Need some help, going to miss San Juan embarkation.

[cruisenfever]

This has been a very anxiety ridden flight! I can't wait for the OP to get to San Juan and let us know what is going on.

If he was on USAir Flight 1071, it has arrived in San Juan.:D

[broberts]

If he was on USAir Flight 1071, it has arrived in San Juan.:D

 

Does this mean they will make their ships?

[Ocean Boy]

If he was on USAir Flight 1071, it has arrived in San Juan.:D

Then hopefully the reason he has not posted is that he is in a rush getting to the ship. I hope they all make it. The US Air site shows the flight as arriving at 9:58 local time (Atlantic Time Zone). So they have been on the ground for about 50 minutes. They were originally scheduled to land at 2:27PM.

[critterchick]

Let's hope so! What time did that flight take off?

[cruisenfever]

Does this mean they will make their ships?

The ship was scheduled to depart at 8:30PM. Let's keep our fingers crossed they they held the ship in port.

[Cuizer2]

Hey everyone,

 

there's a large group of us on us air in Philadelphia, who were sitting on a plane for 4 hours, only then told that they need to change planes due to a "equipment issues.". And now they have to switch the crew because of the delay.

 

We now probably will arrive at 9pm, if they can repair the plane.

 

We probably have 20-30 people on the serenade. We've already called rcl to let them know, but any suggestions on how to catch up to the ship?

 

Beyond what you have done so far, if worst comes to worst, you may have to fly to the next port.

 

However, though it is too late now, in the future book the flight to arrive one day before the ship leaves. That way you are covered for situations like this.

[cruisenfever]

Let's hope so! What time did that flight take off?

I believe that someone posted earlier that the plane was in the air around 6:30.

 

Original flight time was 3 hours and 48 minutes from Philadelphia to San Juan

[Ocean Boy]

Let's hope so! What time did that flight take off?

It took off at 4:37PM eastern time. Originally it was scheduled for 9:40AM.

[relaxandenjoy]

The ship was scheduled to depart at 8:30PM. Let's keep our fingers crossed they they held the ship in port.

 

I've got my fingers crossed and will be waiting to hear. With all of the storms happening around the country right now, they can't be the only group that's late. Hopefully they made it.

[bluegirlum]

If he was on USAir Flight 1071, it has arrived in San Juan.:D

 

Yikes. How long does it take to get to the port?

[Ocean Boy]

Yikes. How long does it take to get to the port?

 

It is 20-25 minutes depending on traffic.

[cruisenfever]

It is 20-25 minutes depending on traffic.

Tomorrow's port is Tortola which isn't that far. I do hope the ship was able to wait for all the folks on that flight.

[Ocean Boy]

Tomorrow's port is Tortola which isn't that far. I do hope the ship was able to wait for all the folks on that flight.

 

Serenade used to sail at 10PM. There is no reason that they could not have waited and still kept to their schedule for arrival at Tortola. So I am hoping for the best.

[Cuizer2]

What a helpful comment in the OPs situation.

 

It is a relevant comment. How much help do you expect people to provide from their living room?

[mjyanne]

this is why a. I purchase trip insurance and b. always fly into the port the day before

 

I agree about always buying insurance (which will help AFTER the fact). And I usually fly in the day before but like others have said that isn't always an option.

 

However, that doesn't always work either. A couple of years ago we did a last minute sailing on Serenade (in mid-March) and we decided to fly in on Saturday instead of Friday. Turns out that was a great decision since we got a snowstorm that closed the airport and cancelled a lot of flights. Since are flight was first thing in the morning we got there extra early figuring there would be more people than normal. Yep, people scrambling to make their flights from all over the country.

 

Then even held our flight so connecting flights could get in. We landed in SJ at just after 2 pm and were on the ship before 3:30 pm. Had we tried to go the day before we would have been miserable and would have probably cancelled the trip (turns out it was one of our better cruises). So you never know. But ALWAYS buy insurance (IMHO).

[Cuizer2]

How did my comment on your post get in the stack ahead of the original post?

 

That is the second time it happened on this thread, and I've seen it happen on another thread also.

