. First by relegating them to Crown Bay and now this.

 

Caribbean Princess cruisers, the Customs authority with the Back to Back cruisers just don't get it right. Michael I had to look at your date of post to be sure we weren't on the same cruise almost one year ago. Same delays, long lines out the terminal, down the road in inclement weather. Princess has been using the same Pan Am piers for several years from what we were told by locals. It's nightmare with two large ships in the same port and taxi service too. Try to plan on early disembarkation if you have a mid-day flight from SJU.

 

There was absolutely no way we ventured off the ship once we finally got on. Oh, we had arrived about 11:30 and were in the first group to board! With customs issues, it took more than 2 hours to finally board. Worst embarkation ever and I have sailed out of San Juan previously and from the Pan Am pier. The state of Puerto Rico has laid off more than 10,000 government employees due to the present economy. Many protests are also taking place near the governors mansion in OSJ.

 

Bon voyage