Flying into San Juan? Opinions from experience wanted

[Mikel1733]

We are doing this sailing in March 2013 and will be flying in the day before. We did this itinerary on the Festivale in the mid '90's and flew in the day of the cruise. We left at 6am and made to Miami in good time. Our flight there was to leave mid morning and get us in SJU by 2pm. Mechanical issues including an aborted takeoff, then a crew change, and finally a different plane being flown in got us to SJU around 10pm. Since there were so many people on the flight doing the cruise they held the ship. To the OP go the day before.

[bplazo]

We are doing this sailing in March 2013 and will be flying in the day before. We did this itinerary on the Festivale in the mid '90's and flew in the day of the cruise. We left at 6am and made to Miami in good time. Our flight there was to leave mid morning and get us in SJU by 2pm. Mechanical issues including an aborted takeoff, then a crew change, and finally a different plane being flown in got us to SJU around 10pm. Since there were so many people on the flight doing the cruise they held the ship. To the OP go the day before.

 

You have missed op's post where she said she cannot fly in the day before :).

[Mikel1733]

You have missed op's post where she said she cannot fly in the day before :).

 

I wish her luck :)

[Mikel1733]

I did this itinery a year ago with my sisters. We flew in a week before and really got to visit PR.

 

This time flying in a day before is not an option.

 

Wow, I see we are on the same sailing

[MIZZ_K]

In March my family will be on the Southern Caribbean itinerary on the Valor. We will be flying out of NYC direct to San Juan.

 

There are two flights being offered for the same price. One gets to PR at noon and the other at 2pm. I would rather leave later as I have a three hour drive and know weather could be iffy that time of year.

 

So my questions are really, what one would you pick? If we take the later one are we gonna end up with the cattle drive to get on the boat or will we have missed it?

 

Do we have a lesser chance of being delayed if we take one over the other? I worry about being on the second flight and getting bumped by passengers delayed earlier.

We will be taking AA.

 

I have flown into San Juan twice on the day of from Boston(JetBlue) because I could not fly in the day before, if you can go the day before that would be great,if not I suggest trying to get the earliest non stop flight you can get.

 

Both times I've gotten in around 10ish, both non stop flights, I would never chance connecting flights if flying in the day before.

[twinbee]

Emphasized for every single person posting on this thread that apparently cannot read. :rolleyes:

 

We flew AirTran non-stop from BWI to SJU and arrived at about 2 in the afternoon for a 10:00 sailing (we didn't actually leave till after midnight, but that's another story). Waiting for our luggage at the carousel took longer than waiting in line for a cab and then getting to the ship. We were checking in at 3:00.

 

American Airlines is having "issues" these days, though. So the earlier flight might be the safer option.

 

 

OMG! I was thinking the same thing. I went back a few times to read the original post because I thought I missed something. I could not understand why there were so many responses to fly in the day before.

[Robin7]

We fly in from the West and have flown to PR twice on business and once on a cruise. We have connected through JFK (twice) and ATL. Our ATL flight was delayed FOUR HOURS due to weather (a series of thunderstorm cells one summer). Go as early in the day as you can! And good luck.

 

Go to the ship, check in and drop your stuff off, and then check out Old San Juan. It's a fun port! (Isn't departure late out of San Juan?) Just don't go into the area below the sea wall....:eek:

 

Robin

[Pisgah]

Really? Because I am not the OP. :rolleyes:

 

You may not be the OP but you are rude. JMO

[Wildgrits]

Thank you all for the info about AA. I had no idea. I will look more in depth into their history. Unfortunately they are the cheapest but far right now.

 

I guess I don't need to rush out and get airfare.

[5waldos]

I would take the earlier flight- in case something happens you know you have a backup flight. If your airline doesn't have flights after the 2pm one and something happens to it, you could be stuck. If there are flights later on your airline then the traffic issue is there but you would still have about 6 hours before you have to be onboard. Particularly if there are weather issues you will want to leave as many options open as possible.

[bigcraig]

Buy missed flight insurance.

[ibcnusoon]

Since flying in a day early is not an option (although HIGHLY recommended, I suggest:

 

Book the first flight out in the morning. I know you don't want to wake up early of hassle with driving to the airport early, you'd be foolish to use that as an excuse. Just do it, you cannot assume that the first few days of March will be ideal weather. Flights out of the NJ/NY area are forever delayed for any reason - thunderstorm, fog, rain, snow, etc. (not to mention mechanical issues). If, by chance, the early flight is cancelled for some reason, you'll have to fly standby on the later flight.

 

Now that you limited yourself to just 2 flights out before your cruise, if something happens and you don't make it to San Juan (ideally, you'll need to arrive by 6pm, then grab your luggage to ensure that you are at the ship by 8pm. No one is allowed to board the ship after 8:30pm) you'll need a back-up plan the next morning. In that case, if you miss both flights, you'll need to book ($$$$) flights the next morning to St. Thomas, ensuring that you arrive in St. Thomas by 2pm-3pm since the ship leaves St. Thomas at 5pm.

