Timing of Activities around San Juan sailaway?

[2Long2NxtCrz]

Because this is a pretty specific question to Celebrity, I didn't post this on the general San Juan topic.

 

Our sailaway is at 8pm on the Summit in November.  And our particular cruise only has one sea day, the last before our return back to PR.  So our CruiseCritic M&G will probably be on embarkation day.  Most likely right after sailaway.  We don't want to miss either the sailaway or the M&G, since that's such a good chance to connect with all the folks we've been chatting with here.  And I'd also love to take advantage of the first night's discount on specialty dining.  But we'd prefer not to eat dinner at 9pm or later!  (I'm not sure we could stay awake late enough to "work off" the food and still be ready to get off the ship by 8am.)

 

Have any of you done a cruise where sailaway is at 8pm and the M&G is the same evening?  What time is the muster drill?  Is the only option for specialty dining very early?  Like 5:30pm?

 

Should we just skip the discounted dining and try for a discount later in the week?

 

Any help/insights you have would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

[Blue_Flame]

It IS hard to fit everything in on embarkation day!

We are on Summit now with a similar itinerary where our sea day will be the last day. We sailed at 8:30 pm. The muster drill was 4:45 and took almost until 5:15. The roll call group casually met at the Sunset Bar following the drill. 

You never know when Celebrity is going to schedule the Connections Party until you board and find the invitation in your stateroom. Ours was embarkation day at 8 pm.  

We skipped the discounted specialty dining on night 1, but they extended it to us later in the week (Qsine). I overheard the guys outside Oceanview Cafe trying to get people to book specialty that they are not extending the discount to Tuscan. They must be more fully booked at Tuscan, at least for our cruise.  

[PelicanLvr]

We were on Summit in January and our sailaway was also 8:30 pm with a 4:45 muster drill.  We ate at Tuscan Grill that evening at 8:45.  

 

Sailaway from San Juan's Pan American Pier is nothing special.  Very industrial port area.  Not beautiful at all.  

[jsf]

15 minutes ago, PelicanLvr said:

We were on Summit in January and our sailaway was also 8:30 pm with a 4:45 muster drill.  We ate at Tuscan Grill that evening at 8:45.  

 

Sailaway from San Juan's Pan American Pier is nothing special.  Very industrial port area.  Not beautiful at all.  

While the pier area is not much sailing past the old fort leaving the harbor is not to be missed. One time years ago we were leaving to harbor and there was a fireworks show going, the view was special.

[A Sixth?]

15 minutes ago, PelicanLvr said:

 

Sailaway from San Juan's Pan American Pier is nothing special.  Very industrial port area.  Not beautiful at all.  

 

Not my opinion at all. Sailing past Old San Juan and Castillo San Felipe del Morro at night is beautiful

 

[davekathy]

18 minutes ago, jsf said:

While the pier area is not much sailing past the old fort leaving the harbor is not to be missed. One time years ago we were leaving to harbor and there was a fireworks show going, the view was special.

Agree. 

[davekathy]

19 minutes ago, A Sixth? said:

 

Not my opinion at all. Sailing past Old San Juan and Castillo San Felipe del Morro at night is beautiful

 

We share your opinion. 

[son3cruisers]

What time is the final boarding call on a 8:30pm  departure from SAN Juan?

A flight we were looking at arrives at SAN Juan airport at 2pm. 

 

I know the benefits of sailing in a day before , we usually do, but unfortunately we are not  unable to for this sailing. 

This is the earliest arrival I can see currently.

Is this doable? I’m thinking all aboard would be 4, 5 pm? 

 

Edited April 9, 2019 by son3cruisers

[Blue_Flame]

4 minutes ago, son3cruisers said:

What time is the final boarding call on a 8:30pm  departure from SAN Juan?

A flight we were looking at arrives at SAN Juan airport at 2pm. 

 

I know the benefits of sailing in a day before , we usually do, but unfortunately we are not  unable to for this sailing. 

This is the earliest arrival I can see currently.

Is this doable? I’m thinking all aboard would be 4, 5 pm? 

 

“All Aboard” according to the daily planner for embarkation day this week was 8 p.m. This may be the time for those who had already checked in but chose to go back into San Juan for the day. You will want to check with Celebrity as to the latest time for “check in.”

 

I would imagine those boarding after the muster drill at 4:45 would be given a make-up drill. 

[2Long2NxtCrz]

2 hours ago, Blue_Flame said:

It IS hard to fit everything in on embarkation day!

We are on Summit now with a similar itinerary where our sea day will be the last day. We sailed at 8:30 pm. The muster drill was 4:45 and took almost until 5:15. The roll call group casually met at the Sunset Bar following the drill. 

You never know when Celebrity is going to schedule the Connections Party until you board and find the invitation in your stateroom. Ours was embarkation day at 8 pm.  

We skipped the discounted specialty dining on night 1, but they extended it to us later in the week (Qsine). I overheard the guys outside Oceanview Cafe trying to get people to book specialty that they are not extending the discount to Tuscan. They must be more fully booked at Tuscan, at least for our cruise.  

Muster at 4:45?  That helps, actually.  And the idea that there was a discount on Qsine later in the week sounds good.  It's such a port intensive cruise and no Murano, I wasn't sure about trying specialty dining anyway, but I'd be happy with Qsine.

 

And if muster is done by 5:15, that gives us time for a pub and/or cabin crawl before a likely 8pm M&G.

 

Thank you so much!  You don't know how much it helps in my head to know these times!

[2Long2NxtCrz]

1 hour ago, PelicanLvr said:

Sailaway from San Juan's Pan American Pier is nothing special.  Very industrial port area.  Not beautiful at all.  

That's a good point!  Not like sailing into Venice!

[2Long2NxtCrz]

1 hour ago, A Sixth? said:

 

Not my opinion at all. Sailing past Old San Juan and Castillo San Felipe del Morro at night is beautiful

 

Oh!  Well that is a beautiful photo!

 

But with muster at 4:45, I can probably fit in most everything (except discounted specialty dining, but that's fine).

[2Long2NxtCrz]

26 minutes ago, son3cruisers said:

What time is the final boarding call on a 8:30pm  departure from SAN Juan?

A flight we were looking at arrives at SAN Juan airport at 2pm. 

 

I know the benefits of sailing in a day before , we usually do, but unfortunately we are not  unable to for this sailing. 

This is the earliest arrival I can see currently.

Is this doable? I’m thinking all aboard would be 4, 5 pm? 

 

What time of year?  You have to consider weather delays and not just in PR, but in your home city or connecting city (if one).  Is there the possibility of a red eye?  Or driving to a different city to get better options for arrival?

As for the arrival?  It's not that far to the pier from the airport.  Assuming your flight arrives at 2pm, you should be able to make it.

 

I'd still buy insurance that would get you to the next port, just in case.