Transport from SJU airport to cruise port
Jan 3, 2012, 5:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DCA, IAD, BWI
Posts: 196
Transport from SJU airport to cruise port
Hi,
There are 2 groups of us. 1st group (3) arrives the day before. I am in the 2nd group of 5 inc. an elder and a child will arrive at two-ish. The RCI check in can be as early as 4:30p and as late as 6:30p. The ship departs at 8:30p, Jan 15th. We have been to SJ two times before while others have one day stop there from a cruise ship.
What is a best way for us to use for the transfer in term of cost, convenient, and usage? ... car rental, transfer service, or taxi?
Also, when we return in the morning, our flight back is at four-ish. I would think a car rental may be good so we could have luggage there while having lunch and site tour a little before return. Where is a good place to pick up a car rental coming from the port?
Many thanks!
There are 2 groups of us. 1st group (3) arrives the day before. I am in the 2nd group of 5 inc. an elder and a child will arrive at two-ish. The RCI check in can be as early as 4:30p and as late as 6:30p. The ship departs at 8:30p, Jan 15th. We have been to SJ two times before while others have one day stop there from a cruise ship.
What is a best way for us to use for the transfer in term of cost, convenient, and usage? ... car rental, transfer service, or taxi?
Also, when we return in the morning, our flight back is at four-ish. I would think a car rental may be good so we could have luggage there while having lunch and site tour a little before return. Where is a good place to pick up a car rental coming from the port?
Many thanks!
Jan 3, 2012, 5:30 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: LIS/ATL/other
Programs: UA 1K, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Sixt Plat, Marriott Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 1,983
Hertz is your answer for both.
They have an office in the Sheraton Old San Juan, which is an easy walk from the pier. They actually park their vehicles in the parking lot directly across from the pier. Really easy and convenient.
They have an office in the Sheraton Old San Juan, which is an easy walk from the pier. They actually park their vehicles in the parking lot directly across from the pier. Really easy and convenient.
Jan 3, 2012, 8:47 am
#4
Join Date: May 2005
Location: MIA/SJU/MCO
Programs: AA LT PLT; DL GLD, UA nothing, B6 Mosaic; Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 3,331
Jan 5, 2012, 11:34 am
#5
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: LIS/ATL/other
Programs: UA 1K, Avis PC, Hertz PC, Sixt Plat, Marriott Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 1,983
It depends. Presumably that group will not be going directly to the cruise port, but to some hotel. Where are they going? And what day of week and time of day will they be arriving? None of this matters if they are going to take a taxi or rent a car, but since you asked for public transportation, all of this matters.
Jan 5, 2012, 11:53 am
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: MIA/SJU/MCO
Programs: AA LT PLT; DL GLD, UA nothing, B6 Mosaic; Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 3,331
Here's SJ's trip planner service, in a state of perpetual beta http://www.dtop.gov.pr/mapas/index.asp
And a better bus map, courtesy of Banco Popular
http://www.popular.com/compromiso/pdf/ama/mapas_ama.pdf
If you must take public transit, take the B40 bus to the Isla Verde transfer depot, and from there take the A5 bus straight into San Juan. On the bus, budget 2 hours for this, mostly spent waiting. Explain to the bus driver where you're going, and they should speak enough English to explain to you how to get to where you're going.
Conversely, take a cab or drive and in 15-20 minutes, you'll be there.
And a better bus map, courtesy of Banco Popular
http://www.popular.com/compromiso/pdf/ama/mapas_ama.pdf
If you must take public transit, take the B40 bus to the Isla Verde transfer depot, and from there take the A5 bus straight into San Juan. On the bus, budget 2 hours for this, mostly spent waiting. Explain to the bus driver where you're going, and they should speak enough English to explain to you how to get to where you're going.
Conversely, take a cab or drive and in 15-20 minutes, you'll be there.
Jan 22, 2012, 8:19 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Brisbane QLD AU
Programs: QF
Posts: 235
We did a 7 night cruise onboard Celebrity Summit in November 2011 to/from San Juan & had one night pre-cruise accomm (booked direct via www.priorityclub.com) at the Holiday Inn Express SJU.
The average taxi fare seemed to be approx USD15.00 for our journeys:
a) SJU Airport to Holiday Inn Express
b) Holiday Inn Express to Plaza Las Americas (large shopping mall)
c) Plaza Las Americas to Pan American Pier where ship was berthed
It was maybe USD25.00 from the Pan American Pier to SJU Airport at the end of the cruise, I forget exactly but it wasn't an excessive amount.
We had flown LAS/xDFW/xMIA/SJU (KUPP fare
) but AA misplaced our luggage so we had to buy some new stuff as we didn't know when we'd get our bags back.
If flying out of SJU the same day the cruise arrives back I would book a flight mid-afternoon as despite the ship docking at 0600, they didn't start disembarking the first group of pax until 0830. Our 'muster' time to disembark was 0915 but we didn't start to disembark until 1030 due to the long queues in customs.
We ended up arrived at SJU Airport at 1115 for a 1245 departure which IMHO was cutting it a bit fine.
Note that when you fly from the US to SJU there's no customs on arrival as SJU is classed as domestic, however as your cruise visits ports in other countries you need to clear customs on arrival which takes time.
Definitely liaise with the concierge on the ship & let them know your flight details to get a decent priority when disembarking.
Cheers Oz
The average taxi fare seemed to be approx USD15.00 for our journeys:
a) SJU Airport to Holiday Inn Express
b) Holiday Inn Express to Plaza Las Americas (large shopping mall)
c) Plaza Las Americas to Pan American Pier where ship was berthed
It was maybe USD25.00 from the Pan American Pier to SJU Airport at the end of the cruise, I forget exactly but it wasn't an excessive amount.
We had flown LAS/xDFW/xMIA/SJU (KUPP fare
) but AA misplaced our luggage so we had to buy some new stuff as we didn't know when we'd get our bags back.If flying out of SJU the same day the cruise arrives back I would book a flight mid-afternoon as despite the ship docking at 0600, they didn't start disembarking the first group of pax until 0830. Our 'muster' time to disembark was 0915 but we didn't start to disembark until 1030 due to the long queues in customs.
We ended up arrived at SJU Airport at 1115 for a 1245 departure which IMHO was cutting it a bit fine.
Note that when you fly from the US to SJU there's no customs on arrival as SJU is classed as domestic, however as your cruise visits ports in other countries you need to clear customs on arrival which takes time.
Definitely liaise with the concierge on the ship & let them know your flight details to get a decent priority when disembarking.
Cheers Oz
Jan 24, 2012, 1:22 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DCA, IAD, BWI
Posts: 196
We have returned from our trip. We recommend taking taxi to/from airport to cruise port as the price is fixed … $19 for 5 pp, $2/add pp, $1/each luggage. Some taxi drivers may want to charge more perhaps include good tip.
Taking taxi within Old San Juan can be expensive compares with the airport rate. One can walk or take the free trolley. It is a small city, narrow streets, traffic, steep slopes, and difficult to locate a parking space.
Taking taxi within Old San Juan can be expensive compares with the airport rate. One can walk or take the free trolley. It is a small city, narrow streets, traffic, steep slopes, and difficult to locate a parking space.