Boarding in San Juan - Chaos?

[newcruiser80]

I've read a few times here and there that the boarding process in San Juan for Adventure of the Seas can be chaotic at times. I'm curious to know people's experiences considering we will be sailing in our first Grand Suite. Are they good about calling suite guests onto the ship as priority or is it a pure "free for all" like I've read? Also, is there a separate entrance to the pier for suite guests? Any suggestions as to what time we should get to the pier if we want to take advantage of the suite guest boarding? Whatever advice you can give us would be great!

[Clarea]

I've not found it chaotic at all. Suite guests enter the terminal via a priority line that is closest to the terminal. If suite guests arrive before boarding has begun, then they are directed to sit in a priority boarding area that gets to board first. Here's the important part: the seating area inside the terminal is not large. Once the seating area fills, then they stop letting people into the terminal until boarding begins.

Edited January 5, 2016 by clarea

[Garavar]

San Juan is chaos no matter how you slice it. It is just minimized for Suite Guests.

 

I recommend going to the pier at 10 am and dropping your bags off early. Because the bag drop line gets ridiculously long.

 

Then get back in a Cab and go enjoy your day in old San Juan. Because if you drop your bags and go wait in Suite Line you will get into the terminal to check in first but then you have to wait until the ship is cleared before boarding. There is no nice waiting area for suites, and the room becomes chaos.

 

Leave and come back after 2, walk through suite line and onto the ship.

[Garavar]

I've not found it chaotic at all. Suite guests enter the terminal via a priority line that is closest to the terminal. If suite guests arrive before boarding has begun, then they are directed to sit in a priority boarding area that gets to board first. Here's the important part: the seating area inside the terminal is not large. Once the seating area fills, then they stop letting people into the terminal until boarding begins.

 

November 28, 2015 sailing there was no priority boarding area. They sat people where ever. Mass of people, hot and horrible with no exit. Once you were in, you were stuck.

 

There also is no Suite Line for dropping off bags. Its not like Fort Lauderdale with porter's everywhere. There is a line you have to stand in to drop off bags and I didn't see one for just Suites.

 

We learned our lesson.

 

1) Drop Bag Off at 10 am with no bag line,

 

2) Leave the pier, don't wait for doors to open to check in.

 

3) Return to pier after 2 pm to be certain you aren't stuck from 11 am to 12 pm or later in a hot pier, shoulder to shoulder with people who are sick and will get you sick for your 7 day cruise.

[New2cruise1483]

We were in an Owner's suite back in Septembet and had the "priority boarding", and I have to say that it was the most chaotic I've experienced so far. There really wasn't much of a priority line. This is jut our experience there.

[LilBlackDress]

WOW I am surprised to hear all the "chaotic" comments!!

 

We had a party of 6, 2 in a GS, 4 not... 2 people didn't have their setsail paperwork printed (don't get me started on that!!)

 

We arrived at the port about noon (my DS and BIL flew in that morning, so we waited for them) My DH and I were pointed to the suite line, my stepson/friend to the paperwork line and my DS/BiL to another line... There was No One is the suite line and my DS/BiL were waiting for us (guess our check-in personnel was slower?) My stepson/friend took maybe an extra few minutes!

 

Even WITH them needing to fill out the paperwork we were ALL on the ship by 12:20 -12:25ish.... It felt as if we had just walked on to the ship!!

 

Chaotic?!?!? Hardly! Maybe the key is not to get there before they open the doors?

[entrepreneur83]

WOW I'm glad I stumbled upon this thread!

 

We're on Jewel in about 2 weeks leaving from San Juan and had no idea about this. Can you drop bags before 10AM? Thinking about dropping bags early and coming back after noon. We're in a Suite so I'm really just worried about getting stuck in a bag drop line.

[New2cruise1483]

WOW I am surprised to hear all the "chaotic" comments!!

 

We had a party of 6, 2 in a GS, 4 not... 2 people didn't have their setsail paperwork printed (don't get me started on that!!)

