AOS and self-debarkation in San Juan

[luvdisney2010]

I've read a lot about how challenging the boarding process has been in San Juan. I am curious as to how getting off the ship has been and if anyone has had success with taking their own luggage. We cruised last year out of San Juan on another cruise line, took our own luggage off the ship, and were at the airport terminal checked in by 8am. I was curious how AOS compared. Our flight will likely not be as early. Thoughts or experiences? We have to fly home the day we return to San Juan.

[melbur]

I've read a lot about how challenging the boarding process has been in San Juan. I am curious as to how getting off the ship has been and if anyone has had success with taking their own luggage. We cruised last year out of San Juan on another cruise line, took our own luggage off the ship, and were at the airport terminal checked in by 8am. I was curious how AOS compared. Our flight will likely not be as early. Thoughts or experiences? We have to fly home the day we return to San Juan.

 

They were allowing walk off for US citizens only. Started at 7:30.

[luvdisney2010]

We are US citizens. I will keep the 7:30 time in mind. Was it a zoo? When we did the Jewel here in Tampa in January, things got help up. It took a lot longer than one would anticipate.

[dwbuzzard]

WE go out of SJ often and have never had a problem getting off with our bags by 7:30

[frito58]

I've read a lot about how challenging the boarding process has been in San Juan. I am curious as to how getting off the ship has been and if anyone has had success with taking their own luggage. We cruised last year out of San Juan on another cruise line, took our own luggage off the ship, and were at the airport terminal checked in by 8am. I was curious how AOS compared. Our flight will likely not be as early. Thoughts or experiences? We have to fly home the day we return to San Juan.

 

I am curious on what you have read?? We have cruised out of San Juan 4 times going on 5 , except for the cluster at the airport going home , this is our favorite port . I think its one of the easiest to board and less hassle to take basically anything you want on the ship in the way of a few beers or whatever you want right in your carryons . They just scan and look for illegal weapons or whatever and zoom you are on. I think we have been on by noon or before everytime.

[blacksheep2]

We did fine getting off the boat last weekend-the cluster is at the air port--we will never fly out of there on a weekend again-will stay a day--what a royal mess!

[bandjwayne]

We were there last weekend and had no problems getting on or off. We got to the terminal around 11:30, the lines were pretty smooth, and on the boat by 1:00 or 1:30. Just make sure you get in the line to drop your luggage off first before getting in the line to check-in.

 

One of the Cruise Compass newsletters had a note about going to the Guest relations desk if you have a flight that leaves early so that you can do the self-disembarktation. Go early in the day as the tickets are numbered. We were in the first group w/them starting at 8:00, we were off the boat by 8:15 and to the airport by 8:30. As someone above stated this is for US citizens only. It worked very easily, the only downsides being that you have to carry your luggage down a few flights of stairs (or use the busy elevators) and you end up standing in lines in Studio B for a while. I have also read stories about others having problems and it sounds like some of that might be hang ups in customs??? We didn't have any problem..

 

Good luck!

[luvdisney2010]

I am curious on what you have read?? We have cruised out of San Juan 4 times going on 5 , except for the cluster at the airport going home , this is our favorite port . I think its one of the easiest to board and less hassle to take basically anything you want on the ship in the way of a few beers or whatever you want right in your carryons . They just scan and look for illegal weapons or whatever and zoom you are on. I think we have been on by noon or before everytime.

 

On the Victory, we had no problems at all. It was super easy to say the least. In fact, it was probably one of the easiest times getting on and off a ship. As far as the Pan American dock, it seems there have been mixed reviews with some people complaining about waiting for hours between arrival at the port and getting to check in and/or board. Others have said that they may have simply arrived too early. A third set have said they encountered no problems. I am not terribly concerned. I like San Juan, RCI, and am looking forward to our cruise. I know that the debarking process in Tampa on the Jewel was awful. With the mixed stories in San Juan, I was simply interested in feedback on the process there.