Summit San Jaun Boarding Time?

[pitz0005]

I see that the Summit departs at 8:30 from San Juan. Does anyone know what time you are required to check in by? I was looking at a same day flight that arrives at 2:30. I know the port is pretty close by taxi, but it all depends on check in time. Thanks!

[Mathguy42]

The official website says boarding is from 3pm onwards but other posters on cruise critic report showing up as early as noon, and being on board in time for lunch. Muster drill is usually at 4:30pm on this sailing.

[yogimax]

I believe it is 4:30PM

[LV2COOK]

Keep in mind the San Juan traffic...it's awful and I live in Houston. I'm sure you will get on even with that flight....30 years ago we sailed on the Norway and got to Miami so late due to fog we got on the ship with the produce with only 20 mins to spare....and without luggage for 3 days. The late 30 cruises we get in the day before.:o

[Happy girl2]

I see that the Summit departs at 8:30 from San Juan. Does anyone know what time you are required to check in by? I was looking at a same day flight that arrives at 2:30. I know the port is pretty close by taxi, but it all depends on check in time. Thanks!

 

Hi was there in January but not on the summit.

The airport is only about a 15 min drive from the port and there were loads of taxi waiting to pick people up so would think you would be fine as long as your flight is not delayed which i would be more worried about!!!

[Lsimon]

Despite published boarding times the San Juan cruises start check in and boarding the same time as most other ports, sometime around 11AM. Although it's been a couple years since we've cruise there, the past couple times we have we've gotten to the port around noon and boarding was well underway.

 

Also, the last time we cruise from San Juan the muster drill was early enough to be before the early dinner seating so that those who boarded too late to make it had to do a make up muster drill the following morning.

 

With a 2:30PM airport arrival you 'could' be fine but might be too late for the main muster drill and if your flight is late you be in trouble. I'd be much more concerned with a late or cancelled flight than San Juan traffic and consider that it isn't unusual to take an hour or so after the scheduled arrival before you can collect your luggage and get into a taxi. You should definitely check with the cruise line and make sure you know the correct latest time you can arrive for check in. My recent cruise docs (not for San Juan) say that all guests must be checked in by 90 minutes before the scheduled departure time - which means to me that one would need to have arrived at the cruise terminal a good half hour or so before that.

 

Personally, I'd travel the day before and if for some reason I couldn't then I'd at least get a real early flight so if it was delayed several hours, or cancelled, I'd still have options to get to the cruise before it was too late.

 

Besides, San Juan is a great place and if possible you should consider having at least 1/2 day to tour around the old city center the day before, or at least the morning before, your cruise.

[phoenix_dream]

I would also strongly suggest you book a flight that arrives the day before. Depending on your airline, there may be limited flights to San Juan and if something happens to your flight you are out of luck. IF your flight arrives on time you will be fine. I don't think there are many flights that arrive earlier in the day as it is quite a distance from the mainland US. If you must book a flight that day, you may want to consider booking through the cruiseline. While they won't necessarily hold the ship for you if you are late (although they may do so if there are a large number of late passengers), at least this way you would have their assistance in catching up with the ship if something went awry. They would also be more likely to not hold you to the 90 minute prior check-in if you booked through them (unless this is a TSA thing - in which case if they had a number of passengers running an hour or so late they would very likely hold the ship).

 

ps. You will likely also get some responses here that say no problem - we did it and it went fine. I say to that - how lucky do you feel???

[pitz0005]

Thanks for all the replies. I called and confirmed that check in is 90 min before so that would be 7:00. They said if I missed the 4:30 muster drill they would brief me independently. That gives me 4:30 hours if everything goes as planned. If not, I guess that is why I buy insurance. I don't mind flying in a day early, but then it is another day off work, another hotel, and the flights are not non-stop and are more expensive. I usually do fly in the day before just because it is more relaxing, but in this case I may take the risk. I guess I will have to think about this. Thanks again!