San Juan Traffic Jam at Pier MAY be Solved

[hawt1]

One of the problems with Pan Am Pier is when both the Royal Caribbean and the Princess ship are trying to disembark and embark on the same day. Passengers have noted huge lineups and traffic jams coming and going.

 

GOOD NEWS. I just read on Princess board that the Caribbean Princess is embarking from the Navy Pier or somethng like that on January 25th. The same day the Adventure leaves from Pan Am Pier (with us on it!)

 

Good news if it is true.

[caribbeanboy]

I noticed that she was docked at the Navy pier last Sunday before she left for Freeport.

[jakohlba]

We have sailed out of San Juan twice and have never had any difficulty getting a cab or even seen a traffic jam.

[d&a Delaware]

Where is the Navy Pier? Is it one of the piers in Old San Juan?

 

David

[KAWS]

One of the problems with Pan Am Pier is when both the Royal Caribbean and the Princess ship are trying to disembark and embark on the same day. Passengers have noted huge lineups and traffic jams coming and going.

 

GOOD NEWS. I just read on Princess board that the Caribbean Princess is embarking from the Navy Pier or somethng like that on January 25th. The same day the Adventure leaves from Pan Am Pier (with us on it!)

 

Good news if it is true.

 

Carnival Victory goes out of San Juan too and on the same day of the week. Will that one go out of Pan Am Pier or Navy Pier?

[wrp96]

Where is the Navy Pier? Is it one of the piers in Old San Juan?

 

David

 

 

The Navy Pier is not the pier in Old San Juan. It is not used very often so you don't hear about it much on these boards. It's located between Old San Juan and the Pan Am Pier.

 

 

Carnival Victory goes out of San Juan too and on the same day of the week. Will that one go out of Pan Am Pier or Navy Pier?

 

 

Carnival Victory sails from Pier 4 in Old San Juan (across from the Sheraton Old San Juan). Not the Pan Am Pier or the Navy pier.

[negc]

When we cruised on Princess out of San Juan, it did not leave from the Pan American pier that RCI uses and I don't believe that they have ever used Pan American pier. They do not use the piers that are right in downtown Old San Juan either. Those are usually reserved for ships making port calls and not for ships beginning their cruises from Puerto Rico. It was my impression that it was called Frontier pier, but I could be mistaken about the name. It was located on the same side of the harbor as the Old San Juan piers and across the harbor from Pan American pier.:)

[satxdiver]

One of the problems with Pan Am Pier is when both the Royal Caribbean and the Princess ship are trying to disembark and embark on the same day. Passengers have noted huge lineups and traffic jams coming and going.

 

GOOD NEWS. I just read on Princess board that the Caribbean Princess is embarking from the Navy Pier or somethng like that on January 25th. The same day the Adventure leaves from Pan Am Pier (with us on it!)

 

Good news if it is true.

 

That is good news. There is only a two lane street running along the airport to the cruise pier. With 3000+ leaving and more arriving it gets pretty congested.

[Darkwolfe]

We'll see how things are today. We're hanging out at the hotel this early morning in San Juan. Planning to enjoy a good breakfast then head over to Pan Am pier around 10:30.

 

We stayed over near the airport last night so that should put us at the pier right about 11.

 

I'll post on current conditions for embarkation later on today!

[wrp96]

When we cruised on Princess out of San Juan, it did not leave from the Pan American pier that RCI uses and I don't believe that they have ever used Pan American pier. They do not use the piers that are right in downtown Old San Juan either. Those are usually reserved for ships making port calls and not for ships beginning their cruises from Puerto Rico. It was my impression that it was called Frontier pier, but I could be mistaken about the name. It was located on the same side of the harbor as the Old San Juan piers and across the harbor from Pan American pier.:)

 

 

Bill in 2006 and 2007 Princess sailed from Pier 4 in Old San Juan (the pier across from the Sheraton Old San Juan), only shifting over to the Navy Frontier pier which is between Old San Juan and the Pan Am Pier when there were no spaces at either Pier 4 or the Pan Am Pier. This season, Caribbean Princess has been using the Pan Am Pier. I believe she's only supposed to use the Navy Pier for the 25th (the day she returns from drydock), but will return back to the Pan Am Pier the following Sunday.

