zamboni03 Posted July 6, 2018 Report Share Posted July 6, 2018 I am sailing on the Freedom OTS in August. My airline changed my departure flights to 9:30. With self baggage, is that enough time to debark the Freedom and get to the airport? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princevaliantus Posted July 6, 2018 Report Share Posted July 6, 2018 Definitely not!! I suggest you call your airline and change that flight much later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraftyCat05 Posted July 6, 2018 Report Share Posted July 6, 2018 Looking at prior Freedom cruise compasses, it should allow you to self carry at 7am, allowing you to get at the San Juan Airport at about 2 hours before your flight. These days, customs at the port shouldn't take long and since you will be self carrying you won't have to deal with picking up your luggage at luggage claim. The airport is only 8 miles from the port, so transportation shouldn't take long, especially with you leaving so early with self carry. So to answer your question, I think that you will have enough time to get to the port. Others may have better insight about this though, so don't only listen to my opinion. Enjoy your cruise!Edit: Don't listen to me, look below at @princevaliantus post as he has been to Saint Juan port recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princevaliantus Posted July 6, 2018 Report Share Posted July 6, 2018 16 minutes ago, CraftyCat05 said: Looking at prior Freedom cruise compasses, it should allow you to self carry at 7am, allowing you to get at the San Juan Airport at about 2 hours before your flight. These days, customs at the port shouldn't take long and since you will be self carrying you won't have to deal with picking up your luggage at luggage claim. The airport is only 8 miles from the port, so transportation shouldn't take long, especially with you leaving so early with self carry. So to answer your question, I think that you will have enough time to get to the port. Others may have better insight about this though, so don't only listen to my opinion. Enjoy your cruise! Actually, it isn't enough time. Do not go by cruise compasses as that is just an estimate. I was on FotS out of San Juan two weeks ago and they were still experiencing issues on the island. I did self-debarkation and didn't get through custom until 9:05am as the building lost electricity and everything was done manually. I wouldn't chance it as if you miss your flight, you are held liable. You have the opportunity now to change your flight without penalty since the airline rebooked you to an earlier flight. Just call them and explain the issue as you want to be booked on a later flight. Ray, JohnUK, CraftyCat05 and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zamboni03 Posted July 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2018 So Royal Caribbean's advice is nothing before 11 AM. I know the Royal Caribbean can be conservative with their guidance, however, listening to @princevaliantus I called my airline to change it. So all good news here. My airline changed the flight at no cost. Since I was flying to a smaller airport in the Boston area and no connections to the smaller airport worked, I was able to change to a direct flight to Boston. I was worried that I would have to pay the difference, and that proved unfounded. So while we are leaving much later, we are now arriving a half hour earlier than originally planned, and since we are arriving on a Saturday night the commuting time between the different airports difference is negligible. JLMoran, CraftyCat05, Sweety and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fonemanbob Posted July 8, 2018 Report Share Posted July 8, 2018 Definitely change your flight time to later. Too many intangibles come into play: i.e. weather, cleared by customs, ship running late just to name a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimysmith Posted July 8, 2018 Report Share Posted July 8, 2018 regardless of how you get to the airport, just know you will have to go through an agriculture screening of luggage before going in to check in. All bags have to be scanned, looking for fruits and plants that are not permitted. We booked a transfer back to the airport through RC. The problem is your luggage goes on a big box truck while you go on a bus. The box truck was about 20 minutes behind us when we got to the airport. They unload the box truck and then you can get your luggage. It is bit of mayhem, but if you know about it ahead, it helps. No one told us about the extra screening, I just happened to find it. Several people rushed in to check in and try to make flights but were turned away to come back. zamboni03 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zamboni03 Posted July 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2018 Thanks @dimysmith , that is good to know. I was contemplating doing a post-cruise excursion given the extra time. So I'll plan being 1 and a half to 2 hours early for my flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcarney Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 @zamboni03 - upon entering the airport after the cruise, immediately go to your right and/or left and you'll see the agriculture inspection station. Make sure to go there first, before heading to check in, to have your luggage tagged as inspected. There's no one at the door to make sure you do this, so some people pass through and go to check their luggage with the airline only to find out they have to go back and get the tags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 Just now, bcarney said: @zamboni03 - upon entering the airport after the cruise, immediately go to your right and/or left and you'll see the agriculture inspection station. Make sure to go there first, before heading to check in, to have your luggage tagged as inspected. There's no one at the door to make sure you do this, so some people pass through and go to check their luggage with the airline only to find out they have to go back and get the tags. ??? Can you explain the above please what is the reasons for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangster Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 33 minutes ago, Ray said: ??? Can you explain the above please what is the reasons for this? While Puerto Rico is a US territory there is a law banning the import of agricultural items to the US. Companies that import agricultural items on a commercial basis have an established process to do so. This process is for the average person flying to the US on an airline. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/sa_international/sa_travel International arrivals to any US mainland airport are handled on an international basis. Luggage is scanned and all person must meet US customs officials who ask questions like "Bringing any fruit?". Since PR is a US Territory planes landing in the US mainland which departed from Puerto Rico are treated like a domestic arrival and are not handled like international flights are. While it is a US Territory PR is very different from an agriculture perspective and there is a desire to protect the US mainland from potential threats in this very different 'foreign' eco-system just like other foreign regions. Consequently all luggage is scanned in Puerto Rico looking for agricultural items that individuals may have placed inside their luggage. Those mangos you picked on the roadside are not allowed to be brought to the US mainland. It's done in PR so that it doesn't have to be done upon arriving in the US mainland. If you proceed directly to the airline check in counter in San Juan they won't allow you to check your luggage if it hasn't been screened at the agricultural inspection station. Ray 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Posted July 13, 2018 Report Share Posted July 13, 2018 Thanks for info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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