cruise>airport

looking to book my first even cruise out of San Juan but have a question.

so ok, the ship docks back up at 6am: there is a 1030 AM flight home....my question is, can i make this?

The other flight option does not leave until 5pm: if i take that, what am i to do the rest of the day?

Thank you

The trip from airport to cruise port is about 25-30 minutes. If everything went perfectly, you could possibly make the early flight. Of course, if the ship is late or there is some issue getting clearance from the authorities when it does get back, your debarkation time could vary and your chance of making that flight would be questionable. If you book the later flight, transportation costs in San Juan are cheap! I would take my luggage to the airport and check it, then catch a bus/taxi back into Old San Juan and enjoy walking around!

Either way, I hope you have a great cruise and don't have too much trouble catching your flight! :D

looking to book my first even cruise out of San Juan but have a question.

 

so ok, the ship docks back up at 6am: there is a 1030 AM flight home....my question is, can i make this?

 

The other flight option does not leave until 5pm: if i take that, what am i to do the rest of the day?

 

Thank you

There is usually a tour offered by the ship that ends at the airport in the late afternoon. That is a good way to sightsee and not be worried about missing a morning flight.

San Juan airport can be very backed up. First you have to have your luggage clear Agriculture check and then you have the security lines. Just because the ship is scheduled to dock at 6 A.M, even if it is tied up on time, you will not be disembarking at 6:00. You will have to clear CBP and those lines can be long.

I would book the later flight though it is definitely possible you could make the earlier flight. I would not take the chance.

While 10:30 is doable, I agree with the other posts regarding the timing. The biggest concern with me would be at the airport which, as mentioned, can be slow with lines and congestion. We have made an 11:30 flight several times before but that would be our early comfort level.

Maybe consider the Bacardi tour, or a trip to the rain forest, or just spend time in Old San Juan, which has many very good local restaurants for lunch. But unless you were off the ship and on your way to the airport by 7:30, I think you may be cutting it close with that flight.

looking to book my first even cruise out of San Juan but have a question.

 

so ok, the ship docks back up at 6am: there is a 1030 AM flight home....my question is, can i make this?

 

The other flight option does not leave until 5pm: if i take that, what am i to do the rest of the day?

 

Thank you

No.

Just because the ship docks at 6 you won't be off at 6 may not be off till after 8 next customs, next get a cab about 1/2 hour to airport, for a 10:30 flight probably need to check un by 10:00.

Cutting it mighty slim.

I would not take a chance with a 10:30 AM flight. You could easily miss it.

Keith

I would not want the stress of worrying about catching a 10:30 AM flight. Not a nice way to end the cruise.

Go with the later flight.

The cruise lines do offer tours where your luggage goes on the bus with you and the tour ends at the airport. Book one of them.

10:30 is fine. Unless the ship is delayed you should have no problem at all. Make sure to use a porter at the airport.

As a side note, would it be easier to fly in and out of MIA instead of FLL? There are many more flights to MIA.

The ship arriving at 6:00 does not mean you can get off at 6:00. Probably disembarkation begins at 8:30 or so and your own disembarkation might not be for another hour after that. You can get off earlier using self-help disembarkation (carry all your bags off in one go) but you still need to clear customs and immigration.

The ship arriving at 6:00 does not mean you can get off at 6:00. Probably disembarkation begins at 8:30 or so and your own disembarkation might not be for another hour after that. You can get off earlier using self-help disembarkation (carry all your bags off in one go) but you still need to clear customs and immigration.

The OP didn't mention what cruise line is involved but our experience with RCI is that early and self disembarkation typically is first commencing around 7:00 - 7:30 AM. Scheduled disembarkation follows continuously until 9:00 - 9:30 when all passengers will be off the ship.

San Juan airport can be very backed up. First you have to have your luggage clear Agriculture check and then you have the security lines. Just because the ship is scheduled to dock at 6 A.M, even if it is tied up on time, you will not be disembarking at 6:00. You will have to clear CBP and those lines can be long.

 

I would book the later flight though it is definitely possible you could make the earlier flight. I would not take the chance.

Good point about the AG Line - it can be very slow

I am famous for booking early flights, just did it again a few days ago. Started worrying and planning disembarkation the day before and disembarkation day went fine in FLL but finally said never again, the stress of racing around early in the morning just puts a damper on the whole cruise. Also, most all flights in PR are over-booked so who knows when you might get a flight home if you miss the 10:30

In PR Celebrity did have a special where they delivered our luggage to our airlines, we then took a short tour with our carry-ons and then a mid-day flight home.

looking to book my first even cruise out of San Juan but have a question.

 

so ok, the ship docks back up at 6am: there is a 1030 AM flight home....my question is, can i make this?

 

The other flight option does not leave until 5pm: if i take that, what am i to do the rest of the day?

 

Thank you

Another option to think about: wait and go home on the 10:30am flight on Monday. Stay in Old San Juan, have a nice dinner, walk or taxi out to the fort overlooking the harbor entrance and watch your ship leave on its next cruise...

If you do really want to or need to get home on Sunday, the RCL rain forest tour is ok, but a lot of driving for not all that much rain forest experience. We did that on our first time docking in San Juan even though we were staying for another couple of days. Taking the tour gives priority to disembarkation and makes life a bit easier that way. But since the tour ends by dropping people at the airport (fairly early in the afternoon) we needed to take a cab ride back to the city. And the tour-bus boarding in the morning was quite chaotic, so on balance taking the tour wasn't that good an idea for us. The second time we just got off at our leisure, got a cab and headed to Old San Juan to check into our hotel and drop off our luggage.

Stan

looking to book my first even cruise out of San Juan but have a question.

 

so ok, the ship docks back up at 6am: there is a 1030 AM flight home....my question is, can i make this?

Absolutely not. Do not look at what time your flight takes off. Look at what time you have to be at the AP. For a 10:30 you need to be there by 9. With multiple ships disembarking there will be about 6,000 people trying to get out of the port. It's about 1/2 hour to the AP without traffic. It's about 1/2 hour to clear customs. San Juan AP is one of the most inefficient in the world & can't really handle all of the passengers on Sunday. There is no way I would even attempt this.

Have a leisurely breakfast. Drop your bags at Barrachinas & explore Old San Juan. Grab a cab at 2:30 & relax.