question re timing flights with my cruise

[tmc057]

Hi there. I'm a first time cruiser & we're going to be sailing on the Carnival Victory out of San Juan at the end of January 2011. My question is about trying to time a flight leaving from San Juan at the end of our cruise. Having never done this before I don't know how long the whole debarkation (is that the right word?) process takes. If the ship docks into port at 7am is it going to be at all possible for us to make an 11:30am flight out of San Juan, or is that too ambitious? I'm trying to have our arrival time at our end destination not be too late since we live 2 hours from that airport & it will be a sunday & we have to work the next day.

 

Also, if you have any experience on the Victory I'd love to hear about it too. Thanks!!

[paul929207]

Have you checked with Carnival? Usually, they have a recommended earliest time.

[tmc057]

yes I've sent them an email but no response yet. We booked the cruise through a timeshare company & they recommended not before 12 but I still wondered if 11:30 was do-able.

[cb at sea]

Generally, they recommend flights not before noon....but,if you can manage to be one of the 1st off the ship, you should be able to make that flight without a problem...

I always try to book return flights as early as possible....just "hanging around" and waiting is an AWFUL way to end a great vacation!

[jorapp]

The airport in SJ is a 15-20 minute cab ride from the pier...it is a small island after all. The security lines can be messy, but it is a fairly small airport and easy to navigate.

 

On our Serenade cruise, I was skiddish and booked a 3:30 flight. We were almost comatose with boredom by the time we boarded.

 

I vote "go for it" and book the earlier flight.

[klfrodo]

Remember, those of us who advise "Go For It" will not and cannot be held fiscally responsible for your final decision.

What do we care if we advise you to go for it and you miss the flight and are stranded in San Juan.

 

Things I'd be asking myself

Is it just me and the wife? or me, the wife, and 3 little kiddies?

What is my credit card limit? (meals, hotels, airline charges for new flight)

Do I HAVE to be back at work tomorrow

What later flights can I choose from

Where am I flying back to? (Winter storms)

 

Answering all those questions,,, I would feel comfortable with an 11:30 flight, but that's only for me.

[PrincessE]

I have disembarked in SJU twice. I recommend a later flight. I have sat onboard the ship and listened/watched people yelling at a cruise line rep because they need to get off RIGHT NOW because they booked an early flight.

 

It is true that the SJU airport is only 15-20 minutes from the pier, however traffic can be a nightmare. The SJU airport is a cluster. Their securtiy protocol leaves something to be desired and it's not laid out well.

 

My husband and I were there last year and they had quite a few flight delays. The lines were long, the airport hot and everyone was cranky.

 

You might be bored waiting for a later flight, but it's better to be bored than to be frazzled/horrified that you missed your flight.

 

I vote for a later flight.

[KarenandBruceG]

If time and budget permit I would suggest staying in Puerto Rico for one night post-cruise. This takes away all the worry over being able to make your flight (and allows you to leave the ship last - time for one more leisurely breakfast before you're on your way).

 

One more night in Puerto Rico? Oh horrors! :eek:

 

Wishing you all the best!

[LarryL]

I would book a later flight. After our first cruise we flew out of SJU also and it was a nightmare. Several other cruises had disembarked and the terminal was a zoo. Some people who had booked earlier flights missed them due to the security backlog. At the very least, I would check to see how many other ships are in port that day and plan accordingly. We decided for future cruises, we would stay in a hotel and fly out the next day. I have noticed other cc members are doing the same.

 

Good Luck

[Cruise Girl Forever]

later flight definitely