Late Arrival - Day 1

[hz6pl8]

We have a late flight and will arrive at the ship (AOS) in San Juan around 5:30 pm. Saling is at 8:30pm. Will there be anywhere to get a quick bite to eat before our 9:00 pm dinner the first night?

[Sue L]

sorry but I think you are cutting it WAY too close to worry about dinner, I would be more nervous about making the ship. You must be on by 7pm or will be denied boarding per Homeland Security rules. You have allowed NO time for any delays.

[cruisenfever]

As Sue said you are cutting it way to close. You may want to read this thread

 

Need some help, going to miss San Juan embarkation

[Jiffymom]

wow why do that. It does take awhile to check in and get sea pass cards etc... I wonder if you will make it? forget food you will need a strong drink after all the stress.

[heffa72]

Are you kidding? Is this just a joke or do you just want to get everyone on this board all fired up (not hard to do)?

 

I ask because in the last 24 hours I've seen about 5 postings of people missing their boats due to same day late arrivals. More than I've ever seen in the past several years on this board.

 

I have a feeling you're just trying to play with us! :rolleyes:

 

If not, I highly recommend you reconsider your flight itinerary and get in early.

[Kaboochi]

I think this is a spoof, but it had my heart racing for a minute. Next week this time we will be on the high seas heading towards Aruba. Can't wiat.

[PH8]

Maybe the OP just means a place to eat on the ship before dinner??:confused:

[ckrobyn]

If they are arriving at the ship by 5:30pm they should be ok. They are still arriving 90 minutes before the cut off "all aboard" time.

 

My parents (and about 150 other AOS passengers who booked air through RCL) fly down every year on the day of the cruise and they arrive in San Juan at about 3:00pm - they get to the ship around 4-4:30pm. Never had a problem.

 

Our only real concern is weather - and so far the weather Gods have been on our side :)

 

** dh and I fly in the day before, but for religious reasons my folks cannot travel on Saturdays so they have no choice **

[hz6pl8]

Sorry to get you all worked up... we are arriving late 3:55... but hoping to be on the ship by 5:30 barring any delays... I realize that I should have booked the day before... but could not... so I have purchased insurance and am praying for an easy no delay flight. My original question was where could my family eat if we arrive late and are hungry before 9pm. Thanks for your help... not trying to spoof anyone!

[PhoenixCruiser]

Sorry to get you all worked up... we are arriving late 3:55... but hoping to be on the ship by 5:30 barring any delays... I realize that I should have booked the day before... but could not... so I have purchased insurance and am praying for an easy no delay flight. My original question was where could my family eat if we arrive late and are hungry before 9pm. Thanks for your help... not trying to spoof anyone!

 

Whew, ok! You will always be able to find food on the ship!

 

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[Sue L]

Sorry to get you all worked up... we are arriving late 3:55... but hoping to be on the ship by 5:30 barring any delays... I realize that I should have booked the day before... but could not... so I have purchased insurance and am praying for an easy no delay flight. My original question was where could my family eat if we arrive late and are hungry before 9pm. Thanks for your help... not trying to spoof anyone!

 

 

Ok feel a bit better now, just run to the Windjammer buffet for a quick snack

[mechcc]

Sorry to get you all worked up... we are arriving late 3:55... but hoping to be on the ship by 5:30 barring any delays... I realize that I should have booked the day before... but could not... so I have purchased insurance and am praying for an easy no delay flight. My original question was where could my family eat if we arrive late and are hungry before 9pm. Thanks for your help... not trying to spoof anyone!

 

Windjammer buffet will be open, as well as pizza and sandwiches from the Promonade Cafe. Even a bit from room service is possible.

[Rancher Dave]

Maybe the OP just means a place to eat on the ship before dinner??:confused:

 

I played with the thought of do they mean on the ship or off... It could be they don't realize all the dining options abord AOS and once aboard a quick stop at Cafe Promenade will quench their thirst and get them a slice of pizza etc...to tide them over until dinner which will be moments after they board.

