Embark at San Juan--Evening Departure: Question

[Greenpea2]

We will be cruising out of San Juan next year. The ship departs in the evening. Are you allowed to check in and embark, and then disembark to explore for awhile before getting back on well before departure time? Or is it once you embark you have to stay embarked?

I realize there are other options (explore first, get later check-in time, etc). But I just am curious if that is allowed. Thanks in advance. 

[Sailing12Away]

Yes, it is allowed. We've done it at other ports where we picked an early check-in time, dropped off our bags, went through check-in, got our keycards then left. Came back later on and just had to go through security again before going right on the ship.

 

Last time we were on the Epic was a few years back, but there was a couple that shared a taxi to the port with us. They dropped their bags with the porter then hopped right back in the cab without even checking in. Fun guys, they knew how to party!

[Greenpea2]

2 minutes ago, Sailing12Away said:

Yes, it is allowed. We've done it at other ports where we picked an early check-in time, dropped off our bags, went through check-in, got our keycards then left. Came back later on and just had to go through security again before going right on the ship.

 

Last time we were on the Epic was a few years back, but there was a couple that shared a taxi to the port with us. They dropped their bags with the porter then hopped right back in the cab without even checking in. Fun guys, they knew how to party!

Oh this is happy news! Thank you so much. There seem to be no flights from where we live to San Juan that get us there before around 5:00 pm the night before, which ruins any ideas of browsing shops once we actually get to our hotel. And my guilty pleasure is browsing the Coach Outlet store. Yippee. Thanks again.  🙂

[Sailing12Away]

Just look at a map though before you decide which option to go. Embarkation is usually at the Pan Am port, which is not in Old San Juan. If you wanted to do shopping and explore the old SJ area, a hotel in that location may be better and just leave your bags with the hotel at checkout. Explore, shop, wander, then return to the hotel and have them help call you a taxi to get to the Pan Am port.

 

Or, get a hotel near the Pan Am port and explore that area the night you arrive. In the morning, drop your bags off at the ship, check in, then get a taxi over to wherever it is you wanted to explore and shop. But you'll need a taxi to get back.

 

We stayed in Old San Juan, had a full day exploring the stuff over there. Walked around town in the morning and then shared a taxi to the port with about 6 other people who stayed in the hotel with us in the early afternoon. There was the one couple who dropped their bags and went back out again, but the rest of us walked onto the ship and started our vacation.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Greenpea2 said:

Oh this is happy news! Thank you so much. There seem to be no flights from where we live to San Juan that get us there before around 5:00 pm the night before, which ruins any ideas of browsing shops once we actually get to our hotel. And my guilty pleasure is browsing the Coach Outlet store. Yippee. Thanks again.  🙂

The port is pretty bad to get into/out of. (i.e., don't expect a quick in, drop bags, out)

[Greenpea2]

41 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

The port is pretty bad to get into/out of. (i.e., don't expect a quick in, drop bags, out)

We will be (hopefully) staying at the hotel across the street. We can walk there. 🙂 I won't expect a quick drop off anyway. Thanks!

[brookie848]

40 minutes ago, Greenpea2 said:

We will be (hopefully) staying at the hotel across the street. We can walk there. 🙂 I won't expect a quick drop off anyway. Thanks!

There is NO hotel across the street. There is an airport across the street. And there are no sidewalks on the road to the port.

 

You are not embarking in Old San Juan, you are embarking at the San Juan pier. And as @BirdTravels says the traffic can be really, really interesting. We've sailed out of this port three times and have two more planned.

[Greenpea2]

4 hours ago, brookie848 said:

There is NO hotel across the street. There is an airport across the street. And there are no sidewalks on the road to the port.

 

You are not embarking in Old San Juan, you are embarking at the San Juan pier. And as @BirdTravels says the traffic can be really, really interesting. We've sailed out of this port three times and have two more planned.