[hawt1]

Bill in 2006 and 2007 Princess sailed from Pier 4 in Old San Juan (the pier across from the Sheraton Old San Juan), only shifting over to the Navy Frontier pier which is between Old San Juan and the Pan Am Pier when there were no spaces at either Pier 4 or the Pan Am Pier. This season, Caribbean Princess has been using the Pan Am Pier. I believe she's only supposed to use the Navy Pier for the 25th (the day she returns from drydock), but will return back to the Pan Am Pier the following Sunday.

 

Given that the 25th is when I sail out on the AOS, I am self-centredly happy about this but also given what some others have reported when both of these ships are arriving and leaving from the Pan Am on the same day, the two lane road to and from Pan Am becomes a parking lot - they need to look at moving one of these ships permanently.

[lablvr2]

Does anyone know if Serenade is the only ship in port in SJU does she leave from Old Juan or Pam Am?

[nanfromatlanta]

Does anyone know if Serenade is the only ship in port in SJU does she leave from Old Juan or Pam Am?

 

 

She will sail from the Pan American pier.

[lablvr2]

She will sail from the Pan American pier.

 

How can that be? Last year we sailed into Old Juan on the Jewel. We were next to Explorer. There are no ships in port - wouldn't it make more sense to dock her in OSJ???? I'm ready to roll with this, I just don't understand it.

[wrp96]

How can that be? Last year we sailed into Old Juan on the Jewel. We were next to Explorer. There are no ships in port - wouldn't it make more sense to dock her in OSJ???? I'm ready to roll with this, I just don't understand it.

 

Royal Caribbean uses the Pan Am Pier for all cruises that begin or end in San Juan. The facilities are specifically set up for RCCL, the worker's are used to that facility, etc.

 

Plus Pier 3, the pier RCCL typically now uses in OSJ is not set up for cruises that begin or end in San Juan. It was only built for ships in San Juan for a port of call stop.

[toonjie]

Here's a map that shows the piers: http://www.langland.org/cruises/sanjuan.asp

 

As noted above, Seranade leaves from Pan Am, as do all RCI ships that begin their cruises in San Juan. (Includes Celebrity)

[Deborito]

Thanks Toonjie for the link. I had fun looking at all the maps. One person on our roll call is at the Doubletree. Did it used to be called something else? I was trying to find it and the distance to the Pan Am Pier for her.

[wave rider]

The Doubletree should only be a short cab ride away if my recollection is correct. The biggest problem in PR is not the ships but the airport. That is where the congestion is horrific. The best solution to that is to stay an extra night in PR, relax and unwind and catch a flight the next morning.

[ERICV82GO]

I just returned from the AOS tonight from the 1/4-1/11 cruise. The Princess ship WAS NOT docked on the same side as the AOS. The Princess ship was docked towards the Old San Juan side. There was hardly any traffic to get to the AOS at 11 am.

[cruiseawaits]

I just returned from the AOS tonight from the 1/4-1/11 cruise. The Princess ship WAS NOT docked on the same side as the AOS. The Princess ship was docked towards the Old San Juan side. There was hardly any traffic to get to the AOS at 11 am.

 

Do you happen to know what Princess ship was docked? I thought the only Princess ship sailing out of San Juan was the Caribbean Princess and, as someone else posted on this board, she is in dry dock. Maybe the Princess ship in port was there as a "day stop" on their itinerary.

 

Anyway, more importantly, how was the AOS? Would love to hear all about your cruise(ship, ports, weather, excursions, etc.) If you have time, please post all you can(pictures would be great too!!). We're sailing her on 2/15--1st time with RCI after 8 Carnival cruises. I'm getting very excited, can't wait.

[hunter2004]

just got off from serenade 2 days ago (jan 3-10). by the time we boarding around 1pm traffic has been cleared just the line to check through security and you dropped your luggages as you going in. once gets in is a long line to check-in counter but we had priority check-in so no waiting for us.

