San Juan in a WC

[willieg]

We need some information about the walk from the dock to Calle Frontaleza for DH in his WC. We are planning to get a taxi ride around the old town and maybe a stop at the cafes and shops on Fontaleza. Should be plan to "roll" back to the ship or take a taxi? Is the cafe, Barrachina, easily accessible? I would love a pina colada and some tasty snacks. Are the shops accessible?

Thanks for your help

[Queenie2]

you need to check with the cruise line to find out what san juan pier you will be at. There is one in Old san Juan and anoter across the way (Pan American Pier). If you are at the latter, it's too far to walk.

 

The biggest obstacle in old san juan is high curbs (very high) with no curb cuts. Many businesses in this area have a step or two up.

 

Candy

[QuickieGlenn]

Me & my wife docked in Old San juan last March and I am in a chair. From where the shipped docked up to the stores is a bit of a hill and some of the streets are cobblestone. With the aid of my wife helping me push I made it up about 4 streets. The sidewalks are narrow and you have to look out for the cutouts. Made it it to most shops but some are 1 or 2 steps. I just acted like a bulldozer down the sidewalks and asked people to move. Good Luck

 

Glenn

[onelegcraig]

Probably the least accessible place I have ever been to. Ended up at Hard Rock Cafe for Corona's. Cobblestones and high curbs made it very difficult.

[Texalana]

Thanks for posting your reply Onelegcraig! :) Where were you docked? We will be in San Juan on March 11 and my mom, who has a scooter, really wanted to go to the Hard Rock Cafe. It sounds like she may be able to make it!

 

Texalana :)

[leoandhugh]

Regardless of where the ship is docked, if she intends to try to get there on a scooter, she will have a very difficult time. In Old San Juan the curbs are very high and very few are cut for wheelchairs. The streets are very narrow(as are the sidewalks) and many of them are cobblestone. With a scooter the only place to use it would be in the streets and that would be very dangerous, in my opinion. we always take both scooter and a manual fold up wheelchair on any cruise, and in San Juan we get around only by using a taxi and taking the manual wheelchair in the trunk for emergency use only and for getting on and off the ship.:)

[willieg]

We have since returned from our cruise to San Juan. We had a manual wheelchair. We got a taxi tour right at the end of the dock with a gentleman with a van. DH sat in the front and we put the WC in the rear. We drove around for about 1-2 hours for about $50. We saw the old town and drove out by the hotels and the beaches. I got out to take pictures while DH stayed inside in the air conditioning.

The only place that we rolled was by the docks on the promenade. The hills were too much. I went alone to do some shopping in town. The sidewalks were too narrow and bumpy for the WC. The weather was hot, even in Nov.

If there is some place that you want to go I would suggest a taxi. There were many available.

[Texalana]

That would be great, if she could take a taxi, but my mom has a scooter and not a wheelchair and she has trouble getting into most cars. I was hoping the Hard Rock Cafe would be close enough to walk/scooter. Maybe we can borrow a ship's wheelchair for that port.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Texalana :)

[leoandhugh]

Do not count on taking or borrowing a ship's wheelchair. Most cruise lines no longer permit that - questions of liability. Most will permit you to use one for getting on and off the ship but that is the extent of it.:)

[travelteam]

We were in San Juan last winter - the scooter is out of the question in my opinion. The streets are cobbled - very hilly - and lots of traffic. I would suggest you do as LeoandHugh suggest - a manual wheelchair for emergencies - and a taxi to see the sights. Have fun - the best part of any cruise is just being there..................we love to sit at cafe's and watch the crowds go by............so interesting to people watch while having a cafe'..............:D

[DesrtDrmr]

Texalana, you could rent a folding manual chair from Carevacations.com or scootaround.com, and they would have it in your mother's cabin when she arrived at the ship, and they would also pick it up from there when you got off the ship. I did this a few years ago, taking my scooter, and I think the price was around $125 for the week. We now take both if we are driving to the port. We could also take both if we were flying, but we haven't.......usually just one or the other. Both of our recent cruises were from a port that we drove to.

A manual chair would be much better in San Juan, as it is in most ports. You can wheel, or fold it and put it in back of a taxi, or underneath in a bus, if your Mom is able to transfer.

Have a great cruise!