American Stores And Brands
The island is an unincorporated territory of the USA and consequently you will see many familiar US brands such as Walgreens Pharmacy, Walmart, Samâs Club, Costco and Marshalls stores. It makes it very easy to shop for extra clothing, forgotten toiletries and pharmaceuticals before boarding the cruise ship.
Are There Places To Store Luggage In San Juan Before Or After A Cruise
Yes
1) If youre staying at a hotel in Old San Juan or the Puerto Rico Convention Center District , they will typically hold your luggage before check-in or after check-out for a few hours. See map of hotels near cruise port.
2) You can book a sightseeing tour and they will gladly hold your luggage. Check with your cruise line as well about pre and post-cruise excursions they may offer.
3) In addition, there are 2 restaurants in Old San Juan that will store your luggage.
Barrachina Restaurant 104 Calle Fortaleza, Old San Juan. Storage is free | Storage hours: 9am 5pm, 7 days/week. ph. 725-7912. Note: It is a 1/2 mile uphill walk from Old San Juan Pier 4, and 1/4 mile walk from Pier 1.
Aloha Old San Juan directly across the street from Old San Juan Pier 4. Rates: $3 per piece | Storage hours: Tue. Thu. 11am 4pm, Fri. Sun. 11am 9pm. Receive a 20% discount on your meals when your luggage is stored at Aloha Old San Juan. ph. 289-5626.
The Piers In Old San Juan
The 3 piers right by Old San Juan are perpendicular to the shore and two of them have terminal buildings. A total of 6 cruise ships can dock at these pier/terminals. The exit gates of the piers and terminals are less than 500 feet from the gangway.
At The Pier 3 in San Juan
Once outside the gates, the cruise traveler will be on a 4 lane avenue along the southern shore of San Juan. The Old Town is right across this avenue.
When you return to the ship, your cruise card and a valid Photo ID will be checked at these gates – make sure you have a photo ID with you.
Pier 1, with capacity for 2 ships to moor, has a passenger terminal and is used by cruise lines other than the ones belonging to Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean. If you are cruising with Norwegian , Costa, MSC, Disney, among others, this is where your ship will dock.
Pier 1 and Terminal in San Juan
Pier 3 was recently updated and is used exclusively by Royal Caribbean ships. This pier is used only by ships that are calling at San Juan for the day and has a capacity for 2 ships. Cruise ships embarking passengers in San Juan on Royal Caribbean will dock at Pan American Pier.
Ship Docked at Pier 3 in San Juan
Pier 4 also has two berths for as many cruise ships and has a modern terminal. This pier is used exclusively by Carnival.
Pier 4 and Terminal in San Juan
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Costa Cruises Stops All Visits To Italy
The deadly coronavirus is spreading sharply across Italy and the government has closed the country down to contain and control the spread which is impacting 60 million people.
As a result, Costa Cruises has now stopped all calls to the country until April 3. The Carnival-owned cruise line has reviewed itineraries and has already implemented changes.
Neil Palomba, President of Costa Crociere, said:
As an Italian company and the only cruise operator flying the Italian flag, we are committed to guarantee compliance with the regulations and support to the Italian authorities and the community in this extraordinary effort to face the current situation of emergency.
The cruise line which is based in Italy and has ships flying the Italian flag is currently only allowing guests to disembark in Italy on cruises which have already departed. The cruises have been cancelled and the ships are heading directly back to their homeport to make this happen with no excursions or new embarkations.
Costa is informing guests and providing them with a future cruise credit for a booking at a later date when the country re-opens. The cruise line has in fact been working hard on limiting the impact of the virus which is named COVID-19. In the past three days, Costa had already cancelled all outgoing Italian guests departing from cruises outside the Meditteranean such as the Caribbean.
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Rules For Areas Of The Ship
Dining: For Main Dining, Royal Caribbean will designate areas for everyone, including parents and unvaccinated children, and areas for vaccinated parties only. My Time Dining will not be available to parties that include unvaccinated guests. Some specialty restaurants will be open to everyone, while others will be for vaccinated parties only. If your clients prefer a buffet, Windjammer will be open to everyone for breakfast and lunch, and the food will be served by our crew. Royal Caribbean recommends that you make dining reservations via Cruise Planner before the cruise or the Royal Caribbean app once onboard. Grab-and-go cafes will also be available for everyone.
Bars and Lounges: Many bars and lounges will be open to everyone and others will be available to vaccinated guests only. There will be crew stationed nearby and signage to help direct guests.
Casino: Given the casinos physical constraints, there is not enough space to accommodate everyone. Given most of our adult guests are vaccinated, the casino will be open to vaccinated guests only.
Fitness and Spa: The Fitness Center will have dedicated operating hours for everyone as well as hours reserved for vaccinated guests only.Salon services will be available to everyone but given the enclosed space and longer length of spa services, the treatment rooms used to provide facials, massages and other services will only be available to vaccinated guests.
