San Juan Boarding Time for 11:00 PM Embarkation

[billrco90278]

What time does boarding begin in San Juan the cruise begins with a departure at 11:00 PM? Is the ship (most likely Caribbean Princess) in full operation for dinner, activities, and shows before departure? Anything else I should know about beginning in San Juan?

About six months to go, but can't resist starting to plan now!

Thanks.

[SCFCRUISER]

Boarding starts about noonish. The ship will be fully operational. Let the fun begin !!!

[O2B@Cagain]

Old San Juan is a great place to stay a few days before or after your cruise. Very historic, filled with great restaurants and bars. You will think you are in Europe.

 

Planning is fun, isn't it?;)

[sarge98]

The wife and were on the Caribbean Princess out of San Juan PA dock last Jan (10). We got to the ship about 1:30 PM. There was no one in line so thru secutity, checked in and dropped our carry on bags in Cabin in about 15min. Everything we looked at or went to was fully open except shops and casino.

[gymjunkie]

Get there at 11:30a.....unless you can board early, you should be in your room by 12:30....get an early start on your cruise......

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes boarding starts around Noon.

[hightownCO]

Doing this cruise next March and have some questions along same lines...

 

Since I won't be able to do any San Juan sightseeing the day before (don't arrive till 9pm) or the day after due to early flight out, was thinking about checking in as early as possible and then leaving the ship to sightsee.

 

If we do that, anyone know what the latest is to get back on the ship before sailaway? Not that I'd risk waiting to reboard late but just curious.

 

Also wondering when muster drill would be held with 11pm departure?

 

Thanks!

[bhopal21]

We have disembarked after boarding more than once in San Juan. Muster drill is ususally held around 8-830pm and if you happen to miss it there is a make-up the following morning.

 

I suppose you could wait until 930 or 10 to reboard if you wanted to.

 

Mike:)

[tmitchell82]

We were able to get on with no problem at 2pm. No lines to check in at all. The ship was in full operation and we had dinner before the muster drill. That is the one thing to consider with dinner that night. If I recall correctly, the muster drill was at 8pm and you could not go to dinner after 7pm, so it was eat early or after muster. We ate early which was good since the anytime dinning rooms got crowded after the muster drill. Enjoy the cruise.

 

Tim

[billrco90278]

Thanks for all the replies.

[swdke]

I am booked on the CB for Nov. 13's Classic Southern itinerary out of San Juan. On the Princess web site, where I look up "My Itinerary," it states boarding at 2 PM, and recommends coming after 3 PM to avoid lines. However, I am skeptical about this. I'd be surprised that we can't board earlier than 2 PM. I am one of those who like to board early, and glad to read other replies to this inquiry that boarding does begin earlier. However, I guess I'll have to wait till the CB actually starts sailing out of San Juan to clarify.

[Colo Cruiser]

I am booked on the CB for Nov. 13's Classic Southern itinerary out of San Juan. On the Princess web site, where I look up "My Itinerary," it states boarding at 2 PM, and recommends coming after 3 PM to avoid lines. However, I am skeptical about this. I'd be surprised that we can't board earlier than 2 PM. I am one of those who like to board early, and glad to read other replies to this inquiry that boarding does begin earlier. However, I guess I'll have to wait till the CB actually starts sailing out of San Juan to clarify.

 

 

They say that for all Embarkation ports.

Boarding will start between 11:30-1200 providing there was not an issue with the previous cruise.

[Donna_In_India]

swdke - I think you may be waiting a long time. Doesn't the ship sail on the 14th? :) We're also on that one - doing a b2b starting the 7th. Can't wait!

[swdke]

swdke - I think you may be waiting a long time. Doesn't the ship sail on the 14th? :) We're also on that one - doing a b2b starting the 7th. Can't wait!

 

Yes, I do have a long wait. '-) Yep! That's when we're sailing, November 14.

[mowb07]

Doing this cruise next March and have some questions along same lines...

 

Since I won't be able to do any San Juan sightseeing the day before (don't arrive till 9pm) or the day after due to early flight out, was thinking about checking in as early as possible and then leaving the ship to sightsee.

 

If we do that, anyone know what the latest is to get back on the ship before sailaway? Not that I'd risk waiting to reboard late but just curious.

 

Also wondering when muster drill would be held with 11pm departure?

 

Thanks!

 

I'm also planning a southern caribbean cruise next spring on the CB out of San Juan and was thinking of doing the same thing. I recently read someone's review on this board and they mentioned that they were told tobe back on board no later than 8:30pm and ended up boarding at 8pm. To be sure, I would try calling Princess so that you can plan the day accordingly.

[hightownCO]

I'm also planning a southern caribbean cruise next spring on the CB out of San Juan and was thinking of doing the same thing. I recently read someone's review on this board and they mentioned that they were told tobe back on board no later than 8:30pm and ended up boarding at 8pm. To be sure, I would try calling Princess so that you can plan the day accordingly.

 

What sailing are you looking at? If it's the 3/13/11 one, stop by our roll call for a chat. There are folks there with loads of experience with San Juan sailings. There's a link to our roll call in my signature below.

