Millennium boarding time

[gracieonthebeach]

We have an upcoming cruise on the Millennium, Nov 16th. Our flight from Tampa, FL arrives in San Juan at 11:20 AM. The boarding time for the ship said 5:30 PM. I called Celebrity to see if we could board earlier and was told no. I asked about what to do with our luggage all day and was told we could take them to the port and we MIGHT be able to leave them and they would deliver to our cabin when the ship was ready. It was not a positive answer, so I'm wondering if anyone has had a early arrival and was able to board the ship before 5:30. It seems like a late boarding when the ship sails at 8:30. Also, what is there to do in San Juan? We also have a late departure on the 27th, 9:15 PM so will need to know what to do that day also. Has anyone tried the express check out where Celebrity will take your luggage and issue boarding passes for American Airlines and deliver the luggage to the airport on the day of departure?

This is becoming frustrating to me. Thanks for your help

[Lsimon]

I've heard of this confusion before, with mis-information from Celebrity telephone customer service. But I've never actually heard of a ship that wasn't ready to board sometime between 11 and 12:30. I've sailed from San Juan twice in the past 4 years on Celebrity ships and both times we've arrived just after noon and boarding has been well under way.

The only times I've read about late boarding has been some cruise I read about on these boards that had to reposition to a different dock after disembarking but before embarkation - it was on the west coast. And once in Barcelona we were checked in but couldn't board until 3PM as the prior cruise had some norovirus problems and they were doing an extraordinary ship cleaning and disinfection - which apparently was very successful in cutting off the virus. So delayed boarding does happen - but it is unusual.

Some people have checked in then headed to Old San Juan for the afternoon - but personally I'd rather spend the afternoon on the ship.

On our last San Juan cruise, in 2008, they did allow us to check our bags for American Airlines, and other major lines, at the dock by special arrangement, and a $20 fee, before disembarkation. We still had to cart around our hand luggage. There is also a bar/restaurant Old San Juan called Barrachina which I've heard has a luggage check.

Old San Juan has some Old World architecture, historical forts, and other things which make it a pleasant place to roam around for an afternoon and lots of places to eat and drink. Once we stopped at a beach resort (the El San Juan) hoping to check our luggage and hang out by the pool bar - they wouldn't take our luggage but we did spend several hours at a brunch in the open air restaurant overlooking the pool.