Jump to content

Puerto Rico & St. Maarten - Ready for Visitors?


Recommended Posts

I'm booked on the Harmony of the Seas for the end of March 2018. We are scheduled to visit Puerto Rico & St. Maarten. I was planning in visiting El Yunque in PR, I know it's closed now but does anyone have any more info. on when it might re-open? RCCL is still booking tours to El Yunque Rain Forest. In St. Maarten we were planning to do a snorkel tour to Pinel Island and Tintamarre, did these areas suffer major damage? I'm considering canceling the cruise as I'm unsure if these ports will be ready for visitors. Any information would be very helpful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, kmazz1. San Juan is open to day calls for the first time today as a matter of fact -- Cruise Critic's news team is going to report on it, so stay tuned. Previously it's just served those whose cruises begin or end there. So that's positive news --

 

 

On Crystal Esprit last week we called at Tintamarre and it was gorgeous! The region is lush and green and the beaches are mostly pristine, snorkeling was excellent. If you haven't seen our piece on St. Maarten, it's here:

 

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=8225

 

We had a great trip -- and several fellow passengers onboard said they had almost cancelled and were so glad they didn't.

 

 

Hoping others will weigh in, too!

 

Carolyn

 

 

I'm booked on the Harmony of the Seas for the end of March 2018. We are scheduled to visit Puerto Rico & St. Maarten. I was planning in visiting El Yunque in PR, I know it's closed now but does anyone have any more info. on when it might re-open? RCCL is still booking tours to El Yunque Rain Forest. In St. Maarten we were planning to do a snorkel tour to Pinel Island and Tintamarre, did these areas suffer major damage? I'm considering canceling the cruise as I'm unsure if these ports will be ready for visitors. Any information would be very helpful.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
We are booked on the celebrity Equinox departing Jan 20, 2018! We have received notice from celebrity that they are replacing St Martin with St Thomas!

 

 

 

I’m on the Vista and they haven’t sent us a letter with change of ports yet.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just came back from a holiday cruise that included St Maarten. While there is still visible hurricane damage, it was definitely ready for visitors! We easily grabbed a taxi and headed to Buccaneer Beach. Orient Beach isn't ready for visitors, and we were told Maho was mostly rock and not sandy (but the cruise ship did offer an excursion there)...

 

We enjoyed our day on the beach with no troubles. I can't speak to Pinel Island and Tintamarre, but the areas we visited were fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As most Puertoricans would say, WE ARE OPEN!!!! I live on the Island, and although the recovery efforts are still under way, visitors will have a mostly pleasurable visit or stay!

 

Check this article I just read today for reference on Puerto Rico and St. Thomas:

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Caribbean-Travel/Life-support

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just got back from visits to Puerto Rico and St Maarten on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I echo what Guatiao said (about both islands). They are definitely ready, willing, and able to host cruise ship passengers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hi all, if you make it to Phillipsburg, stop at Kay jeweler right near the ferry dock and say hi to Sam tell him Bob and Ruth sent you for a good deal This is not the Kay store that is "a kiss begins with Kays" but local owned. Even if you do not buy anything I bet he will give you a water or a beer. If you do no find anything there go to DI and ask for Ram and he will take care of you. I enjoyed the beach right there in town and enjoyed just walking though town.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just returned from a cruise that left out of San Juan. Stayed 2 nights prior to the cruise in Old San Juan. We flew in on Friday, 1/5, and left on our cruise on Sunday, 1/7. Lots of people walking around. There were a few places not open yet, but the forts were open as were most hotels and restaurants.

 

If you are in Old San Juan, the Hotel Milano's rooftop bar has 2 for 1 mojitos until 5 and they are good!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was on an architectural tour of Old San Juan this Sunday, and there many tourists preparing to board the three cruises docked: Jewel of the Seas, Disney, and Veendam. Plenty of traffic, stores and restaurants open, and many visitors from the Island and abroad! Definitely it's good to see Old San Juan going back to normal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are booked on the celebrity Equinox departing Jan 20, 2018! We have received notice from celebrity that they are replacing St Martin with St Thomas!

I am cruising on Harmony of the Seas,royal carib, on Feb 24.2018. I have not received any notice of change.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just got back from visits to Puerto Rico and St Maarten on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I echo what Guatiao said (about both islands). They are definitely ready, willing, and able to host cruise ship passengers.

I am going to same ports end of Feb. what did you do there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am going to same ports end of Feb. what did you do there?

 

In St Maarten, we took the bus to Mullet Bay and enjoyed swimming and snorkeling. In the afternoon we walked over to Maho Beach to see some of the planes land and take off. Here is my trip report on the St Maarten stop if you are interested:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2579802

 

In San Juan, we rented a car and drove out to Luquillo Beach to go flyboarding. It was a late arrival to San Juan (1:00 PM), so it was pretty dark by the time we got back. Here is the Puerto Rico trip report:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2579726

 

Let me know if you have any questions!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
the people that run the pinel island paddle boarding are up and running. they have been helpful in answering questions like one of the restaurants on pinel is operational. but of course biased to their own business.

 

We booked with Caribbean paddling for April 8th for the trip out to Pinel Island and picnic lunch. So excited!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

San Juan is looking good. Yes there is still a lot of Hurricane damage but the best we can do is spend money and help the economy. We were there in February and we hear part of El YunquI is open. St Martin the boardwalk in Phillis burg is open and many of the stores but again there is a lot of damage though safe to walk around. We heard the French side is still a mess and RCCL suggested that we didn't go to the French side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...