Will we make 10 am flight?

[Whiterug]

Hi! We're cruising out of San Juan for the first time. Is it possible/likely that we could make a 10 am flight after the cruise? We're on RC and dock at 6 am. We will carry our own luggage off, notify RC concierge of early flight, be in the first group off ship, get a porter and a taxi, and check in online.

If you've sailed from SJ before, what's your experience with the time they usually start letting people off the ship? And the SJU airport?

Thanks!!! We really want the 10 am flight!!

[Flatbush Flyer]

Hi! We're cruising out of San Juan for the first time. Is it possible/likely that we could make a 10 am flight after the cruise? We're on RC and dock at 6 am. We will carry our own luggage off, notify RC concierge of early flight, be in the first group off ship, get a porter and a taxi, and check in online.

 

If you've sailed from SJ before, what's your experience with the time they usually start letting people off the ship? And the SJU airport?

 

Thanks!!! We really want the 10 am flight!!

 

 

The better question is how often does the ship actually dock at 6 AM with no complications.

[Essiesmom]

In San Juan, your bags have to go through agricultural inspection before you can check them. Even if you have done online checkin for your airline, you will still have to stand in line to check the bags. So whether you can make a 10 am flight depends on how soon after docking you are cleared to debark, and how many other ships are turning arouns that day. I would be quite nervous to make that flight. EM

[navybankerteacher]

Think about what the cruise line recommends for earliest flight.

 

Make your bet.

 

Come back and tell us how you did.

[Hlitner]

The questions you must ask is, what are my options and what will it cost if I miss my 10am flight? Can you make that flight? Perhaps. And perhaps not. This is not totally under the control of the cruise line, but also involves CBP (Customs and Border Protection) authorities who must "clear" the ship before they can even unload a single piece of luggage. While ships usually dock on time, there are also delays. And while CBP usually does their jobs efficiently, there are often delays related to their process. So, are you a big time gambler?

 

Hank

[klfrodo]

I have to agree with others.

 

Will you make the flight is not the question.

The real question is,,, what's your back up plan if you don't and what problems arise?

You're not catching the next flight cause it's already booked full. Maybe you bought the cheapest tickets available and 1 of the restrictions is that the ticket is only good for that flight. How many more days are you able to stay in San Juan until they can get you seats home on another flight at your own expense?

 

If you take all of these potential issues, have a plan, weigh the alternatives, and still want those 10AM tickets,,,, go for it.

[beachbum53]

Based on experience, we NEVER book a return flight before 12:00 noon. It's better to have a return flight at 12:00 and arrive at the airport at 10:00 than the other way around. Who needs to end their vacation being stressed out about making it to the airport in time to catch an early flight? It's not unusual to have three, four (or more) cruise ships in port at San Juan debarking at around the same time. That makes for really long lines at the airport. If, and this a really huge "IF", everything goes perfectly, you would need to be at the airport and in line at the TSA security check by 8:00 a.m. to catch the 10:00 a.m. flight. It's not unusual to be in line for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes waiting to go through the security screening. To repeat what Hiltner said, are you a big time gambler?

[SuiteTraveler]

What I would do is go to google maps and find out how long it will take to get to the airport. Call your cruise line and find out what time disembarkation really starts or ask here on the port of San Juan board. Add to that start time one hour to get off the ship. Don't buy anything on your cruise so you have nothing to declare. As you stated be among the first to disembark. IF you still have at least one hour leeway you should be able to make your flight. In addition get your Trusted Traveler cards for all members of your party so you will be pre-checked in most cases and can go through the excelerated security line. Alternatively fly first class. All of these things will increase your chances of making your flight.

Edited October 22, 2015 by SuiteTraveler

[SadieN]

Need the be at SJU a good two hours before your flight. Port is about 30 minutes from the airport. Need to be at the curb no later than 7:30.

 

Need to account for passport and waiting for transportation. Finding luggage always takes longer than expected.

 

Will you have priority debarkation? Will you take off all your luggage?

 

If the flight is cheap enough, spend the night and take the 10am the next day.

[sail7seas]

There is no way I would book a 10:00 A.M. flight post cruise out of San Juan.

