For all those who have booked or are going to book the AOS - read this!

[gas1208]

The lines were VERY long to get a taxi after collecting your bags...

The trick is to get a porter to handle your bags once you are in the terminal. He will then walk you thru customs area and straight to the head of the line of taxi's... Apparently, the porters have a thing worked out with the taxi starter person (whatever he is called) to allow them to get back inside asap. It was well worth the tip to the baggage handler! I was going to tip the usual $5 for 3 bags but when I saw how long a line we jumped with him, I gave him $10- well worth it!!!!!!!!!!

we just got out flight changed again leaving SJ on our 10-18 departure to 10:40am

how worried should i be?

[ckrobyn]

we just got out flight changed again leaving SJ on our 10-18 departure to 10:40am

how worried should i be?

 

Are you saying your flight home is at 10:40am? If that is the case, while not a good time, it is do-able as long as you are the first off the ship. That being said, you still have to hope that the ship clears customs and there are no delays. You have no margin for error here......

[toonjie]

:D 8 weeks from today is my turn on AOS!

 

San Juan is an hour ahead of Eastern time right? Do we then stay on the same time the whole week? We are doing the Barbados route. TIA

 

Correct, Puerto Rico and all the Islands on the Barbados route are on Atlantic Standard Time, (AST), which is normally 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time. It is really easy now though since none of these islands observes Daylight Savings Time, (not even St. Croix or St. Thomas). So while we are on Daylight Savings Time, the time in Puerto Rico, on the ship and all the islands of the Barbados route is the same as Eastern Standard Time.

 

Have a great cruise, wish we were down to 8 weeks!

[olemissreb]

Correct, Puerto Rico and all the Islands on the Barbados route are on Atlantic Standard Time, (AST), which is normally 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time. It is really easy now though since none of these islands observes Daylight Savings Time, (not even St. Croix or St. Thomas). So while we are on Daylight Savings Time, the time in Puerto Rico, on the ship and all the islands of the Barbados route is the same as Eastern Standard Time.

 

Have a great cruise, wish we were down to 8 weeks!

 

Toonjie - does that include the Aruba route too? I'm assuming it does, but then you know what happens when you assume! :o When we sail it will be after we "spring forward" so at least I don't have to worry about resetting my watch when we fly to San Juan.

 

I wish I were down to 8 weeks instead of 8 months!!

[greytgrlz]

We sail a week after you. I am so excited. It is our first cruise, and hopefully the first of many.

:D 8 weeks from today is my turn on AOS!

 

San Juan is an hour ahead of Eastern time right? Do we then stay on the same time the whole week? We are doing the Barbados route. TIA

[toonjie]

Toonjie - does that include the Aruba route too? I'm assuming it does, but then you know what happens when you assume! :o When we sail it will be after we "spring forward" so at least I don't have to worry about resetting my watch when we fly to San Juan.

 

I wish I were down to 8 weeks instead of 8 months!!

 

Hi. Yes, Aruba and Curacao are AST as well and don't observe Daylight Savings Time. BTW, the ship will usually stay on the time of it's homeport throughout the entire cruise, so when you do a Western Caribbean cruise there is an hour difference with ports like Grand Cayman that are on Eastern Standard Time all year long.

[lostdart58]

San Juan is only an hour ahead when the east coast is NOT on daylight savings time.

[CruisinManiac]

I am so confused now, but now I think I understand why my flight from Atlanta says it is almost 4 hours, when I didn't remember it being that long. We fly on October 3rd, and leave at 9:45, so when we land in San Juan at 1:21, what time will it be in Atlanta?

[toonjie]

I am so confused now, but now I think I understand why my flight from Atlanta says it is almost 4 hours, when I didn't remember it being that long. We fly on October 3rd, and leave at 9:45, so when we land in San Juan at 1:21, what time will it be in Atlanta?

 

1:21. It is that long a flight unfortunately.

[CruisinManiac]

Puerto Rico and all the Islands on the Barbados route are on Atlantic Standard Time, (AST), which is normally 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

 

I thought the time was the same, but from the above statement, I was confused. Still don't remember that flight being so long. I am definitely getting some good head phones. I am upset that our airline has changed the equipment to seating from 2-3-2 to 3-3 and it is packed! :mad:

[toonjie]

[quote name='CruisinManiac']I thought the time was the same, but from the above statement, I was confused. Still don't remember that flight being so long. I am definitely getting some good head phones. I am upset that our airline has changed the equipment to seating from 2-3-2 to 3-3 and it is packed! :mad:[/QUOTE]

The time is the same when the East Coast is on Daylight Savings Time, the rest of the year they are one hour ahead. I think your flight will get in early, the airlines are notorious now for stating the flight time as longer than it actually is to make their on time record look better.

[rianvi]

Glad this thread is still going. Lots of good info.
Toonjie...Thank you for the info regarding the time difference.

Anna:)

[lostdart58]

When you board the ship in San Juan, what deck do you board on?

Port or starboard?

(just useless information that I am curious about) ;)

[love2vacation]

[quote name='lostdart58']When you board the ship in San Juan, what deck do you board on?

Port or starboard?