 

Celebrity summit also there too but caused no problem, just dock near by

 

we did priority departure (8am) on our last day, at that time things still look emptied, but we can see all the taxi are line up wayyyyyyyyyyyyy and looked like celebrity has not start their yet

[ERICV82GO]

Do you happen to know what Princess ship was docked? I thought the only Princess ship sailing out of San Juan was the Caribbean Princess and, as someone else posted on this board, she is in dry dock. Maybe the Princess ship in port was there as a "day stop" on their itinerary.

 

Anyway, more importantly, how was the AOS? Would love to hear all about your cruise(ship, ports, weather, excursions, etc.) If you have time, please post all you can(pictures would be great too!!). We're sailing her on 2/15--1st time with RCI after 8 Carnival cruises. I'm getting very excited, can't wait.

 

 

The ship was the Caribbean Princess. I'm not sure if it is in dry dock or not, but I know the ship was not there when we (the AOS) returned to San Juan on 1/11.

 

The AOS was absolutely awesome! It was my 2nd time on her (went January last year as well). Mike the cruise director was easily the best cruise director I've had in 6 cruises. I had him last year as well, but he was even better this time around. I'll post a review soon, right now I'm just getting back in the swing of things after just getting home Monday night. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have in the mean time.

[cruiseawaits]

The ship was the Caribbean Princess. I'm not sure if it is in dry dock or not, but I know the ship was not there when we (the AOS) returned to San Juan on 1/11.

 

The AOS was absolutely awesome! It was my 2nd time on her (went January last year as well). Mike the cruise director was easily the best cruise director I've had in 6 cruises. I had him last year as well, but he was even better this time around. I'll post a review soon, right now I'm just getting back in the swing of things after just getting home Monday night. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have in the mean time.

 

So glad I've found someone who has just come off the AOS and can give me the most current and wonderful info on her. Which route did you cruise? We are doing the Aruba/Curacao itinerary. These two islands we've never been to. We've been to St. Maarten & St. Thomas numerous times. As a matter of fact, we're having a difficult time deciding what to do in St. Thomas. We would love to head over to St. John's, but are a bit hesitant since there will be 3 other ships in port with us. Any ideas for St. Thomas? Also, I was wondering if the Cafe Promenade and/or Johnny Rockets is open on embarkation day for lunch? Or is it just the Windjammer? Can't wait to read your full review. Fill it with as much detail as you have time for(even if it's in chapters-LOL). Thanks

[ERICV82GO]

So glad I've found someone who has just come off the AOS and can give me the most current and wonderful info on her. Which route did you cruise? We are doing the Aruba/Curacao itinerary. These two islands we've never been to. We've been to St. Maarten & St. Thomas numerous times. As a matter of fact, we're having a difficult time deciding what to do in St. Thomas. We would love to head over to St. John's, but are a bit hesitant since there will be 3 other ships in port with us. Any ideas for St. Thomas? Also, I was wondering if the Cafe Promenade and/or Johnny Rockets is open on embarkation day for lunch? Or is it just the Windjammer? Can't wait to read your full review. Fill it with as much detail as you have time for(even if it's in chapters-LOL). Thanks

 

 

We were on the Aruba Curacao route as well. We were the only ship in St Thomas, so we didn't have to worry about too many other passengers. We went shopping for a bit and then reboarded the ship and layed by the pool the rest of the day. We were going to go to Megan's, but a member of the front desk said that on Saturday's the beach would be extremely crowded, it's a long taxi ride, and at that point in time (around 1 pm) we were better off just laying by the pool.

 

I'm not sure if the Cafe Promenade or Johnny Rockets was open on embarkation. We were late to board because the ship had two surprise inspections that morning, a coast guard inspection, and a food & health inspection, so the doors to the ship didn't open until about 1:30-1:45. We headed straight to the Windjammer, which was open at that tme.

[Deborito]

Hopefully the embarkation will go smoothly when we board the Adventure next Sunday. We will go early and see what happens. We have been reading every thread that has to do with AOS and can hardly wait to check her out. Debbie