First Time to cruise out of San Juan

I found this little guide for the San Juan Cruise traveler, Old San Juan Cruise Ship and Port Information they also have a small inexpensive hotel that offer free continental breakfast with your stay and many other amenities. Good luck!

I just booked the Tres Palmas for the night before my January cruise. It looked really cute and like it is in a great location for just kicking back (since we are getting in before noon the day before).

If you stayed there before, what did you think of it?

PapaEdwin,

Did you stay at the little hotel that this link takes me to? Would you recommend it? Was it far from the cruise port and other attractions?

I haven't stayed there yet, but after extensive research, I did book the Tres Palmas for my (by the time we cruise) DW and me. It's basically halfway between the airport and the cruise port, and about a 15 minute cab ride to Pan American Pier and about the same distance to Old San Juan. It's also only 2-3 blocks from a major bus line (#5) which takes you to OSJ within 20-30 min. It is right on the beach (with free beach chairs/towels/umbrellas from the front desk) and in walking distance of some shops/restaurants of the Isla Verde neighborhood. It's definitely further than a hotel in OSJ or Condado (but not much further than Condado) and closer than one in Isla Verde (it's basically on the border of the Condado and Isla Verde neighborhoods).

Flights are booked! Yea!! We will be flying in Friday for the cruise leaving on Sunday.

 

Our return flight is 11:55am. It was the best option we could get . Fingers crossed. :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You will be fine. We were worried when we booked a 9:40am flight last November in San Juan. Just did the self-disembark, was one of the first to catch a cab, and it was fine. 11:55am is VERY doable!

Thanks!! :)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You'll love sailing out of San Juan- lots of extra time in ports!

 

When you arrive- just grab a cab to your hotel. Cabs are well regulated and prices are by the zone. You pay per cab, not per person. You'll also pay $1 dollar per bag on top of the fare. The fare from the airport to Old San Juan is $19 plus $1 per bag.

 

Once you are at your hotel, it is simple to grab a cab anywhere. The buses are very clean and reliable as well and you can save a considerable amount if you use the bus. We paid $1.50 to take a cab from our Condado hotel to downtown San Juan.

 

Old San Juan is great for history, architecture, restaurants, shopping, and really cool forts that surround the city. You can easily walk just about anywhere in OSJ. Just don't go into LaPerla- by the cemetery. Otherwise, my sister and I have always felt very safe walking the city both day and evening.

 

If you want to stay on the beach, you'll need to stay in Isla Verde or Condado. Isla Verde has nicer beaches and is closest to the airport. Condado is closest to Old San Juan.

 

Enjoy your cruise! If you want to see more pictures of Old San Juan and Condado, click on my Caribbbean Princess review located in my signature. Next week, I'll be doing a live review from the Jewel of the Seas and it will include a few days in San Juan and a trip to the rainforest.

Was it easy to get a cab from airport to Old San Juan Sherton? and Back to airport from the ship

Was it easy to get a cab from airport to Old San Juan Sherton? and Back to airport from the ship

Maug,,there are plenty of cabs at the airport, you will have no problem catching one there to take you to your hotel. On debarkation day, the cabs line the street in the morning, definitely won't have a problem finding a ride to the airport.

thanks!!!

Great thread - thanks to the OP for starting! We'll be sailing on the Valor in October. We've sailed out of SJ twice before, but I'm still learning new things on this thread. Thanks to whomever posted about the agricultural stickers at the airport when flying back home. I had completely forgotten about those. I'm starting to look at flights and hotels. The Tres Palmas Inn looks great though. We stayed at the SJ Beach Club last time - really neat. We usually just like to fly in, grab a bite and then crash the day before our cruise. The long flights for us leave us exhausted.

Great thread - thanks to the OP for starting! We'll be sailing on the Valor in October. We've sailed out of SJ twice before, but I'm still learning new things on this thread. Thanks to whomever posted about the agricultural stickers at the airport when flying back home. I had completely forgotten about those. I'm starting to look at flights and hotels. The Tres Palmas Inn looks great though. We stayed at the SJ Beach Club last time - really neat. We usually just like to fly in, grab a bite and then crash the day before our cruise. The long flights for us leave us exhausted.

A few years ago we stayed at the Tres Palmas Inn and loved it. They have since remodeled and we are booked again in September.

Thanks, BLGBEACHGAL! Tres Palmas Inn is actually on my "strong possibilities" list. :)

Thinking of doing Carnival Valor next March. We will fly in a day early and want a nice location to stay where we have restaurants and maybe a casino but yet close to the port for the ship the next day. We also plan to spend an additional 5-6 days after the cruise in Puerto Rico. We definatley want a beautiful beach, restaurants close by and a casino would be nice as well. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. A resort that has beach bar service would be a plus as well.

Thinking of doing Carnival Valor next March. We will fly in a day early and want a nice location to stay where we have restaurants and maybe a casino but yet close to the port for the ship the next day. We also plan to spend an additional 5-6 days after the cruise in Puerto Rico. We definatley want a beautiful beach, restaurants close by and a casino would be nice as well. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. A resort that has beach bar service would be a plus as well.

I have always had very good luck in Puerto Rico finding deals on the "bidding site" for hotels that captain kirk advertises.... Just bid for only resorts in the zones you would like to stay. I know there is a golf/beach resort just west along the coast from San Juan I think it is Embassy Suites Dorado?? That seems to be pretty nice, we are booked there post cruise in Jan 2015. Usually we luck out bidding and have gotten El Caribe Hilton (great place) We also have stayed in Isla Verde (by the Airport) it has nice beaches and close to lots of restaurants The Marriott is nice and has a casino etc. Enjoy your cruise and time there.