7777leila Posted March 13, 2008 #1 Share Posted March 13, 2008 I'm taking the Southern Carib from San Juan and I have a question regarding the departing flights on that last Sunday-(ship gets in at 7am)- Does anyone know if an 11:30 am flight out would give me enough time to get off the ship and to the airport? How early do passengers really get off the ship? Is it hectic? I don't want to book a flight too early then have to race to the airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetocruise99 Posted March 13, 2008 #2 Share Posted March 13, 2008 I'm taking the Southern Carib from San Juan and I have a question regarding the departing flights on that last Sunday-(ship gets in at 7am)-Does anyone know if an 11:30 am flight out would give me enough time to get off the ship and to the airport? How early do passengers really get off the ship? Is it hectic? I don't want to book a flight too early then have to race to the airport. We've caught the 11:30 flights twice without any problems. But....we always carry our own luggage off the ship and are one of the first cruisers to arrive at the airport. We breeze through airline lines and security. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1stCruiser2008 Posted March 15, 2008 #3 Share Posted March 15, 2008 They started calling groups at 8:30, the first group, which you would be on, as they go by your flights, but I'd say it's cutting it pretty close. Donna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1stCruiser2008 Posted March 15, 2008 #4 Share Posted March 15, 2008 We've caught the 11:30 flights twice without any problems. But....we always carry our own luggage off the ship and are one of the first cruisers to arrive at the airport. We breeze through airline lines and security. I see you went 3 months apart on AOS -- was it still fun? May I ask why you did that? Donna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uksimonusa Posted March 15, 2008 #5 Share Posted March 15, 2008 We had a 12.00 flight, and being diamond members were first off the ship, it was still cutting it close, the lines at the airport were very long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortypro Posted March 15, 2008 #6 Share Posted March 15, 2008 we were off the ship at 9:45 i think 11:30 would be cutting it cost but doable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Boy Posted March 15, 2008 #7 Share Posted March 15, 2008 I think an 11:30 flight is reasonable but don't plan on having a very relaxing morning. And make sure you get an early departure off of the ship. Remember, both Adventure and Carnival's Triumph pull in on Sunday morning. That produces a lot of people to descend on the airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danyelle Posted March 15, 2008 #8 Share Posted March 15, 2008 i had a flight that early and it was suggested to me by members here to change it just to avoid the headache. Good luck with whatever you decide. PS when's your cruise? We're on her in sept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maggieq Posted March 15, 2008 #9 Share Posted March 15, 2008 I have never had a problem getting off the ship. It will not be a relaxing morning but if you do the express debarkationa and take off your own bags, you will be first off and can relax once at the airport. We have never done the express with the aos but we have usually had one of the first few colors called and were checked in waiting for our flight around 8:30/9:00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetocruise99 Posted March 15, 2008 #10 Share Posted March 15, 2008 I see you went 3 months apart on AOS -- was it still fun? May I ask why you did that? Donna Yes, it was still fun!!! Actually we've been on AOS three times since June. We cruised June, September and February. We went on two separate routes and they were both quite different. We booked again for next September because the prices are so cheap. (Hurricane season though). I like the southern caribbean because the weather is always nice and fairly predictable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toonjie Posted March 15, 2008 #11 Share Posted March 15, 2008 11:30 should be no problem as long as there are no issues with the ship clearing customs. Our last cruise on the AOS I was up super early that Sunday morning and the ship meets the pilot at 5:00am and is usually docked by 5:30am, earliest passengers getting off starting at 7:00am. (either route it just comes from St. Thomas- 40 miles) You can do luggage express if you are with one of the participating airlines or if you don't, leave your cruise debarkation tags on your luggage and it will save you from going through the agriculture inspection line at the airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airtita Posted March 15, 2008 #12 Share Posted March 15, 2008 We did this itinerary last August and had an 11a nonstop out of San Juan to LAX. We got EARLY departure and had no problems making our flight. In fact, we got to the airport and through security so fast, we had over an hour before boarding at the airport! I would suggest, if it's offered through your airline, to pay the extra $$ and get the valet service. You have to buy it on board the ship but what it gets you is after you clear customs and immigration, you take your bags to the airline check in counter right at the port and you don't have to worry about your bags again until you pick them up at baggage claim at your final destination. That way, once you get to the airport, just go through security and you're done. You won't have to wait in line to check you bags and then again for security. We didn't realize this was a separate charge and had to lug our luggage to the airport counter and check in again - we still had a lot of time - but it was just a hassle to get all the luggage to the counter when we could have paid the extra $$ and just done it at the port. Remember, if you want to do the valet service, you have to purchase it on board the ship the night or two before. They won't let you do it once you get off the ship. Have a wonderful time - we did!