San Juan

We arrived early this morning on the Jewel, Westbound TA from Roma.

The lights were on in the city, and the ship had scheduled tours.

There was talk on the ship there were a shortage of cabs, this is FALSE.

RC provided a free bus service to the airport and as we drove out of the port there was a line of at least 200 taxis ready to service the Jewel and an NCL ship alongside of us.

We dinged off the Jewel at 7:40AM, cleared customs, got luggage, cleared immigration, took the RC bus to the airport, checked in Southwest, cleared security and were at the gate by 8:55AM. This after an email from SW saying we needed to arrive 3 hours before our flight due to TSA procedures.

This was our experience today and wanted to share, others may have different experiences.

We arrived early this morning on the Jewel, Westbound TA from Roma.

The lights were on in the city, and the ship had scheduled tours.

There was talk on the ship there were a shortage of cabs, this is FALSE.

RC provided a free bus service to the airport and as we drove out of the port there was a line of at least 200 taxis ready to service the Jewel and an NCL ship alongside of us.

We dinged off the Jewel at 7:40AM, cleared customs, got luggage, cleared immigration, took the RC bus to the airport, checked in Southwest, cleared security and were at the gate by 8:55AM. This after an email from SW saying we needed to arrive 3 hours before our flight due to TSA procedures.

This was our experience today and wanted to share, others may have different experiences.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing!

Awesome.

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Glad there was no problem encountered.

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Same easy experience for us thing morning. Cabs were lined up for blocks ready to enter the terminal area.

Easy peasy - Free RCI transit bus and luggage transport was smooth and hassle free. Getting thru customs was quick. They did grill us a bit about whether we had any illicit bananas with us... Back home now in San Antonio.

How long is the bus service comped by Royal, and is it both ways?

Easy peasy - Free RCI transit bus and luggage transport was smooth and hassle free. Getting thru customs was quick. They did grill us a bit about whether we had any illicit bananas with us... Back home now in San Antonio.

Glad to hear that they fixed the shuttle system. We got off the Adventure on the 28th of October and it was certainly an adventure.

Being that we were only the 2nd cruise after the hurricane it is understandable.:)

Bill

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Keith

Easy peasy - Free RCI transit bus and luggage transport was smooth and hassle free. Getting thru customs was quick. They did grill us a bit about whether we had any illicit bananas with us... Back home now in San Antonio.

Well, did you?

Thanks for posting - I have a 9AM (not by choice) return flight in mid December. While I don't have a lot of confidence of making it, (I've booked a later, backup flight as well), you have given me just a glimmer of hope.

Here's my question for you and anybody who has used the currently free transportation provided by RCCL. My flight arrives @10AM.

Can anybody speak to the earliest shuttle time from the airport to the Pan American pier?

If I'll be waiting at the airport till noon or later, I'll be happy to get a cab. If the free runs were to start say around 11, then I would wait. I do realize the terminal probably won't even open till 11 or so anyway.

Thanks in advance.

I'm on Celebrity, but I'm assuming that since they are sister Companies, I'll be able to hitch a ride. MY TA is calling them to check, but we all know how accurate home office info can be.

We arrived early this morning on the Jewel, Westbound TA from Roma.

The lights were on in the city, and the ship had scheduled tours.

There was talk on the ship there were a shortage of cabs, this is FALSE.

RC provided a free bus service to the airport and as we drove out of the port there was a line of at least 200 taxis ready to service the Jewel and an NCL ship alongside of us.

We dinged off the Jewel at 7:40AM, cleared customs, got luggage, cleared immigration, took the RC bus to the airport, checked in Southwest, cleared security and were at the gate by 8:55AM. This after an email from SW saying we needed to arrive 3 hours before our flight due to TSA procedures.

This was our experience today and wanted to share, others may have different experiences.

Did you do self disembarkation or the regular put your bags out the night before? I am on Jewel in a couple of weeks and my plan to make a 11:50 Southwest flight was self debarkation and a taxi instead of the free transfer based on earlier reports that the bus transfer was a mess waiting for the luggage to arrive at the airport. .

Well, did you?

No bananas on us. We must have just fit the banana smuggler profile...

Did you do self disembarkation or the regular put your bags out the night before? I am on Jewel in a couple of weeks and my plan to make a 11:50 Southwest flight was self debarkation and a taxi instead of the free transfer based on earlier reports that the bus transfer was a mess waiting for the luggage to arrive at the airport. .

We used the ship to take out the luggage off.

They sent a note to your cabin asked when you wanted to disembark, 8, 8:30'etc., and added a note in the compass to preregistration for early flights, at Guest Relations.

The preregistered folks got luggage numbers 1 and 3, we were in group one, so we waiting in the lounge, excited when called and were at the SW gate by 8:45AM.

There were was a self carry group notes on the disembarkation list, so they walk with the first group.