San Juan Departure at 8:30

[dpepper64]

Any idea what time we can get on the ship in San Juan.  The cruse before gets in at 7  and our departure is at 8:30.  I know the terminal is not air conditioned so do not want to get to the pier too early.

[brookie848]

When we've sailed out of San Juan (Dawn and Epic), boarding started normal time -- between 11 and noon.

 

Traffic getting to the port can be interesting -- especially if there is more than one ship there. So you might want to factor that in to things. The waiting area is like an old warehouse with high ceilings. I didn't notice it being overly hot, but it could get hot if you were stuck waiting outside for security.

[TheDawg79]

What time did you book your embarkation for when you checked in? That would be the time you show up!

[dpepper64]

Not sure when to book embarkation,  dont want to wait in a hot area to get on the ship.   Want to check in and then get on ship right away.

[IAcruising]

1 hour ago, dpepper64 said:

Not sure when to book embarkation,  dont want to wait in a hot area to get on the ship.   Want to check in and then get on ship right away.

 

Get to the port after 1:00 pm. You should essentially walk on.

 

 

[schmoopie17]

16 hours ago, dpepper64 said:

Any idea what time we can get on the ship in San Juan.  The cruse before gets in at 7  and our departure is at 8:30.  

Am I the only one confused by this??

[BirdTravels]

17 hours ago, dpepper64 said:

Any idea what time we can get on the ship in San Juan.  The cruse before gets in at 7  and our departure is at 8:30.  I know the terminal is not air conditioned so do not want to get to the pier too early.

 

General boarding starts around 11:30. 

 

When you check-in 21 days prior to departure, you reserve a time to arrive at the port (not an embarkation time). 

 

Not sure if things have improved, but the San Juan cruise terminal is infamous for being a chaotic mess at turnover. Personally, we still like to go early and have lunch onboard. If you are willing to forego your embarkation day lunch, then 1-2pm is a better arrival time. You still need to drop your bags, go through security, and go through check-in... but the lines will be shorter. 

Edited November 25, 2023 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

14 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Am I the only one confused by this??

Yes.

 

The ship arrives at 7:00 am. The ship departs San Juan at 8:30 pm. The late departure allows for more day-of-cruise flight arrivals (especially connections in Miami).

Edited November 25, 2023 by BirdTravels

[schmoopie17]

Just now, BirdTravels said:

Yes.

 

The ship arrives at 7:30 am. The ship departs San Juan at 8:30 pm. The late departure allows for more day-of-cruise flight arrivals (especially connections in Miami).

The OP didn't specify am or pm. Your response makes more sense.

[CruisingFun2023]

Can we board at noon, have lunch on the ship, and then leave the ship to old San Juan?

[brookie848]

2 minutes ago, CruisingFun2023 said:

Can we board at noon, have lunch on the ship, and then leave the ship to old San Juan?

The ship doesn't dock in Old San Juan, so this would mean taxi rides (time) in both directions.

 

I'm not sure what on-board time is, but I think on previous cruises it was 5:00 or 5:30. I wouldn't do it, but everyone has their own comfort level.

[CruisingFun2023]

Thank you. OP said the ship would leave at 8:30 pm so if they allow guests to get off the ship, it would be good to tour around after lunch on the ship.

[PATRLR]

On 11/25/2023 at 11:11 AM, BirdTravels said:

 

General boarding starts around 11:30. 

 

When you check-in 21 days prior to departure, you reserve a time to arrive at the port (not an embarkation time). 

For the Viva's Dec 15 cruise, the earliest time to arrive at port that was reported to be available was 1:30PM. No one on any roll call on any forum that I am part of reported anything earlier than 1:30. I don't know if that timing is unique to that cruise (being the first one for Viva from SJ). 

Edited November 27, 2023 by PATRLR

[prov2727]

18 hours ago, CruisingFun2023 said:

Can we board at noon, have lunch on the ship, and then leave the ship to old San Juan?

I did. Necessity though and I was so worried the whole time. Discovered that I had neglected to pack a comb or brush. Didn't think I could go 11 days without one, so I spent $40 on a taxi to/from Walgreens. Not the one right at the Old San Juan pier but not that far away. I did check in at the Epic salon but they said they didn't have any combs or brushes for sale.

Edited November 27, 2023 by prov2727

[VideoTech]

On 11/25/2023 at 10:14 AM, BirdTravels said:

Yes.

 

The ship arrives at 7:00 am. The ship departs San Juan at 8:30 pm. The late departure allows for more day-of-cruise flight arrivals (especially connections in Miami).

Actually, it's also a matter of geography. Cruising out of San Juan, the ship is already in the Caribbean, and the distances to the next ports are much shorter than from Miami or other Florida ports. So no need to leave earlier in the day.

[vswan]

It's been a long time since I've cruised out of San Juan, but if you want to explore San Juan wouldn't it be possible to drop your luggage and do some exploring/touring before going through the check-in process rather than checking in and then trying to get off and back on?