San Juan 10:00 a.m. flight is there a enough time

[magnumcoog]

I am looking at booking a flight that departs San Juan at 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Adventure of the Seas docks at 7:00 a.m. Will I have enough time?

 

If I take the 10:00 a.m. flight I get home late afternoon. If I take an afternoon flight out of San Juan I will not get home until after midnight.

 

Thanks in advance.

[billybob123]

I am looking at booking a flight that departs San Juan at 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Adventure of the Seas docks at 7:00 a.m. Will I have enough time?

 

I wouldn't recommend it. It is unlikely, even with the earliest disembarkation tags and no lineups at the airport that you will get there in time for a 10:00 am flight. Remember that luggage must be checked in 30 minutes before the flight, so you're looking at 9:30, plus a 20-30 minute drive to the airport, so you will have to be OUT of the customs etc by 9:00.

 

I wouldn't book anything earlier than 11:45 or noon.

 

My experience, early disembarkation, cab to airport, etc, we were past security by 9:45, but that was a lucky day. I'd rather take the late flight (post-midnight) than missing the early flight and possibly having to wait for another day to get home because the flights are full.

[doublechin]

We just off Adventure of the seas on April 15 and made a flight on American at 10:05am without any problem. If your final stop before returning to San Juan is St. Thomas, immigration will be already done so unless the ship is late you should make it. They have a special sign up for early depature at the pursers desk - you have to show them a copy of your air tickets and are given passes for early departure. You are escorted off at approximately 7:30am from I believe the Imperial Lounge. As the first off the ship there are no lines and it is only 10 minutes to the airport on Sunday morning - no traffic. Arriving that early at the airport there were absolutely no lines to check in or at security. Enjoy your trip whatever flight you choose.

[TRadle]

You still have to go through Customs. We’ve sailed twice on AOS and getting off the ship has been a nightmare both times. I wouldn’t chance any flight before 11 AM.

[Firefighterhoop]

San Juan is the worst port for customs I have sailed from. it takes forever, and the airport security lines have been known to back up quite often.

 

I agree with most, nothing before noon.

[magnumcoog]

AOS will be in St. Thomas the previous day.

[wolfganghowell]

Two words - NO WAY. Two more - ABSOLUTELY NOT. San Juan has the worst lines and check in and security I have ever seen. It's a pain but I wouldn't book a flight before 11:30. Sorry.

[magnumcoog]

I am still undecided, but thanks.

[celebrity]

I am still undecided, but thanks.

 

Trust me, I have flown from Puerto Rico and although I am less than thrilled with waiting at the airport, it sure beats missing the plane.

[LLSullie]

Trust me, I have flown from Puerto Rico and although I am less than thrilled with waiting at the airport, it sure beats missing the plane.

 

Early off the ship "could" get you to the airport in time, hang on to your luggage the night before.

 

However, a day room in San Juan is not expensive and what better way to end your vacation then hanging out at a beach or walking around Old San Juan, grab a little lunch, mosey to the airport.

 

Better home late and relaxed then stressing about whether or not your going to miss your flight and getting through check-in and security.

[michigan tim]

I would not want a tight connection home to be haunting me during my vacation.

[glgolfer]

Just got off the Navigator in Southampton with a 1220 flight out of Gatwick. We got to the airport at 1200 due to not getting off the ship until 0930 instead of 0730 like thay claimed we would.

We made the flight only because it was delayed 2 1/2 hours.

Many people did not make theirs.

 

Unless everything is perfect, you won't make 1000.

[mikeblum]

i just got off the ADVENTURE OF THE SEA'S in san juan and we were also the 1st ones off the ship and we walked off at 8:45 and we still had to gather our bags and go thru customs with our porter...we were in the cab by 9am and at the airport by 9:20am...then the fun started at the airport...the lines were rediculus at the continental counter and then it took 45 minutes thru the security line...needless to say we would not have made it to a 10am flight...go ahead and book it but you seriously may want to have a back up plan in the bullpen...THE LAST DAY OF THE CRUISE SUCKS...it's bad ebnough that your hopping off a dream but then you have to fight to get home...ish...but there's nothing you can do about it...it's real life...

[TITISSA]

Don't book anything out of San Juan before 11:30 AM. Around noon would be a safer choice.

[Flyinman]

I have to disagree with most of the posts. We were on Serenade January of last year and had a Continental flight around 10:00 am. I informed the guest relations desk of this when we boarded and again 2 nights before we got off the ship. The night before we received special departure instructions to meet in the theater at 7:00 am for early departure. We met at 7:00 am, were off the ship, through customs and in a taxi by 7:30 am and at the airport by 8 am. A representative from RCCL had a clip board with our names and several others and walked us off the ship to customs. There were more Customs agents than people so no problem at all. I would double check with RCCL that this policy still exists.

