2:30 Sunday flight after cruise -- advice needed

[brookie848]

We will be disembarking the Norwegian Dawn on March 3 and our flight is at what I consider an awkward time -- 2:30.

 

I know the lines at SJU can get a bit interesting, so I'm looking for advice about when we should head to the airport and what we should do between leaving the ship and going to the airport.

 

Some basic information: We are flying Southwest and are both TSA Precheck. We will be checking luggage and we know we have to do the Agriculture Check. Our ship docks at 5:30 am at the San Juan Pier. Taking a post-cruise tour through NCL is out since we don't meet the flight time considerations.

 

With it being a Sunday, I'm thinking we should definitely arrive at the airport no later than noon. That would leave us limited time to drop our luggage at Barrachina's and explore Old San Juan. Would it be worth it? Is there anywhere else we could go (with luggage) to spend some time? Or should we just stay on the ship as long as possible and then head to the airport?

 

Thanks!

[PatandStu]

If you've never been to San Juan, I would suggest taking an hour or two just to wander around the town and go up to the forts. You may not have time to visit the forts, but it is a gorgeous city, perfect for walking.

Pat

[PatandStu]

PS Are you sure you dock at the San Juan pier?
We embark on the Dawn on March 3 and have been told we are leaving from the Pan American pier.

[alfaeric]

5 hours ago, PatandStu said:

PS Are you sure you dock at the San Juan pier?
We embark on the Dawn on March 3 and have been told we are leaving from the Pan American pier.

That's a good question- we just sailed on the Freedom, and there was a Norwegian ship where we would normally see a Celebrity ship behind us.  I wasn't aware that NCL moved any of their ships over to the PanAm pier.

[brookie848]

I typed the port incorrectly -- we're definitely at the Pan American Pier.

 

So we would need to take a taxi to Old San Juan.

[LittleYiaYia]

Hi brookie, we are on the same flight as you. 2:30 PM on Sunday March 3 on Southwest to Baltimore. We have flown out of SJU on a Sunday before and you are right, it can be very stressful, because of the crowds. We aren’t on NCL, we are on Carnival and I’m not too sure how many other ships are disembarking this day. There is usually a RC ship that disembarks on Sunday. We are also planning on getting to the airport at 12/12:30.  This should be enough time. 

[Ashland]

Barrachina's starts taking luggage as early as 9:00am.

[Stinger-pr]

Disembarkation for the Dawn doesn't actually start until 8am, I think... with the self debarkation guests. The first group after that is for 8:30am. I suggest you get off with the first two groups, take a taxi to Barrachina and leave your luggage at 9am when they open and return by noon. Grab your bags, walk half a block to the taxi area and head for the airport. You should make it with enough time.

 

While at San Juan, just walk around the base of the wall on Paseo de la Princesa or visit one of the forts (el Morro is closer to Barrachina) IF the shutdown is done by then and they are open (hopefuly so!).

[audcc77]

We have a flight out of SJU at 3:30.  

 

How soon can we check our bags at the airport ?

[DancerOT]

What is Barrachina?  We are in a similar positon with a 3:20 flight out of SJU on Southwest to FLL in April.  What/how long is the agricultural check?

[alfaeric]

1 hour ago, DancerOT said:

What is Barrachina?  We are in a similar positon with a 3:20 flight out of SJU on Southwest to FLL in April.  What/how long is the agricultural check?

A bar on Calle Fortaleza.  In the back of it, there's a luggage storage area.

 

Before the shutdown, the ag check was quite short- there are a number of them next to doors, on your way to check in.  Even the TSA-pre process took longer than the current ag check.

 

If the shutdown is still going on- well, who knows.

[Desert Cruizers]

I am experiencing terrible flight departure times back to Calif. Our cruise is still a year away in March 2020 however, the cheapest flight schedule I am finding is United's 5:10 AM SJ arrival then a 2:06 AM return back to Calif. If I take the jet Blue return flight leaving at 12:06 PM after the cruise, my price jumps . If I hung around until midnight on a Sunday before going to the airport, there isn't much to do I am afraid. The daughter is running across a similar problem returning to Colorado. What hotels offer day Passes in San Juan near the airport.

