AOS and boarding in Puerto Rico

[Mae123]

Can anyone tell me if handicapped persons can board in the priority line? we are leaving in 2 weeks for a southern cruise out of PR. Two years ago we traveled Carnival and it was wonderful- I have read HORROR stories on boarding the AOS. My daughter is in a wheel chair and if we have to be standing in sun for 2 hours she will have a seizure(seriously).... now I am thinking I booked the wrong line... can anyone shed some tips and info on the boarding of this ship.... I almost dont want to go due to the stories... I thought I would send my husband into the luggage line and we would get in line to board, he could meet up with us once he had done that portion.... Just terribly nervous right now....Thanks...

[lalalisa]

I was on the 2/5/12 sailing. We arrived at the terminal somewhere between 11 and 11:30. They started moving passengers at around 12 and we were on board before 12:30. Not saying that will be the case for your sailing, but if you arrive early you will not be in the sun. The roof is large, I would estimate a line of 1000 passengers could fit under it....just guessing there.

[jst4fun715]

Not sure if this happens every time, but my husband is legally blind. Because of the crowds at the boarding areas, he always brings his white cane. When we were ready to board for our Alaska cruise, we were in the regular line, but one of the staff there saw his cane, took us out of that line and to a line that moved much more quickly. Even if this is not the norm, I would think you could explain the situation and they would allow you to board through one of the priority lines. Good luck and have a wonderful cruise....the Southern Caribbean is wonderful!

[Host Faith]

I was on the 2/5/12 sailing. We arrived at the terminal somewhere between 11 and 11:30. They started moving passengers at around 12 and we were on board before 12:30. Not saying that will be the case for your sailing, but if you arrive early you will not be in the sun. The roof is large, I would estimate a line of 1000 passengers could fit under it....just guessing there.

 

We've sailed from San Juan three times and have had the same experience above each time. :)

 

If you get there early, most of the time you should be fine, and will be in the shade even if there's a delay.

[princess5750]

I am also sailing on the AOS from Puerto Rico on March 4th...if I see you in line, you can GLADLY get in front of me! We are all going to the same place...I have no problem helping someone out who needs more assistance then myself! Maybe I will see you all on the ship! :)

[davekathy]

We've sailed from San Juan three times and have had the same experience above each time. :)

 

If you get there early, most of the time you should be fine, and will be in the shade even if there's a delay.

 

This is great to know. Is there only one drop off area for the taxis?

[kyriecat]

I haven't sailed Adventure yet (leave on her 2/26) but when my mom (wheelchair user) and I were in San Juan to board Serenade a couple years ago, there was a priority line for wheelchair users to check in. We got to the pier around 11 AM and had to wait outside but under a covered walkway until around 11:30 when they opened the doors for screening and check in. I remember the walkway was covered because it was pouring that day so I'm not sure how hot it gets waiting on a sunny day. After check in, we had to wait for an escort/wheelchair pusher to board the ship. The waiting area was inside but I cannot recall whether there were chairs for those of us not in a wheelchair. I think the electric wheelchair/scooter users also needed an escort because the elevator to board was in another area of the pier. Other passengers used an escalator to board. We had to wait around 10 minutes for someone to push the wheelchair but I'm sure we were onboard by between noon and 12:15.

[Host Faith]

This is great to know. Is there only one drop off area for the taxis?

 

Yes, there is one long sidewalk that leads to the actual terminal. The taxi generally drops you off near the end of the line, however since we get there so early we normally get dropped of close to the doors. Here are a couple photos:

 

 

We got there around 10:45 in 2010. Near the front of the line (about 50-100 people in front of us), you can see the awning stretching behind us to the other end of the terminal:

 

 

 

This is where we ended up by getting to the terminal at about 11:15 on last year's Serenade cruise. You can see there are about 200 or so people in front of us. Still in the shade. To the right, you can see some taxi vans, and that's the area of the sidewalk where you'll be dropped off. Porters are near the front to take your luggage. I've never seen a long line for this since we get there early. After the luggage drop off, people came to stand in the line to the left, behind us. It usually takes less than 5-10 minutes to drop off the luggage if you're early enough:

 

[slyster]

I remember on my Serenade cruise last Fall there was a wheelchair bound man and wife...they were moved up to the priority line which was shorter and moved much quicker. There will be RC staff around, just alert them that you are there and they should move you up.

[bikker59]

I was just on a cruise last week, and there were people in wheel chairs in the priorty check in ahead of us...so you will be able to get in the priorty check in line, there is virtually no line since this line is also reserved for frequent cruisers and Suite guests.

Dont worry that you chose the wrong cruise line!!

Have a great cruise....

[Sequim88]

Last year on Serenade we no more than got in the door and someone saw my wife in wheelchair and came and took her away. "HEY, COME BACK HERE WITH MY WIFE", as I ran to keep up. :eek: They took her (us) to the far left end of the counter where there is a lower counter that shares an agent with the adjacent line. We were checked in next and she was promptly wheeled away to the elevator. This was about 11:30 am and we were onboard and past the scanner within a couple minutes and on way to WJ.

 

Now... it isn't always so perfect. My SeaPass and my Dad's got our names mixed up. I went back and got mine fixed pretty fast but his had a problem with the photo. It was 84yo then and while we were onboard we did not know they had grouped him with several other photo problem people to be taken onboard together to photo retake there. They left him standing in a sunny area on the ramp for an hour and he started to become dehydrated and light headed. Fortunately one of my brothers tracked him down and expedited his boarding. So before leaving the check-in counter inspect everything and then at the photo spot make sure the photo in the system is OK.

[davekathy]

Yes, there is one long sidewalk that leads to the actual terminal. The taxi generally drops you off near the end of the line, however since we get there so early we normally get dropped of close to the doors. Here are a couple photos:

 

 

We got there around 10:45 in 2010. Near the front of the line (about 50-100 people in front of us), you can see the awning stretching behind us to the other end of the terminal:

 

 

 

This is where we ended up by getting to the terminal at about 11:15 on last year's Serenade cruise. You can see there are about 200 or so people in front of us. Still in the shade. To the right, you can see some taxi vans, and that's the area of the sidewalk where you'll be dropped off. Porters are near the front to take your luggage. I've never seen a long line for this since we get there early. After the luggage drop off, people came to stand in the line to the left, behind us. It usually takes less than 5-10 minutes to drop off the luggage if you're early enough:

 

 

Thank you. You are my Cruise go to girl.

[JenAndDan]

If you get to the pier before the crowds you should have no problem. The last time we went out of SJ we arrived around 11am. As soon as we got out of the cab a porter came and took our luggage and told us to follow him. There was a short line so we didn't know where we were going but we followed him. He took us to a separate line (maybe it's the handicap line?) and we basically walked right in. The other line had maybe 20 people on it so I didn't feel so bad. I honestly had no idea what we were doing but he said to follow him so we did. My mom walks with a little bit of a limp and I had my 18 month old in a stroller but we certainly could have waited in the line so Im not sure why he took us where he did but if we got on a separate line, Im sure you would have too.

 

When we sailed on the AOS, we hung out at our hotel all morning and headed to the ship around 1ish - BIG mistake. Huge, huge line. We were under cover but it was still HOT.

 

When we sailed on the Grandeur, we actually flew in that day and arrived at the pier around 4 and barely had a line as well.

[cruisers103]

On the 2/5/12 sailing we were near the front of the baggage drop off line, so we noticed that even if you missed the special loading line that the baggage handlers would move barriers so those who needed special assistance where allowed to move up for boarding. Not sure if this is common practice, but it certainly helped many that day.