Time to be off the ship in San Juan?

[cloud_nine]

I'll be on the Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan on 19th November. My flight home is not until 3:55 pm and the private transfers we've booked have said that they will be picking us up from Adventure on day of departure at 1pm. I know that usually RCI want you off the ship by around 10 am so they can get the ship ready for the next sailing, but I don't know if this time applies to Adventure out of San Juan due to the late departure time.

 

We booked this through a TA so I would have thought that they would know what time we'd have to be off the ship to book the pick up time but we've had nothing but trouble with this TA so I'm worried now that we'll have to be off the ship earlier and will be sitting around the port for hours waiting to be picked up. Anyone know if this would be the case?

[Clarea]

You will need to be off the ship long before 1pm. I would expect last call to be around 10am. They usually start boarding new guests sometime between 11am and noon.

[leaveitallbehind]

The departure time for you would not change simply because the ship is in PR and has a late departure time for the next itinerary. Boarding still begins typically around 11:00 as with other ships and the same timing for disembarkation, clearing customs, and preparing to board the next group of passengers is the same. The next passengers will begin their first day on board just as you will on your itinerary the week before. You will need to be off the ship by 10:00 latest as usual.

 

As to your flight time, in our experience the San Juan airport is notoriously slow and crowded on cruise days and your flight time, while on the late side, will assure no issues with making the flight. You will not likely be waiting at the port to be picked up but rather waiting at the airport for your flight. Have lunch at the airport and relax before your flight. My guess is your TA is planning conservatively for you to assure no issues that could arise if the flight was too much earlier.

Edited November 12, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[cloud_nine]

You will not likely be waiting at the port to be picked up but rather waiting at the airport for your flight

 

But if we have to be off the ship at 10 at the latest then we will be waiting at the port because our transfer doesn't pick us up from the port until 1pm.

 

Anyway, thanks for the answers, I'll have to call my TA yet again to have something changed.

Edited November 12, 2016 by cloud_nine

[DonnaK]

Maybe you can consider canceling the transfer and booking a post-cruise excursion instead? They will stow your luggage in their bus/van during the tour, and then drop you off at the airport with plenty of time for your flight.

[leaveitallbehind]

But if we have to be off the ship at 10 at the latest then we will be waiting at the port because our transfer doesn't pick us up from the port until 1pm.

 

Anyway, thanks for the answers, I'll have to call my TA yet again to have something changed.

 

Sorry - I missed that in your post. You may want to consider canceling the transfer and simply take a cab. There are many waiting after departure and the cost is reasonable - probably less than the transfer. But at the very least continue to try to change it to an earlier time - there is no need to wait that long.

Edited November 12, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[meadowlander]

But if we have to be off the ship at 10 at the latest then we will be waiting at the port because our transfer doesn't pick us up from the port until 1pm.

 

Anyway, thanks for the answers, I'll have to call my TA yet again to have something changed.

 

I did a b2b on Adventure in August and the disembarking process was very slow the first week, so slow that I changed my disembarking time for the for

the following week. The last passenger departing week one left the ship just prior to noon...they were walking off the ship as the consecutive cruisers were reboarding. I do believe those three last passengers were hiding somewhere on the ship as their names were called multiple times and all other guests had disembarked. You will still have to go through customs, which seemed to take longer in San Juan as well.

 

I agree, you will have to wait in/at the terminal for your ride but I don't think it will be as long as you anticipate.

[Clarea]

But if we have to be off the ship at 10 at the latest then we will be waiting at the port because our transfer doesn't pick us up from the port until 1pm.

 

Anyway, thanks for the answers, I'll have to call my TA yet again to have something changed.

If you cannot change the transfer to something more convenient, then I'd just cancel it and do a taxi. Cost is around $25 to the airport. Or spend some time in Old San Juan before going to the airport. The restaurant called Barranchina's will store your bags.

[leaveitallbehind]

I did a b2b on Adventure in August and the disembarking process was very slow the first week, so slow that I changed my disembarking time for the for

the following week. The last passenger departing week one left the ship just prior to noon...they were walking off the ship as the consecutive cruisers were reboarding. I do believe those three last passengers were hiding somewhere on the ship as their names were called multiple times and all other guests had disembarked. You will still have to go through customs, which seemed to take longer in San Juan as well.

 

I agree, you will have to wait in/at the terminal for your ride but I don't think it will be as long as you anticipate.

 

Hiding would indicate they were selfishly and intentionally delaying their disembarkation beyond the standard time, which is unfair to the custom clearance and turnaround procedure for the crew, as well as the next boarding passengers. The ship must clear customs prior to the next passengers boarding. The consecutive cruisers would be the first through that process and may have been delayed as a result of those three as that typically takes place earlier.

Edited November 12, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[cloud_nine]

Thank you all for your help - I think I will cancel the transfers and either do as Bob suggested and hang around in San Juan before getting a cab to the airport or look into doing a shore excursion like DonnaK suggested.

[leaveitallbehind]

Thank you all for your help - I think I will cancel the transfers and either do as Bob suggested and hang around in San Juan before getting a cab to the airport or look into doing a shore excursion like DonnaK suggested.

 

All good options with your flight time. Enjoy your cruise!

[DonnaK]

All good options with your flight time. Enjoy your cruise!

We did the shore excursion to the rainforest, and it was very nice. We'd like to try the one to the rum factory next time!

[leaveitallbehind]

We did the shore excursion to the rainforest, and it was very nice. We'd like to try the one to the rum factory next time!

 

The rum factory is pretty good. My family did that on a private tour one time and really enjoyed it. It's also relatively close to the piers so its not a long drive to get there.

Edited November 12, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[crspr]

We returned on Adventure on October 8 and the time stamp on my picture from right after we cleared customs was 11:45. We were probably off the ship and in the customs line at 11. We were among the last off, but not the very last (and we were not intending to delay anyone else from boarding, but we were also not looking forward to standing in the customs line any longer than necessary.) The last disembarking time in San Juan is 10:30 or 10:45 and we always ask for that since it is easier for our friends to get us after the crowds have cleared somewhat and we get to enjoy a little more time on the ship since we are just going home to grocery shop. As for the person who said the departure from ship time would not change simply because you are in PR, I am not sure that is true. PR runs on it's own speed and I think the ship accounts for that and therefore has the scheduled 10:30 and 10:45 disembark times.

[Hoopster95]

We booked this through a TA so I would have thought that they would know what time we'd have to be off the ship to book the pick up time but we've had nothing but trouble with this TA so I'm worried now that we'll have to be off the ship earlier and will be sitting around the port for hours waiting to be picked up. Anyone know if this would be the case?

 

 

The latest you get off is 10:45am for independent

 

 

 

 

 

You should definitely cancel/change the private transfer and get off the ship earlier in my opinion, else you'll be waiting by the curb from 10:45 to 1pm for that private transfer.

As Donna mentioned, an RCL excursion to the Rainforest (or around Old Town) would be worth doing for the morning and your luggage is held safely throughout until they take you to the airport. And as Bob mentioned, you can cab to Barachina's Restaurant... they hold bags for cruisers and you can have a superb morning in Old Town until taking a cab for about $25 to the Airport on your own.

 

Have a great cruise :D