(just useless information that I am curious about) ;)[/quote]

RC it has always been starboard for us and as to deck it depends on the ship. We have been on both AOS and SOS and I think they board on different decks. I think OAS the deck was the same as the Lobby Bar bar because that is where we went...............;)

[toonjie]

[quote name='lostdart58']When you board the ship in San Juan, what deck do you board on?

Port or starboard?

(just useless information that I am curious about) ;)[/QUOTE]

Port side, deck 4, Promenade Deck. AOS backs into the canal, so she is bow facing the Old San Juan Piers to pull out of the port going forward.

[Eliger]

[quote name='love2vacation']RC it has always been starboard for us and as to deck it depends on the ship. We have been on both AOS and SOS and I think they board on different decks. I think OAS the deck was the same as the Lobby Bar bar because that is where we went...............;)[/quote]

[quote name='toonjie']Port side, deck 4, Promenade Deck. AOS backs into the canal, so she is bow facing the Old San Juan Piers to pull out of the port going forward.[/quote]
Interesting... Anyone care to narrow it down as to the possibilies? Port or starboard? ;)

Gerry

[love2vacation]

In 2008 we where in JS 1024 (Port side) on the AOS and this was our view from our balcony - waiting to depart SJ.
[IMG]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8db08b3127ccec46f79f58c3100000040O08AYuWrdm1atAe3nwM/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/[/IMG]

In 2006 we were on the Serenade on (starboard) cabin 8596 and this was our view. (see photo below)

Hope the visual helps!! So I guess if you are on the AOS and want to have a balcony facing the water while in SJU waiting to depart, you would want port side on the AOS. ( that is if the docking is always the same..............;)) port=left, starboard= right





[IMG]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b6dd03b3127ccecdf89faa1cec00000010O08AYuWrdm1atAe3nwM/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/[/IMG]

[love2vacation]

:o Sorry, JS 1624. (not 1024) and since we where on the port side and faced the terminal you would want to be on the opposite side (starboard).................to view the water on the AOS.

Darn, I just realized we are on the port on the Serenade in Feb. so I guess I will be looking at the terminal again!

[toonjie]

[quote name='love2vacation']In 2008 we where in JS 1024 (Port side) on the AOS and this was our view from our balcony - waiting to depart SJ.
[IMG]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8db08b3127ccec46f79f58c3100000040O08AYuWrdm1atAe3nwM/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/[/IMG]

In 2006 we were on the Serenade on (starboard) cabin 8596 and this was our view. (see photo below)

Hope the visual helps!! So I guess if you are on the AOS and want to have a balcony facing the water while in SJU waiting to depart, you would want [COLOR="Red"]port side[/COLOR] on the AOS. ( that is if the docking is always the same..............;)) port=left, starboard= right



[IMG]http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b6dd03b3127ccecdf89faa1cec00000010O08AYuWrdm1atAe3nwM/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/[/IMG][/QUOTE]


I think you meant to say starboard. Port side cabins face the pier on the AOS, starboard would be facing the canal and Old San Juan.

Embarkation/debarkation is port side, deck 4, Promenade deck.

Here she is in port:
[IMG]http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj222/toonjie/DSCN1127.jpg[/IMG]

[love2vacation]

[quote name='toonjie']I think you meant to say starboard. Port side cabins face the pier on the AOS, starboard would be facing the canal and Old San Juan.

[/quote]

All I can say is when we where in JS 1624 the view from our JS was the terminal building. If you look at the deck plan 1624 is is on the port side of the ship. Note my picture taken from our balcony. So you would need to be on the strboard side to see the water!:)

[toonjie]

[quote name='love2vacation']All I can say is when we where in JS 1624 the view from our JS was the terminal building. If you look at the deck plan 1624 is is on the port side of the ship. Note my picture taken from our balcony. So you would need to be on the strboard side to see the water!:)[/QUOTE]

Yes, port is terminal side, starboard water side.

[amcg96]

[quote name='slyjester99']I actually have family in San Juan and will be flying in late the day prior to my cruise. My question is it worth renting a car to get to the port or should I just take a taxi. I found a website listing the taxi prices and they are roughly the same as the rental. However, I am not sure where if I can drop my car close to the port or not. What do you suggest? This is my first cruise by the way. Oh and I was wondering if anyone has any shore excursion recommendations? I planned this trip less than a month before I leave (23Aug) so I am a bit hurried in sorting about my plans! I am not sure to get a book, book something on my own, or through RC itself. Any recommendations are greatly apprecaited. Thanks![/QUOTE]

Well, I don't know the route but if having Aruba as a port of call you should do the Jolly Pirates... it was the best during our trip.

[Krickett]

[COLOR=DarkOrchid][FONT=Comic Sans MS]More Questions for All:D

Can anyone recommend a post cruise 'Hotel for the day", our flight is not untill 4:40pm so I thought we would do some touring but DH just thought to get a hotel for the day.
We are staying at the Marriott Stellaris pre-cruise so it would be nice to try a different hotel post cruise, you know prep work for the next time:D:D

Any suggestions???

Thanks Kar
[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Madkitty]

last time we were in SJ we stayed at the Marriott Isla Verde which had a lovely beach location. We're off to the Hilton this year but obviously cant comment on that yet

[Ang517]

I didn't even think about doing that. Our flight doesnt leave until 5:30 and I was wondering what to do. Good idea. Are there any hotels that do that?