 

Sure, you might make it but there's also lots of stress in hoping everything flows smoothly to allow that. What a way to end a cruise!

 

[kitty9]

The San Juan airport is a very tough place in terms of crowds and time needed to stand in line for various reasons. You must be ON the plane 20 minutes before scheduled departure time, and if you're not, your seat is given away to wait list passengers. I was just on a flight where two men were in the bar, and it was 15 minutes before the flight left, and their seats were given away---we learned this from the flight attendant. They had to find another flight, and they were beyond angry.

 

Just because a ship is supposed to dock at 6 doesn't mean they will, and the ship must be cleared by Immigration and Agriculture---all bags are inspected and if you self disembark, you'll have to present your luggage for inspection before you can leave the terminal.

 

I just don't think a 10am flight is a good idea. If you insist on taking this flight, be prepared to have an alternate. Flights are going out overbooked and you might not get a flight until the next day.

Edited October 22, 2015 by kitty9

[Keith1010]

10:00 is too early.

 

I would book a flight that is around Noon.

 

Traffic can be terrible including even getting out of the port.

 

Keith

[SuiteTraveler]

Do check with your airline to determine how long prior to your flight you must be present at the airport. I would ask on the Rccl board about the disembarkation time. If you are in a suite on Rccl you can get off sooner than other passengers and be among the first 20 or so to disembark.

[Keith1010]

Don't do it.

 

Don't worry about checking with your airline.

 

I've seen things go really bad at San Juan.

 

10:00 AM is way too early.

 

Keith

[zqvol]

Hi! We're cruising out of San Juan for the first time. Is it possible/likely that we could make a 10 am flight after the cruise? We're on RC and dock at 6 am. We will carry our own luggage off, notify RC concierge of early flight, be in the first group off ship, get a porter and a taxi, and check in online.

If you've sailed from SJ before, what's your experience with the time they usually start letting people off the ship? And the SJU airport?

Thanks!!! We really want the 10 am flight!!

 

I'm an advocate of early flights, but that is a bit dicey at SJU. Even through the ship is scheduled to dock at 6:00 disembarkation will probably not start before 8:00 and that is dependent on CBP. I really think that the best case you can hope for is being off the ship by 8:30, you then have to get to the airport, clear the agricultural inspections, check your bags, clear security and get to the gate by 9:30. I really don't think that you can do it.

 

If you decide to try let us know how it works out.

Edited October 22, 2015 by zqvol

[rvsullivan]

OP posted this on three different boards and received mostly the same answers on each. OP has not been back.

[Shorex]

Let me hazard a guess. The 10 am flight is cheaper ........... because.......... there is less demand ....... because ............ wait for it .............it is too early for disembarking cruise passengers.

[FlyerTalker]

Let me hazard a guess. The 10 am flight is cheaper ........... because.......... there is less demand ....... because ............ wait for it .............it is too early for disembarking cruise passengers.

DING DING DING!!! We have a winner.

 

And to answer the OP: Look to Inspector Callahan's words in my sig.

[Whiterug]

OP posted this on three different boards and received mostly the same answers on each. OP has not been back.

 

Please inform me what OP means.

[rmvst]

Please inform me what OP means.

 

original poster

[navybankerteacher]

Please inform me what OP means.

 

Ordinarily, OP means "original poster", but in the case of someone thinking about getting off a ship in San Juan and making a 10:00 AM flight, it could be seen as "optimistic person".

[PhoneGoddess]

On one of our cruises that ended in San Juan, we did not disembark until after 1pm. I don't really remember the details but maybe it had to do with immigration clearing the ship. :confused:

We could have cared less because our flight wasn't until the following day, but I remember that there were a lot of very angry people who missed their flights.

[Whiterug]

Ok thanks for all the replies. This is very conflicting advice from what I've seen on other forums about taking an early flight so I'm definitely surprised by the responses.

[FlyerTalker]

Ok thanks for all the replies. This is very conflicting advice from what I've seen on other forums about taking an early flight so I'm definitely surprised by the responses.

And just what was that conflicting advice, so we can properly evaluate it.

[broberts]

Please inform me what OP means.

Original post or original poster, depending on context.