San Juan Early Flight Post Cruise, how early?

[sandinmypants]

I don't think you will find anyone on here who doesn't wish you luck.

 

However, since there are many people on here who have actually experienced the chaos that is SJU, perhaps instead of complaining about those of us who want to allow the OP to make an informed decision, you might also take heed of this same advice and make sure you have a back-up plan.

 

IMO, allowing someone to make an informed decision trumps just sending happy thoughts any day of the week.

 

Have a great cruise. I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed for you.

 

I was in no way complaining about those that wanted to allow the OP to make an informed decision - I think he/she has already done that. As for me "taking heed" - there's no backup plan to make, either we'll get on the next flight or we won't. There are only two Delta flights for us to make that day to get us to our destination. If the second one is full, then we stay over until the next day, and my husband will have to teleconference in to work from the airport or whatever the next day. An adventure, as KYDeb says.

 

Delays happen - but I don't think that the majority of cruisers experience delays on their return on the majority of their cruises, like you would be led to believe from these posts. You hear more about the bad experiences than the good.....

 

I'm just not a "glass half empty" kind of gal, I guess. :)

[Alexis]

I was in no way complaining about those that wanted to allow the OP to make an informed decision - I think he/she has already done that. As for me "taking heed" - there's no backup plan to make, either we'll get on the next flight or we won't. There are only two Delta flights for us to make that day to get us to our destination. If the second one is full, then we stay over until the next day, and my husband will have to teleconference in to work from the airport or whatever the next day. An adventure, as KYDeb says.

 

Delays happen - but I don't think that the majority of cruisers experience delays on their return on the majority of their cruises, like you would be led to believe from these posts. You hear more about the bad experiences than the good.....

 

I'm just not a "glass half empty" kind of gal, I guess. :)

 

I wish you all the luck in the world on making your flight.

Yes, I am one of your "Debbie Downers"

I have been cruising out of San Juan on 75 percent of our cruises since

1989.

We fly in two days early now because of canceled airline flights so we do not miss the ship and stay a day later because of missed flights to get home.

We people on here are not trying to rain on your parade at all. We are well traveled and know the San Juan airport and the airlines.

I am sure we all are all wishing you well. ;) That is why Cruise Critic is here, to help give advise about cruising and travel.

[kiska]

We've done an 8 AM flight with a ship arriving at 6 AM, a few years back. We carried our own luggage off, and we stood by the exit doors at 6 AM, and we got off the ship directly after the customs inspector (or some other inspector) did, literally being the first people off the boat. While that flight worked out for us, I don't recommend cutting it -that- close, carrying your own 50 pound bag off the ship is not as fun as you'd think ;)

 

Honestly, if Royal Caribbean says don't book flights before 10, 9:45 is close enough to ten I'm sure you'll be fine. I prefer earlier flights to get back home and unwind before the work week. The last morning on the cruise isn't really part of the vacation any more, you're kind of rushed, and hurried, and crew isn't in the best of moods either.

[RlrCstr]

I agree with all of those who have said already that it is a gamble, and that you should be aware of the variables involved.

I was on the Serenade in July (last month). Only ship in port. Got in at a reasonable hour. I was in the very first group to get off the ship, and had carried own luggage. As I only had 2 carry-ons, they had no way to know I had no other luggage. Lines through customs even from those called at the same time I was were already forming. I got one of the first taxis.

Not much traffic to airport. But that was when the real fun started.

The agriculture station in front of the Delta area had a line down to the next terminal. And a lot of people went directly into the terminal and then had to come back out and get in that line. It was chaos. And that line was SHORTER than the security line. I almost typed "security lines" (plural) but there was only 1 line open and that line again took forever. I made my 1015am flight with only minutes to spare -- it was already mostly boarded by the time I got thru the security line, and they were calling standby passengers to take the seats on the overbooked flight of no-show passengers, possibly people stuck in the security line.

 

Make sure your taxi drops you as close to the agriculture station check (outside of the terminal on the sidewalk--it looks like another xray machine set-up, and probably has a line of people putting all their own luggage onto the conveyor) and get all your bags tagged before you

go inside the terminal. If I had not already known to do this, I might have missed my flight.

[sandinmypants]

Make sure your taxi drops you as close to the agriculture station check (outside of the terminal on the sidewalk--it looks like another xray machine set-up, and probably has a line of people putting all their own luggage onto the conveyor) and get all your bags tagged before you

go inside the terminal. If I had not already known to do this, I might have missed my flight.

 

Helpful info - thanks for that. :)

[wrp96]

All of these happy thoughts - it's just so WONDERFUL to have such positive vibes sent my way......thank you SO much! (hint - sarcasm......)

 

I understand you're trying to help the OP, who hasn't booked her air yet and seems to have a choice. I agree, if you have a choice, book later.

 

We didn't have any real option available to us other than not go on the cruise at all - so we're choosing to think positive and not worry about it. If anyone wants to give me a "good luck, best wishes and hope it works out for you", that would be just g-r-e-a-t.

 

You guys are the biggest bunch of Debbie Downers I've ever seen. Not just this thread, but other topics as well - where's the "happiness"?

 

Sheesh.

 

 

As someone who HAS missed a flight home after a cruise, I would rather give a dose of reality than foolish optimism. You say your husband HAS to be at work the next day. You are gambling that you don't miss a too early flight or if you do that there will be an available seat on a later flight that day and you said there is only one later flight. When I missed my flight, there were multiple later flights but only one had a seat available and even then it was a single seat. Taking a chance is fine but don't expect people to get on the bandwagon and say everything will be great when there is a good chance it won't be.

[Shana9136]

All of these happy thoughts - it's just so WONDERFUL to have such positive vibes sent my way......thank you SO much! (hint - sarcasm......)

 

I understand you're trying to help the OP, who hasn't booked her air yet and seems to have a choice. I agree, if you have a choice, book later.

 

We didn't have any real option available to us other than not go on the cruise at all - so we're choosing to think positive and not worry about it. If anyone wants to give me a "good luck, best wishes and hope it works out for you", that would be just g-r-e-a-t.

 

You guys are the biggest bunch of Debbie Downers I've ever seen. Not just this thread, but other topics as well - where's the "happiness"?

 

Sheesh.

 

 

I totally hear you on this one - I also had very limited flight choices because of a boyfriend who is insistent on getting home as early as possible. I was really nervous about booking a 9:45am flight out of San Juan as well. Well, not "was" - still AM! I leave the week after you, November 14th. If you remember try to post and let me know if you made your flight! This is my 13th cruise and I normally leave several hours of buffer time for things like this, but this is my first time cruising with such a finicky travel-mate. Joke's on him if we don't make the flight and we get back REALLY late! (Although I won't be thrilled either if it ends up costing a fortune to get another flight) Ugh, the stress of it all!

[Slowboat2]

Hi Shana136

 

I see your on the same sailing as us. Come on over to the roll call and introduce your self to the group.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1094548&page=24

 

Bob