 

We arrived at the port about noon (my DS and BIL flew in that morning, so we waited for them) My DH and I were pointed to the suite line, my stepson/friend to the paperwork line and my DS/BiL to another line... There was No One is the suite line and my DS/BiL were waiting for us (guess our check-in personnel was slower?) My stepson/friend took maybe an extra few minutes!

 

Even WITH them needing to fill out the paperwork we were ALL on the ship by 12:20 -12:25ish.... It felt as if we had just walked on to the ship!!

 

Chaotic?!?!? Hardly! Maybe the key is not to get there before they open the doors?

 

We got there about 10, before the doors opened. Getting checked in wasn't bad, but the actual boarding of the ship was like a cattle drive, even being in a suite. I've only cruised NCL before this, and their suite boarding was MUCH nicer. I've heard from others on our sailing that it was typical for San Juan to be this way.

[SharkCruiser24]

Our cruise aboard Jewel out of San Juan was one of the easiest embarkation days we've ever had! We are plantinum and had a separate line, you will too sine you're in a GS! No waiting, it was awesome!

[serious sealeggs]

Party of two on Jewel in 2015. One of our favorite cruises ever! We went to peir around noon and boarded although ship didn't sail until 8:30 pm. We were among the first to board as Diamond plus however our bags did not arrive until almost 6:00 pm. We were in a bit of a panic but thankfully we packed necessities in our carry on, so it all worked out fine.

[Clarea]

WOW I'm glad I stumbled upon this thread!

 

We're on Jewel in about 2 weeks leaving from San Juan and had no idea about this. Can you drop bags before 10AM? Thinking about dropping bags early and coming back after noon. We're in a Suite so I'm really just worried about getting stuck in a bag drop line.

Give it a try. We've seen it where they don't start taking bags until around 10:30am and there is a long line to drop bags, and we've also seen it where they have been taking bags earlier and there is no line.

[bouhunter]

We've cruised out of SJU 5 of the last 6 years. I wouldn't call it "chaos", but disorganized and confusing would work:D If you arrive early there are usually people standing in 2-3 lines, with maybe a sign that might indicate "priority" status in one of them. Employees wandering around who don't know or care much about what's going on. Once in the terminal they may or may not be directing people to sit in certain places, some of which are closer to the door that leads to the ship. All that said, we've usually arrived at the pier just before 11:00 and always been on the ship by noon:)

[nolimits]

There is a diamond and above Bag check nobody seems to see it. Everybody sees line and gets on it.It is on opposite end of regular bag check you drop bag and walk priority line closest to building,past all the people in line.Might even say emerald, Not very good signage though

[sr4mjc]

For the Jewel in Nov, it was sort of chaotic and the bag drop line was long. However, we found a bag drop line with no people, for anyone with status Emerald and above. Dropped our bags there, skipped the huge line and there was almost no line inside. Boarded in about 20 min total from when the cab dropped us off.

[monctonguy]

I want to be on the ship as early as possible.....do they start boarding similar to other cruises even though departure time is much later out of this port?

 

Normally I arrive at the port around 11ish and am usually on the ship before noon enjoying a cold drink.....

 

Not sure what to think of the reports/experiences here......

[LilBlackDress]

I want to be on the ship as early as possible.....do they start boarding similar to other cruises even though departure time is much later out of this port?

 

Normally I arrive at the port around 11ish and am usually on the ship before noon enjoying a cold drink.....

 

Not sure what to think of the reports/experiences here......

 

I would think arriving 11ish would be perfect...

 

I forgot to add this to my earlier post... ur cab driver said if we give the porters a small tip and a majority of our luggage we can bypass the luggage check in line (which saved us a little time) again there were not many people waiting in lines. that we saw!

[bigque]

We have been through San Juan twice and have never really had a chaotic experience. We have gotten of the cab, gave our bags to the porters gotten in line at about 11:00 and usually was on the ship by 12:00. I think that the check-in area needs to be updated or renovated. :cool:

[Wilson]

Last year we were in a non-suite balcony and walked right on Jewel. My only complaint is that I did not get the JS. My fault.

