Casino hours while in San Juan port

[twentyknots]

We will be on the Oosterdam in early November and one of our ports of call is San Juan. I see the itinerary shows us arriving at 11:00 am and leaving at 11:00 pm. My experience is that the casino doesn't open until maybe 30 minutes after departure. Might it be different in San Juan since gambling is allowed on the island?

[retdon]

The casino opened after we left.

[kazu]

I don't think you will be going to San Juan, Pueto Rico.

 

The island is devastated, sadly. The only ones going there are relief workers and they need a lot.

 

Wait for you itinerary change.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I agree with Kazu -- I don't see San Juan being ready to accept cruise ships in November.

[Randyk47]

I have never seen the casino open in any port whether the port had casinos or not. It may happen at some ports but if it does it’s very very rare.

[kazu]

The people here are hoping to get gas, water and food.

 

Gas to run generators -the hospital is about to run out.

 

It's horrific and sad.

 

No one is going to this port for a very long time.

 

I just pray and hope that these people get the help that they really need.

 

It will take 7 months to get them power, water and food.

 

 

Sad :(

Edited September 26, 2017 by kazu

[TAD2005]

Almost no ports allow ship's casinos (or shops) to be open while they are in port. The whole idea is for you to get off the ship and spread some $$$ around in the local towns. San Juan has a casino, but that makes no difference. No shops, no casinos until the ship is under way, usually when the port pilot is dropped off. And the other posts are correct, San Juan will not be able to accept cruise ship calls for many weeks after November. Key West just accepted its first RCI ship, but hurricane Irma did not hit Key West directly, so some of the shops and bars were open. I still think that RCI port call was a good bit pre-mature. But greedy shop owners in Key West control the island, and I'm sure they guaranteed RCI that there would be some things to see and do around the town.

[innlady1]

We will be on the Oosterdam in early November and one of our ports of call is San Juan. I see the itinerary shows us arriving at 11:00 am and leaving at 11:00 pm. My experience is that the casino doesn't open until maybe 30 minutes after departure. Might it be different in San Juan since gambling is allowed on the island?

 

 

Doubt you'll be stopping there. Irma...then Maria...devastated the Island.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Randyk47]

Certainly it is sad, heartbreakingly sad to think of the devastation done to the Caribbean this year. My heart hurts for Harold Francis on Dominica who offered to take us to the typical tourist spots. We asked him to show us his island so we went to market, we foraged in the forest almost jungle for herbs for cooking and medicine, we gathered gourds and clay for drinking and cooking vessels, and we daringly ate at one of his favorite food shacks. We’ve spent some 300 days and done a lot of tours and excursions in the Caribbean but that day with Harold Francis will always be special.

[boscobeans]

The Royal Dockyard in Bermuda is the only place I have been to that allows the ship's casino to operate while in port. Opens at 9:00 PM.

 

bosco

[sail7seas]

The Royal Dockyard in Bermuda is the only place I have been to that allows the ship's casino to operate while in port. Opens at 9:00 PM.

 

bosco

Curacao and Aruba sometimes permit casin o on hAL ships to open evenings while in port.

[sail7seas]

The Royal Dockyard in Bermuda is the only place I have been to that allows the ship's casino to operate while in port. Opens at 9:00 PM.

 

bosco

 

 

Y, Veendam;'s casino opened in the evening when we were docked in Hamilton this past July..

[twentyknots]

Blackjack is the highlight of my evenings on the cruise. My wife doesn't play but maybe I'll get acquainted with some other players who will want to visit one of the many casinos in San Juan that evening, assuming we do stop there. As of now, it is still shows on the HAL itinerary.

[Lady Arwen]

Blackjack is the highlight of my evenings on the cruise. My wife doesn't play but maybe I'll get acquainted with some other players who will want to visit one of the many casinos in San Juan that evening, assuming we do stop there. As of now, it is still shows on the HAL itinerary.

Casinos in San Juan will not likely be operational in November. HAL will be revising itineraries on a very fluid basis for the next few months. You may not be notified until close to your sail date. I would not count on going San Juan

[blizzardboy]

We will be on the Oosterdam in early November and one of our ports of call is San Juan. I see the itinerary shows us arriving at 11:00 am and leaving at 11:00 pm. My experience is that the casino doesn't open until maybe 30 minutes after departure. Might it be different in San Juan since gambling is allowed on the island?

Those ports where gambling is legal are touchy about shipboard gambling as they don't want the competition. If you plan on playing ashore, here's some related info: We had a 2-week January visit to San Juan (moved to St. Kitts) planned that involved a split stay at the Renaissance La Concha Resort Casino and the Ritz-Carlton Resort Casino, so I've been in close contact with both those groups. The La Concha is housing FEMA but otherwise closed, with no reservations until after Dec 01. The Ritz hasn't even posted a schedule yet, nor been in contact with RC Corporate, but is probably in worse shape due to it's location. I can't comment on the others. We have a port visit scheduled there on our cruise the week after yours so we remain curious. Edited September 27, 2017 by blizzardboy