?? port of san juan

[WishIwasOutThereNOW]

does anyone know if there is a grocery store within walking distance from the cruise ship terminal?

[jeshghn]

Yes there is a grocery store in easy walking distance and I was even able to pick up some wonderful local rum! I'm all out now, time to return!

[vkramer]

I love sailing out of San Juan. Get on the ship, settle in and then off the ship again for a rum/beer run and anything else I forgot. Plenty of places to walk to in Old San Juan.

 

I have sailed Crown Princess and Carnival Victory out of San Juan. Would do it again tomorrow.....

 

vicki

[WishIwasOutThereNOW]

Yes there is a grocery store in easy walking distance and I was even able to pick up some wonderful local rum! I'm all out now, time to return!

 

good deal. thanks

[dosherpack]

I love sailing out of San Juan. Get on the ship, settle in and then off the ship again for a rum/beer run and anything else I forgot. Plenty of places to walk to in Old San Juan.

 

I have sailed Crown Princess and Carnival Victory out of San Juan. Would do it again tomorrow.....

 

vicki

 

You can actually buy rum or beer and bring it back to the ship? I thought that was against policy. Is this something different for San Juan?

[jeshghn]

They will take it from you when you board and give it back to you on the last night. That way you don't have to worry about drinking it all before you get home ;)

[J&E07]

There is also a Walgreens within walking distance.

[J&E07]

You can actually buy rum or beer and bring it back to the ship? I thought that was against policy. Is this something different for San Juan?

 

We bought from the shop in the terminal and put it in our carry on with no problems.

[zqvol]

Yes there is a grocery store in easy walking distance and I was even able to pick up some wonderful local rum! I'm all out now, time to return!

 

I have been there three times since March, the last being last week and I do not recall seeing a grocery store anywhere near the piers. Where is it located?

 

There are plenty of shops, plus a Walgreens and soon a CVS right near the piers where you can get most of what you would get in a grocery. (I assume you want soda, liquor, beer, etc.)

 

Liquor is plentiful in OSJU.

[WishIwasOutThereNOW]

I have been there three times since March, the last being last week and I do not recall seeing a grocery store anywhere near the piers. Where is it located?

 

There are plenty of shops, plus a Walgreens and soon a CVS right near the piers where you can get most of what you would get in a grocery. (I assume you want soda, liquor, beer, etc.)

 

Liquor is plentiful in OSJU.

 

diet mountain dew. it's almost medicinal for me lol.

[jeshghn]

Okay went through my cruise stuff and have more info...

 

Keep in mind it was almost a year ago.

 

I think it was called Supermax and it was clearly a grocery store but didn't it look like one from the outside. There was a drug store (an american one but don't remember which) right near it and it was on Cruz street. Just ask any one where a grocery store is and they'll direct you that is how we found it. As for if it has Diet Mountian Dew.... that I can't help you!

 

Have a wonderful time either way!

[rainforestgirl]

diet mountain dew. it's almost medicinal for me lol.

 

I can almost guarantee you will NOT find Diet Mt Dew. Sorry.

[cruisingforsix]

I thought i saw someone mention a costco in the area. Does anyone know where it might be located? Also we are taking a tour of sj on sat before we sail ,we don.t sail until 8:30p.m.. I wonder if we could leave our luggage at the pier rather than leave them back at the hotel. Iguess i better checkwhat time the tour begins . we were planning on taking a case of bottled water with us in an empty suitcase that we like to have for liquor on the return trip home. Does anyone know if celebrity is ok with that? We have done it before but i knowevery cruiseline is different.

[ME Guide]

I know there is more than one pier. Summit is docked at Pan Am pier. Is the grocery you speak of near that pier? Thinking we'd like pepsi and boxed wine.

Thanks

[texancruzer]

Different cruise lines go out of different pier locations.

There are 4 piers in Old San Juan.

Around the large U shaped harbor is the Pan Am Pier.

The Pan Am pier is NOT within walking distance of osj and there is not much by it except a small local airport.

[StCroixCruiser]

Each cruise line is different and they also seem to have different rules depending on which pier you sail from. On several cruises out of the Pan Am pier on Princess they were fine with us buying alcohol and wine in the duty free shop right in the check in area and putting it in our carry on luggage to take to our cabins with us for the cruise. Princess always allows 2 bottles of wine per person to be brought on board, but sometimes they don't allow alcohol to go straight to your cabin from other embarkation piers. Royal Caribbean wouldn't let us bring the alcohol to our cabins from the Pan Am Pier, however. Neither would Celebrity. Yet they seldom catch a water bottle filled with rum or vodka buried in your luggage and you will meet a lot of young men on board who stocked a full bar in their cabins that way.

 

From the Old San Juan side, there are little convenience stores where you CAN get Mountain Dew and Diet Mountain Dew in cans and plastic bottles. We searched extensively for this for my oldest son and he bought all he could scrounge up prior to our Xmas cruise a year ago. He divvied it up among various pieces of luggage we took on board and it all made it through ok. If you book a hotel overnight pre-cruise in OSJ, that would give you time to locate Mt. Dew without it requiring extra cab rides if you are leaving from the Pan Am Pier. If you leave from OSJ, you might leave someone with luggage near the check-in while you run to find a convenience store to get you a supply. You might find a few cans at high rates on the islands you stop at, but it will be at a premium. I know there were 3 islands on our cruise where my son re-stocked himself with 2-3 cans to get him through to the next port. My other son and I were happy with the cruise line's soda sticker for our room card, although we were more likely to hit the juice dispenser and flavor it up with some coconut rum. :-)

 

One thing Celebrity did have was great passion fruit-guava juice in their dispensers that made for awesome and simple rum drinks by the pool. They also didn't mind that we brought rum on board at two ports of calls. If you come back with a big box full they will take it until the end of the cruise, but they leave you be usually if it's a single bottle in your beach bag, especially if you don't come back on board seriously intoxicated and acting stupid. They don't want to ruin your cruise, but they don't want to let you ruin everyone else's either.

[StCroixCruiser]

I thought i saw someone mention a costco in the area. Does anyone know where it might be located? Also we are taking a tour of sj on sat before we sail ,we don.t sail until 8:30p.m.. I wonder if we could leave our luggage at the pier rather than leave them back at the hotel. Iguess i better checkwhat time the tour begins . we were planning on taking a case of bottled water with us in an empty suitcase that we like to have for liquor on the return trip home. Does anyone know if celebrity is ok with that? We have done it before but i knowevery cruiseline is different.

 

The Costco in San Juan is near Plaza Carolina south of the airport. Figure about a 20 minute drive from the rental car company if you know your way. Two hours if you get lost as most first timers are sure to do... You can take a taxi there but it will be pretty expensive and you'll be looking for one to get you back again after doing your shopping as they won't always wait. If you're just looking for some beverages to take on board the ship, it'd be easier and cheaper to hit a grocery store closer to the airport and cruise pier.

 

You can usually check in your main luggage at the pier pretty early, but you can't leave your carry on luggage there unless they are letting you board... and then it can take a while to get back off the ship and out of the arriving throng to head to your tour. It depends a lot on which pier your are at. Check with the tour company to see if they have storage for your luggage or at least your carry-ons as some might. Otherwise the hotel would be safest even if it means another cab ride to pick it up.