Tuesday, April 2, 2024

San Juan Cruise Port: A Traveler's Guide

puerto rico cruise port

Once you’ve arrived at the Old San Juan Port, take a left to head east towards the iconic Castillo San Felipe del Morro, better known as El Morro. The walk to the fort takes about 20 minutes, so you’ll have time to get your land legs back while basking in vibrant culture and unique architecture in this beautiful old city. San Juan's cruise terminal, located in the heart of Old San Juan, allows you to immerse yourself in the city's rich history, colorful architecture, and vibrant culture. Discover historic forts, stroll along cobblestone streets, and savor the flavors of Puerto Rican cuisine before embarking on your cruise. The Old San Juan Piers are at Marina Street, conveniently located at the center of the district.

puerto rico cruise port

General Information about San Juan

The San Juan Cruise Port is ranked among the top ports in the world, and other ports around the Island offer easy access to sightseeing, dining, local culture, and more. Condado Beach fits the bill if you want to sit on soft sand and read (or watch surfers). This beach is 16 minutes away from the port by public transit or 9 minutes away by Taxi or Uber. A day at the stunning blue watered beaches in San Juan is a day well spent!

Getting Around San Juan

The downside is that it is far from the old historical city center of San Juan. Read our full San Juan cruise port guide for all the information about your docking location and transportation options. San Juan has two cruise terminals, one in San Juan Bay and the other at the Pan American terminal across from the bay. The San Juan cruise port offers plenty of modern cruise terminals, so you will not have to worry about feeling out of place while waiting to board your cruise ship. Being situated between the beautiful city of San Juan and the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, it is also the ideal location for any port of call visit. By contrast, when docked at any of the piers by the Old Town, the cruise traveler will have a lot to see and do.

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The Piers and Terminals in San Juan (Puerto Rico): Cruise Port Review (

This traveler’s guide will help you navigate the port, explore the city beyond it, and discover why the San Juan cruise port is such a popular port of call. The ownership of the port will remain in the hands of the people of Puerto Rico throughout the term of the agreement and thereafter. The facility, including all improvements made, will be officially returned to the PRPA at no cost to the government or the people of Puerto Rico. We recognize that the cruise ports at San Juan are an essential part of Puerto Rico’s economy and social fabric and that for many people, Puerto Rico represents “the heart and soul” of cruising in the Caribbean. As such, we are committed to partnering with local stakeholders to ensure the highest standards in all aspects of the project.

After you’ve had your fill of water adventures, take the pedestrian-friendly bridge over to Luis Muñoz Rivera Park. This urban park features magnificent foliage, a playground area, and various sculptures by local artists. You can grab a bite to go from nearby food vendors and local restaurants, then have a quiet picnic before heading back to port.

We look forward to collaborating with all stakeholders and the entire Puerto Rican community on this exciting project that will generate so many benefits for Puerto Rico. Established in 2004, Global Ports Holding holds a unique position in the cruise port landscape, positioning itself as the world’s leading cruise port brand. Operating 30 cruise ports in 17 countries, GPH provides services for 20 million passengers annually and serves the needs of the world’s cruise lines, ferries and mega yachts. If you wish to explore St. Thomas on your own Taxis are fairly priced and can literally take the cruise ship traveler to all highlights, beaches, main sites and attractions.

Pier13 is reserved for future development, the timing of which is also subject to certain trigger events. Through the formation of a “Steering Committee” and relevant stakeholder working groups, the San Juan Cruise Port team will work with stakeholders to integrate the cruise port into the wider metropolitan San Juan area. This level of partnership will certainly benefit community members in many ways but will also ensure that visitors are exposed to an authentic taste of the uniqueness that Puerto Rico has to offer. Puerto Rico has also lost some of its cruise tourism business due to a lack of investment in the infrastructure of the port, which has deteriorated extensively. Become the largest cruise port in the Caribbean by passenger traffic to maintain Puerto Rico’s status as a “must-see” destination.