[Cuizer2]

Just force USAir to rebook you on a flight straight to Tortola or St. Thomas, it might to be absolutely useless to go to San Juan if the ship has left anyway. I worked for a European airline for 11 years, and we used to have this problem to Miami sometimes. Because we also flew to places like San Juan, Barbados, Tobago, Aruba, etc. the problem was often very swiftly solved. Inform them that you are going to claim the loss of a whole holiday, that might win them over, as this solution is much cheaper for them.

 

Remember: you can be firm, but try to stay polite! Good luck....

 

US Air might not fly to Tortola. It is more likely that American does - out of San Juan.

[Cuizer2]

Flying in the day before doesn't always help. I was sweating out a hurricane that was going to hit PR when I was flying in. It hit the day before and everyone with those flights had a heck of a time getting down there. We arrived the day of the cruise with out a hitch.

 

Flying the day before just improves your chances. Some people fly in two or three days before. I flew in on a Thursday for a Saturday departure once.

[rushedmom]

It is a relevant comment. How much help do you expect people to provide from their living room?

 

Actually one of the posters gave them a contact number to call should they not make the ship. Hopefully the OP won't have to use it, but I am sure they are glad to have it!

 

Can't wait to hear if they made the ship on time. I hope they did

[HappiTravels]

I can't even begin to imagine the stress that the OP has been through. I feel completely stressed by it and I am not even involved. I will be eagely waiting to hear the outcome. My fingers are crossed.:eek:

[tracysue]

I agree about always buying insurance (which will help AFTER the fact). And I usually fly in the day before but like others have said that isn't always an option.

 

However, that doesn't always work either. A couple of years ago we did a last minute sailing on Serenade (in mid-March) and we decided to fly in on Saturday instead of Friday. Turns out that was a great decision since we got a snowstorm that closed the airport and cancelled a lot of flights. Since are flight was first thing in the morning we got there extra early figuring there would be more people than normal. Yep, people scrambling to make their flights from all over the country.

 

Then even held our flight so connecting flights could get in. We landed in SJ at just after 2 pm and were on the ship before 3:30 pm. Had we tried to go the day before we would have been miserable and would have probably cancelled the trip (turns out it was one of our better cruises). So you never know. But ALWAYS buy insurance (IMHO).

 

I remember that cruise - we actually got in on Thursday - the snowstorm was on Friday (if I recall correctly) - and tons of delays on saturday boarding from folks that were due in, etc..... and it effected everyone from the midwest thru the east coast....

mother nature can be cruel sometimes! she must not have ever been on a cruise! she needs a vacation! :D

[wayne_trisha]

I really hope they held the ship. What a crappy way to start your first cruise.

 

We live 15 minutes from Port Canaveral and I’m nervous the whole damn trip there knowing an accident will cause us to miss our cruise. If we leave out of another Florida port we drive down the night before so we have time in case something happens.

[MrZoey]

American has most of the "short hops" to St. Thomas and if you had to, you could take the ferry to Tortola from there. You have to have a passport to do this. Good Luck.

[megr1125]

Hope the OP will come back and let us know what happened!

[neurosurg]

Hey everyone,

 

thanks for all the concern. We did arrive about 10pm but there were representatives at baggage claim to let us know the ships had left and to meet them in Tortola tomorrow morning.

 

Then there was a mad rush upstairs to the us airways desk to get confirmed for the flights to Tortola, on American airlines, which us air did pick up the cost $281. And about half of the line of people waiting, including me, were able to get hotel accomodations overnight in San Juan from us air.

 

So for at least half of us on rcl and celebrity, they were able to fly us out to our respective destinations tomorrow morning. So kudos to the us air staff in San juan for putting up with a hoard of grumpy vacationers.

 

And while I can't blame us air for their first, then second, then third equipment malfunction on the first plane, they should have just switched the plane out with their other a330 they had sitting in the hangar. If they would have decided to switch planes out a couple of hours earlier, perhaps the 70 or so cruisers on the flight would have made it.

 

So thank you all and I'll drink one, or a few, to you guys tomorrow when we all get on the ship. Good night!