San Juan after Disembarking

[dolphincruiser404]

We're on AOD in December and flying in a day before. We have flights booked to head home the day the ship comes back into port...but not until 6:30pm! It was quite a price difference and it only got us home an hour later and it meant a direct flight! The earlier flight option was 3:30, so it was worth it really.

 

My question is.....what can we do in San Juan with all of our luggage until it's time to head to the airport? I hear there's not much at the airport...but maybe some duty free shopping (aka - my liquor stop)! I was thinking maybe a bar resort that we could hang out at with the luggage! Do any of the resorts offer a day pass, where they would hold our luggage and we could enjoy the amenities?

[wrp96]

There's a restaurant in Old San Juan, Barrachina's which will hold your luggage for you.

[estreetbandfan523]

my grandparents were in the same situation as you last april, what they did was they booked an excursion which was a tour of old san juan, the fort, and bacardi rum factory, the were able to book this through the ship and they were dropped off at the airport and never saw their luggage from the time they left the ship until they got to the airport.

[Sheffie]

There's a restaurant in Old San Juan, Barrachina's which will hold your luggage for you.

 

Here is a link to their website: http://www.barrachina.com/

[cruiselovers]

We just sailed on AOS last week...what a fabulous cruise.

 

If you are flying USAIR, they take your bags right at the pier and give you seats and you are done...no extra charge. What a great surprise.

 

If you are flying AA, you can do the luggage valet and pay RCL $10/pp and they will take your bags at the pier and check them onto your flight.

 

Good luck and have fun:)

[Ocean Boy]

We store our luggage at the Barrachina and went off exporing OSJ. It was a very nice day and I'm glad we had a later flight so we could spend the time there. Fortunately, we were on Serenade so getting home at a reasonable time was not as important to us on Saturday and it might have been on Sunday. Getting up for work on Monday.... well, you know....

[dolphincruiser404]

We just sailed on AOS last week...what a fabulous cruise.

 

If you are flying USAIR, they take your bags right at the pier and give you seats and you are done...no extra charge. What a great surprise.

 

If you are flying AA, you can do the luggage valet and pay RCL $10/pp and they will take your bags at the pier and check them onto your flight.

 

Good luck and have fun:)

 

Does your flight have to be within a certain timeframe? One cruise I went on, they wouldn't take your luggage if you were departing after 4:00pm or something like that! We're flying AA, but the $10/p would be worth it!

 

We store our luggage at the Barrachina and went off exporing OSJ. It was a very nice day and I'm glad we had a later flight so we could spend the time there. Fortunately, we were on Serenade so getting home at a reasonable time was not as important to us on Saturday and it might have been on Sunday. Getting up for work on Monday.... well, you know....

 

We were on the Mariner last year and came home Sunday. We drove north to Jacksonville for the football game and then had dinner with family. By the time we got home it was after 1:00 in the morning! I had to be into the office at 6:30. I had come down with a cold on the cruise, and by the time we transitioned from 80s in the Caribbean to 40s in Jacksonville I had pneumonia by Tuesday! And a week to get ready for Christmas! Needless to say, I swore that was the last December cruise, but I guess that plan is out the window!

[wrp96]

The only requirements for the onboard valet thing were:

 

1. Your entire flight must be on American (or American Eagle) - i.e. no connections to other airlines.

 

2. It must be completely within the United States.

 

3. It must depart after 11am but before midnight on day of departure.

 

And I think that was the only requirements.

[hermang]

We're on AOD in December and flying in a day before. We have flights booked to head home the day the ship comes back into port...but not until 6:30pm! It was quite a price difference and it only got us home an hour later and it meant a direct flight! The earlier flight option was 3:30, so it was worth it really.

 

My question is.....what can we do in San Juan with all of our luggage until it's time to head to the airport? I hear there's not much at the airport...but maybe some duty free shopping (aka - my liquor stop)! I was thinking maybe a bar resort that we could hang out at with the luggage! Do any of the resorts offer a day pass, where they would hold our luggage and we could enjoy the amenities?

There is a place about 2 blocks from the Sheraton Old San Juan - I have the name someplace as we used it - $4.00 for baggage storage ( 3 bags) the bellman from the Sheraton put us on to it - as he couldn;t store our bags for us. They actually have a locked area. Name of the place begins with an A and rents equipment for walking tours.

 

Two must places to eat. Breakfast - La Bombonera on Calle San Francisco

Lunch Cafe de Puerto Rico - just off Calle Fort Eleza ( you can see the fort)

[wrp96]

There is a place about 2 blocks from the Sheraton Old San Juan - I have the name someplace as we used it - $4.00 for baggage storage ( 3 bags) the bellman from the Sheraton put us on to it - as he couldn;t store our bags for us. They actually have a locked area. Name of the place begins with an A and rents equipment for walking tours.

 

Two must places to eat. Breakfast - La Bombonera on Calle San Francisco

Lunch Cafe de Puerto Rico - just off Calle Fort Eleza ( you can see the fort)

 

Definitely agree about Cafe de Puerto Rico - amazing food, good drinks - just ate there before and after my cruise last week. Small little cafe. In reference, there is a little square in site of San Cristobal Fort. Cafe Puerto Rico is on, I believe the western edge of the little square. Just up from the Starbucks if you are coming from the Sheraton.

[Tommy's Mommy]

We just sailed on AOS last week...what a fabulous cruise.

 

If you are flying USAIR, they take your bags right at the pier and give you seats and you are done...no extra charge. What a great surprise.

 

If you are flying AA, you can do the luggage valet and pay RCL $10/pp and they will take your bags at the pier and check them onto your flight.

 

Good luck and have fun:)

 

Is the US Air arrangement something new? I've read on these boards that the only airline to do this is AA. I'm only asking this as US Air has a better departure time for us and I didn't want to shlep the bags. Thanks in advance.

[wrp96]

US Air had checkin available at the pier this past Saturday coming off of Serenade. I don't know what the times of your flights had to be. This is NOT the same as the onboard checkin that Royal Caribbean offers for American Airlines.

[cmich068]

Miami Pier only has American Airlines.

 

AFAIK San Juan has USAir.

[TexasMom2]

We had a 4:30 p.m. flight on Continental. We took a cab to the airport, checked in for our flight (around 10:00 a.m.) then took another cab downtown. We toured El Morro, had lunch and shopped before taking another cab to the airport.

[AnnJohn]

I confirmed with USAir that you can check your luggage at Pan Am Pier.

[Tommy's Mommy]

Thanks to all of you. US Air flights are more convenient this time for us.