San Juan transfers

[maladigiz]

Does anybody have any experience with Celebrity transfers from San Juan airport? We have transfers included in our package, and I'm just wondering if the Celebrity representatives are easy to spot when you're ready to leave the airport and head to the ship.

 

I would love to hear from anybody with experience.:cool:

[TravelerThom]

Does anybody have any experience with Celebrity transfers from San Juan airport? We have transfers included in our package, and I'm just wondering if the Celebrity representatives are easy to spot when you're ready to leave the airport and head to the ship.

Celebrity rep should be readily visible holding an "X Celebrity" sign probably in baggage claim.

 

If you already have transfers this won't help you, but be aware for next time that the flat rate for a taxi for four people from SJU to the pier is $19 [plus tip]. And you'll probably be waiting for the better part of an hour while Celebrity tries to fill up the bus before heading to the pier. [same deal exists in many other locations [such as Ft. Lauderdale] where the cruise lines charge each person about the same as a taxi for four would cost, and very little wait for the taxi].

 

Thom

[toronto_gal]

We had no problem finding the Celebrity rep at San Juan airport. He was waiting for us right by the baggage claim area even before our bags appeared. Then we made our way to the bus right outside the door and were on our way to the ship within moments.

 

Although others might disagree, we felt that having our connections made through Celebrity just gave us one less thing to worry about.

[maladigiz]

We had no problem finding the Celebrity rep at San Juan airport. He was waiting for us right by the baggage claim area even before our bags appeared. Then we made our way to the bus right outside the door and were on our way to the ship within moments.

 

Although others might disagree, we felt that having our connections made through Celebrity just gave us one less thing to worry about.

 

 

Thanks for the answer Toronto_gal. That makes me feel mucher better. We'll actually be flying out of Toronto.

 

Thanks again.

[Lsimon]

Everyone should do what they are comfortable with.

 

In San Juan I'd say that the majority of the time we've had little or no wait for taxis. There has always been a dispatcher who tells us what the rate is and writes it down with a copy to us and one to the driver. Takes a lot of worry out of taking a cab.

[mrsport2]

Celebrity rep should be readily visible holding an "X Celebrity" sign probably in baggage claim.

 

If you already have transfers this won't help you, but be aware for next time that the flat rate for a taxi for four people from SJU to the pier is $19 [plus tip]. And you'll probably be waiting for the better part of an hour while Celebrity tries to fill up the bus before heading to the pier. [same deal exists in many other locations [such as Ft. Lauderdale] where the cruise lines charge each person about the same as a taxi for four would cost, and very little wait for the taxi].

 

Thom

If you have you room luggage tags on you checked luggage... does the cruise line transfer them to the pier if you do not have a transfer package with them and plan to use a cab?

[Lsimon]

If you have you room luggage tags on you checked luggage... does the cruise line transfer them to the pier if you do not have a transfer package with them and plan to use a cab?

 

No. You'll have to claim them and take to the pier with you to check in. They did this many years ago but no longer.

[mrsport2]

Thanks Larry.... we have not been on a cruise for 13 years.... back then I thought they did.... so do you feel it worth it to buy transfer so you dont have to fool with bag's? Do you know how much the for transfers?

[Lsimon]

...so do you feel it worth it to buy transfer so you dont have to fool with bag's?...

 

i think even if you buy transfers you still have to claim your luggage and get it to the bus.

 

I don't know how much transfers are but I presume it is more than a taxi. San Juan taxi is something like $19 plus maybe a few dollars extra for luggage to the Pan Am Pier or Old San Juan. I don't think I've take a Celebrity transfer ever except for when I've done Cruise Air and it was included if we wanted it or not. Sometimes with Celebrity transfers you have to wait for a bus to fill and sometimes they take you right away. With a taxi you are always on your own schedule. Personally, I'd take a taxi in San Juan.

[olemissreb]

We purchase the Celebrity transfer 5 years ago and never used it. By the time we claimed our luggage, the line to get on the bus was so long we would have had to wait for a second bus. We decided to just take a taxi. We got to the ship, through check-in and were sitting on our balcony with a glass of champagne for about watching the people we had been standing in line with board the ship. This was about 45 minutes after we left the line! This was in the early afternoon (1ish) and I was hungry and tired. Lines may not be as bad now or maybe it was just the time of day.

 

When we took our RCI cruise in April, there were 6 of us and we didn't purchase any transfers. Of course we also flew in the day before, so transfers weren't really available either. The longest part of waiting is to get your luggage. Taxi's are plentiful!

[ozark74]

We did transfers in 2009 and would never do it again. We stood in line at the claim area for about 30 minutes then had to carry our luggage to the truck outside,then stood in line for the bus. What a waste of time, just walk outside get a cab and your are there in 20 minutes.

[robtulipe]

A taxi is definitely the way to get to the ship in San Juan especially if you are a group traveling together. I didn't check the price of the transfers for our upcoming Summit cruises since there are four of us doing this trip together but did do so for one of our RC cruises out of SJ and it was a lot cheaper for even two only to take a taxi than to buy the ship's transfers.

As Lsimon mentioned and shown by the rate chart below, it is a flat rate of $19 from SJU airport (zone 1) to the Pan Am or OSJ piers (both in zone 4) for up to 5 passengers, $2 extra each for a sixth and seventh passenger and $1 per driver handled piece of luggage plus the driver's tip.

 

[lcmslady]

If you're a single person, it may be cheaper to buy the transfers - especially if you're not comfortable trying to take a taxi.

 

I think the round-trip transfer is $33 vs almost $40 for a taxi.

[Lsimon]

If you're a single person, it may be cheaper to buy the transfers - especially if you're not comfortable trying to take a taxi.

 

I think the round-trip transfer is $33 vs almost $40 for a taxi.

 

The rate chart in the post immediately above your is current and shows a $19 rate for airport to Cruise Port plus $1/bag for luggage. Add a tip and you're still under the $33.

[We're The Groupnors]

Our first time cruising out of SJ we used a ship transfer and waited for the bus to fill up prior to departing for the pier; about 45 minutes. Then when we got to the pier we were with a crush of people trying to check in; add another 45 minutes to an hour.

 

Since then we have always taken a taxi. And a little secret: If you use a red-cap to take your luggage out to the taxi area they get to by-pass the line of the people who are hauling their own luggage, so we don't even line up for a taxi. The red-caps are salaried by the airport, so all you have to give them is a tip. For four of us we usually give between $5 and $8, depending on how much luggage we have.

[Tink3]

My travel agent just automatically built in our transfers so I guess we will just stick with them. Our flight arrives around 12:45 and the ship doesn't leave until 8:30 pm that night so I am not going to fret over having to wait a bit longer for the bus. The only thing I thought would be convenient was that the bus would be more knowledgable about where to drop us and I thought they would handle our luggage on the ship but it seems like that is a no go and we have to get our luggage at the pier anyway off the bus....oh well, live and learn.

[everbell]

You will have to take your luggage to the bus (or engage a porter) and the same thing getting off the ship (there are porters who can take your luggage to the stevedores).