Ag liine at San Juan Airport

[#1packerfan]

I know you have to take checked bags through the ag line in PR prior to checking them in, but do you also have to go through with the carry ons?

 

Also, does anyone know for sure if the luggage valet program through Royal is back up and running for San Juan? We are on the Serenade for a B2B in April and would like to use the program if it's available.

 

Thanks in advance for the information!

[seaofwonder]

Hmmmm...when we left at Christmas we flew first class and didn't have to do anything special with agriculture. I saw a bunch of people with stickers on their carry-on, but we didn't.

Shoot, it was such a zoo that I didn't even see an ag line.

 

As for luggage valet. We were on Adventure @ Christmas and I didn't see that offered.

[nitlioner]

When we went flew out of San Juan in 2009, we had to send both checked and carryon thru the ag inspection.

[kc320]

When we were on Serenade in Oct. we had to send our carry-ons thru the Ag scanner...best tip we ever got...grab a porter at the airport...it only took a few minutes to send our bags thru the scanner & then off to check in..we had our boarding passes already printed from the ship so we saved time there as well...when we sailed Luggage Valet was NOT available..but I've heard rumors it has started up again...

[jjb415]

In December, I didn't have checked baggage (just carry on) with JetBlue and didn't have to go through a separate agricultural check before security. They were sending people with luggage to check back to the agriculture screening area.

[jennmaybe]

Wow! Sounds like the SJ airport doesn't have it together! We flew in and out of there back in Oct and we DID have to send everything through the AG line. The airline employee wouldn't even check our bags until we went through the AG line and got stickers put on everything.

[PattyG12]

We also had to put everything through the AG line in October before they would check us in. Both carry on and checked baggage. The valet program was NOT available on the Serenade when we were there.

[seaofwonder]

If you had seen the chaos on 12/26. That is probably why we didn't get flagged. There were line-ups out the door and no sense of what line was for what. Flights to the East Coast were being cancelled, it was chaotic.

 

IDK, maybe it's because we were first class? No clue.

[jst4fun715]

We were in SJ two weeks ago and having been there before, we just went ahead and took our bags to the AG scan. They put the stickers on both checked on bags and our carry ons.

 

We weren't going to use the luggage valet, but I didn't notice it being offered.

[Miss Vickie]

We came home from Serenade just last Saturday. Having been through SJU before, we simply walked over to the Ag check station as soon as we entered the airport. Everything went through - checked luggage, carry ons, even my camera back pack. It was quick and painless. No line.

[PattyG12]

I think the line problems come when new people get to SJU and don't realize they need to go through. If you go there right away there normally isn't a problem that we've found.

[NordicPrince]

When we were on Serenade in Oct. we had to send our carry-ons thru the Ag scanner...best tip we ever got...grab a porter at the airport...it only took a few minutes to send our bags thru the scanner & then off to check in..we had our boarding passes already printed from the ship so we saved time there as well...

 

Using the airport porters is the way to go. When we were there in Jan 2010 the porter took our bags and we followed him thru the AG x-ray

area (all bags going thru) and he then took us directly to our airline check-in area. We tipped him nicely.

 

We also used a porter at the pier so that he took us directly to a waiting taxi there.

 

Total time from ship via taxi to being at the gate was 45 minutes.

 

Lesson: Use the porters and save yourself all the trouble everyone else complains about.

 

To OP: I'm curious as to why you would have a problem having your cary-on x-rayed. Are you planning oin taking food off the ship? If so this is a practice which many CC-ers will point out is verbotten due to AG restrictions.

[#1packerfan]

 

To OP: I'm curious as to why you would have a problem having your cary-on x-rayed. Are you planning oin taking food off the ship? If so this is a practice which many CC-ers will point out is verbotten due to AG restrictions.

 

No not at all. I wanted to know so if the luggage valet program is up and running and we didn't have checked bags, did we still need to go through the ag line. Don't want to get to security and find out we have to go back. It's fine either way, we have plenty of time.

 

The last time we cruised out of PR, you didn't have to go through the line if coming off a ship.

 

I have cruised enough to know that it's a no-no to take food off the ship!

[redsoxfan56]

Just off the Adventure this past Sunday. No Luggage Valet :(

 

We were at the airport fairly early and the Agriculture screening was quick and easy before checking in. We were on Jet Blue.

[apkpcruisers]

Just returned last Saturday. Was told carry on didn't need to to through the ag scanner, though we had already put our through. No line when we arrived at 2:15PM.

[jennmaybe]

If you had seen the chaos on 12/26. That is probably why we didn't get flagged. There were line-ups out the door and no sense of what line was for what. Flights to the East Coast were being cancelled, it was chaotic.

