Flying our of San Juan

[roysue]

Cruising on AOS March 2017. How early can we book a flight home and be assured of making it? This is our first cruise out of San Juan and the flight options are very limited. Looking at possibly booking a 10:50 am departure. Would that be totally insane?

Edited September 14, 2016 by roysue

[Ashland]

Cruising on AOS March 2017. How early can we book a flight home and be assured of making it? This is our first cruise out of San Juan and the flight options are very limited. Looking at possibly booking a 10:50 am departure. Would that be totally insane?

 

We are much more comfortable with a flight around noon...however...this past May AA changed our 12:00pm flight to 10:30am...we self disembarked and were easily at our departure gate (including doing the mandatory agriculture check) just before 9:00am. Our TSA pre-check didn't help as they had just closed that designated line...but all worked well with this earlier than usual flight time for us..

 

Enjoy AOS we did and just waiting for RCI to open the bookings for May 2018 to book another B2B.

Edited September 14, 2016 by Ashland

[tigers2425]

We are much more comfortable with a flight around noon...however...this past May AA changed our 12:00pm flight to 10:30am...we self disembarked and were easily at our departure gate (including doing the mandatory agriculture check) just before 9:00am. Our TSA pre-check didn't help as they had just closed that designated line...but all worked well with this earlier than usual flight time for us..

 

Enjoy AOS we did and just waiting for RCI to open the bookings for May 2018 to book another B2B.

 

Our first time out of San Juan. What time were you able to board the ship? How is embarkation on AOS in San Juan?

 

Appreciate any advice. Thank you.

 

Tigers2425

[Ashland]

Our first time out of San Juan. What time were you able to board the ship? How is embarkation on AOS in San Juan?

 

Appreciate any advice. Thank you.

 

Tigers2425

 

We boarded easily at about 11:00am...quick for us using the suite/D+ checkin line....but the other lines didn't look so bad...perhaps we were lucky with our timing...other embarkation we've arrived a bit later around 3:00pm and actually the boarding was even quicker...this varies from what I've read...so you never know. Best of luck and enjoy ...hope it's works out easy for you too.

[roysue]

We are much more comfortable with a flight around noon...however...this past May AA changed our 12:00pm flight to 10:30am...we self disembarked and were easily at our departure gate (including doing the mandatory agriculture check) just before 9:00am. Our TSA pre-check didn't help as they had just closed that designated line...but all worked well with this earlier than usual flight time for us..

 

Enjoy AOS we did and just waiting for RCI to open the bookings for May 2018 to book another B2B.

 

Thanks so much. I appreciate this info!

[tigers2425]

We boarded easily at about 11:00am...quick for us using the suite/D+ checkin line....but the other lines didn't look so bad...perhaps we were lucky with our timing...other embarkation we've arrived a bit later around 3:00pm and actually the boarding was even quicker...this varies from what I've read...so you never know. Best of luck and enjoy ...hope it's works out easy for you too.

 

Thanks for the info. This will be our first cruise as Diamond Members :). Any recommendations on hotels the night before the cruise?

 

Tigers2425

[Ashland]

Thanks so much. I appreciate this info!

 

You're so very welcome...hope it helps with your plans.

[Ashland]

Thanks for the info. This will be our first cruise as Diamond Members :). Any recommendations on hotels the night before the cruise?

 

Tigers2425

 

We loved the location of the Old Town Sheraton....also if you're looking for a great restaurant try La Bombonera or Cafe Mallorca for breakfast and The Parrot Club for lunch/dinner and drinks.

 

Enjoy the DL ... even though we (D+) could also use the CL we liked the DL much better, and your concierge should hopefully be Sucel....amazing :D

[SnorkelBoy]

We are also cruising on the Adventure in March 2017 and have a flight out at 9:30 am. When we cruised on the Summit we easily made a flight at this same time as we were one of the first to walk off and self disembark. Our friends got to the airport so early they could not check their luggage as they were so early for their 10:30 flight.

 

You do need to have your bags put through the agricultural scanner but that took an additional 5 minutes. I made sure the Adventure arrives in port at the same time the Summit did.

[Ashland]

We are also cruising on the Adventure in March 2017 and have a flight out at 9:30 am. When we cruised on the Summit we easily made a flight at this same time as we were one of the first to walk off and self disembark. Our friends got to the airport so early they could not check their luggage as they were so early for their 10:30 flight.

 

You do need to have your bags put through the agricultural scanner but that took an additional 5 minutes. I made sure the Adventure arrives in port at the same time the Summit did.

 

Best of luck with this early flight.

[tigers2425]

We loved the location of the Old Town Sheraton....also if you're looking for a great restaurant try La Bombonera or Cafe Mallorca for breakfast and The Parrot Club for lunch/dinner and drinks.

