San Juan Flight Help

[lradle]

Is it possible to make a 9:45 am flight out of San Juan?

[cruisingrightalong]

We have come into there twice and the answer would be no for both times.

 

Lou

[PattyG12]

I'd never try it in San Juan. The agriculture inspection will take too long.

[OKC Cruisers]

Unfortunately, no. As stated, between the ride to the airport, the agricultural inspection and then TSA checkpoint you'd probably be out of luck.

[mn_isla_girl]

agriculture inspection will take too long.

 

I recently read that if you leave your ship tags on your luggage you don't have to go thru the USDA inspections lines. Won't be able to find out for myself until Dec.

[coffeegirl23]

Leaving ships tags on makes no difference. everyone must put all of their bags on the agriculture inspection conveyor belt and if you go to check in without their stickers on your luggage they will send you back. although, in my experience, putting your bags on the belt takes only two to three minutes.

[Yorkshire Voyagers]

Been on Adventure several times over the winter - the earliest time to depart the ship (to collect your luggage in the terminal) was 0830. Also, Customs/immigration was very slow

[Host Faith]

I recently read that if you leave your ship tags on your luggage you don't have to go thru the USDA inspections lines. Won't be able to find out for myself until Dec.

 

Not sure if that's true. I wouldn't chance it anyway at SJU if you heard this as a rumor. If you don't use the scanner you'll be sent back to run everything through and get a sticker. The line forms very quickly and suddenly. If it happens that you're sent back to the scanners (even if you're one of the first to arrive), you'll end up with a very long wait.

 

I've been one of the first to arrive after leaving the ship and had a pretty smooth check in. Some people who arrived at about the same time as we did skipped the ag scan and were sent back. I can't begin to tell you how frustrated they were when they returned from the ag scan only to have to go to the end of the (very suddenly) loooong line. :eek:

[Az's Cruising Nana]

Add to all of the above what would happen if your ship was late getting back to San Juan?? Then what if you had to wait for endless list of passengers who names are being called overhead to respond to debark? Add to that what if more then one ship is debarking passengers in SJ that day?? Having been to SJ twice I can tell you that the airport is a zoo on days ships are in port. Not worth the stress of trying to make it. Book that later flt out. We booked an excursion that ended with airport dropoff. That way we avoided most of the crowds and the cost was no more then had we bought transportation direct to the airport. Last of all you want to enjoy your cruise without wondering if you are going to make your flt a t the end. Happy Sails to you.

 

Sue

[mn_isla_girl]

can't begin to tell you how frustrated they were when they returned from the ag scan only to have to go to the end of the (very suddenly) loooong line. :eek:

 

Yes, I've seen this too, both times I've sailed from Puerto Rico. That's why it sounded like great news if you can avoid it. You are right though, I would ask before I'd assume I could skip the line!!

 

Just sharing something I read online. Not stating it's fact.

 

:)

[cruiseguy1016]

It looks like everyone is saying no so I'll give the other side from my experience. Two years ago we sailed Serenade. We had an 11:45 flight. RCI scheduled us to get of the ship at 8:30. We were at the airport, through the Ag inspection and sitting at our gate at 9:30. So my answer would be yes, you can make a 9:45 flight. It will be cutting it close but it is possible IF nothing goes wrong. IF the ship is on time and IF you get off early and IF there are no delays with the taxi and IF the line for the Ag inspection is not long, you could probably be at your gate at 8:00 or 8:30. But, that's just too many IFs for me to try it.

[lradle]

Thanks for the input everyone!! We'll have to book an afternoon flight.

[kc320]

I recently read that if you leave your ship tags on your luggage you don't have to go thru the USDA inspections lines. Won't be able to find out for myself until Dec.

 

That used to be the case, but no longer...now EVERYONE has to have their bags scanned...we were lucky there was no one in line for the scanner last time we were there...

 

One of the BEST things you can do in SJ is to grab a porter at the airport...they know where to go so just follow them!:D

[dutchess43]

I feel it is a wise move for an afternon flight.

[paramedicduo]

As suite guests last summer on the Serenade, we could have easily made a 9:45 flight. But, our flights were already booked for the following day, so we left well enough alone. We were escorted off the ship by our concierge, leaving our gathering spot at 8:08 (there were already those self-disembarking), we were in a taxi inside of 15 minutes. The drive to the airport is only 15ish minutes. The following morning, even thought the security line was seemingly long, it was quick and from the time we pulled up out front, through Ag screening, checked in at the Kiosk, through security...we were at our gate in under an hour.

Now, having said that we could have done it, that was in hindsight, when booking our flights, I just wasn't ready to take the risk, so we opted to spend the extra night in SJ (coming to PEI, Canada, there was only one flight option, and it was somewhere around 10am).

[sailawayjack]

Is it possible to make a 9:45 am flight out of San Juan?

 

:cool:The only way that happens is end cruise on Tuesday, fly home Wednesday LOL:cool: I would never plan on a flight prior to 1:00 pm just to play it safe. Flown home to Philadelphia four times now, experience talking:cool:JACK IS SAILING AGAIN