Thanks Steve for your questions re taking a cruise out of Puerto Rico. Below are my suggestions and tips.
Tip 1. Direct Flights (Air Canada/West Jet) to Puerto Rico are expensive and usually leave only on weekends. Use Flighthub.com or other compiler sites to keep track of the flight costs and if you see a good deal book it right away (i.e. less than $500 CDN is a bargain). Also they also leave at 10am or later so you cut it really close or will miss the cruise if it leaves at 4pm or 5pm so coming in a day or two ahead makes sense. Also note both airlines charge for luggage even if it is in the Caribbean.
Tip 2. Pre-book a shuttle to the ship or hotel, as their taxis are often on strike and or some other organization is. The last time I was there they squeezed 3 different families into a SUV and it took us 2 hours to get into downtown and the cruise terminal. I have used Go Puerto Rico and they were on time and reasonably priced..
Tip 3. Find out what cruise terminal you are at for departure - this is really important as there are two:
1. Pan America Pier is located to the south of Old San Juan. The modern San Juan cruise ship terminal building at Pan America Pier is in Isla Grande. It serves larger cruise vessels.
or
2. San Juan Cruise terminal which is right in Old San Juan.
Often if the ships are home ported out of San Juan they are at the Pan American Pier, which is about a 10-minute drive from Old San Juan. Check with RCL to see where you will embark and disembark.
Tip 4. I have stayed at a few hotels in San Juan... the Hilton Condado beach which I liked as there are restaurants to walk to etc. The beach is small at the hotel but the pool great. I have stayed at the Marriot in Old San Juan and at the Condado beach (it was busier than Hilton and more expensive but right on the beach which I loved), etc. I like the Condado one if you are docked at Pan America Pier as it is a 5-minute cab ride to the pier. If you are at the San Juan Cruise terminal stay in an hotel in old San Juan and then you can walk to the terminal.
Tip 5. What to do with only 1-day - walk around/or take the free open air trolley around old San Juan. The Fort Cristobal is worth a look. Its a very hilly town so I often take the open air trolley to the top - get off a the fort and then work my way back down the hill....
Hope this helps.
Thanks Marcia! Your local navigation/experience tips are my favourite part of this blog. On my previous Venice trip, your "how to get around" tips and landmark detail was so on point, it felt like I had already scouted the area thoroughly. I knew what to expect, and that's so much better than being a wandering, lost tourist. Im sure this Puerto Rico post will do the same for me!
ReplyDeleteCurrent pricing is $400+ flight each way, so ill be searching for some deals before I pull the trigger. Boxing day is coming up, so here's to hoping!