Best beaches in San Juan

Keep in mind that cruise ships arriving around noon will sail after sunset and, therefore, cruising into the port is a must. There are so many things to see and do in San Juan, Puerto Rico, you’d never guess it had to bounce back from a hurricane. Not only is it a must-visit destination all on its own, its central location also makes it the best jumping off point for you to explore the exotic shores of the Southern Caribbean. From Aruba’s pastel colonial promenades and Curaçao’s ancient rugged caves, to Antigua’s colorful reefs and Barbados’s golden-sand beaches — Cruises from San Juan unlock the most beautiful shores on the south side. With fresh seafood, colorful streets, ancient forts, and walkable beaches within minutes of charming and cozy hotels, San Juan is the ideal port of call for any cruise traveler.

San Juan basics

The drydock has length ~600 ft (183 m), width 102 ft (31 m) and depth 26 ft (10 m), which allows it to serve ships with max LOA length 400 ft (121 m). If your cruise ship docks at the Pan American Pier for the day, a taxi ride to Old San Juan takes no more than 10 minutes and will cost around $10. However, most cruise lines offer a shuttle to Old San Juan when calling at the Pan American Pier. With two berths for as many cruise ships and a modern terminal, Pier 4 is used exclusively by Carnival Corporation cruise lines. If you are embarking or disembarking a cruise on a Carnival Corporation cruise line, Pier 4 (and its terminal) has a great location.

The cobblestone streets of San Juan are lined with colorful buildings. Located on Old San Juan's Calle de San Francisco, this shop sells handmade purses and bags designed in collaboration with local artists using multicolored fabrics and recycled denim, and also carries jewelry, clothing and art by local designers. Where lavish luxury meets tropical sophistication, Puerto Rico offers a host of world-class spas, fine dining experiences, and five-star hotels.

While you can explore it on your own, we recommend taking a guided tour, as it will provide you with a detailed history of the building itself, as well as San Juan and the rest of Puerto Rico. With cobblestone streets and bright-colored Spanish colonial buildings, you will feel like you have traveled back in time. For aspiring photographers or Instagram enthusiasts, Old San Juan’s vibrant colors and historic charm make it easy to capture incredible photographs. At GPH, we believe that one of the values that continues to make us successful is that we have a global, yet local perspective on port Operations.

From here you can easily walk into the historical center and explore the town by foot. Read our full San Juan cruise port guide for information about transportation options and tips on what to see and do. The San Juan Cruise Port Terminal is a major cruise port located in the capital of Puerto Rico, San Juan. It is the largest and busiest cruise port in the Caribbean and serves as a major hub for the Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, and Norwegian Cruise Line.

From the fort and cemetery, head south (about a 6-minute walk) towards Cuartel de Ballajá. This structure has lived many lives, having served as regime housing in the 1800s and a hospital during WWII. Today, it houses the Museo de las Américas, a museum dedicated to the history and culture of the Americas. Then, if you’re visiting Wednesday through Sunday, take another short (2-3 minute) walk and tour Casa Blanca, the former home of Juan Ponce de León, Puerto Rico’s first governor.

Keep in mind both are 2 hours from San Juan where your ship will dock. Pan American is located across the bay at Calle Muelle, San Juan, 00901, Puerto Rico and a taxi is needed to get to downtown San Juan. Explore this beautiful 500 year old city on foot with your private guide who will tell you this history of San Juan’s most important and impressive sites such as El Morro, San Jose Church, the Governor’s residence and many others.... Dining out in San Juan encompasses everything from white-tablecloth fine dining to local food trucks serving delicious indigenous cuisine.

Local economists estimate that the San Juan Cruise Port project will contribute approximately $14 billion of additional economic impact for Puerto Rico over the term of the concession. At the end of the 30-year concession, the cruise facility, including all improvements made by GPH, will be handed back to the PRPQA at no cost to the government or the people of Puerto Rico. With close to 5 million passengers per year the Cruise Port of Miami is the busiest in the World - disembarking/embarking can be at times frustrating but there are some good insiders tips to discover. Bonaire is the B on the Island Trio known as ABC - Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao. These island have a lot in common but don't think that if you 'have seen one you have seen them all'.

Home Port cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, Princess) often use San Juan as their departure port, thus cruises embark from San Juan. Transit ships are those docking for a day or two originating from another homeport. Cruise to Puerto Rico and take to the roads that lead to remote Spanish colonial towns like San German that house elegant plazas and churches evoking hundreds of years of history. Head to the main old town, the always-vivid Old San Juan, and walk the cobblestoned streets where Conquistadors once marched. There's really too much to do in one port call but that's what return trips are for.

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