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Virgin Offering Cruises Out Of Puerto Rico In 2022
Virgin Voyages is moving one of their cruise ships to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the winter Caribbean season in 2022.
Resilient Lady, Virgins third cruise ship, will homeport in San Juan and offer cruises to the Southern Caribbean. The ship will offer a few different itineraries with port stops in Tortola, Barbados, Aruba, St. Lucia, Curacao, St. Kitts, Martinique, and Antigua.
Prices for these newly announced adults only cruises start at $1,175 per person and include all tips, WiFi, basic beverages, all restaurants onboard, and group workouts.
Resilient Lady will arrive in San Juan after an eleven night transatlantic voyage from Portugal.
Resilient Lady will be the third cruise ship in Virgins fleet and is scheduled to enter service in 2022. The ship will be 110,000 gross tons in size and carry 2,700 guests.
All guests must be at least 18 years or older to sail on Virgin.
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Caribbean Princess Remains Off Florida Coast
Princess Cruises really is suffering at the moment with another one of its cruise ships being held for COVID-19 tests. As a precaution, the Centers for Disease Control are not allowing the vessel to dock back at Port Everglades until two crew members are tested for the deadly coronavirus.
Those two crew members were apparently transferred from the Grand Princess cruise ship which had 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and finally was allowed to dock at the Port of Oakland in California. You can read more about the Grand Princess situation right here.
With a no-sail order in place for the Princess cruise ship, it means it will have to remain at sea until authorities are satisfied there are no cases on board. It is believed the crew members in question do not have any symptoms of COVID-19 and once the results come back the ship will be able to dock. Lets just hope it gets back on time ready for the next sailing.
UPDATE: Caribbean Princess crew COVID-19 test results expected soon. Ship has rounded Cuba on its way back to U.S. waters.
Taylor Dolven
The cruise ship is coming to the end of a 10-day cruise which departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 1. The ship called at Jamaica, Columbia, Panama, Costa Rica, and the last call was in Grand Cayman on March 9.
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This is developing news and will provide further updates as they come. We are expecting more details from the cruise line too.
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Do I Need A Passport For A Cruise To / From San Juan Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and its residents are U.S. citizens. You do not need a passport if flying from the U.S. to Puerto Rico or vice versa. You only need a government issued photo ID, like a drivers license. If you are a U.S. citizen, and you board a cruise ship at a U.S. port , and travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship, you will most likely NOT need a passport unless you enter a foreign country as part of the cruise itinerary. A U.S. or Puerto Rico drivers license should suffice. For children under 16, a birth certificate is typically required. However, check with your cruise line to be absolutely sure what documentation is needed.
The Piers At The Port Of San Juan Puerto Rico
The San Juan Cruise Port is the largest and busiest cruise port in the Caribbean. There are 4 cruise ship piers and 2 modern terminals along the southern shores of historic Old San Juan with a total capacity to accommodate 7 ships at once. The strategic locations of these piers give tourists easy walking access to Old San Juan and its many attractions. In addition, just 1 mile southeast, across the San Antonio Canal, are 2 more large modern cruise ship terminals at the Pan American Pier, which can hold 2 more cruise ships.
In order to plan your stay or day in San Juan, be sure to inquire about which pier your ship will be docking at or departing from. Although we provide some information below on piers used by certain cruise lines, be sure to contact your booked cruise line or call the San Juan Cruise Port at 787-723-2260, Pier 4, in Old San Juan in order to verify the arrival or departure pier location. By being informed you can prepare for whether youll need transportation , find a nearby hotel, and plan adequate travel time for getting to or from the ship.
Home Port cruise lines 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. See the map below for pier locations.
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What Is There To Do In San Juan Puerto Rico
There are many fun and exciting things to do,attractions to see and great places to eat. Tours of the San Juan National Historic Site and the Bacardi Rum Distillery Tour are just two examples. Also see our attractions map. San Juan Happy Tours, 237-7727, is dedicated to, and specializes in providing tours or transfers to cruise ship passengers upon arrival to the San Juan Cruise Port. Look for their uniformed shirts and vehicles waiting at the terminal. They come highly recommended especially for tours of El Yunque Rainforest.
You can also contact nearby beachfront resorts ahead of time to arrange for a day pass which allows you to access their resort facilities for a fee.
Mandatory Insurance For Unvaccinated Adults
As previously reported, each unvaccinated guest 12 years and older departing from a Florida homeport on a Royal Caribbean International cruise must provide proof of a valid insurance policy that has a minimum of
The insurance policy must name the unvaccinated guest as the policy holder or beneficiary and may be purchased from a travel insurance company of the guests choosing or through the Royal Caribbean Travel Protection Program, which includes this coverage. Insurance is required for sailings from August 1 through December 31, 2021 .
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What Is The Status Of Us Cruise Homeports
As the U.S. starts its slow return to normal, keeping track of which U.S. homeports are open and hosting cruise ships is getting increasingly difficult. Some ports are technically open, but have no sailings planned others are provisioning ships and processing crew members for vaccinations, but are not yet welcoming passengers.