[bouhunter]

I want to be on the ship as early as possible.....do they start boarding similar to other cruises even though departure time is much later out of this port?

 

Normally I arrive at the port around 11ish and am usually on the ship before noon enjoying a cold drink.....

 

Not sure what to think of the reports/experiences here......

 

Did you read the other posts? See mine #12.

Edited January 5, 2016 by bouhunter

[Karma5]

I have been there many times and always came early, and never had problem…………….

[DonnaK]

I'm surprised at all the chaos comments. That wasn't our experience at all (and we weren't in a suite, nor are we Diamond or above).

 

We arrived at the port at 10:45am, quickly handed over our bags, and waited in a short line until boarding started at 11am. We were onboard before the windjammer opened at 11:30am. Easy, breezy!

[ewenix]

We've cruised out of SJU 5 of the last 6 years. I wouldn't call it "chaos", but disorganized and confusing would work:D If you arrive early there are usually people standing in 2-3 lines, with maybe a sign that might indicate "priority" status in one of them. Employees wandering around who don't know or care much about what's going on. Once in the terminal they may or may not be directing people to sit in certain places, some of which are closer to the door that leads to the ship. All that said, we've usually arrived at the pier just before 11:00 and always been on the ship by noon:)

 

There is a diamond and above Bag check nobody seems to see it. Everybody sees line and gets on it.It is on opposite end of regular bag check you drop bag and walk priority line closest to building,past all the people in line.Might even say emerald, Not very good signage though

 

I was on the same sailing (a month ago) as Garavar and the process has changed since we were on AOS in March 2014.

 

I walked the length of the terminal building and there was only the one bag drop line for everyone with all the bags being placed on carts in a defined area. This throttled the actual check-in process and essentially eliminated any benefit to having priority check-in based on cabin or C&A status.

 

Single line for bag drop, then security checked your passport and set sail pass before you were allowed into the terminal. Once in the terminal you went through security and into the usual check-in process.

[Hoopster95]

Twice I've arranged my day the following... I've asked the hotel to hold my bags when checking out, my hotel check-out is 12pm check-out.. you'll have to check your own hotel for check-out times. Leave your bags at your hotel, pick them up later, go site-seeing first without taking your bags to the pier.

 

My Jewel experience 3 weeks ago Dec 13, 2015 ..

Woke at 7am, out of the hotel by 7:45, had breakfast

After walking up to El Morro, visiting the fort (opens at 9am, I was the very first one in) and walking around town a little, I would pick up my bags right at noon as I normally like to get to the ship earlier. Or you can leave your bags at hotel much longer and go to the pier at 3-4pm (muster at 7:30pm, departure 8pm).

 

Taxi gets me to the ship in less than 15min.

I was through security in about 10 min.

Check-in D+ line had no one, I was placed immediately in front of pier staff and had my sea pass card in my hand in about 5 min (not exaggerating).

 

From taxi drop-off to standing in the Centrum for the first time maybe 20min... and this was at approx 12:30-1pm. I had to wait about 40min for my cabin as rooms were opened at 1:30pm.

[Artemus]

I sailed Carnival out of SJU last year and thought it was a bit chaotic, confusing, and disorganized.

[slyster]

We are 3 for 3 in terms of long lines and wait times. Our very first cruise here around 10 years ago was probably the shortest wait in the bag line (20 min) and then once inside another 15-20 minutes. The last two times were at least 45 min to an hour outside. Honestly, it wouldn't be so bad if you could wait INSIDE. It gets hot, humid, and sticky outside so that's why 20 minutes feels like a life time for me. Then once you get indoors, there doesn't feel like a lot of people in there. :confused:

 

edited to add. to some it's not a really long time, but when you consider our check in at Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Baltimore, and NJ, without a doubt SJ is about two to three times longer.

Edited January 5, 2016 by slyster