Pan American Pier - San Juan

We are departing from Pan American pier on Royal Caribbean next month. I keep hearing little bits and pieces about certain amenities at the terminal. I've never been to a terminal that has "anything" in it, other than a waiting area. Can anyone describe what the terminal is like and what's in it? Any pictures? (I tried looking up You Tube but couldn't find anything)

TIA

We are departing from Pan American pier on Royal Caribbean next month. I keep hearing little bits and pieces about certain amenities at the terminal. I've never been to a terminal that has "anything" in it, other than a waiting area. Can anyone describe what the terminal is like and what's in it? Any pictures? (I tried looking up You Tube but couldn't find anything)

 

TIA

This probably isn't much help- but I took this last year at the Pan Am Pier while checking into the Caribbean Princess. It has been a few years since I sailed on Royal Caribbean out of San Juan. I've never spent much tme in the terminal area. I'm thinking there was a liquor store on the premises, but I'm not sure. I don't know if each cruise line has their own terminal or if they use whichever is available. Honestly, I don't remember anything special about the terminal other than we got through very quickly early in the day.

The only thing in the terminal for Royal Caribbean is a waiting area and a liquor store. Not sure what you are looking for.

-Kristi

The only thing in the terminal for Royal Caribbean is a waiting area and a liquor store. Not sure what you are looking for.

 

-Kristi

that's a start :p

I've been to Disney's terminal at Port Canaveral and RCL's at Port Everglades. Both, like I said, are just check in and "waiting areas" to board the ship. I have seen on CC that Pan American has "stuff" and it being a novel concept to me that there would be ANYTHING other than a waiting area, I was just curious as to what to expect (having a last stop for alkie purchases is intriguing, especially when it's not allowed onboard, except for 2 bottles of wine).

It is a duty free liquor store. The big advantage is the purchase does not count against your 2L of liquor you can bring back inot the US from the Caribbean.

It is a duty free liquor store. The big advantage is the purchase does not count against your 2L of liquor you can bring back inot the US from the Caribbean.

ahhhhhhh... so good for the way home :D

ahhhhhhh... so good for the way home :D

But you get good prices at the airport as well and you are past securtiy , plus they box it for you . So you walk right on the plane with it. All you need is a boarding pass, so you cant buy it on the way in . :(

But you get good prices at the airport as well and you are past securtiy , plus they box it for you . So you walk right on the plane with it. All you need is a boarding pass, so you cant buy it on the way in . :(

It depends on your cruise. We are sailing to Baltimore and not flying home.:)

It depends on your cruise. We are sailing to Baltimore and not flying home.:)

If you are sailing to San Juan from Baltimore, then you won't dock at the Pan Am Pier. The ships that sail from San Juan (most of them) depart from there and the ships that come for the day dock at another pier in downtown Old San Juan.

that's a start :p

 

(having a last stop for alkie purchases is intriguing, especially when it's not allowed onboard, except for 2 bottles of wine).

Here's our experience last week: When we entered the terminal, a man approached us from the liquor store and told us there was a duty free liquor store we could shop in. My husband said, "Thanks, but we already have our two bottles to bring on board." The man said, "After you check in, you can come back down and buy more to bring with you."

So we checked in (including the table where they looked at and okayed our two bottles of wine) and brought our stuff on the ship. About an hour laters, my husband and another from our group walked back down to the duty free shop, each bought two more bottles of wine, had them checked at the same table by the same guys and brought them on board - no problems.

Not guaranteeing it will always work this way, but it did for us.

BTW, check in overall was very easy and very fast. We arrived at about 11:20 and were on board within 10-15 minutes!

If you are sailing to San Juan from Baltimore, then you won't dock at the Pan Am Pier. The ships that sail from San Juan (most of them) depart from there and the ships that come for the day dock at another pier in downtown Old San Juan.

Yes--I know about the pier in Old SJU for port calls.

We are sailing FROM SJU to Baltimore. It is a repo cruise. We leave from Pan Am pier.

Yes--I know about the pier in Old SJU for port calls.

 

We are sailing FROM SJU to Baltimore. It is a repo cruise. We leave from Pan Am pier.

Sounds like a great plan- never heard of that itinerary. I'll have to check it out.

Sounds like a great plan- never heard of that itinerary. I'll have to check it out.

