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WE are booked to cruise the AOS Feb 28, 2010. We are looking at a direct flight the same day as the cruise that is scheduled to arrive in San Juan around 3:30. This is our best option to getting there at a good price. Is this enough time to get to the ship in plenty of time before departure? I don't want to risk missing the ship

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WE are booked to cruise the AOS Feb 28, 2010. We are looking at a direct flight the same day as the cruise that is scheduled to arrive in San Juan around 3:30. This is our best option to getting there at a good price. Is this enough time to get to the ship in plenty of time before departure? I don't want to risk missing the ship

Where are you departing from? Are you departing from an area prone to bad weather in the winter?

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I would say no. Can you get in a day early? I have heard too many stories of people missing the ship to risk it.

My table mates last week almost missed it. The captain waited an extra hour for them. But they didn't get their luggage for a couple days. But I think he only waited because they booked air through royal Caribbean.

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I would say no. Can you get in a day early? I have heard too many stories of people missing the ship to risk it.

My table mates last week almost missed it. The captain waited an extra hour for them. But they didn't get their luggage for a couple days. But I think he only waited because they booked air through royal Caribbean.

 

I agree, it always gives me peace of mind to know I am there ahead of time. That way if something does happen there is enough time to make it.

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From your prior posts, this flight looks like a charter out of Canada. What is your backup plan if this flight gets cancelled? If they are a one flight a day airline, then I would be very nervous, especially flying in February from a cold climate, one storm can mess things up for days.

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From our experience........

 

From San Francisco, we flew into San Juan (with connecting flights) but due to delays, we arrived in San Juan with our luggage somewhere in Chicago. Luckily, not only did we fly in a day early, United was very proficient in delivering our luggage to us at our hotel within 24 hours---well in time to board the Adventure of the Seas that afternoon. You simply cannot cut it that close!

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Hmm..so the flight hits the ground at 3:30. Add another hour to getting off the plane and getting your luggage. Grab a cab for a 15 minute ride. It is now 5:00. What is the latest time you can board? It might be cutting it close. I am flying in the day before arriving at 1:30. When I put that info into the booking dashboard, it popped up with bold red letters "The suggested arrival time at the cruise ship terminal is generally 3 to 4 hours prior to the ship's scheduled sailing time. Please refer to your Guest Ticket Booklet for more details."

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Thanks for all your help. We fly out of Toronto. Yes it is a one flight a day airline. They run the flights in conjunction with Princess Cruises, but sell just flights as well. We are so up in the air on how to get to and from San Juan. The costs to fly direct are crazy and connecting flights concern us largly due to weather.

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WE are booked to cruise the AOS Feb 28, 2010. We are looking at a direct flight the same day as the cruise that is scheduled to arrive in San Juan around 3:30. This is our best option to getting there at a good price. Is this enough time to get to the ship in plenty of time before departure? I don't want to risk missing the ship

 

:cool:Spend the extra money and take the same flight one day early. The day can be spent touring old san juan since you will have no time to do so the way your are currently set up. The risk is not worth it. See the city, relax and get a good nights sleep, and be sitting at the ship not later than 11:00 am to get on early and start enjoying your vacation:cool:YOU WILL SLEEP MUCH BETTER leading up to this cruise if a storm is coming in LOL:cool:

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There is no way in the world I would risk flying from Canada to SJ on the day of the cruise..I was delayed 3 hours flying from Orlando to Ft. lauderdale.. if it had been the day of the cruise I would have missed the ship... even if the weather co-operates there are mechanical problems..traffic delays..flat tires...nope...no way will I fly ANYWHERE the day of...:eek:

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It is actually costing us more to fly direct the day of the cruise. I guess the wife and I will have to discuss what we really want to do.

 

 

Traffic in San Juan can be horrible. Even though normally it is only about 20 min to the pier, it can take hours. Also SJU is not the most efficient airport in the world, allow for some extra time there. If you miss the ship then you miss the sea day and you have to fly to barbados or Aruba? those will not be cheap flights.

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Thanks for all your help. We fly out of Toronto. Yes it is a one flight a day airline. They run the flights in conjunction with Princess Cruises, but sell just flights as well. We are so up in the air on how to get to and from San Juan. The costs to fly direct are crazy and connecting flights concern us largly due to weather.

 

You might also want to look at flying from Buffalo. I'm not exactly sure how far you are from Toronto (or in which direction). But Buffalo is about 90 minutes from Toronto. You might find better deals out of Buffalo, and at least you can compare and contrast. Arriving a day early is probably the best advice, though.

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Thanks for all your help. We fly out of Toronto. Yes it is a one flight a day airline. They run the flights in conjunction with Princess Cruises, but sell just flights as well. We are so up in the air on how to get to and from San Juan. The costs to fly direct are crazy and connecting flights concern us largly due to weather.

 

We flew out of Toronto a day earlier in Jan 09 for our cruise on the Adventure. With our only option for a direct flight was Sat or Sun (Air Canada goes on Sat and Sun) , we chose Sat. You will pay more - a lot more----flying out of Toronto. Another option could be fly out a day earlier from Buffalo - but again - Buffalo airport has been closed due to weather. Don't take that chance and fly in the same day it is a HUGE risk. The plane could be held up for many reasons and not just the weather in Toronto. That plane came from somewhere and if that flight was delayed - so will you! Make sure you have good travel insurance (including disruption insurance) just in case!

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Racefan04, We are also on the AOS Feb.28. We will be leaving 2 days early and staying in San Juan. We live in an area that the weather can bring havoc to our travels. We always go down a day or 2 early. We drive 1 1/2 hours to Chicago and leave on a direct flight from there.

Why have you not been posting on our cruise? We could use more people to chat with and then sign up for the meet and mingle.

Cindy

p.s. Hope to hear from you on the AOS Feb. 28th board

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WE are booked to cruise the AOS Feb 28, 2010. We are looking at a direct flight the same day as the cruise that is scheduled to arrive in San Juan around 3:30. This is our best option to getting there at a good price. Is this enough time to get to the ship in plenty of time before departure? I don't want to risk missing the ship

I would say no. We sailed AOS on July 25th and we boarded the ship around noon. We had our rooms by 2, changed into our suits, and were sitting poolside- drink in hand- by at least 3. Our luggage was in our room by 4:30ish, which was a pleasant surprise too.

It was really exciting to be on the ship all day and it kind of felt like an extra day on board. I would definetely recommend traveling the day before (if possible) and enjoying your day of departure!

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WE are booked to cruise the AOS Feb 28, 2010. We are looking at a direct flight the same day as the cruise that is scheduled to arrive in San Juan around 3:30. This is our best option to getting there at a good price. Is this enough time to get to the ship in plenty of time before departure? I don't want to risk missing the ship
No way, this is not enough time. You'll make it ONLY IF everything goes perfectly, and we all know that isn't a promise! You're traveling some distance, and you cannot control the February weather or the airlines. Thinking about the flights I've taken in the last couple years, about 1/3 of them have been delayed -- some for just a few minutes, some for several hours.

 

Though I'm as cheap as they come, I'd not risk this. The best bet is to come in one day earlier; this means spending money on a night-before hotel room, but it also means you'll be much more relaxed on the day of your cruise. You'll be able to be among the first to board the ship, which -- in my mind -- means a little more vacation time! If that's not possible -- though I'd do everything in my power to make it possible -- I'd chagne the flight to as early as possible on February 28th. Of course, this means you'd be leaving home in the wee hours of the morning and boarding the ship tired.

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