 

Later,

J

[michigan tim]

I have to disagree with most of the posts. We were on Serenade January of last year and had a Continental flight around 10:00 am. I informed the guest relations desk of this when we boarded and again 2 nights before we got off the ship. The night before we received special departure instructions to meet in the theater at 7:00 am for early departure. We met at 7:00 am, were off the ship, through customs and in a taxi by 7:30 am and at the airport by 8 am. A representative from RCCL had a clip board with our names and several others and walked us off the ship to customs. There were more Customs agents than people so no problem at all. I would double check with RCCL that this policy still exists.

 

Later,

J

 

 

So that is what, 2 out of 10 that say go for it? Why would you take those odds?

[jimbug]

Well, you have a shot, but not a guarantee.

 

It is possible that they will let you off before 8 am as the two previous posters have stated, and you will probably be fine.

 

BUT, it is also possible that they won't do this, and not to mention, your sailing could be one of the randomly-selected days they do crew immigration, which means every crew member has to do immigration before ANY passengers can get off...which can hold up things tremendously. I think (not certain) that this happens once a month...I know it does in Los Angeles, maybe someone can comment about San Juan.

[TITISSA]

Well, you have a shot, but not a guarantee.

 

It is possible that they will let you off before 8 am as the two previous posters have stated, and you will probably be fine.

 

BUT, it is also possible that they won't do this, and not to mention, your sailing could be one of the randomly-selected days they do crew immigration, which means every crew member has to do immigration before ANY passengers can get off...which can hold up things tremendously. I think (not certain) that this happens once a month...I know it does in Los Angeles, maybe someone can comment about San Juan.

 

I was on the Freedom of the Seas on April 15 and the entire crew had to go through immigration before any guests could board the ship. It took for ever. I don't know if the same is true during disembarkation. So many things can go wrong I think it's too risky to book an early flight. It's better to wait at the airport for your flight than to miss it.

[willysgrandma]

Not only can't you control what happens with Customs or Immigration, the San Juan airport is one of the worst I've ever been to trying to get back home.

 

We did the self service check in, waited almost a half hour for them to take the luggage and then had a 45 minute line to get through security.

 

No way woud I book a 10:00 flight - there are too many things that can hold you up. You aren't going to save anything if you miss your flight because the check in at the airport was too slow.

[magnumcoog]

Thank you, afternoon flight it will be.

[Hflors]

Early off the ship "could" get you to the airport in time, hang on to your luggage the night before.

 

However, a day room in San Juan is not expensive and what better way to end your vacation then hanging out at a beach or walking around Old San Juan, grab a little lunch, mosey to the airport.

 

Better home late and relaxed then stressing about whether or not your going to miss your flight and getting through check-in and security.

 

LLSullie - are you familiar with hotels which have "day rooms" ? On our last cruise I wasn't able to find a hotel to book, for my next cruise I would love to have this available since our flight doesn't leave until 9pm!

 

Thanks for any info.

[Lynnees]

We flew out of San Juan twice this year. Both times we were at the airport by 9am.

 

However, in saying that, there are other things to consider. The first one being - if you are diamond or platinium and particularly if you are flying with one of the airlines that have an agreement with RCL to check in luggage at the pier you stand a good chance of making it.

 

Diamond and platinium are escorted off the ship first by the loyality person. It doesn't matter what colour your tags are. The first problem you can hit is picking out your own baggage in the warehouse. If you can do that quickly enough you will get through customs sooner. Mind you, on the second trip there were no customs in place when we arrived at the kiosks so that was another holdup.

 

Anyway, we were at the airport quite early so it was before the majority and madhouse. They just don't have enough security checks. Also, security seems to like to go through almost everything. (I have an opinion about that but won't voice it here.) The earlier you can get to the airport the better.

 

Because we were there so early we heard a lot of people being paged and saw even more running like crazy to make their 10 - 10:30 flights. Ours was at 1 and as much as I don't like San Juan airport, I don't regret making them later.

[airtita]

We have already booked our flights out of SJU - AA at 10:50a. When we made our RCCL reservations, we were told anything after 10a would be fine. We've signed up for the post cruise so theoretically, we should be first off and have our bags meet us at our final destination. We're also in FC on AA; do they have a seperate line in security for that like United does? Oh well, at this point, can't worry too much and just hope for the best. We've flown out of Luis Munoz last April and it wasn't too bad ~ guess we just got lucky!