How early can I drop my luggage off at the San Juan pier?

[Cyber Kat]

Have any of you ever done a B2B out of San Juan? What's the procedure? We're considering doing the NY-SJ SJ-NY B2B on the Splendor in 2015. I know it's a long way off but it's never to early to start the research! :D

[lego7191]

Not mine! I'm on the 1-time Conquest sailing for 8 nights; it's the 2nd leg of the repositioning. Leaves San Juan on Saturday night, in St Kitts Sunday (my b-day), Dominica Monday, St Maarten Tuesday, Antigua Wednesday, at sea Thursday, Grand Turk Friday, at sea on Saturday, and returning to Miami on Sunday morning.

 

It's a great itinerary! I love San Juan so am flying down late Thursday and have all day Friday and most of Saturday before we sail. And since the flights home from MIA/FLL on Sunday were way expensive (Sunday before Thanksgiving), I decided I just needed to spend a night in South Beach and fly home Monday! :D

 

JEALOUS! That is an awesome itinerary!!

[laurmac]

OP Here, thanks for your responses - I'm happy to find out that we can drop them off fairly early, AND get some wine!

[DaisyGirl55]

I'm not worried about missing the ship, since I plan on being back on board in plenty of time to get ready for dinner (although I'm sure San Juan on a Saturday night is a fun place to be!).

 

I think that the first night on board is all open seating for dinner, no matter what dining room you are assigned to or what time.

[minnz21]

What is the parking situation like at the port in San Juan. I am renting a car to go off the area that day. Should we go drop our luggage off then do our thing or do they have a high charge for parking in that area and I am better off just coming back later that evening to check in?

[NCTribeFan]

I think that the first night on board is all open seating for dinner, no matter what dining room you are assigned to or what time.

 

Now that you mention it, we did have open seating the night of sailaway on Victory. DD tried the vegetarian Indian dish and has been hooked on that since.

[NCTribeFan]

What is the parking situation like at the port in San Juan. I am renting a car to go off the area that day. Should we go drop our luggage off then do our thing or do they have a high charge for parking in that area and I am better off just coming back later that evening to check in?

 

You might want to ask this specifically on the San Juan Port of Call board. I don't recall seeing ANY parking in old San Juan (but I wasn't looking for any).

[sbnuggie]

We did the same - dropped off our luggage, checked in, had lunch, dropped carryon and wine in the cabin, then left the ship and went down the street to CVS for last minute stuff. When we came back to the ship, we purchased a couple of bottles of wine in the port, then got back on the ship. We then immediately got off the ship again and went right back to the shops in the port and got two more bottles of wine, a 12 pack of sodas and a 12 pack of water. Convenient having that CVS so close to the port and super convenient having those shops inside the port.

 

Awesome Idea........... You just saved me a wine package..................

[lego7191]

Awesome Idea........... You just saved me a wine package..................

 

Awesome! Just a note about the wine in the cruise terminal - there was not a great selection when we came through later in the aftenoon - seems to sell out pretty quick. Lucky for me, I'm not picky and can drink almost anything except the super sweet wines - too sweet for me. CVS had a pretty decent selection of wine also, but it's a good couple of blocks down the street. I think if you don't wait quite so late in the day to make the round trips, or are not overly concerned with types of wine, you should be ok. Howeer, I am sure earlier in the day, the line to get through security is much longer than it is later in the day, so those round trips may take a little longer.

[FFRich]

thanks for the info. I knew about the CVS, but not the shops in the port.

 

How picky is Carnival about how many bottles you bring on? Sounds like not that much if you made 3 different efforts. Also, what is their "corking" fee per bottle?

 

Thanks again for posting this.

 

**woops, just read your another post where you said you made it onboard with 6 btls.**

 

 

We did the same - dropped off our luggage, checked in, had lunch, dropped carryon and wine in the cabin, then left the ship and went down the street to CVS for last minute stuff. When we came back to the ship, we purchased a couple of bottles of wine in the port, then got back on the ship. We then immediately got off the ship again and went right back to the shops in the port and got two more bottles of wine, a 12 pack of sodas and a 12 pack of water. Convenient having that CVS so close to the port and super convenient having those shops inside the port.

[lego7191]

thanks for the info. I knew about the CVS, but not the shops in the port.

 

How picky is Carnival about how many bottles you bring on? Sounds like not that much if you made 3 different efforts. Also, what is their "corking" fee per bottle?

 

Thanks again for posting this.

 

**woops, just read your another post where you said you made it onboard with 6 btls.**

 

:-)

I think their corkage fee is $15 per bottle, but I took my own corkscrew, and always took a full glass of wine to dinner with me. I have read that cabin stewards can get a corkscrew for you if you do not have your own. and I was always able to get wine glasses from the nearest bar. I took a 1/2 empty bottle one night and no one charged the fee. I have heard about some waiters who overlook the wine and do not charge the fee. I think some of it is hit or miss with whether you are going to be charged the corkage fee in the dining room. In my experience, some waiters charge it and others seem to not even notice that you brought a bottle with you.

[FFRich]

thanks for the update. It does look like we'll be stocking up for sure :D

 

have you checked out the FB page for this cruise? there are about 53 of us, and it seems to be a lot easier to communicate. the page is Conquest Cruzin Crazies 11-16-2013

 

:-)

I think their corkage fee is $15 per bottle, but I took my own corkscrew, and always took a full glass of wine to dinner with me. I have read that cabin stewards can get a corkscrew for you if you do not have your own. and I was always able to get wine glasses from the nearest bar. I took a 1/2 empty bottle one night and no one charged the fee. I have heard about some waiters who overlook the wine and do not charge the fee. I think some of it is hit or miss with whether you are going to be charged the corkage fee in the dining room. In my experience, some waiters charge it and others seem to not even notice that you brought a bottle with you.

[LVDFW]

Thank you. Since you need to go through security each time, when is the latest you must return to the ship (even though the ship leaves at 10 p.m.). I don't want to return to the terminal and find all custom agents had left and the terminal locked. Will carnival or the custom agents tell you when they lock the building and bar further entry?

 

On-board time is 830.

Muster is 930.

Last reservation for steakhouse is 7pm

[NCTribeFan]

They can't be picky there. Since the sailing time is so late, and so many people check in and then go back out for sightseeing, they have no way of knowing whether you're boarding for the first time that day or the tenth. As long as you only have 1 750ml bottle per adult in your carryon, there's no way they can know.

 

But I'm not going to spend all day boarding, going to the store for wine, reboarding, going back to the store for wine, reboarding....

 

Besides the great itinerary, one of my main reasons for sailing from San Juan is to enjoy Old San Juan. I love it there! I'll have all day Friday and most of Saturday. The extra wine will be nice, but I'll still buy a wine package.

[minnz21]

People keep talking how you have to have the legal drinks in your carry on. Can I just carry a 12 pack of pop in my hands if I get off to get some or do I need them in an actual carry on bag?

[lego7191]

[quote name='minnz21']People keep talking how you have to have the legal drinks in your carry on. Can I just carry a 12 pack of pop in my hands if I get off to get some or do I need them in an actual carry on bag?[/quote]

We just carried ours on.