Jenster57 Posted March 22, 2018 #1 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Just booked a cruise from San Juan for February 2019. Many of my friends have told me that Old San Juan and other parts of the area are unsafe. Restaurants and hotels not up to standard. I am just wondering what the current status is of the port. Have tried to google it but not finding much or very recent. Would appreciate any input. Jenster57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Organized Chaos Posted March 22, 2018 #2 Share Posted March 22, 2018 We’ll be in San Juan in June. I know the two forts are open because those are places we specifically want to go and I looked it up. The trolleys have been running for a few months now. Cleanup continues, and will for quite a while, but I think it’s perfectly safe now. And will surely be by the time you go. I also stumbled upon this blog written by someone who lives there and went through hurricane Maria. In many of their articles, they post an update at the top about the state of particular attractions, open or not. http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfaeric Posted March 22, 2018 #3 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Just booked a cruise from San Juan for February 2019. Many of my friends have told me that Old San Juan and other parts of the area are unsafe. Restaurants and hotels not up to standard. I am just wondering what the current status is of the port. Have tried to google it but not finding much or very recent. Would appreciate any input. Jenster57 Have any of those "Many" been there? We've been twice (Jan- weekend in San Juan, rest of week in Ponce, Feb- weekend in San Juan), and will go back again in May and July this year. San Juan and the tourist areas around Old San Juan are completely back. It's exactly the same as it was before the hurricane (except for the occasional downed *something* you could go searching to find. Even outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico is clawing it's way back to normal. We've driven across the island, and saw the damage, but you talk to anyone, and they are all working hard to recover (or find a way to move to the lower 48). Some friends who live/work there have their factory back up and running. It may not be 100% today, but it will be close when we drive around again in July, 7 months before you get there. Other ports were damaged a lot worse, and they have very much recovered, too- like St Thomas and St Marrten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aviator of the Seas Posted March 22, 2018 #4 Share Posted March 22, 2018 Just booked a cruise from San Juan for February 2019. Many of my friends have told me that Old San Juan and other parts of the area are unsafe. Restaurants and hotels not up to standard. I am just wondering what the current status is of the port. Have tried to google it but not finding much or very recent. Would appreciate any input. Jenster57 The Port of San Juan, Old San Juan, and the resort, hotel and inn areas of Condado, Ocean Park and Isla Verde are back to normal, except for a few hotels that haven't reopened yet. The main attraction of El Yunque Rainforest was heavily damaged and is reopened on a very limited basis. Otherwise, other attractions east of San Juan, particularly water sport based activities off Fajardo, are just fine. This is for the rest of the spring/summer 2018. Now, you're coming in on February 2019. To get an accurate estimate for you, we will have to wait for the 2018 hurricane season to be over. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cltnccruisers Posted March 24, 2018 #5 Share Posted March 24, 2018 We were in Old San Juan March 13 with a Celebrity cruise. Nearly every shop, bar and restaurant we saw was up and running. After hiking up the hill towards El Morro (the trolleys were running, BTW) we visited the cathedral, stopped at El Convento for drinks then started shopping our way toward the pier. On the way we stopped at Marmalade for a very unique and enjoyable dinner. At no time did we feel unsafe in any sense of the word. We're looking forward to going back in a couple of years and spending a few days on the front end of another cruise. Short version - your many friends haven't got a clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talex831 Posted March 25, 2018 #6 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Agree with the above posters! San Juan is up and running. Not sure where your “Many” friends are getting their information, but they are very wrong. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cw2go Posted March 29, 2018 #7 Share Posted March 29, 2018 Agree with the above posters! San Juan is up and running. Not sure where your “Many” friends are getting their information, but they are very wrong. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk (y) exactly! Was there in January, had a great day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted March 30, 2018 #8 Share Posted March 30, 2018 "Many" armchair travelers like to offer advice....you've been given some. Instead, listen to those of us with recent personal experience and enjoy San Juan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRH Posted March 30, 2018 #9 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Just spent five days in San Juan. Lovely town and lots to see and do. Don't listen to people who haven't been recently. Yes, there is stl evidence of destruction but also much rebuilding. Old San Juan is up and running. Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honeywell Posted April 1, 2018 #10 Share Posted April 1, 2018 My DH was there for four months with the SBA/FEMA disaster recovery team. They are ready and really need our patronage. NBC just released an article about this today https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis/puerto-rico-tourists-boost-recovery-though-some-still-remain-dark-n861866 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cltnccruisers Posted April 2, 2018 #11 Share Posted April 2, 2018 My DH was there for four months with the SBA/FEMA disaster recovery team. They are ready and really need our patronage. NBC just released an article about this today https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis/puerto-rico-tourists-boost-recovery-though-some-still-remain-dark-n861866 We ate at Marmalade, mentioned in the article, when we were in OSJ March 13. What a very unique experience. We'd taken extra cash on the trip deciding to put it in the hands of the locals rather than through some octopus organization. Pehaps your husband can speak to something that bothered us on the trip. We visited OSJ, St Thomas and St Marten. In St Thomas we found several shops accepting only cash, claiming their card readers were down. In one case I noticed the reader wasn't even plugged in. Lying to my face cost that guy a $240 sale. Getting receipts was also like pulling teeth. We were finally told by a kiosk operator that some businesses were doing that to avoid declaring revenue and supposedly qualify for more FEMA funds. Unfortunately, it wouldn't surprise me if that's the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
honeywell Posted April 3, 2018 #12 Share Posted April 3, 2018 We ate at Marmalade, mentioned in the article, when we were in OSJ March 13. What a very unique experience. We'd taken extra cash on the trip deciding to put it in the hands of the locals rather than through some octopus organization. Pehaps your husband can speak to something that bothered us on the trip. We visited OSJ, St Thomas and St Marten. In St Thomas we found several shops accepting only cash, claiming their card readers were down. In one case I noticed the reader wasn't even plugged in. Lying to my face cost that guy a $240 sale. Getting receipts was also like pulling teeth. We were finally told by a kiosk operator that some businesses were doing that to avoid declaring revenue and supposedly qualify for more FEMA funds. Unfortunately, it wouldn't surprise me if that's the case. His involvement was helping brick and mortar businesses assess their damage and apply for low interest SBA loans to rebuild and repair. Can’t speak to FEMA funding Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aviator of the Seas Posted April 3, 2018 #13 Share Posted April 3, 2018 FEMA isn't giving businesses any money. Businesses must rely on insurance or SBA loans to get back on their feet. FEMA only deals with infrastructure and individual citizens/families. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cltnccruisers Posted April 3, 2018 #14 Share Posted April 3, 2018 FEMA isn't giving businesses any money. Businesses must rely on insurance or SBA loans to get back on their feet. FEMA only deals with infrastructure and individual citizens/families. Thanks. I used the phrase the local used - perhaps 'benefits' would have been more accurate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DISFANS3 Posted April 7, 2018 #15 Share Posted April 7, 2018 On T.V. someone said all of San Juan had damage and was closed- Ha_Ha.. Turn off your T.V. and go and have fun. We were there last Jan on the Freedom. Most everything open..Don;t let the arm chair travel QB get you down... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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