pan america pier?

[Bigrigg]

Is the pan american pier as bad as everyone says it is to board? Due to the two lane road as the only access for everyone. If so whats the best time to board. I am sailing on the AOS 1/4/09 it leaves at 830.

[bilyclub]

Is the pan american pier as bad as everyone says it is to board? Due to the two lane road as the only access for everyone. If so whats the best time to board. I am sailing on the AOS 1/4/09 it leaves at 830.

 

 

From watching the traffic from the cabin balcony, later is better. No traffic at all in the late afternoon. They will make you sit in the pier building if it is close to muster drill time. Nobody boards till the muster is done.

[ancldaca]

The biggest mess will be experienced by those trying to board early while the previous cruise is still debarking.

[nc_cruiser1]

Totally agree with the previous posters. Plan to arrive at the pier at 2pm or later to let the crowds subside.

[frito58]

Well I totally disagree, we have got to the pier at 11 to 11:30 the past 2 years for the AOS and was on board by 12:15 to 12:30 and we are not diamond members, so we waited in the regular line. One piece of advice, the line to drop off the luggage is different than the one you wait to get in, I do one line and my wife got in the other.

[nc_cruiser1]

We got there at 2pm and there were no waiting lines for baggage or anything else.

 

When we disembarked, however, at about 11am, the line of traffic coming in was VERY long and was barely moving.

[frito58]

When I say line maybe 25 people, and never had any traffic coming in. We met a couple that cruises out of San Juan every year and they always arrive at 11, so thats why we started, you have to be out of your hotel by noon and we like to get on the ship and get the vacation started. Guess its personal preference.;)

 

Wow they let you stay on until 11:00. Last year we were off and checked into a hotel by 9:30 and we took our time.

[bilyclub]

Baggage drop off and check in was no problem. We were stuck on the entrance road for half an hour.

[ancldaca]

Frito98:

 

Perhaps your experience was when there was just one ship debarking/embarking. I believe OP was referring to the recent reports where messes have been reported this season as both the AOS and the CB are in the Panam pier on Sundays (Carnival has Pier 4).

 

Honestly, I have no clue why Princess changed the Caribbean Princess to Sundays. Last year the Crown left on Saturday from Pier 4 which is so much nicer for everybody...

[wrp96]

Honestly, I have no clue why Princess changed the Caribbean Princess to Sundays. Last year the Crown left on Saturday from Pier 4 which is so much nicer for everybody...

 

 

If CB were sailing on Saturday it wouldn't be an issue as Pier 4 would be available, but since CB is now sailing on Sunday the choice was mess at the Pan Am Pier or mess at Pier 4. At least the Pan Am Pier is used to handling 2 ships on the same day (like it has on Saturdays for at least the past few years).

[sweetair]

we embarked sunday dec 7th....left the hotel about 3pm and the traffic into the port according to our taxi driver was about 45 minutes wait to just get into the pier area. He had been there earlier in the day so he went through a parking lot, jumped a few curbs and voila at the pier in 5 minutes :D

He made us happy and we extra tipped and he made himself happy because he could get more fares.

On disembark: we knew it would be a mess after 10am so we got very early disembark colors and left 830am and at hotel by 9am Got room by 915am and at the pool by 10 Thats what i call perfect timing!!:)

*sweet*