San juan, PR - 3:30 arrival

Wife and I will be on the Equinox late June Looking for any advice of what to do in San Jaun with a 3:30 arrrival time

We just walk around in town. Go up to the fort, etc. many others take tours. That seems to be the normal time for docking in San Juan.

Depending on your interests...........

We've never been beach folks, but do like pool/ocean availability. We have taken advantage of hotel check in hours and booked a room. That way, we get a place to keep our stuff, a beach with lounge chairs, and a pool as well. After walking around, swimming, etc.....we can shower and change and have a nice elegant dinner ashore, then head back to the ship around 10PM. If you wish to have access to only a beach/pool, you can look into resortfora day dot com. Some resorts still are not available, but check it out and compare prices.

Scanditaly

Do a walking tour in the Old San Juan and go to the Morro fort

The fort usually closes early so you may not get a lot of time there. We did the Bacardi tour which includes a couple of free drinks.

There are two different forts up at the top of the hill. A real nice walk as well. They have closed around 5 pm but we have gone to one of them each time. Bring your camera as there are great views.

If you have a National Parks Pass, bring it as that will cover your admission to either fort.

If there's not a full moon, you can go kayaking or on a small boat in the bioluminescent bay.

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Do a walking tour in the Old San Juan and go to the Morro fort

This. :) And, eat dinner in Old Town.

Yes, do a walking tour of Old San Juan and then dine at Cafe Puerto Rico, looks like a hole in the wall but great authentic PR food. You must have the Mojito!!

We took the local ferry then a cab to Bacardi. Got the mixology tour. It's much cheaper on your own than with a tour. There was only a small group when we were there and it was a lot of fun.

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We aren't fans of the 3:30 PM arrival. (n)(n) We didn't leave the Equinox until around 7:00 PM. We ate first, changed cloths and wonder around OSJ in the dark for awhile, sat and looked at the ship all lite up and then got back on the ship. Most of the shops were closed. The bars were alive but we had the BP so we didn't stop in any of them to have a drink.

Last time we were in PR Bacardi closed at 4:00 pm, so double check before you head over there - it may be different now, or differ based on season. Same for the forts.

Editorial comment - never understood why someone would pay so much money to go on a cruise which includes great meals, and then pay to eat on land. But to each their own. Your money; your choice.

Make sure where u are headed is open for business... was going to suggest Parrot Club....great for drinks and lite bites...When I just googled it, seems it may be permanently closed...We used to enjoy it..very historic building.

.not all restaurant are open til dinner hr...

You can walk off the ship and catch a private tour of the forts and old town before dark and then wander around the port. IMHO this port is a waste of a good day especially since you dock at 3:30! They could remove it completely from the itinerary's and I would never miss it......but that's just my opinion. You might have a total opposite opinion. Cheers!

When we went to San Juan on Celebrity, we were supposed to dock at 3:30 PM. Didn't get in until 4:30 PM or off the boat until after 5. Forts (our first choice of things to do) were closed. Grab a coffee at the highly rated coffee shop by the main square? Nope, it was closed too. Most of the other stores also closed.

Wandered around the town for a while and noticed that the restaurants and bars were the only things that were open, so we went back to the ship.

Would love to go back some day when you get in early or stay over night so we can actually see the place.

At that late of arrival time we end up walking around town and end up in the CVS or Walgreens close by the pier.

Thank you for all the suggestions

The fort San Cristobal is a much closer walk from the pier than El Morro. My guess is a 10 minute walk. So you should have some time before it closes at 5 PM.

Note also...long walk from ship to port end of the pier...but doable.

Old San Juan, the Castillo San Cristobal, and finish up at the Baraquina restaurant where the pina colada was invented. Order the Mofongo. It is to die for.

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Last time we were in PR Bacardi closed at 4:00 pm, so double check before you head over there - it may be different now, or differ based on season. Same for the forts.

 

Editorial comment - never understood why someone would pay so much money to go on a cruise which includes great meals, and then pay to eat on land. But to each their own. Your money; your choice.

$75 is not going to break the bank, it's cheaper than the specialty restaurants.

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If you've ever even vaguely thought of buying a good quality Panama hat, one of the most interesting shops out there is in Old San Juan...

http://www.olepuertorico.com/

And they're open until 6:30...

We signed up for an Old Town walking, cooking class tour. Yup, playing to eat ashore, but it can be worth it....which is interpreted as ‘if you want to’.

I always like to joke, when someone asks me where a good restaurant is in port, I point back towards the ship and say, ‘there is a great restaurant on the 4th floor and another on the 10th floor of a ‘building’ back at the dock.....and it’s free!’.

But I do emjoy trying local food and a cooking class, I think, is the best way of trying that out.

Den

If you've ever even vaguely thought of buying a good quality Panama hat, one of the most interesting shops out there is in Old San Juan...

 

http://www.olepuertorico.com/

 

And they're open until 6:30...

I bought a Panama Hat in Panama, which you’d think is THE thing to do, but true Panamas are made in Ecuador. Don’t ask why, you’ll hear a ton of stories. But a good Panama feels like wearing a cloud around your head, and is light and very cooling.

Dont tell my wife, but sounds like we will accidently step into Ole!

Den

Last time we were in PR Bacardi closed at 4:00 pm, so double check before you head over there - it may be different now, or differ based on season. Same for the forts.

 

 

 

Editorial comment - never understood why someone would pay so much money to go on a cruise which includes great meals, and then pay to eat on land. But to each their own. Your money; your choice.

Part of the way people experience other cultures is by eating their food[emoji2]

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