Aviator of the Seas

1 minute ago, Mittengirl said:

We just got on the bus. Airport bound. 🤞🙏🇺🇸

Have a safe flight(s) home.  Hope to see you in again PR in the future under better circumstances.

14 minutes ago, ricflyer said:

Two new flights have shown up:

Atlas Air #8063 B763 scheduled to leave at 6:00pm AST (255 more seats)

Miami Air International #696 B738 to leave at 9:50pm AST (Either 168 or 118 depending on the layout they bring)

 

I will continue to try to get information to all of you!

I also see a World Atlantic B737 with 150 seats departing SJU at 6:00 PM AST.

14 minutes ago, RaginCajunCruisers337 said:

Wow, that’s what we heard and feared. Thanks for the info! 

Conflicting news.  Now I got word that the Eastern charter B767 is on the ground in SJU.  Not the main terminal, but on the other side of the airport at the cargo/private aviation area.

The FBO just said that the Eastern charter JUST ARRIVED at SJU.  Boeing 767.

8 minutes ago, ricflyer said:

Based on what is schedule today as of 10:45am EST for SJU to MIA for NCL there are 800 seats available.  (That includes the Eastern flight getting out today, presently on maintenance.) 

 

The flights are:

World Atlantic Airlines #902  MD83

Eastern Airlines #8001 B762

Omni Air Express #330 B763

World Atlantic Airlines #903  MD83

 

The above does not include any passengers that were able to be but on scheduled AA flights today. I am sure they are trying to get more flights but it will be hard over the Thanksgiving holiday here in the US. If I see more flights appear I will try to update hte list. 

Thank your for the backup info.  Or rather, yours should be primary info.  Seems better than my source.  i did look in the trackers and I'm sorry but didn't see the EAL airplane enroute anywhere, so that might confirm the maintenance issue.  Sorry about tha, peoples.

2 minutes ago, ms Eden said:

 

I am curious as to why they wouldn’t allow pax (who choose to do so) to stay on the ship and get towed back with it?   It would make back by next Monday morning so no one would need to change flights.  Surely it would cost NCL much less than charter flights and maybe even hotels?  I honestly wouldn’t have minded as long as the ship is still functioning.  

 

Just curious.  

 

Anyway, I booked a PR hotel which starts check-in at 3 so I will leave the ship around 2 to pick up my rental car.   I already informed the officers that we won’t need charter flights but they don’t know our flights details yet.  I am sure I will be calling their customer service after we get back.  

 

Keep calm and cruise on.  

I'm no expert on that, but I would imagine it would be unsafe for everyone, and they will do this only with a minimal crew.  If a towing cable snaps en route, you would be adrift, which would be an even bigger emergency.

7 minutes ago, RaginCajunCruisers337 said:

 

My info came to me personally from the front desk. 

I'll keep looking for more info on the air side. 

4 minutes ago, RaginCajunCruisers337 said:

Update: 

 

Just informed by staff that the passengers who left for the last flight (12:45) is now being sent back to the ship. Their plane broke down and now all flights are being pushed back. Also they are trying to have all guest off the ship today and motor coached to hotels in San Juan for the evening. They are trying to have everyone off the boat so they can send the boat off for repairs. No one knows how many days we may be stuck at the hotels trying to get flights out.

 

Everyone needs to be very vocal in this not happening for there will be major issues trying to get flights and food at the hotels once this happens since they won’t have the pressure they do now to get this resolved quickly, since the ship would be heading back for repairs and not costing the cruise line time and money!!!

Pls double check your info.  The delayed Eastern charter flight has an ETA into SJU of 12:54 AST.

The Jade will be TOWED to Miami beginning at 7:00 AM Puerto Rico time.  Everyone should be off by then.

NCL has contract staff at SJU airport departures meeting the coaches and assisting passengers with their luggage and directing them to the proper check in area.  They're not wearing NCL uniforms.  They're wearing red polo shirts and khaki pants, like the pier dispatch staff.  look for any of them if you need assistance at the airport in San Juan.  

Tomorrow it is a mix of Boeing 737s and 767s.  All charters to Miami.  First flight out of SJU at 9:15 AM AST, give or take.  Last flight at 10:00 PM AST, give or take.  Total of about 10 flights spread out over the entire day/evening. 

I must say that this is a monumental effort on the part of NCL and its contractors, both in SJU and MIA, to get everyone home as fast as possible.  Not an easy task.  At all.  Thank you to everyone for being as kind as possible to the crews: ship, shore or air.  They are working very hard to make the best out of a very complicated situation.

DISCLAIMER: NONE OF THIS INFORMATION IS OFFICIAL, FINAL OR SANCTIONED BY NCL.  I am just going out on a limb here to try and ease your minds.  I WILL DENY EVERYTHING UNDER INTERROGATION.

8 minutes ago, RaginCajunCruisers337 said:

What kind of plane are they using for the charter and about how many passengers does it carry? Any ideas? Just wondering. Can’t imagine how they will be able to get everyone off this ship by tomorrow.

last flight tonight is an MD-83.  Not a big airplane.  First flight today was an airbus.  so it's a mix.  Finding out about tomorrow.

5 minutes ago, Aviator of the Seas said:

World Atlantic Airlines flight into San Juan lands at 10:20 PM.  No word on turn-around time.