[minikiss]

I was wondering the same thing as we have got air travel booked with Princess and we land at 11am on the day of embarkation. Was wondering what on earth we would be doing for the 3 hours. I am now assuming / hoping they will take us straight to the ship, would be nice if they do. After leaving the UK, the day before early in the morning it will be nice to finally get on board . Plus as the onwards flight from MIA is 7.30am and no free meal on plane we are expecting to be "starving" by the time we get to San Juan.

Oh Hi Donna and swdke as we'll be on the ship at the same time. in fact we board the same day as Donna, we also doing a B2B.:)

Julia

[DrivesLikeMario]

You can check in as early as 11am and boarding usually begins around noon.

 

Muster is at 8pm.

 

Last call for boarding is usually 10pm, but I wouldn't risk boarding that late.

 

We boarded at 8pm and we were the only passengers in the entire terminal. The liquor store in the pier area closes at about 7:45pm (weird time, I know), so if you want to buy stuff there, get it before that time.

[Colo Cruiser]

I was wondering the same thing as we have got air travel booked with Princess and we land at 11am on the day of embarkation. Was wondering what on earth we would be doing for the 3 hours. I am now assuming / hoping they will take us straight to the ship, would be nice if they do. After leaving the UK, the day before early in the morning it will be nice to finally get on board . Plus as the onwards flight from MIA is 7.30am and no free meal on plane we are expecting to be "starving" by the time we get to San Juan.

Oh Hi Donna and swdke as we'll be on the ship at the same time. in fact we board the same day as Donna, we also doing a B2B.:)

Julia

 

If this is a UK charter then you may be arriving at the pier later.

Don't know what they may have planned for you with transfers etc.

[swdke]

I was wondering the same thing as we have got air travel booked with Princess and we land at 11am on the day of embarkation. Was wondering what on earth we would be doing for the 3 hours. I am now assuming / hoping they will take us straight to the ship, would be nice if they do. After leaving the UK, the day before early in the morning it will be nice to finally get on board . Plus as the onwards flight from MIA is 7.30am and no free meal on plane we are expecting to be "starving" by the time we get to San Juan.

Oh Hi Donna and swdke as we'll be on the ship at the same time. in fact we board the same day as Donna, we also doing a B2B.:)

Julia

 

Hello minikiss, so you're on the Nov. 14 Caribbean Princess? Have you checked out the Nov. 14 Roll Call? http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=25044106#post25044106

 

When do you arrive in San Juan? I've been reading here and elsewhere, that many who get to the ship early can often be in their cabin by 12:30 PM, just in time for lunch! I am glad to read we won't have to wait after all.

[cruisingpeople]

We did the Southern Caribbean Classic cruise this past April and arrived at the port just before 11:30 and we were in our cabin by noon. There were 10 of us that ranged from Gold to Platinum to Elite and everyone breezed right through check-in even with a good sized crowd in line at the terminal.

One of the strange things about this cruise was that the Muster Drill was held at 4:00 that afternoon. We had heard that this was going to be the case almost 4 weeks earlier through posters on CruiseCritic. No reason was ever given as to why the earlier time period and I don't know if this happened on the subsequent cruises.

As stated by "Mario", latest embarkation was at 10:00 P.M.

[Colo Cruiser]

One of the strange things about this cruise was that the Muster Drill was held at 4:00 that afternoon. We had heard that this was going to be the case almost 4 weeks earlier through posters on CruiseCritic. No reason was ever given as to why the earlier time period and I don't know if this happened on the subsequent cruises.

As stated by "Mario", latest embarkation was at 10:00 P.M.

 

 

Hey Joe!

 

That is strange because alot of people are flying in late afternoon early evening.

Wonder why its not 8pm anymore?

[cruisingpeople]

Hey Joe!

 

That is strange because alot of people are flying in late afternoon early evening.

Wonder why its not 8pm anymore?

 

Hi Keith,

Not only are there a lot of people flying in late, you also have those that board early, then get off the ship to go into town or to do whatever. To tell you the truth, I don't even remember if they had an additional Muster Drill since we were in St. Thomas first thing in the morning.

[minikiss]

Hi swdke

I'm already on the roll call for the 14th also added us to the 7th as that's when we get on board. On a 2 week B2B.

Lucky old me we fly out of Heathrow on my Birthday, the 6th. We then have an over night in Miami. Had hoped when we booked that we would be spending that night in San Juan but not the case. Oh well never mind at least we arrive at the Port nice and early.

If we could have afforded to book our own flights separate then we would. But we are on a tight budget so it just wasn't an option, so we just have to go with the flow and take what ever they send our way. But what ever they plan and how it goes we still can't wait for November to come round.

Julia

[kendon]

swdke - I think you may be waiting a long time. Doesn't the ship sail on the 14th? :) We're also on that one - doing a b2b starting the 7th. Can't wait!

 

Join our roll call...you may have to search as it's not a very active one. We're only on for the week.

 

"Donna-in-New York"!