Will we make a 10am flight?

[Whiterug]

Hello! First time user!

We've cruised many times, but never from San Juan.

Our ship docks at 6 am on Saturday Feb 13. Will we make a 10 am flight?? From experience, we know to keep our luggage, carry it off ourselves, notify RC concierge of early flight, exit ship first with our own bags, take a taxi, and do online checkin for flights. If you recommend us taking the 10 am flight, is there anything else we should know? This will be our first time cruising from SJ, normally it's out of Miami or Tampa.

Thanks!!

[Clarea]

If there are no delays, you should be at the airport by 8am. Note that there is an agricultural inspection at San Juan. You need to pu your bags (carry-ons too) through the ag scanners before you go to the airline check-in counter.

[Ocean Boy]

I, personally, would have no issue booking a 10 AM flight from San Juan. If thing go right, and most of the time they do, you will make it just fine.

 

There will probably be plenty of following posts informing you of all the things that could possibly go wrong and if those types of things will make you worry then book later. And remember, since you usually have to be checked in for your flight 60-90 minutes before flight time, if you do your checkin from the ship it gives you extra time to get to the airport.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Ocean Boy

[bouhunter]

I would prefer to fly a little later, but you should be able to make that assuming things go according to schedule at the ship. FYI the USDA agricultural "inspection" is near the entrance to the airport. Most times there is little to no delay there, you just run your bags thru a scanner and they put a sticker on them. Make sure the sticker doesn't fall off before you check the bags at the airline counter:D

[MiniChunks]

I was through USDA and had my bags checked at the San Juan airport by 7:30am last Saturday. We arrived at the conference center for self disembarkation at about 6:30, and were the 5th and 6th people off the ship.

[johnjen]

=(^;^)=

Edited October 21, 2015 by johnjen

[MiniChunks]

STRONGLY recommend NOT flying on cruise day. If you DO fly, go to PR the day before cruising. Flights cancelled due to weather in NY for example, affects the entire east coast, and definitely do not fly an intinerary that includes Charlotte. Flights involving that airport translate to delays.

 

While you give solid advice, OP is asking about outbound travel.

[johnjen]

While you give solid advice, OP is asking about outbound travel.

 

I know.......tried deleting. Won't let me.

[Clarea]

I know.......tried deleting. Won't let me.

I do that from time to time. You can edit the post and change it to "Disregard" or something like that.

[johnjen]

I do that from time to time. You can edit the post and change it to "Disregard" or something like that.

 

Done deal....thanks!

[GUT2407]

Depends on how you handle stress and if you are a gambler.

 

I'd never book a 10:00 am flight.

[Whiterug]

Thanks! Still torn. This is the only thread where I got feedback that I could make the flight. Thanks for the kind, helpful answers! I'll let you know how it goes!

[nelblu]

IMHO, you should have no problem making the 10 flight. The airport is only 15 minutes away and the Agr inspection is no big deal.

 

FYI. When I booked our flight (United) for our upcoming Feb. Oasis cruise, out of FL, our original time was 10:30 which in the past has been no problem making. Lo and behold, the airline changed it to 10, however, subsequent flights would leave us departing some hrs. later. We're going to self disembark and confident that we should have no problem with the earlier flight.

[DonnaK]

We were able to self-disembark the Jewel around 7am, were at the airport before 7:30am, and were checked in and at the gate by 7:45am.

 

We had booked a later flight, but were able to fly standby on the 9:30am flight without issue. We were already home in NY before our original flight took off from San Juan. This was on Jet Blue.

[Ocean Boy]

Thanks! Still torn. This is the only thread where I got feedback that I could make the flight. Thanks for the kind, helpful answers! I'll let you know how it goes!

 

We have done more than a few cruises out of San Juan. Are folks on those other threads speaking from personal experience or simply from all of the known possibilities of what you go wrong?

[Lionesss]

OP

 

Let us know how it goes, this way others can see if they want to do it in the future.

 

See Ya

[setsail]

Thanks! Still torn. This is the only thread where I got feedback that I could make the flight. Thanks for the kind, helpful answers! I'll let you know how it goes!

 

No one can tell you if you will make the flight as your cruise and flight have not taken place yet. They can only tell you about past experiences which has no impact on your upcoming cruise/flight.

 

We book early flights from time to time and if its missed we just get another or spend an extra day on vacation

Edited October 24, 2015 by setsail

[Cigar King]

I will tell you that once when we got back to San Juan it was a real mess. We had a 3:00 flight and we barely made it. Personally I think 10:00 is pushing it, but, as others have said if everything goes right, and it typically does, you will make it.

[Whiterug]

No one can tell you if you will make the flight as your cruise and flight have not taken place yet. They can only tell you about past experiences which has no impact on your upcoming cruise/flight.

 

We book early flights from time to time and if its missed we just get another or spend an extra day on vacation

 

Yes! Absolutely right! I'm definitely not looking for someone to give me an answer to what I should do. That's my decision. But I was hoping that is get enough feed back from PERSONAL experience with SAN JUAN so that I could make a decision based off adequate info. I appreciate all that has been offered on this thread!!

[immy619]

If you walk your luggage off you should have no problem making a 10am. I did that and was at the gate by 8am. If you don't walk luggage off or use the valet service with your airline you probably won't make the 10. The terminal is the worst organized one I've ever seen. Trying to deal with the crowds that will be around to get their bags and get a cab will guarantee a miss of that flight.

[Ocean Boy]

If you walk your luggage off you should have no problem making a 10am. I did that and was at the gate by 8am. If you don't walk luggage off or use the valet service with your airline you probably won't make the 10. The terminal is the worst organized one I've ever seen. Trying to deal with the crowds that will be around to get their bags and get a cab will guarantee a miss of that flight.

 

It used to be that valet service was not available for flights before 11 AM. Has that changed? And the last that I knew valet service between the Pan American pier and SJU had been suspended. Has that changed also?

[nelblu]

If you walk your luggage off you should have no problem making a 10am. I did that and was at the gate by 8am. If you don't walk luggage off or use the valet service with your airline you probably won't make the 10. The terminal is the worst organized one I've ever seen. Trying to deal with the crowds that will be around to get their bags and get a cab will guarantee a miss of that flight.

 

I believe the valet service is good for flights after 1pm for selective airlines.

[immy619]

It used to be that valet service was not available for flights before 11 AM. Has that changed? And the last that I knew valet service between the Pan American pier and SJU had been suspended. Has that changed also?

I was there in May and the service was available. Perhaps that's changed now. Sounds like a good reason to call Royal on Monday and get clarification. Otherwise, pack so you can walk everything off the ship. The morning of departure be sure to get down to the conference room area so you can be one of the first ones off. Taxi's don't line up in long likes like Lauderdale, you'll want to catch the first ones departing or suffer with the pure anarchy that develops later.

[immy619]

One additional tip, if you're catching a flight to the US, when you get to the airport, before getting to the ticket counter, look for the USDA machines so your bags can be stickered and you'll be able to complete the check-in process. If you don't do that then you'll have to go back to the machines then return to check-in (and the line has likely grown behind you at the ticket counter).

[sr4mjc]

I've never seen valet service available in San Juan, wish it was.