Puerto-Rico - Celebrity Transfer - Check-in Time - How does it work.

[cachouonacruise]

Hello all, 

 

Trying something different on our upcoming March cruise and I am wondering if you can help me better understand how it works. 

 

We are flying on the day of sailing. So, to minimize risk, we booked our flights and transfers using Flights by Celebrity.
 

Our flight will be landing Puerto-Rico at about 2 PM. On my receipt, the transfer time is showing only at 6 PM.

 

It seems to involve a long wait at the airport. I am wondering if this 6 PM time is a hard time or if Celebrity will watch arriving flights and provides various shuttle service from the Airport to the port on that day?

 

When times come to do the Check-in process, would you select a time based on your flight arrival time (taking into account all the deplaning process and a possible prompt shuttle service) or would you select a 6:30 PM time, based on the indicated shuttle time in our papers? 
 

P.s. If known, what is the approximate cost for a cab between the airport and the port in San-Juan Puerto-Rico? Easily accessible? 
 

Thank-you for your help! 

 

 

[garyl62]

We took the Celebrity transfer the first time we flew into San Juan, also the same day as day as departure.  From what I recall, Celebrity had someone at luggage claim with hand held signs who we all gathered around and when when it seemed no one else was coming (assuming they had some idea of this based on scheduled arrivals and the fact baggage claim was now empty) they paraded us past the taxi stand and over to a waiting van.  Then in typical fashion, we all boarded and sat there another 30 minutes until other people arrived and the van filled up after which we left.  I doubt the transfer time is a hard time as you asked.

 

Since that trip we've still flown in on day of departure, but just took the taxi ourselves.  Taxi's are very regulated in PR and rates are set by zones.  I think the rate to the pier is about $20.  It simple to just claim your luggage, walk outside, tell the person managing the taxi stand where you are going and he will write you a ticket which shows the fare, he'll walk you to the cab, you give the ticket to the driver and off you go.

 

I'd suggest saving the money Celerity charges and take the taxi yourself.  As a side note, after the cruise we usually have a mid afternoon flight and we get a taxi from the port around 8:30 AM, have him take us to Baccachina Restaurant in Old San Juan where you can store your luggage.  (We arrange for the same driver to come pick us back up from there at the proper time to take us to the airport)  Then we spend a couple hours walking around Old San Juan, come back to the restaurant for lunch, pick up our bags and meet the taxi to head off to SJU.

[Luvcrusn]

We had two awful X transfers between the cruise port and the airport in Puerto Rico. Never again! Take a cab. Our arrival after claiming our luggage we found someone from X holding a sign. They took us to another part of the airport where we stood in a line for over 90 minutes. We then boarded a bus where we sat for at least that long or longer before the bus driver arrived. He drive to the cruise port while giving a talk about some rum brand and waving an open bottle of same brand while taking occasional swigs from it.

Our return to the airport was a X shore excursion which left the ship on disembarkation day. It was advertised that we would claim our luggage in the terminal, load it onto a bus that would take us and our luggage by bus to various places around the island and then we'd arrive (with our luggage) to the airport. We chose this because we had a late flight home and DH had was recovering from a torn Achlles tendon. Instead, we claimed our luggage and they loaded the luggage onto a flatbed truck and us onto a bus. The tour was very nice although it rained all day (significance of that later). The bus driver asked everyone on the bus what airline they were flying for their return flight as we ended the tour and headed for the airport. We were flying JetBlue. The driver refused to go to that terminal because he'd have to double back after we claimed our luggage. We found our bags. They had been sitting on the sidewalk all day in the pouring rain not under any sort of cover or overhang and when we arrived they were totally unattended. (Security Problem....I'd say so).  There were no porters around and so DH with his torn Achilles and I had to haul the luggage about 1/2 mile to the JetBlue terminal. TAKE A CAB!!!!!!

[ymncruise]

The last time I sailed from San Juan, we used Uber.  I would definitely do it again or take a cab.  It's no fun waiting around the airport for a bus to fill.

[davekathy]

Another for I take a taxi. The taxi cab area is conveniently located, very organized and reasonably priced. 

Edited September 15, 2022 by davekathy

[cachouonacruise]

Wow! Thank-you very much for sharing your experiences. Based on that feedback.... we will definitely take a cab! 
 

Thanks again! 

[tartana]

We used Uber in San Juan with no problem; we also did the half day in the town on departure day where they took our luggage for us with no issues 

[LeeW]

Taxis between port and airport are very easy in San Juan.  There is a dispatcher at both places that will bring up a cab that fits your party and give the driver a paper telling him where you need to go.  Cost is just over $20 for that zone transfer.  Only issues we have ever had flying out of San Juan is the mandatory agricultural xray before checking in for flight (often one in our terminal is broken) and cancelled flights (huge lines for rebooking). 

 

Plus you can't check bags earlier than 3 hours before flight.  The luggage storage room closes at random intervals and they may not be there when you come out of security to check in your bags.  No place to sit outside security so we usually store bags, go through security and then I come back out to check in bags.

[cachouonacruise]

8 hours ago, LeeW said:

Plus you can't check bags earlier than 3 hours before flight.  The luggage storage room closes at random intervals and they may not be there when you come out of security to check in your bags.  No place to sit outside security so we usually store bags, go through security and then I come back out to check in bags.

Very interesting details. I have never heard of going through security, back out, and then return. So, you must have had to go through security twice?

[LeeW]

On 9/17/2022 at 6:34 AM, cachouonacruise said:

Very interesting details. I have never heard of going through security, back out, and then return. So, you must have had to go through security twice?

Yup.  But lines were not long and we have preCheck.  DW stayed inside security.  In our terminal there were about 6 seats outside of security and one coffee shop.  Nothing else.

[sbcs5390]

I boarded a Crystal cruise in San Juan (disembarked in Miami) and took a cab from the airport - yes the form was really easy and the taxi loader kept things moving and fair. I would probably get rid of the FBC transfers especially on your arrival since you’ll be tight on timing to get to the ship and start your vacation, and especially as you are not only one person as I was. At the time there was the horrendous COVID QR code to deal with, made worse because I could not load my code on my phone and had forgotten to screenshot it. It was hard to find help and someone who spoke English, but I later learned that “Verizon went out of business in Puerto Rico” so would put some caution on those planning on Uber (I use it all the time) that service might not be good at the airport. Service got better once I got to the hotel in Old San Juan. Just my experience from December 2021 - although with the recent storms, who knows what you’ll find. The probably with the transfers on the back end is then you’re waiting to stop at every terminal and waiting for buses to fill up. I could have swapped to an earlier flight (mine was horrendously delayed already) had I gone directly to the airport in a cab.

[cachouonacruise]

Thank-you very much Sbcs5390 for taking the time to share your experience in San Juan. It's very informative!