Excuse me but you are just wrong. The Sheraton Old San Juan is .14 mile from the pier. (meaning a few minutes walk). I have read numerous posts by people who have stayed there and walked to it. Is it literally "across the street"? Maybe not. But it is less than a quarter of a mile away. Traffic will not affect us.

 

And Old San Juan, is a neighborhood IN San Juan.  

Edited January 21 by Greenpea2

[dpepper64]

Our cruise via the Viva is scheduled to leave out of the pan american pier.  From the san Juan pier it is a hour walk to the american pier.  So hopefully you ge tto  the right pier.

[brookie848]

2 minutes ago, Greenpea2 said:

Excuse me but you are just wrong. The Sheraton Old San Juan is .14 mile from the pier. (meaning a few minutes walk). I have read numerous posts by people who have stayed there and walked to it. Is it literally "across the street"? Maybe not. But it is less than a quarter of a mile away. Traffic will not affect us.

 

And Old San Juan, is a neighborhood IN San Juan.  

Hahahaha...no. Look up Pan American Pier. That is where you will embark the Viva.

 

I stayed at the Sheraton Old San Juan last year. I could easily walk to the pier where ships dock for the day. I could walk to the pier where Carnival boards. Yes...it was right across the street. However, that is NOT where the Viva docks to start cruises. It docks at the Pan American Pier, which is a good 15-minute, 3-mile taxi ride. That's a bit farther. Do some more research and then make your plans.

 

I have sailed out of San Juan on NCL three times. PAN AMERICAN PIER.

[Greenpea2]

8 minutes ago, brookie848 said:

Hahahaha...no. Look up Pan American Pier. That is where you will embark the Viva.

 

I stayed at the Sheraton Old San Juan last year. I could easily walk to the pier where ships dock for the day. I could walk to the pier where Carnival boards. Yes...it was right across the street. However, that is NOT where the Viva docks to start cruises. It docks at the Pan American Pier, which is a good 15-minute, 3-mile taxi ride. That's a bit farther. Do some more research and then make your plans.

 

I have sailed out of San Juan on NCL three times. PAN AMERICAN PIER.

Why the need to laugh at and talk down to me? Feel better about yourself now?
 

 I  appreciate knowing it will be a different pier. That is helpful. The attitude and hahaha? Not so much. 

[brookie848]

1 minute ago, Greenpea2 said:

Why the need to laugh at and talk down to me? Feel better about yourself now?
 

 I  appreciate knowing it will be a different pier. That is helpful. The attitude and hahaha? Not so much. 

Sorry...but numerous people mentioned this and you kept insisting being across the street. That's where it came from.

 

Sheraton Old San Juan is definitely okay place to stay. Traffic at the pier can be bad. I would not make the trip twice. The Sheraton should be able to hold your luggage for you -- they did for us when our room was not ready when we arrived after check-in last year.

[Greenpea2]

1 hour ago, brookie848 said:

Sorry...but numerous people mentioned this and you kept insisting being across the street. That's where it came from.

 

Sheraton Old San Juan is definitely okay place to stay. Traffic at the pier can be bad. I would not make the trip twice. The Sheraton should be able to hold your luggage for you -- they did for us when our room was not ready when we arrived after check-in last year.

Apolopgy accepted. I did not see the other post mentioning the second pier. Have a lot going on at home that I am dealing with so I am a bit scattered.

 

There seems to be a hotel pretty near the Pan American pier--but tpeople in reviews of that hotel do say a cab will be necessary. All of them say it's about a 5 minute ride so I expect those reviews are pre-Viva added to the pier line-up. We are flexible -- just won't plan on shopping in San Juan and we will focus on getting a cab to sit in, in the traffic! 

[brookie848]

1 minute ago, Greenpea2 said:

Apolopgy accepted. I did not see the other post mentioning the second pier. Have a lot going on at home that I am dealing with so I am a bit scattered.

 

There seems to be a hotel pretty near the Pan American pier--but tpeople in reviews of that hotel do say a cab will be necessary. All of them say it's about a 5 minute ride so I expect those reviews are pre-Viva added to the pier line-up. We are flexible -- just won't plan on shopping in San Juan and we will focus on getting a cab to sit in, in the traffic! 

