Carnival fascination out of San Juan questions

[Gbpa1991]

Hello everyone!

 

Hoping someone who more recently was on this ship could answer a few questions as I will be on the Feb 26th Cruise!:)

 

We will be flying into San Juan early on Sunday morning but the ship does not leave until ten, are we free to get on the ship and then get back off the ship and can this be done more than once?

 

Also, I have read that the San Juan carnival port doesn't seem to care much about alcohol, they kind of just direct you to the table but most people bypass this, is this still accurate? (Please spare me the lecture)

 

I also just wanted to confirm a passport is not needed, I am (IMO) 100% certain of this but I have 4 other friends going with me and they would like some verification from someone who has gone with a Birth certificate and DL/ID.

 

Thank you to anyone who replies, appreciate the help!

 

:)

[sparks1093]

Hello everyone!

 

Hoping someone who more recently was on this ship could answer a few questions as I will be on the Feb 26th Cruise!:)

 

We will be flying into San Juan early on Sunday morning but the ship does not leave until ten, are we free to get on the ship and then get back off the ship and can this be done more than once?

 

Also, I have read that the San Juan carnival port doesn't seem to care much about alcohol, they kind of just direct you to the table but most people bypass this, is this still accurate? (Please spare me the lecture)

 

I also just wanted to confirm a passport is not needed, I am (IMO) 100% certain of this but I have 4 other friends going with me and they would like some verification from someone who has gone with a Birth certificate and DL/ID.

 

Thank you to anyone who replies, appreciate the help!

 

:)

 

Yes, you can leave the ship as much as you want after you check in. The check point is after the store now and the table for leaving purchases is right after the checkpoint. I don't know how closely they look at things. San Juan is a US port and US citizens may use a government issued birth certificate and if 16 or older a government issued ID. I have not done this out of San Juan but have from other ports.

[hishorselover]

I had questioned the need for a passport as well. Everyone has a different opinion. The only reason you will need one is if for any reason you have to fly off one of the island (if you miss the ship, you have an emergency, the ship has issues and can't leave port). I am still thinking about whether or not to get one for my husband and son. I probably will. I feel it's one of those situations that if you have it you don't need to worry and if you don't have it then you'll need to really worry!

[telebax51]

one or more excursions require ID better safe to have a Passport than not

[birdy]

We'll be getting off as you are getting on! Check you Manage tab because we got an e-mail that they are doing staggered check-in. The earliest slot without FTTF was 1 PM.

[Hornet441]

We'll be getting off as you are getting on! Check you Manage tab because we got an e-mail that they are doing staggered check-in. The earliest slot without FTTF was 1 PM.

 

Now 1:30.

[csj092809]

Now 1:30.

 

You can check in before then with FTTF, It has it's own line. When the port opens to start check in, you can just go right in. Last time we left from there,we were on the ship by 11:15 and had most of the day to explore it without anyone else in sight.

[noblesclan]

We'll be getting off as you are getting on! Check you Manage tab because we got an e-mail that they are doing staggered check-in. The earliest slot without FTTF was 1 PM.

 

how long before your sailing did you get the email? haven't gotten an email yet for march but can see where staggered check is on the online check in

[birdy]

I've gotten the same e-mail 4 times in the last week.

[maeormaenot]

I've gotten the same e-mail 4 times in the last week.

 

 

Me too!

 

 

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[CourtNicole620]

We were told we had to have a passport. Also when we came on with Rum from Barbados they walked us over to the table to check it in.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

We were told we had to have a passport.

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If you are a US citizen you were told incorrectly. This is a closed loop cruise and a passport is not required as alternatives are available. As mentioned if for some reason you had to leave mid-cruise you wouldn't be able to just board a flight, but how likely is it that you would have to leave mid-cruise? The more likely that is the more a passport is indicated, but for many people it isn't all that likely and they are comfortable with the slight risk involved.