 

Enjoy the DL ... even though we (D+) could also use the CL we liked the DL much better, and your concierge should hopefully be Sucel....amazing :D

 

Ashland,

 

Thanks again for the helpful info. We booked the Sheraton. One more item checked off our to do list. Do you have any insight on excursions on this itinerary? Never hurts to ask😊 Have a great day.

 

Tigers2425

Lori

[dodger1964]

We are also cruising on the Adventure in March 2017 and have a flight out at 9:30 am. When we cruised on the Summit we easily made a flight at this same time as we were one of the first to walk off and self disembark. Our friends got to the airport so early they could not check their luggage as they were so early for their 10:30 flight.

 

You do need to have your bags put through the agricultural scanner but that took an additional 5 minutes. I made sure the Adventure arrives in port at the same time the Summit did.

 

We did a 9:30 am flight coming off the Summit a couple of years ago. We were the first people off the ship...shared cab with next couple in line and had plenty of time to spare! We were at airport by 8 or 8:15.

[Ashland]

Ashland,

 

Thanks again for the helpful info. We booked the Sheraton. One more item checked off our to do list. Do you have any insight on excursions on this itinerary? Never hurts to ask�� Have a great day.

 

Tigers2425

Lori

 

The only excursion we booked on our B2B was in Barbados (sorry can't remember your itinerary) with Glory Tours...otherwise we do our own thing and that works for us. Enjoy

 

Also keep checking the rate you got at the Sheraton...I booked well in advance (December for our May trip) and the price went down about a month+ before arrival...called Sheraton (not the hotel) directly and got the decrease in rate.

Edited October 13, 2016 by Ashland

[muffin]

We made a huge mistake, and booked with the cruise line for a transfer to the airport. DO NOT DO THIS! A cab is by far the better way to go. The shuttle is a very large bus which they wait to fill up before leaving for the airport. The luggage is put in another completely separate farm type truck to be transported.

YOu and your luggage may or may not arrive at the airport somewhere near the same time. We got there -at least 20 minutes earlier. There was nowhere to wait, nowhere to sit, nowhere with shade, nowhere to get water. We spent th time leaning up against a concrete wall in the full sun. When the bags arrived it was havoc. Huge numbers of bags just thrown out of the truck onto the road with at least 45 passengers grabbing bags they hoped were theirs.

HAd we gone with a taxi, we would have arrived WITH our luggage, after an air conditioned ride, and be let off at the departure door. There was almost no difference in cost to boot. Don't do a shuttle! IMHO

[alfaeric]

We are much more comfortable with a flight around noon...however...this past May AA changed our 12:00pm flight to 10:30am...we self disembarked and were easily at our departure gate (including doing the mandatory agriculture check) just before 9:00am. Our TSA pre-check didn't help as they had just closed that designated line...but all worked well with this earlier than usual flight time for us..

 

Enjoy AOS we did and just waiting for RCI to open the bookings for May 2018 to book another B2B.

 

When did you sail/fly??

 

Was it pre or post renovation? I'm currently assuming it was post airport renovation.

 

That being said- we fly Delta to SJU, and for the area they fly out of, the renovations helped a lot. The area in front of the check in area has a couple of ag check stations- so they have been really quick recently. Plus, the TSA pre-check works really well.

 

I would have *thought* that AA would have been like Delta- since they are a major carrier in the Caribbean. But I've never flown with them. Its interesting to hear that they have some speed issues....

 

One note- Jet Blue has their own terminal at SJU. That may help getting guests through, too.

 

That all being said- the ultimate solution to flying out of San Juan- spend one more night there! :D

[Ashland]

When did you sail/fly??

 

Was it pre or post renovation? I'm currently assuming it was post airport renovation.

 

That being said- we fly Delta to SJU, and for the area they fly out of, the renovations helped a lot. The area in front of the check in area has a couple of ag check stations- so they have been really quick recently. Plus, the TSA pre-check works really well.

 

I would have *thought* that AA would have been like Delta- since they are a major carrier in the Caribbean. But I've never flown with them. Its interesting to hear that they have some speed issues....

 

One note- Jet Blue has their own terminal at SJU. That may help getting guests through, too.

 

That all being said- the ultimate solution to flying out of San Juan- spend one more night there! :D

 

As I posted we traveled this past May (2016)...TSA had just closed their gate...perhaps just on a break...but poor timing as many were arriving from cruise ship this early to fly out of SJU...we were on American...Once we got through checkin the airport area it's self was pretty nice seemed updated.

[alfaeric]

Bummer on the timing, then. Thanks for the clarification!

 

 

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