[KatPem]

There be many, many flight changes and price changes that far out. You could always rent a car for the day and explore if you got a later flight.  Tons to do within an hour of San Juan and even in Old San Juan. We have flown to San Juan 6 or 7 times and flights are crazy...usually find the best deal by being flexible about 7 weeks out.  For a family of 6, we hold off  as we can't afford $800 a person that can be a going rate. 

[Desert Cruizers]

We will be doing a b2b so have the added time between the cruises to see more of Old San Juan etc that we might miss after our arrival. I won't be seriously looking at flights until after we are back from our March 2019 Hawaii cruise, then hopefully the daughter & I can decide which flights will work out the best for each of us. We have several choices going over, it is the returning flights we find limited on the time.  

[DancerOT]

On 1/24/2019 at 2:48 PM, alfaeric said:

A bar on Calle Fortaleza.  In the back of it, there's a luggage storage area.

 

Before the shutdown, the ag check was quite short- there are a number of them next to doors, on your way to check in.  Even the TSA-pre process took longer than the current ag check.

 

If the shutdown is still going on- well, who knows.

Thank you!  We might look into this as an option.

[Desert Cruizers]

For those of you flying in & out of San Juan, what time would you recommend arriving for your flight with the ag check

[alfaeric]

The normal 1.5-2 hours is just fine.  The main security line is a LOT longer than the ag check- that system has been very streamlined.

[Desert Cruizers]

Thank you.

[PRH]

There is an overpriced club/lounge at the airport.  Open bar, snacks, light lunch buffet.  Can get crowded.  

[CruisinCrow]

We're thinking about leaving our luggage at Barrachina while we walk around, then grab lunch before heading to the airport.  I have a couple of questions.  How much is a taxi from the Pan Am pier to Barrachina?  What about from Old San Juan to the airport?  Where would we pick up a taxi to the airport in relation to the restaurant?  Thanks!

[Desert Cruizers]

My flights or planned flight which is terrible for coming home is United over arriving at 6 AM and the 2:06 AM departure home for $700 R/T If I pick the JB 12:06 PM departure for home then price jumps to close to $900 What do I do with all that time after visiting SJ during our stay there before the cruise. Possibly look into a Day Pass at a Hotel . 

[jean87510]

We had a 4pm flight last November off the jewel ta and went to the Marriott with day pass. Really nice day. Stored our luggage, swam in the pool and beach, ate lunch. They provided towels. We showered off and got to airport around 2pm. Just a word of warning. TSA precheck is great but a lot of people have it now. I dont like it in San Juan because it always seems ridiculously slow there. I booked the day pass through resort for a day

[Racer70]

On ‎2‎/‎5‎/‎2019 at 10:24 AM, CruisinCrow said:

We're thinking about leaving our luggage at Barrachina while we walk around, then grab lunch before heading to the airport.  I have a couple of questions.  How much is a taxi from the Pan Am pier to Barrachina?  What about from Old San Juan to the airport?  Where would we pick up a taxi to the airport in relation to the restaurant?  Thanks!

I too am interested in this. Does anyone have any answers to the above questions? 

[CruisinCrow]

10 hours ago, Racer70 said:

I too am interested in this. Does anyone have any answers to the above questions? 

 

We ended up doing this and enjoyed it very much.  I'm sorry I can't remember exactly how much the taxis cost but I believe they were about $25 each way.  There is a taxi stand very close to Barrachina.  When you leave the restaurant, head right and it's one street down.

 

At Barrachina, a man took our luggage and stored it in a back room.  He even gave us a very nice walking map.  We spent a couple of hours exploring, then came back to Barrachina for lunch and some pina coladas.  

 

I posted some pictures here, if you're interested (scroll about half way down): http://susancrow.blogspot.com/2019/02/celebrity-summit-southern-caribbean_25.html