BUT, the ground handler says that the airplane will get to SJU at 9:30 local time in San Juan, and depart SJU local time 10:30.

3 minutes ago, steph03a said:

We just got off the ship. We were called at 530 to be off by 6 for a 10 pm flight. Puts us into Miami around 12 or 1 am probably. If we even take off on time, because I read about the 4 pm flight that didn't take off until almost 5 I think.

Fingers crossed we can get in fast.

World Atlantic Airlines flight into San Juan lands at 10:20 PM.  No word on turn-around time.

17 minutes ago, TravelScholar said:

Where is this team located and what exactly are they able to do for us??

They're going to further sort out this emergency situation.  Don't have specifics for you.  But one more charter flight tonight, and the rest of the 1,800 pax out tomorrow during the day, beginning at 6:00 AM.

The second charter, with Miami Air, will depart from the main airport terminal, terminal B, not general aviation like the previous one.  So, there will be more facilities to handle the large number of passengers, including security.

Again, personnel will have to be scrambled to handle this flight so it will not be like a normal airline check in.

A bit of an update, FWIW, an NCL recovery team has arrived in San Juan to further assist with the situation.

4 minutes ago, Jolie said:

Update...we are still sitting on plane waiting. People are getting frustrated and irritated as we don’t know what the hold up is about and many have connecting flights in Miami. Be sure to give yourself extra time for those on the second charter flight to make your connection in Miami. Everyone involved is trying to make the best out of a bad situation.

To get an air traffic control clearance for a non-scheduled flight into MIA is also a complicated matter.  They have to sequence air traffic into the MIA air space, and scheduled flights have first dibs, having previously arranged their clearances well in advance (days).

32 minutes ago, Jolie said:

Ps...we never saw one person from NCL! 

The personnel handling the motorcoaches between the port and the airport are under contract with NCL as there is no permanent NCL staff in San Juan, other than its port agent and other contractors, and especially when a mere port call turns into an emergency debarkation.  Debarkations under normal circumstances take days if not weeks of logistics planning.  Imagine what these people are going through with a last minute call.  Nothing like what you passengers are going through, obviously, but they're trying to help you get home as quickly as possible.  Also note that because it is Thanksgiving week, hotel rooms in San Juan are difficult to come by at the last minute.   

Next transfer to the airport for the next charter flight is at 6:00 PM AST.

22 minutes ago, Stinger-pr said:

Have you or anyone you know had any experience with a civilian pass for this course? Unfortunately, I have no one in the military available to "invite" me and I've had the curiosity to play this course for some time now.

I think almost anyone can become a member of the Fort Buchanan MWR (Morale, Welfare and Support), and with that use the MWR facilities.  I go almost every weekend to the base.  Just to shop, don't golf anymore.  But I'll try to swing by and ask about the requirements.  I know that a lot of civilians play there, but many people don't bother with the MWR card because it involves a background check and a waiting period.

If you could get into a U.S. military base (with a DoD ID card or MWR membership), there's a better course in Fort Buchanan, closer to the ports.  It's a nine hole course, but more challenging than Bayamon's.  If you don't have ID, maybe you could call ahead and arrange for a special permit to get in.  They're hurting for members/players to justify their existence. 787-707-3980.

I would try to board as early as possible, even if you have to wait until 1:30 for the cabins to open up.  I arrived at the pier on October 20 at 1:00 PM, and the line to get into the terminal, before security, was very long.  Luggage drop off a little chaotic.  It could be that our cruise had a "kids sail free" sale and there were many large family groups, but just in case, next time I want to be there by 12:00.

Also, the priority luggage drop off and security line that the Adventure had for Platinum C&A last year is gone.  Everyone has to queue up in the same line to enter the terminal.  Didn't even see a special line for the suites.  Once past security everything moves fast. 

On 10/31/2018 at 3:46 PM, xsteph1022x said:

CD was no where to be found on the 10/20 freedom.   We were on this same cruise as the op and it didnt feel crowded at all, except the elevators, which is the same on every cruise.  We had a spot by the pool everyday got up and moved around, came back and found a new spot, again by the pool, even on sea days.  My time dining (deck 3) was not crowded for us, even lobster night, we ate late around 8:30.

 

The Whitney Houston tribute had the most people, we sat on the side (first showing at 7:30) we even had front row seats for the ice show, which we thought would be hard to find a seat since the line wrapped around the art gallery.

Hi, I guess I am making a mistake by contrasting the feel of the Freedom with that of the Adventure, which I was used to.

3 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Aviator of the Seas, did it seem like most of the "extra" passengers were kids, or did the ship just feel crowded in general?

 

That "kids sale free" runs pretty often and on a lot of ships so I'm not sure if that sale impacted things or not.  

 

One thing that bothered me on the Oasis class ships were the crowds.  It just felt like I couldn't ever find a quite place, even in the Promenade late in the evening, like 12pm - 1am.  Was the promenade still quiet in the late evening on the Freedom?

Dan

The ship just felt crowded in general.  There were large family groups and even multi-large-family and neighbors groups, which seemed to want to do everything together at the same time.  The promenade was most comfortable early mornings only, or when in port.  Since we've been to Aruba many times, we stayed on board for our only quiet ship day.