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtgirl Posted March 15, 2008 #13 Share Posted March 15, 2008 How far is the airport from the pier in San Juan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Boy Posted March 15, 2008 #14 Share Posted March 15, 2008 How far is the airport from the pier in San Juan? With typical traffic it is about a 20 minutes ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovetocruise99 Posted March 15, 2008 #15 Share Posted March 15, 2008 You can do luggage express if you are with one of the participating airlines or if you don't, leave your cruise debarkation tags on your luggage and it will save you from going through the agriculture inspection line at the airport. THis is a good point. Make sure you have a cruise luggage tag on every single bag so if you decide to check it at the last minute you'll be covered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shayelle Posted March 16, 2008 #16 Share Posted March 16, 2008 I'm taking the Southern Carib from San Juan and I have a question regarding the departing flights on that last Sunday-(ship gets in at 7am)-Does anyone know if an 11:30 am flight out would give me enough time to get off the ship and to the airport? How early do passengers really get off the ship? Is it hectic? I don't want to book a flight too early then have to race to the airport. We just got off the Serenade on the 15th. We waited in the private departure lounge, we were some of the first off the ship (as was anyone who is platinum and above that wants to get off first no matter what time your flight is). We were off the ship, got our bags and to the airport at 9:25am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
endoellen Posted March 16, 2008 #17 Share Posted March 16, 2008 What is the cost for the valet service? It sounds like that would be the way to go if trying to save time & hassle of going thru 2 lines at the airport. This will be our first time cruising from SJ & had same questions about booking an earlier flight. Also, are taxis readily available at the pier when we disembark? This will be our 4th RCCL cruise, so I don't think we qualify for any special treatment. Do you think they would still let us have express disembarkation?:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Boy Posted March 16, 2008 #18 Share Posted March 16, 2008 What is the cost for the valet service? It sounds like that would be the way to go if trying to save time & hassle of going thru 2 lines at the airport.This will be our first time cruising from SJ & had same questions about booking an earlier flight. Also, are taxis readily available at the pier when we disembark? This will be our 4th RCCL cruise, so I don't think we qualify for any special treatment. Do you think they would still let us have express disembarkation?:confused: The cost is $20.00 per person and it includes up to two pieces of luggage. Getting a taxi is not an issue at all. They will be lined up and there will be a person coordinating them. You tell this person where you want to go, they give you a receipt with the charge on it, get the cab for you and off you go. It is very organized and painless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toonjie Posted March 16, 2008 #19 Share Posted March 16, 2008 We just got off the Serenade on the 15th. We waited in the private departure lounge, we were some of the first off the ship (as was anyone who is platinum and above that wants to get off first no matter what time your flight is). We were off the ship, got our bags and to the airport at 9:25am. Just a caution if you are platinum: Technically the platinum benefit is only the private departure lounge, not priority debarkation. In other words, you can sit in the lounge until whatever number you were assigned is called. That said, the LA the last 2 times I was on the AOS has gotten us off right after the diamond passengers were escorted off. He immediately gave us #1 debarkation slips and he said he would see how it was going when he escorted off the D+ and diamond members and then come get us. Both times we ended up being the first in line for the #1 debarkation slips being called. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shayelle Posted March 16, 2008 #20 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Just a caution if you are platinum: Technically the platinum benefit is only the private departure lounge, not priority debarkation. In other words, you can sit in the lounge until whatever number you were assigned is called. That said, the LA the last 2 times I was on the AOS has gotten us off right after the diamond passengers were escorted off. He immediately gave us #1 debarkation slips and he said he would see how it was going when he escorted off the D+ and diamond members and then come get us. Both times we ended up being the first in line for the #1 debarkation slips being called. We were clearly included in the early debarkation on this cruise and we are only platinum. The letter in our room invited us to the lounge and to be first off the ship if we wanted. That's good to know thought that it may not happen on every cruise (at least the next 2, until we reach Diamond!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musigurl Posted March 16, 2008 #21 Share Posted March 16, 2008 I was just there yesterday -- had a 10am flight home -- there's an extra-early group for people with early flights -- they had us meet at 7:15am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiser21 Posted March 16, 2008 #22 Share Posted March 16, 2008 I was just there yesterday -- had a 10am flight home -- there's an extra-early group for people with early flights -- they had us meet at 7:15am. What time did you get off the ship and what time did you get to the airport for your 10am flight? I was looking at a 10am flight but thought it may be to early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toonjie Posted March 16, 2008 #23 Share Posted March 16, 2008 That's a good sign, I always thought that was silly that platinum people got the lounge, but not priority departure! Maybe now they are taking into account how many diamond and diamond + people they have and if there are not too many, they are inviting platinum people as well. It also may depend on how many people need to get off early for early flights, excursions, etc. and how many are doing self-debarkation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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