Jewel OTS San Juan Flight Arrival: how late is too late???

Hi all my family and I are booked on Jewel OTS early Dec. 2018 for the 7- night Southern Caribbean. We wanted to fly the same day as the ship departs but our TA has us flying from Chicago where we don’t arrive until 4:45pm with a departure time of 8pm something for the Jewel. Is there a cut off time RCI enforces with late departures? Like 6 pm? We’re a fairly large group, how long does it take to get to the San Juan port? Being from Chicago it’s also possible there could be snow and delays ect., makes me a touch nervous.

We normally try to board by 1pm for most cruises so this time seems weird but it is what worked for our schedules. Can this be done?

I feel bad starting the vacation late when I know we can board as early as 11am.

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I be sort of afraid..

we did a cruise out of Orlando a very early flight 8ish.. am arriving in San Juan around 11am

well they first delay the trip by 30minutes... after a few times we knew this flight was going to be canceled.

Yes they canceled it with no flights till the next day... very scary.. a good portion of this flight was cruising as well.

(this was the first time this happen to us... we cruised several times out of San Juan)

This was not weather related either.. looked up the weather from where the plane was coming from and etc.

We were offer a different flight ... different airport but they misinformed us the time to get there.

After taking a taxi.. yes $500.00 (did fight to get it back and we did) made that flight with minutes to spare..

this flight was half empty and maybe they should of bused the cruisers there...

We too are going on a cruise first week of Dec JOS and thinking about flying the night before even though our flight is to leave at 8ish again and getting there around 11am..

Hope all works out well..

Arriving at 4:45pm for an 8:00pm sail away...that's cutting it a bit too close for my comfort...but best of luck.

BTW...Is that the best a TA could do for you ?

We have a prior engagement the day before so we have to fly same day, which is fine. I think I’ll speak to her because I don’t want to fly to the next port which I think is Barbados.

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You have to be on the ship 90 minutes before departure. A 4:45 arrival is cutting it way too close. Don't do it! If there are any delays at all in your flight, you will miss the ship. If your plane lands (wheels down) at 4:45, you'll have taxi time to the gate, waiting for people to get off, making your way to baggage claim, waiting for your bags, collecting all of your bags (hoping they're all there), making your way to the taxi stand and then getting a taxi. Sometimes there is no wait at all for a taxi, other times you might have to wait a half hour. It all depends on how many people need one. The ride from the airport to the cruise terminal is about 20 minutes. I am one of those people that take chances with flights and push the envelope sometimes. This is NOT something that I would try. If you miss your ship, you'll have to pay to catch up at the next port which could be two days away depending on your itinerary.

A couple we met on Jewel 2 weeks ago got on the ship at 7:30pm due to their flight being late. They had a separate Muster Drill and went straight to dinner.

We have a prior engagement the day before so we have to fly same day, which is fine. I think I’ll speak to her because I don’t want to fly to the next port which I think is Barbados.

 

 

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Would it be possible to get a bit closer on that prior evening? For example, a 7pm or 8pm flight to Miami and then a morning flight from Miami to San Juan? Otherwise, this just seems like a bad idea to me.

How late is too late? The morning of. I would never schedule a cruise if I could not fly the day prior(at least).

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I'm also from IL and taking the 12/8 cruise. I'll fly in the day before and spend the night in a hotel.

Check with RCI. While I would normally take a taxi, you may be better off booking an RCI transfer only because they won't ding you if you run into traffic on the bus. Check with them on the last transfer time.

You'll have your luggage by 5:30, which will give you only one hour of leeway. Taxi ride is usually very quick.

I wouldn't try it because you must be on the ship 90 minutes before sail-a-way. It would be horrible staring at a ship you can't board.

A couple we met on Jewel 2 weeks ago got on the ship at 7:30pm due to their flight being late. They had a separate Muster Drill and went straight to dinner.

What time did the ship leave San Juan?

My husband and i just did Jewel in San Juan. RCCL scheduled our air, much to my dismay. We landed at 345pm. We waited for luggage for 45 minutes then took the transfer. We did not board until 520pm. I felt it was way too stressful for me. The positive of the whole day was knowing that they scheduled our air and transfer and even said that they would have to let us board up to and including a few minutes late. Our all aboard was posted for 6pm.

If I read OP correctly the flt is through Chicago in December. Wouldn't do that because of weather issues. Are you originating there or elsewhere? If you have to fly the same day I would clearly avoid flying through airports that could have weather problems.

