AIRFARE for December Panama sailing , info please on Acapulco airport

[ajj0624]

My husband and I are booked on the Dec.10 Panama sailing on Princess. I am wondering is it too early to book airfare? Does anyone have any experience with the airport at Acapulco? How long do i need to allow to get off the ship and make the earliest flight? Taxi or shuttle to airport?

[paul929207]

There are not a lot of flights from Acapulco each day. You should be looking now.

[katiepe]

I would agree about booking or at least looking now. I have already booked our flights and did manage to save a couple of hundred dollars. Some of my fellow cruisers got excellent deals travelling within the US. Sorry didnt look where you were from before starting my reply.

You need to allow a fair amount of time at ACA as from what I have read on others posts the airport can be a "zoo". I have read at least 3 hours for checking in!

On our Panama Cruise we are overnighting in Acapulco and flying home the next day. I didnt want to end our vacation with a mad rush.

[jff50]

We did the Canal (San Juan to Acapulco) on the Island Princess about a year and a half ago. A great cruise. We spent the night in Acapulco before flying home the next day. We had no problems at the airport. But I do understand that people on our cruise that flew out the day we disembarked found the airport experience to be horrendous.

[Tweedy]

Leave yourself plenty of time to get from the airport to the terminal. I was in Acapulco 10 years ago. It took us 2 hours to get from the airport (once we passed through customs) to our hotel. The hotel was up the hill from the main beach area. Traffic is insane in Acapulco.

[karmacruiser]

We did the Canal (San Juan to Acapulco) on the Island Princess about a year and a half ago. A great cruise. We spent the night in Acapulco before flying home the next day. We had no problems at the airport. But I do understand that people on our cruise that flew out the day we disembarked found the airport experience to be horrendous.

 

 

I wonder how bad it is for non international flights? We have a 3:30pm flight to Guadalajara and wanted to take a tour that dropped us at the airport. Would we be crazy to take the tour or will they drop us with enough time to make the flight?

[caber]

It`s a few years ago now since we were in Acapulco airport but it was a shambles. They were opening one in four cases which delayed things immensely.

 

We watched the baggage handlers, so bad it was funny:eek:

 

It may have improved.:rolleyes:

[COMBOY]

My husband and I are booked on the Dec.10 Panama sailing on Princess. I am wondering is it too early to book airfare? Does anyone have any experience with the airport at Acapulco? How long do i need to allow to get off the ship and make the earliest flight? Taxi or shuttle to airport?

 

I did this cruise several years ago and no, it's not too early to book your airfare. If I'm correct you arrive Acapulco on Dec 20 which is a prime holiday date. Airfares and space to/from vacation destination can be at a premium this time of year so booking your airfare sooner will be cheaper than waiting. The port of Acapulco to the airport is quite a drive (a bit scenic too) so I would give yourself plenty of time. I would call Princess and see if they will be offering bus transfers that you can purchase to the airport and the cost which might be cheaper than a taxi/shuttle. I would also ask them when they would advise you of earliest departure time you should book your flight. Even though the ship arrives at 7:00AM the ship still has to the cleared by Mexican customs and immigration which can take several hours plus the time to get to the airport and check in. IMO I wouldn't book anything prior to 1PM, but again you should call and verify this with Princess.

[mamypat]

Just a heads up!!! Last October my father had 31/2 hours to get thru the airport and ended up missing his flight. They were hand searching every bag, with all the passengers coming off of cruise ships the airport was a mess. He will never fly out right after a cruise again.

[Elmendorks]

We are doing the December 10 panama sailing also. I booked our airfare last week. I feel like we got a good deal. Plus it's done and I don't have to worry about it. We will be overnighting in Acapulco as to avoid being rushed.

[paul929207]

I wonder how bad it is for non international flights? We have a 3:30pm flight to Guadalajara and wanted to take a tour that dropped us at the airport. Would we be crazy to take the tour or will they drop us with enough time to make the flight?

We took a Princess tour that dropped us at the airport about noon. That is plenty of time for a mid afternoon flight.

[karmacruiser]

We took a Princess tour that dropped us at the airport about noon. That is plenty of time for a mid afternoon flight.

 

Thank you, that would work out good then.

[LisaH]

My husband and I are booked on the Dec.10 Panama sailing on Princess. I am wondering is it too early to book airfare? Does anyone have any experience with the airport at Acapulco? How long do i need to allow to get off the ship and make the earliest flight? Taxi or shuttle to airport?

 

The Acapulco airport in my opinion (and my hubby's) will make you NEVER want to go to Acapulco again. It has been a few years since we have been through it and I hope to never again have to be in it. The luggage process at the airport was in a word...chaotic. It took about an hour to check in our luggage with the masses that arrived at the same time. I don't remember how long it took to get to the airport from the ship - sorry can't help with that. And I may be providing more negative info than you need or care about but...

 

It was barely air conditioned, dirty and just not a fun place to be. In all honesty, I was never happier to get off the ground. The friends we were with agreed. But for all I know major improvements may have been made since the last time we were there.