The Grandeur of the Seas is repositioning to Baltimore to replace the Enchantment. Our April 24 cruise is the repo. So, it is a one time itinerary. It is very popuar. There are only a few suites left. The rest of the cabins are sold out.

Here's our experience last week: When we entered the terminal, a man approached us from the liquor store and told us there was a duty free liquor store we could shop in. My husband said, "Thanks, but we already have our two bottles to bring on board." The man said, "After you check in, you can come back down and buy more to bring with you."

 

So we checked in (including the table where they looked at and okayed our two bottles of wine) and brought our stuff on the ship. About an hour laters, my husband and another from our group walked back down to the duty free shop, each bought two more bottles of wine, had them checked at the same table by the same guys and brought them on board - no problems.

 

Not guaranteeing it will always work this way, but it did for us.

 

BTW, check in overall was very easy and very fast. We arrived at about 11:20 and were on board within 10-15 minutes!

Thanks it worked that way for us at the other pier when sailed Carnival , even hard Liquor was getting in, they didnt even care what it was as long and i will repeat wwhat they told us make sure every thing is out of your pockets and in your carry ons LOL they were more concerned with things like knives weapons or whatever not alcohol .

The Grandeur of the Seas is repositioning to Baltimore to replace the Enchantment. Our April 24 cruise is the repo. So, it is a one time itinerary. It is very popuar. There are only a few suites left. The rest of the cabins are sold out.

That would be so much fun. I love to visit San Juan and live an hour from Baltimore. I've always wanted to sail under the Bay Bridge. Even better, it is departing on my birthday!

But.... I'm cruising next week and don't think my work would appreciate me taking more time off work. I'll have to look for a similar option next year.

Enjoy!

That would be so much fun. I love to visit San Juan and live an hour from Baltimore. I've always wanted to sail under the Bay Bridge. Even better, it is departing on my birthday!

But.... I'm cruising next week and don't think my work would appreciate me taking more time off work. I'll have to look for a similar option next year.

Enjoy!

Wow! That sounds cool. I have never sailed under the Bay Bridge!

Going on back to back cruise RCL out of Pan Am port in Feb and would like to know if we could possibly walk from port to a bus stop so we could avoid taxi. We hope to take a bus to a beach near Isle Verde and back again to the ship. We have all day ship arrives at 6:00 am and leaves again 8:00 pm. Is this feasible? Thanks

Here's our experience last week: When we entered the terminal, a man approached us from the liquor store and told us there was a duty free liquor store we could shop in. My husband said, "Thanks, but we already have our two bottles to bring on board." The man said, "After you check in, you can come back down and buy more to bring with you."

 

So we checked in (including the table where they looked at and okayed our two bottles of wine) and brought our stuff on the ship. About an hour laters, my husband and another from our group walked back down to the duty free shop, each bought two more bottles of wine, had them checked at the same table by the same guys and brought them on board - no problems.

 

Not guaranteeing it will always work this way, but it did for us.

 

BTW, check in overall was very easy and very fast. We arrived at about 11:20 and were on board within 10-15 minutes!

Do you know if case water is sold at the liquor store?

Here's our experience last week: When we entered the terminal, a man approached us from the liquor store and told us there was a duty free liquor store we could shop in. My husband said, "Thanks, but we already have our two bottles to bring on board." The man said, "After you check in, you can come back down and buy more to bring with you."

 

So we checked in (including the table where they looked at and okayed our two bottles of wine) and brought our stuff on the ship. About an hour laters, my husband and another from our group walked back down to the duty free shop, each bought two more bottles of wine, had them checked at the same table by the same guys and brought them on board - no problems.

 

Not guaranteeing it will always work this way, but it did for us.

 

BTW, check in overall was very easy and very fast. We arrived at about 11:20 and were on board within 10-15 minutes!

what cruise line were you on?

Do you know if case water is sold at the liquor store?

I'd also like to know the answer to this.

Do you know if case water is sold at the liquor store?

It was in January when we were there.

They had a limited amount of Evian water in six packs, or by the case last week.

New at this. How do you get from the airport to your hotel in old san juan? We are flying in on June 16th and our ship (AOS) leaves out the 17th.

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New at this. How do you get from the airport to your hotel in old san juan? We are flying in on June 16th and our ship (AOS) leaves out the 17th.

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Take a taxi, they will tell you the price at the taxi stand at the airport. Probably around $20.