Getting to the airport on time in San Juan

[swom]

Last year when we embarked in San Juan there were 2 ships embarking at the same time...

Because of some screw up, our color wasn't called so we finally just walked off the ship. If I hadn't pleaded with a few airline employees, we would have missed our flight for sure.

My question is: we book our flights independently, not thru Princess air. They still need to know when our flight number and what time it leaves.

Do they check to see if you truly have this flight? I'm thinking of giving them an earlier flight, just to make sure we get off in plenty of time to make our flight.

Last year, lines were ridiculous at San Juan airport.

I just don't want to miss our flight because of the same thing happening again next year.

Anyone know if they check to see if you really are on the flight you tell them?

Thanks!

[go&see]

I'm not an expert by any means but a lot of people talk about the self-disembark (I think that's what it's called...) where you carry your own luggage & usually you're in the first group to get off the ship. That means you don't have to put your luggage out the night before & you don't have to wait as long to get off the ship if you're desperate to get to the airport ASAP. Look through some of the other threads for more info on this, I've only cruised once but I've seen it mentioned on here a few times.

Hope this helps!!

[dcrow72]

they didn't allow self disembarking on our repositioning cruise on the CB 11/2. Not sure if this was because it was the first time the ship was in San Juan or not. Did the same cruise last year and it wasn't allowed then. Maybe someone who has been on CB since she was respostioned can reply and let you know if they offered it after us; I would have gladly walked off with everything if I could; that place is a mess! It was well worth it for us to get a hotel for one night in San Juan and avoid the airport chaos! We flew on Monday and there was no one in the airport. Last year the security line took well over 1 hour.

[arlenez]

they didn't allow self disembarking on our repositioning cruise on the CB 11/2. Not sure if this was because it was the first time the ship was in San Juan or not. Did the same cruise last year and it wasn't allowed then. Maybe someone who has been on CB since she was respostioned can reply and let you know if they offered it after us; I would have gladly walked off with everything if I could; that place is a mess! It was well worth it for us to get a hotel for one night in San Juan and avoid the airport chaos! We flew on Monday and there was no one in the airport. Last year the security line took well over 1 hour.

 

Hi Rosie:

 

I just saw your post and wanted to say hi to a close by neighbor. I live in Orange, right on the Orange/West Haven border. We're sailing on the CB in January and our flight home from San Juan is at 12:50 PM, so I think we have allowed enough time getting to and through the airport for our flight.

 

Best regards,

Arlene

[newfirsttimer]

We just came off the CB in San Juan yesterday. I found that the disembarkation process was excellent. OUr colour group was to meet at 9:15 and we were off the ship and had the luggage picked up by 9:30 then about 8 mins in the border checking process. We had transfers to the airport and arrived there around 11. Our check in went very smooth but our flight was not until 5 so there was no line up. The security was on Orange status yesterday so the process was quite long, at least 30 minutes. The biggest problem at the San Juan terminal is the taxis....the lineups can be horrible. My advice, book a transfer with any of the companies to avoid the long taxi line ups. CB only docks at the PanAmerican pier.

 

We were on for 14 days so we decided to visit old San Juan on the Sunday between and we waited over one hour to get a taxi into town....very disorganized.

[Nanatravel]

Judy good to know that disembarktion was better for you yesterday. They do not offer Self Embarkation.

 

However, if you feel that the luggage tag color, time of meeting and then disembarkation are "too late" for your flights, go to the pursers office and request earlier tags. They were very accommodating. Originally I had 11:15 brown tags. Our flights were at 2:30PM. I thought this was probably cutting it a little close. Boy was I right. Our friends who had the same time and were staying in San Juan overnight, never got off the ship until 1PM. The earlier tickets I got were for 8:40 meeting time. We did not get into a taxi until about 11AM. I would have been even more anxious if I then had to wait for a bus to fill up to go to the airport!

 

Bon Voyage

Nanatravel

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I am also glad to know that disembarkment was easier yesterday. We have a noon flight. It was later, but the airlines changed our flight time. I was hoping to change to a later flight but I don't see anything available with AA. Since we are already booked with them with non-refundable tickets I don't see any other choice. Since my DH & our travel companions have to be at work on Monday an overnight isn't a possibility. Hopefully we can get early tags. Did they ask when your flight time was prior to handing out the tags?

[howard6933]

I've been on several cruises out of San Juan and my advide to ANYONE sailing on a cruise leaving from San Juan is to get there a day or so before the cruise and try to stay a day or so after the cruise. If that doesn't work for you, at least TRY to stay a day after the cruise when all the cruise ships are gone. ;) The San Juan airport is probably in my opinion, one of the worst in the world. The lines on days ships return from cruises is terrible at the airline check-ins, and the security gates. :eek: If your ship arrives back in San Juan on sunday and you stay until monday, you'll be able to breeze through all the check-ins and other gates easily and not be pressured by time. Try it, you'll like it. :rolleyes:

[newmexicoNita]

Last year when we embarked in San Juan there were 2 ships embarking at the same time...

Because of some screw up, our color wasn't called so we finally just walked off the ship. If I hadn't pleaded with a few airline employees, we would have missed our flight for sure.

My question is: we book our flights independently, not thru Princess air. They still need to know when our flight number and what time it leaves.

Do they check to see if you truly have this flight? I'm thinking of giving them an earlier flight, just to make sure we get off in plenty of time to make our flight.

Last year, lines were ridiculous at San Juan airport.

I just don't want to miss our flight because of the same thing happening again next year.

Anyone know if they check to see if you really are on the flight you tell them?

Thanks!

 

you can do that, I know what you mean about the San juan lines, they are usually the very worst. We have waited an hour a few times when more than one ship has been debarking, the same with getting to the ship.. I will say, on our Princess cruise this past Jan they had a very organized debarkation.

 

NIta

[newmexicoNita]

I'm not an expert by any means but a lot of people talk about the self-disembark (I think that's what it's called...) where you carry your own luggage & usually you're in the first group to get off the ship. That means you don't have to put your luggage out the night before & you don't have to wait as long to get off the ship if you're desperate to get to the airport ASAP. Look through some of the other threads for more info on this, I've only cruised once but I've seen it mentioned on here a few times.

Hope this helps!!

 

Express debarkation used to work better than it does now: why? because so many people are now switching, plus handling all your own luggage can be a real pain unless you travel very lightly.

 

Nita

[bhopal21]

I've been on several cruises out of San Juan and my advide to ANYONE sailing on a cruise leaving from San Juan is to get there a day or so before the cruise and try to stay a day or so after the cruise. If that doesn't work for you, at least TRY to stay a day after the cruise when all the cruise ships are gone. ;) The San Juan airport is probably in my opinion, one of the worst in the world. The lines on days ships return from cruises is terrible at the airline check-ins, and the security gates. :eek: If your ship arrives back in San Juan on sunday and you stay until monday, you'll be able to breeze through all the check-ins and other gates easily and not be pressured by time. Try it, you'll like it. :rolleyes:

 

I could not agree more! SJU is nothing short of mayhem on the weekends for departing passengers and is certainly not for the faint of heart.

 

Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson (the world's busiest) is mighty tame compared to SJU.

 

Mike:)