 

IDK, maybe it's because we were first class? No clue.

We were also first class, so I don't believe that would have been why, BUT I do believe it was because of all the chaos going on that day and all throughout Christmas time.

[ccnwater]

RedSox fan, how soon were you off Adventure and how early to the airport? We have an 11:50am flight home...Just curious..

[sadie8]

I had one of the AG stickers fall off my luggage, glad DH noticed. Saw another one on the floor and stuck it back on before checking bags. Keep an eye on your AG stickers they can fall off.

[sarahtar]

what are they screening for and how do they do it? I've never flown outside of the continental us before... I'm asking because I'll be traveling with two kids who will need snacks to get them through our 13 hours of flights and layovers that day. I'm not planning to do anything illegal or unethical... but I also don't know where that line is. (I mean, if I have fruit snacks that I brought with me in the first place, are those OK? I'm guessing grabbing an apple from the ship is not ok. Am I going to need to plan to - and make time for - buying some snacks at or on the way to the airport?)

[dirtgirl]

what are they screening for and how do they do it? I've never flown outside of the continental us before... I'm asking because I'll be traveling with two kids who will need snacks to get them through our 13 hours of flights and layovers that day. I'm not planning to do anything illegal or unethical... but I also don't know where that line is. (I mean, if I have fruit snacks that I brought with me in the first place, are those OK? I'm guessing grabbing an apple from the ship is not ok. Am I going to need to plan to - and make time for - buying some snacks at or on the way to the airport?)

 

 

Things like granola bars are ok. You can always grab food after you check-in and go through security at the airport. ;)

[BroncosFan2010]

We have always had to put all bags through the agriculture line when in San Juan. Several people were turned away in the line ahead of us because they had not gone through.

[silentbob007]

what are they screening for and how do they do it? I've never flown outside of the continental us before... I'm asking because I'll be traveling with two kids who will need snacks to get them through our 13 hours of flights and layovers that day. I'm not planning to do anything illegal or unethical... but I also don't know where that line is. (I mean, if I have fruit snacks that I brought with me in the first place, are those OK? I'm guessing grabbing an apple from the ship is not ok. Am I going to need to plan to - and make time for - buying some snacks at or on the way to the airport?)

 

The line is easy to miss as it is along the outside wall of the airport, I believe, as you then have to walk further into the terminal to find the airline counters. Any snacks you have that are commercially sealed are fine ... so anything purchased in a package. You cannot bring any raw fruit or agricultural product (from ship or area).

[wrp96]

what are they screening for and how do they do it? I've never flown outside of the continental us before... I'm asking because I'll be traveling with two kids who will need snacks to get them through our 13 hours of flights and layovers that day. I'm not planning to do anything illegal or unethical... but I also don't know where that line is. (I mean, if I have fruit snacks that I brought with me in the first place, are those OK? I'm guessing grabbing an apple from the ship is not ok. Am I going to need to plan to - and make time for - buying some snacks at or on the way to the airport?)

 

 

In general, you are allowed prepackaged foods like granola bars, peanut butter crackers. Apples (fruit of any kind) are definite no-nos - last time I was through SJU I was in line for security behind a lady that got in an argument over the apple she had packed for her lunch.:rolleyes:

[paulap70]

what are they screening for and how do they do it? I've never flown outside of the continental us before... I'm asking because I'll be traveling with two kids who will need snacks to get them through our 13 hours of flights and layovers that day. I'm not planning to do anything illegal or unethical... but I also don't know where that line is. (I mean, if I have fruit snacks that I brought with me in the first place, are those OK? I'm guessing grabbing an apple from the ship is not ok. Am I going to need to plan to - and make time for - buying some snacks at or on the way to the airport?)

I think they're looking primarily for fresh fruits and vegetables. While safe to eat, I believe part of the reason is to prevent the spread of germs, bugs, etc. This screening also happens when returning from Hawaii and St. Thomas.

[TravelerThom]

We have always had to put all bags through the agriculture line when in San Juan. Several people were turned away in the line ahead of us because they had not gone through.

I assume that "the line" you refer to was the line for checking baggage. OP said he knew that checked bags have to go first through the Ag inspection before going to baggage check-in. Carry on bags do NOT have to go through the main Ag line [but can be sent through if they are there anyway]. If you have only carry on bags [whether from traveling light or using luggage valet] and boarding passes you can go directly to gate concourse security. There is an Ag officer at this security line if there is any question about fruits etc. I have personally bypassed the main Ag line at SJU and gone directly to security within the last few months.

 

Thom