US Customs at San Juan Airport?

Does anyone know if you go thru US customs at the San Juan airport or if you have to wait until arrival in Newark, NJ? Or do you even go thru customs again all after leaving the ship? We are staying 2 extra days in San Juan, if that matters.

Continental changed our flights this week and we arrive in Newark from San Juan with only 1 1/2 hrs to make the connection in Newark to New Orleans. If we have already been cleared by customs in San Juan, then I think an 1 1/2 is probably enough time to make the connection, but if we have to go thru customs 1 1/2 hrs is not enough time. Even Continental's website states you should allow 2 1/2 - 3 hrs for international flights.

Does anyone know?

Thanks.

I'm kinda curious if you have to clear customs at all at the Airport since it's a US Territory?? I guess better safe than sorry and we'll be arriving 2+ hours early unless someone posts to the contrary..

US citizens traveling to San Juan do not have to clear customs because you have never left the US. Technically the "ship" clears customs. The San Juan pier will be you're point of re-entry to the US and you will clear Immigration there after you re-claim your luggage. If it's anything like Miami, it's no big deal. Just hand your declaration form with proof of identity to the immigration officer and poof your back in the USA

GummyBear is pretty much dead-on, with the possible exception that if the cruise calls on St. Thomas just prior to San Juan, the clearing occurs there.

In any event, no need to worry about anything at the airport on your departure.

There is one extra luggage check at San Juan Airport that you don't have on the mainland.... it's out front curbside where they drop you off. The check is a U.S. Agricultural Inspection... I think it's for aphids mainly. It doesn't take very long, but they put a sticker on each piece of luggage.... If you don't have this little sticker on your luggage when you check it at the airline counter, they send you back outside... now, that's a pain... particularly if you were in line for 20 minutes or so. They change colors every so often, but I never noticed a pattern. Note: Hand carried luggage doesn't need to go through the conveyor belt.

I'm familiar with this inspection because I made 20 trips to San Juan last year from the mainland. However, none of them were for cruises... I was on business... so I was hauling my own luggage. Coming from a cruise ship, I don't know where you pick up your luggage after you get to the airport. But, check for the little colored stickers at the airport. If you're inside and they don't have the stickers, ask someone. They may "overlook" them for cruise ship passengers.

As the other posters have said... when you're in Puerto Rico, you're in the U.S.... no customs coming or going from the mainland. Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the U.S. Several cell phone carriers are on the island... and if you have nationwide service with them, your cell phone will work just like you're in your hometown.

Enjoy your cruise....

Dave :cool: :cool: :cool:

Thanks to everyone that responded.

I feel better about the 1 1/2 hrs to make our connection in Newark.

Now if I would have just waited to book my flights till this week......

We went through customs at the pier when we embarked from the ship. As long as you had the colored tags on your luggage from the ship, they didn't bother you at the airport.