Hi all my family and I are booked on Jewel OTS early Dec. 2018 for the 7- night Southern Caribbean. We wanted to fly the same day as the ship departs but our TA has us flying from Chicago where we don’t arrive until 4:45pm with a departure time of 8pm something for the Jewel. Is there a cut off time RCI enforces with late departures? Like 6 pm? We’re a fairly large group, how long does it take to get to the San Juan port? Being from Chicago it’s also possible there could be snow and delays ect., makes me a touch nervous.

 

We normally try to board by 1pm for most cruises so this time seems weird but it is what worked for our schedules. Can this be done?

I feel bad starting the vacation late when I know we can board as early as 11am

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No way! Especially flying December. I'd pick another flight and TA. No way to start a vacation and not worth the stress.

We always fly on day of cruise except to Europe. But the last time we flew to San Juan in December,we had ice in Dallas, spent the night at DFW so we would be on time, flight delay , just barely made connection in Miami. We try now to book non stop.

Hope everything works out for you

No way! Especially flying December. I'd pick another flight and TA. No way to start a vacation and not worth the stress.

 

 

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I was thinking I would never use a TA that would book such a setup.

Southwest has a non stop from midway that gets in at 3:30pm. We are on that flight for our JOS cruise for december, but the day before sailing. Check it out at least it is a little earlier.

The 90 minute rule is purely arbitrary. I do know that RCI checks those flight numbers you put in for your boarding pass. They will and have delayed sail-a-way if a significant number of passengers are delayed by an airline.

Under the final rule, the

APIS transmission must occur no later

than 60 minutes prior to the intended

vessel departure. A confirmation

message will be sent to the reporting

party shown in the manifest. If the

confirmation message clears all

crewmembers and passengers on board,

the vessel can depart regardless of

whether the full 60-minute window has

elapsed. If the confirmation message

includes a ‘‘not-cleared’’ result, the

carrier may wait until further vetting

can be completed. If the further vetting

result clears the ‘‘not-cleared’’ traveler

within the 60-minute window, the

carrier is free to depart.

I'm cruising on the Jewel of the seas in December also and my flight lands @ 3:55 pm day of my cruise and that't the earliest I ever landed sailing out of San Juan. I find it one of the easist ways to board its easy to catch a cab and there are no boarding delays ones you get to the ship. I am sailing out of the Midwest, and I cruise almost every year in December. Personally its all what you are comfortable with. The first drink on the airplane...lol or the ship will easily calm your nerves. :cool::cool::cool::cool::-)

The 90 minute rule is purely arbitrary. I do know that RCI checks those flight numbers you put in for your boarding pass. They will and have delayed sail-a-way if a significant number of passengers are delayed by an airline.

 

Under the final rule, the

APIS transmission must occur no later

than 60 minutes prior to the intended

vessel departure. A confirmation

message will be sent to the reporting

party shown in the manifest. If the

confirmation message clears all

crewmembers and passengers on board,

the vessel can depart regardless of

whether the full 60-minute window has

elapsed. If the confirmation message

includes a ‘‘not-cleared’’ result, the

carrier may wait until further vetting

can be completed. If the further vetting

result clears the ‘‘not-cleared’’ traveler

within the 60-minute window, the

carrier is free to depart.

This is true .... We've been onboard and departure was delayed for almost an hour and heard it was because over 30 people had late flight situations coming into Vancouver for our Alaska itinerary.

We have sailed out of San Juan twice, and both times the ship left late because they were waiting for some late passengers who had booked their flights through RCCL. Both times, we worked on Friday and then left around 5pm and arrived super late the night before, and then were one of the first to board. If you absolutely cannot fly the day before, I would book flights through RCCL so they will wait for you.

You can do what you want OP, just have a good back-up plan and either insurance or the ability to pay yourself for a flight to your first port of call.

We have to fly in the day of embarkation but I always have a Plan B and a Plan C in place. I know alternate flights we can take in our connecting city (have options written down ahead of time) and I know the best ways to get to the first and/or second port of call. If we don't have insurance, then I make sure we can pay whatever the costs will be (hotel, taxi, airfare, taxi again).

What flight are you on? Are you making a connection? There are three flights from Chicago to San Juan and they all arrive before 4pm. If you are arriving at 445, that implies you are making a connection. That is far too risky in my opinion in December.

The first flight of the day is usually the best and it arrives before 3pm, which should be ok.

What time did the ship leave San Juan?

The ship left at 8:00pm

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