[DroDawg]

We just got off this cruise yesterday. Carnival states that each passenger at the San Juan port can bring one bottle of wine onboard on embarkation day. Since you can come and go as often as you'd like in San Juan (Back on board time was 8:30 pm) you can bring a bottle each time you come back on! They never looked inside my bag to see what was in the bottle so I suppose it could have been a bottle of liquor, although they may look at bottle shapes, it passed through the screening machine and off I went. At the ports of call it's different. I saw a few people have to turn in their bottles for pick up on debarkation day. I think the best way to get liquor on board is to buy small bottles and put them in your pocket when you walk on.

It's true that you don't need a passport in the ports of call. You will need to fill out a customs form upon return.

[kelib]

Just remember though that you will need either a license or passport in St. Thomas to get past the gate to the ship.. ( missed that first time around )

[telebax51]

Just remember though that you will need either a license or passport in St. Thomas to get past the gate to the ship.. ( missed that first time around )

 

we also missed it our last cruise but had time to go back to the ship got our Passport

Why are people hesitant in getting a Passport can someone out there explain

[sparks1093]

we also missed it our last cruise but had time to go back to the ship got our Passport

Why are people hesitant in getting a Passport can someone out there explain

 

I can only speak for myself but I don't like buying things that I don't need, especially if they come with an expiration date. When we first started cruising it would have cost $850 or so for passports for my family, which was close to what our entire 4 day cruise cost. I did the research and determined that given the low risk associated with sailing on a closed loop cruise we would wait until we actually needed them for the type of travel we were doing.

[minnieiowa]

Me too!

 

 

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Same here. :confused:

[maeormaenot]

I can only speak for myself but I don't like buying things that I don't need, especially if they come with an expiration date. When we first started cruising it would have cost $850 or so for passports for my family, which was close to what our entire 4 day cruise cost. I did the research and determined that given the low risk associated with sailing on a closed loop cruise we would wait until we actually needed them for the type of travel we were doing.

 

 

We were the same way, but opted for passports this time around. Louisiana is one of the states that does not do the real ID license and we didn't want to risk not being able to fly.

 

 

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[telebax51]

We were the same way, but opted for passports this time around. Louisiana is one of the states that does not do the real ID license and we didn't want to risk not being able to fly.

 

 

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I'm just one who do not like to take risk when i'm going on vacation,

 

I would like to hear from others who agree or disagree on Passports

[Anthomaniac]

I'm just one who do not like to take risk when i'm going on vacation,

 

I would like to hear from others who agree or disagree on Passports

Passports all the way, better safe than sorry.

 

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[jackparts]

Passports all the way. If you may miss the ship at the last port, you cannot get back in the states without one. If you injure yourself off the ship and the ship leaves, cannot get back into the states. Yes eventually you can, but it is a lot of time and trouble.

[sparks1093]

I'm just one who do not like to take risk when i'm going on vacation,

 

I would like to hear from others who agree or disagree on Passports

 

There's nothing wrong with that, we each have different levels of risk that we are willing to assume. Do what you are comfortable doing because what other people do doesn't affect you at all.

[sparks1093]

Passports all the way. If you may miss the ship at the last port, you cannot get back in the states without one. If you injure yourself off the ship and the ship leaves, cannot get back into the states. Yes eventually you can, but it is a lot of time and trouble.

 

The last definitive first hand report that I read concerned a passenger that missed the ship because he was waiting for the rest of his party that had already headed back to the ship. He spent a total of an hour and a half at the Embassy before walking out with his passport. The biggest part of his delay, one which would even be faced by someone with a passport, was waiting for flights.

[telebax51]

There's nothing wrong with that, we each have different levels of risk that we are willing to assume. Do what you are comfortable doing because what other people do doesn't affect you at all.

 

I agree what other people do in some respect do not affect me but leaving the country or flying within the country without a passport is a risk i'm not willing to take especially after 911

[sparks1093]

I agree what other people do in some respect do not affect me but leaving the country or flying within the country without a passport is a risk i'm not willing to take especially after 911

 

You did say you would like to hear from others who agree or disagree on passports and I was trying to figure out why. It's not like if 99 people said they don't use passports on a closed loop cruise and 1 did that you would change your thinking on the matter. I think everyone should choose the travel documentation that meets their travel needs and that they feel comfortable using.