To make sense of it all, we compiled a list of the major U.S. cruise homeports and their current cruise status.
Empress Ots Itineraries 2016 Changes
In 2016, Empress OTS was homeported in Miami Florida. PortMiami departures are at 4 pm and at 5 pm . PortMiami arrivals are at 8 am and at 7 am . Ports of call times are as follow – Nassau Bahamas , CocoCay Bahamas , Cozumel Mexico , Cozumel , Costa Maya Mexico , Key West Florida , George Town Grand Cayman
- Due to prolonged drydock stay , the following RCI roundtrips from Miami were officially canceled: March 30, 2016 , April 4, 2016 , April 7, 2016 , April 11, 2016 , April 16, 2016 , April 21, 2016 , April 25, 2016 , April 30, 2016 .
- Booked passengers were given the options to either rebook on Majesty of the Seas through April 30, rebook on the Empress ship or cancel with a full refund being provided. All Royal Caribbean Empress booked “flight and cruise” passengers were rebooked . The ship officially entered into service on May 9, 2016, with a 5-day Miami to Cozumel Mexico itinerary.
In July 2016, RCI released new itineraries for Empress OTS, thus extending the bookings through September and through October 2016. The new cruises are from Miami to Bahamas and Caribbean: 5-night Key West Florida and Cozumel Mexico , and 4-night Key West Florida and Nassau Bahamas .
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Top Destinations On Cruises From San Juan
ABC Islands
The Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao are collectively known as the ABC islands. From luxurious white sand beaches and turquoise seas to spectacular diving sites and exotic animal encounters, the ABC islands offer something for every vacationer. Enjoy a guided horseback ride along the north coast in Aruba. Explore Bonaires renowned marine life from a glass-bottom kayak, or enjoy a two-tank scuba dive in the Caribbeans top-ranked dive location. Take part in a hands-on cooking class with a local chef and learn how Caribbean ingredients impart an island flavor to dishes in Curaçao.
Unvaccinated Guests Ages 2 To 11 Years
Children not yet eligible for the vaccine will undergo additional testing at no additional charge, as well as additional health and safety protocols, including:
- A PCR test for COVID-19 at the terminal
- Onboard antigen testing
- Shore excursions required to visit port
- Additional health protocols onboard
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Royal Caribbean Announces Restart Plans For Remaining Cruise Ships
Royal Caribbean has laid out its plans for the rest of the fleet on when and where ships will resume sailing again.
While Royal Caribbean has restarted successfully a number of ships this summer, many sailings were in question without a firm restart date.
The cruise line shared restart plans for its cruise ships which were still in limbo as Royal Caribbean slowly restarts sailings.
The new restart plan encompasses 13 cruise ships, extending into Spring 2022.
Each ship now returning will cruise with the health measures that have safeguarded the well-being of guests, crew and destination communities to date across other ships in Alaska, Asia, The Bahamas, the Caribbean and Europe.
Here is what Royal Caribbean has announced for its restart:
Oasis of the Seas 7-night Bahamas cruises from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, starting Sept. 5 and 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Miami, beginning November
Liberty of the Seas 7-night Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston, Texas, starting Oct. 3
Serenade of the Seas 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruises from Tampa, Florida, starting Oct. 16 and 7-night Caribbean itineraries, beginning December
Explorer of the Seas 7-night Southern Caribbean sailings from San Juan, Puerto Rico, starting Nov. 7
Navigator of the Seas 3-, 4- and 5-night Catalina Island, California, and Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico cruises from Los Angeles, beginning Nov. 19
Carnival Radiance May 30 Sailing
- Sat Barcelona, Spain 5:00 PM
- Sun Valencia, Spain 8:00 AM 5:00 PM
- Mon Palma de Mallorca, Spain 7:00 AM 4:00 PM
- Tue Ajaccio , France 11:00 AM 7:00 PM
- Wed Marseilles, France 8:00 AM 5:00 PM
- Thu Barcelona, Spain 6:00 AM
These changes comes after the Italian government has closed down the country with nationwide restrictions which is impacting more than 60 million citizens.
To make up for the cancelled calls to Italy Carnival Cruise Line is offering $300 of onboard credit per stateroom. This will automatically be added to the Sail & Sign account at the beginning of the sailing.
If guests booked by March 5, 2020, they can cancel up to 30 day days before the departure date. Cancelation charges shall be kept for a future cruise credit which must be used on a cruise departing by May 30. Any pre-purchased shore excursions through the cruise line will be refunded to guests.
Another Carnival-owned cruise line Costa Cruises has also canceled all calls to Italy which you can read about here.
As of writing, Italy has one of the largest outbreak of the coronavirus after mainland China. According to John Hopkins University, there are currently 12,462 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Italy and the death toll in the country sands at 827.
Royal Caribbean has announced a new beach club will be built in Nassau, Bahamas on the popular Paradise Island.
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