 

Yep, planned arrival at 530 is way close...maybe if luck is really on your side you will be in a cab at 600pm on the way to the port....but as Sue said you have to be checked in by 7pm....

[Sheik]

Arriving at 3:55 is really late. Before you are got out the plane and picked up your luggage, it's 5 pm (no delays). Then try to get a cab to the ship and including driving time this will take again an hour easily. You have limited space for delay. Can you reschedule your plan for that day? Please do so, I've seen people cancelling their cruise and they had more time than you...

[youwash]

Just another weather story: some years ago on our second cruise (using not experienced as an excuse) my sisters family and my family had gotten a great deal on Carnival Imagination out of Miami on a Saturday in Feb. The kids were small so they were all in school so we were flying out of Green Bay thru Chicago on Sat. morning. On Wed. as I packing I heard a weather report that there was a storm coming out of the southwest and was headed directly for Chicago for the weekend! My sister and I immediately called the airlines trying to change our flight but they would not change them to Friday as the storm was not there yet and they had no availability. So we called other airlines and found 8 seats on Friday and at a really good rate. A miracle in itself.Aswe were leaving the hotel Sat. to go to the ship I called home to get messages one last time and there was a message from the airline at 4 am that our flight out of Green Bay to Chicago had been cancelled due to weather! Two days later after our first port of call we even ran into someone we know from the area and they had just gotten on the ship as their flight had been cancelled on Sat. also.

 

Since the flight had been cancelled we were not out anything as the origional airline gave us vouchers for another flight within the year, which we used on the next cruise!

But, I do remember we did have to argue a little with them as they said we were not there for the flight or did not allow them to reschedule for us but we argued if we would have we would have "missed the boat'.

 

NOW-we ALWAYS fly the day before!

[marci22]

Sorry to get you all worked up... we are arriving late 3:55... but hoping to be on the ship by 5:30 barring any delays... I realize that I should have booked the day before... but could not... so I have purchased insurance and am praying for an easy no delay flight. My original question was where could my family eat if we arrive late and are hungry before 9pm. Thanks for your help... not trying to spoof anyone!

 

Realize that even insurance will not cover you for poor time planning. It should specifically spell out the maximum pp they will pay for a delay in getting to the ship, and the amount of delay that must occur before they will reimburse you. My policy will only pay for delay for specific covered reasons.

[Gonzo70]

Arriving at 3:55 is really late. Before you are got out the plane and picked up your luggage, it's 5 pm (no delays). Then try to get a cab to the ship and including driving time this will take again an hour easily. You have limited space for delay. Can you reschedule your plan for that day? Please do so, I've seen people cancelling their cruise and they had more time than you...

 

I agree that it is risky what the OP is doing and if it were me, I would not do it, but your time frames are a bit exaggerated. It usually does not take anywhere near an hour and five minutes to get off the plane and retrieve one's luggage. It also does not take anywhere near an hour to take a cab to the port (unless there is really, really unsual traffic). If there plane is on time, they likely would be at the port by 5pm or so. The big risk is the flight not being on time; it is not that rare for a plane to be two or more hours late, and if that occurs the OP will not make the ship and it is doubtful a travel insurance policy would provide any relief due to the small window of time - most travel insurance policies have a clause that you must have a delay of at least four hours (some policies even more) before they will pay out.

[andrzej5914]

but your time frames are a bit exaggerated.

 

I totally agree. Hour to get off the plane and collect luggage? I have flown almost million miles in the last 9 years or so and on occasion I had to check luggage in for the longer trips (I'm a carry on guy most of the times), and not once in my life did it take an hour to get off the plane and collect luggage. 1/2 hour at the most.

 

In fact flying in from London (dozens of times) to Chicago, the airline has to use terminal 5 because of immigration and customs. I got off the plane, went through immigration, collected my luggage, handed my form to customs, got waved through (they knew me on a first name bases), walked to the airport train, took it to terminal 3, went through security, walked all the way to the end of the terminal (a loooong walk), and enjoyed a drink in the first class lounge within 1/2 hour (for the most part) and 45 minutes tops, while waiting for a connecting flight to Tampa. A domestic flight? 15-20 minutes most of the time, 1/2 an hour at most.