People do walk it from the hotels closest to the pier, but I wouldn't suggest it. There are no sidewalks on part of that road and the traffic can get really interesting. Plus, I don't want to start my vacation by being hot and sweaty.

 

As I mentioned, Sheraton Old San Juan was an okay place to stay. If you do it, book the breakfast package -- it was pretty decent. We also liked it because there was a Walgreens on the first level and we are really good at forgetting things. We walked up the hill the night before for dinner. We didn't do any other exploring because I was between foot surgeries and didn't want to spend any more time on my feet that day.

 

We're staying in Condado this year (we stayed there back in 2019 as well). Our hotel is the Condado Palm Inn -- it's a Hilton property. We stayed there is 2019 when it was a Best Western. Nothing really special about the hotel then, but the location was great. A lot of restaurants/shopping close by (CVS across one street and Walgreens across the other) and we walked over to the beach for a few minutes on embarkation day. I'll try to remember to report back on what the hotel is like now that it has been renovated.

[Greenpea2]

1 minute ago, brookie848 said:

People do walk it from the hotels closest to the pier, but I wouldn't suggest it. There are no sidewalks on part of that road and the traffic can get really interesting. Plus, I don't want to start my vacation by being hot and sweaty.

 

As I mentioned, Sheraton Old San Juan was an okay place to stay. If you do it, book the breakfast package -- it was pretty decent. We also liked it because there was a Walgreens on the first level and we are really good at forgetting things. We walked up the hill the night before for dinner. We didn't do any other exploring because I was between foot surgeries and didn't want to spend any more time on my feet that day.

 

We're staying in Condado this year (we stayed there back in 2019 as well). Our hotel is the Condado Palm Inn -- it's a Hilton property. We stayed there is 2019 when it was a Best Western. Nothing really special about the hotel then, but the location was great. A lot of restaurants/shopping close by (CVS across one street and Walgreens across the other) and we walked over to the beach for a few minutes on embarkation day. I'll try to remember to report back on what the hotel is like now that it has been renovated.

Great info--thank you! Do you know if the cab ride from Sheraton Old San Juan is a lot longer (time wise)? 

[brookie848]

28 minutes ago, Greenpea2 said:

Great info--thank you! Do you know if the cab ride from Sheraton Old San Juan is a lot longer (time wise)? 

I think cab rides from both places were around 15-20 minutes. We have a tendency to arrive early at the port if possible. Last year they were still disembarking when we arrived (probably around 10-10:30) and we did have to wait awhile before embarkation started. Our goal, however, is to get on the ship and start vacation as soon as possible.

[Greenpea2]

42 minutes ago, brookie848 said:

I think cab rides from both places were around 15-20 minutes. We have a tendency to arrive early at the port if possible. Last year they were still disembarking when we arrived (probably around 10-10:30) and we did have to wait awhile before embarkation started. Our goal, however, is to get on the ship and start vacation as soon as possible.

I hear ya. Me too! OK, thanks.

[Sam The Cat]

Greenpea 2

Saw your posting so I thought I would say Hi.   Hope you have a great time and I do give you permission to have one ok maybe two for us remembering the "classes"  we were in.

 

Sam  aka Andy, Buffalo, NY

[Sailing12Away]

18 hours ago, Greenpea2 said:

Excuse me but you are just wrong. The Sheraton Old San Juan is .14 mile from the pier. (meaning a few minutes walk). I have read numerous posts by people who have stayed there and walked to it. Is it literally "across the street"? Maybe not. But it is less than a quarter of a mile away. Traffic will not affect us.

 

And Old San Juan, is a neighborhood IN San Juan.  

Yeah, I had mentioned that there are 2 different ports. Your hotel is not near the embarkation pier. Which is why I had also suggested the option of staying at a hotel near Old San Juan (which you are) and leaving your bags there to walk and wander. Then taking a single trip (as suggested by others) to get over to the embarkation port.