 

Good luck, you'll need it.

[jimbo5544]

Thank you all for the info about AA. I had no idea. I will look more in depth into their history. Unfortunately they are the cheapest but far right now.

 

I guess I don't need to rush out and get airfare.

It is not so much their history as to where the airline may be headed. They have declared bancruptcy and are trying to negotiate with a very strong pilots union. This been going on a while now and they have started canceling flights (as many as 1/3 of a days flights). American was very strong in the caribbean but ahs pulled way back over the past couple of years. They are also in negotiations with merger with USairways which could have significant impact. There are several so called "experts" whose recommendation is to stay away from booking with them. How much of all this is fact or fiction who knows. Just bring it up as a potential concern.

[Crusing Nut]

OMG! I was thinking the same thing. I went back a few times to read the original post because I thought I missed something. I could not understand why there were so many responses to fly in the day before.

 

The fact that it was not an option to fly in the day before was not in the opening post but further down a few posts.

 

People tend to read the first post and then reply and did not see the second post claiming it was not an option this time.

[seventhwardhustler]

i've been twice. take the EARLIEST possible flight. my problem is going home because i book a late one but we wind up getting off the ship pretty early and i have to sit around the airport all day.

[critcatny]

We did that cruise in May on the Victory. It was the best cruise I've taken so far as far as ports. We flew in a day early but I saw way back in this post that this is not an option for you. My suggestion and what I would do is take the earliest flight possible. You can always relax on your vacation. Although this itinerary is quite busy, we made a point to not be off the ship all day at each port. We were off the ship about 4 hours most days except for 2-those we were off the ship a good 8 hours. But if you do that every day, you WILL be exhausted.
The lines getting onto the ship were not bad...probably b/c the ship is there all day and doesn't leave till late so people arrive all different times. As I said, we stayed in Old San Juan for 1 night then checking in on the ship early (like 11:30) to take advantage of the ship's free lunch since we'd already eaten in PR the day before. Then after dropping off our carry-ons once the room was ready, we got back off the ship to go walk around Old San Juan some more. I would love to do this cruise again...maybe someday. Have a great time!

[Wildgrits]

[quote name='ibcnusoon']
Book the first flight out in the morning. I know you don't want to wake up early of hassle with driving to the airport early, you'd be foolish to use that as an excuse. Just do it, you cannot assume that the first few days of March will be ideal weather.
[/quote]


Please do not make assumtions about my reasons. At no time did I ever say I didn't want the hassle of getting up early. I know no matter which one I pick I would leaving my home around midnight to get to JFK because of the weather that time of year.

Leaving the day before is not an option because I cannot get it off from work. I don't get out of work till noon. I work 3-13 hour shifts and would not consider driving my children down to NYC after that.

Once again, thank you everyone for your feedback. I think I will just hold off and see what opens up. Hopefully JetBlue or something out of Boston will get cheaper

[kiraryker]

We flew in the day of in January from Minnesota! Talk about panic mode but we took the earliest flight and that is what I would think you should do also IMO.
Good Luck and have a BLAST!

[travellover39]

[quote name='Wildgrits']Thank you all for the info about AA. I had no idea. I will look more in depth into their history. Unfortunately they are the cheapest but far right now.

I guess I don't need to rush out and get airfare.[/QUOTE]

AA may not be the cheapest, Jet Blue doesn't charge for your first bag luggage. That's a savings of at least $50 RT for each of you. They also fly to St. Thomas from San Juan, just in case the weather is bad in NY. Just a good backup plan and only a suggestion. :D Good Luck!

[Brenna's Mom1]

Not to throw fuel on a fire but responses to a thread are read by a whole lot of people looking for the same answer to a similar question. It is easily apparent that posters are responding in a general fashion as well as to the OP. Personally I would never book a cruise where I was forced into flying the same day as departure but if the OP finds it necessary that is their choice but many of us have very good reasons to discourage them from doing so....and these posts are not attacks just relaying experiences. Nothing, for me, is worse the angst of worrying about weather in my hometown, airport or airline delays or the possibility of me going one way and my luggage another when flights are delayed, cancelled, or re-routed. Peace of mind is always worth more than expense when going on a vacation, I think.

[Wildgrits]

UPDATE:

I finally got approval for the day off prior to our cruise. That is a huge weight off my shoulders. [I][SIZE=1]insert happy jumping smiley here[/SIZE][/I]
[I][SIZE=1][/SIZE][/I]
I was able to get airfare thru AA over $700 cheaper than JetBlue so I am really happy about that. And if we end up getting delayed, so be it.

Now is the hunt for decent priced rooms the night before and after in San Juan.