[olemissreb]

I totally agree. Hour to get off the plane and collect luggage? I have flown almost million miles in the last 9 years or so and on occasion I had to check luggage in for the longer trips (I'm a carry on guy most of the times), and not once in my life did it take an hour to get off the plane and collect luggage. 1/2 hour at the most.

 

 

Andrzej - I'd have to agree for the most part - an hour is unusual, but not unheard of. My family and I were flying from Pittsburgh to Atlanta on AirTran. When we arrived in Atlanta, it took about 30 minutes to get to baggage claim and then we had to wait an hour for the bags to start coming in. All told, it took us about 2 hours to get off the plane, claim bags and get to our car. Of course we all know how bad Atlanta is, but when you combine that with AirTran the delays can be even worse.

 

So in normal circumstances, an hour may seem exaggerated, but depending on the airline it could be very conceivable.

[Desert Cruizers]

Providing there is no problem with their flight, I might not even worry about the first night for dinner and grab something in the WJ or other areas. Not knowing what time they land, but if they are arriving at the ship by 5:30, i would recommend just grabbing a bite to eat, and relaxing, and go to dinner the 2nd night.

[Hflors]

I agree that it is risky what the OP is doing and if it were me, I would not do it, but your time frames are a bit exaggerated. It usually does not take anywhere near an hour and five minutes to get off the plane and retrieve one's luggage. It also does not take anywhere near an hour to take a cab to the port (unless there is really, really unsual traffic). If there plane is on time, they likely would be at the port by 5pm or so. The big risk is the flight not being on time; it is not that rare for a plane to be two or more hours late, and if that occurs the OP will not make the ship and it is doubtful a travel insurance policy would provide any relief due to the small window of time - most travel insurance policies have a clause that you must have a delay of at least four hours (some policies even more) before they will pay out.

 

You do realize that the op is flying into San Juan? I've flown in to San Juan the last 4 years and yes it is possible to take an hour to de-plane, get luggage, get in line for cab and get to the ship. Actually if I remember correctly I believe it took us just about an hour to get to our hotel (about the same distance) And there could be a backup of vehicles going to the port (but the op is lucky as she is arriving later in the day so that shouldn't be a problem). An hour is not a lot of time for getting out of an airport.

 

I'm sending the OP good thoughts that everything will go like clockwork and that the op will have a great cruise.

[Gonzo70]

You do realize that the op is flying into San Juan? I've flown in to San Juan the last 4 years and yes it is possible to take an hour to de-plane, get luggage, get in line for cab and get to the ship. Actually if I remember correctly I believe it took us just about an hour to get to our hotel (about the same distance)

 

Yes, the post I responded to said it would likely take just over an hour just to get the luggage, than another hour to get to the ship - so over two hours total! While that perhaps could happen, it would indeed be rare. The much larger concern is the plane arriving late.

[Hflors]

Yes, the post I responded to said it would likely take just over an hour just to get the luggage, than another hour to get to the ship - so over two hours total! While that perhaps could happen, it would indeed be rare. The much larger concern is the plane arriving late.

 

sorry I mis-read your original post. I do agree with you that the far greater concern is the plane arriving late! I hope the op makes it.

[Kaboochi]

We have a late flight and will arrive at the ship (AOS) in San Juan around 5:30 pm. Saling is at 8:30pm. Will there be anywhere to get a quick bite to eat before our 9:00 pm dinner the first night?

When and which ship. I am sorry that I thought this was a spoof. I thought that because of the close landing to set sail time. I hope it works out well. If you can, fly in a day earlier. It might cost more $$$ but unless you have insurance the additional $$$ for an earlier flight will hurt less than a missed cruised. Good luck and please report bacd. Best of luck