san juan

[shm]

ok gang... we will be in san juan from 5:00 pm till 12:00 am.. carnival victory.. what would you suggest we do will there?? help!!! sure wish we were there during the day.. thanks in advance..

[MrPete]

I never left the ship! I swam, and got a haircut. :eek:

[walkswife]

My girls are interested in the bioluminescence kayak tour offered through the cruiseline.

[seaturtletattoo]

We just got off and walked around downtown San Juan and took a horse drawn carriage ride and saw the highlights of the city.

 

There are not a lot of tours offered late night, privately or through Carnival, and San Juan isn't the safest place, so we stuck pretty close to the ship. But had fun walking around the town square and through the lil shops.

[frestyl]

I have heard of a night tales walking tour that takes place from 6-8 pm. I have not personally taken it, but have heard from other posters that it is a great tour. My DH and I are thinking about it for when we are in San Juan, if we do take it I will write a review about it. Here is the website

http://www.*****.com/

[micdee]

Does anyone know if the duty free liquor store is open at the pier when you dock at night?

[Butterfinger1954]

I would love to know the price of the carriage ride you took.

 

Kathy in Maine

Butterfinger1954@yahoo.com

 

We just got off and walked around downtown San Juan and took a horse drawn carriage ride and saw the highlights of the city.

[scooby4048]

Hey Butterfinger1954,

It was reported on an earlier post that the price was between $25 - $50, and that also depends on how long your ride is.

Enjoy your ride. I plan on getting a carriage ride for my parents when we're there in May. :D

Correct me if I'm wrong folks.... ;)

[Martin and Lindsey]

Can anyone give us more information on the carriage ride? Where do you pick it up? Also does anyone know of an Old San Juan walking tour in the afternoon?

[texancruzer]

Save your money if you are going to be there in the afternoon....

 

Go to your nearest bookstore and pick up Frommers Caribbean Ports of Call (5th edition - latest printing). Around $15.00 and has info on all the ports including but not limited to: where you get off, where to eat, where to shop, how to get around etc etc etc..... worth every penny.

 

Under San Juan there is an extensive walking tour which tells you where to begin, what you'll see, where to go next (like turn right go 2 blocks) etc etc....

 

Why pay someone 30-40.00 A PERSON when you can do it yourself AND at your own pace....skipping those items which hold no interest for you. San Juan is easy to get around walking (wear comfy tennis shoes !!). We were all over the place while on our 3 day/2 night precruise stay the end of Nov. The whole "Old San Juan" area is like 15 square blocks but lots of up and down and teeny tiny cobblestone streets - very uneven. You will love it. About 90% of the very old buildings have been restored with lots of different colors and iron balconies with plants hanging down.... also lots of plazas and parks and trees. We fell in love with it and hope to get back soon.

[Martin and Lindsey]

Thanks for the advice, I'll see if I can get one in the UK.:)

[Martin and Lindsey]

Texancruzer,

I've found this website :

 

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/sanjuan/0323010008.html

 

Is this exactly the same as in the Frommers Guide Book?

[texancruzer]

This walking tour seems pretty good.... HOWEVER, the book gives more information on each of the sites and seems to be more comprehensive in all respects AND it includes a map of old San Juan with streets and also shows where each item is located in respect to each other.

 

Not to mention it has all the other ports of call in the Caribbean with other info too....like 1) coming ashore 2) language 3) currency 4) getting around 5)best cruise line excursions 6) On your own excursions 7) local tour companies 8) casinos 9) beaches 10)sports 11) shopping 12) restaurants/bars WHERE ALL THIS IS, WHEN THEY ARE OPEN, HISTORY AND BACKGROUND, ENTRY FEES FOR SITES, and on and on and on. Just go to your bookstore and look at the book and decide whether its for you or not.....I truly feel it was worth the $15.00 I paid for it and wish I had bought it before our first cruise in Nov. 03. I will use it again for our next cruise as I am sure there will be another - just not booked yet :D

[tinmanswife]

We were in San Juan (also Victory) from 5 - 11. Personally, I would save your $$ for another excursion @ either St. Thomas or St. Maarten. You can get a taxi right outside the pier terminal... just have a map of Old San Juan and have them take you up the hill and walk your way down. We didn't eat there, but there were some restaurants that you could eat outside. We didn't find the prices in the stores that great, so DH and I were back on the ship by 7:30.

 

Our kids tell us that Senor Frog's (close to the ship) was a blast...If you go there though, just make sure someone stays sober enough to get everyone back to the ship on time.

[sunnyglori64]

I read that you are asking about the Old San Juan. For information, log in this website: http://www.qpsm.com/. I agree that this is a you can do-it-yourself tour, just stay away from dark streets in the evening. I wish you enjoy your cruise and your visit to Puerto Rico. :)

[Martin and Lindsey]

Texancruzer

 

We have ordered the Frommer's Caribbean Ports of Call book today. Weren't able to see it first as it is not stocked in the UK, but decided that it would probably be useful for all the places we'll visit this cruise - and the next. :D

[Martin and Lindsey]

Thanks for this web site. Lots of interesting and helpful things there. :)

[blowers]

Martin/ Lindsay

Tesco Express advertising the book on line -1 day delivery

Geoff

[Martin and Lindsey]

Thanks for this. I'll take a look. :)

[Martin and Lindsey]

Saw this book on the Tesco web site at 25% less than the price we were quoted :) Unfortunately we have already ordered it :mad: Any one else in the UK who wants it, order it through the Tesco web site! Thanks for the advice anyway - wish we'd seen it a few hours earlier!

[ferretface]

DH & I did the Legends of Puerto Rico tour. It was from 6-8. Debbie, our guide, was great! After the tour she took several of the group to a place to buy bottled water to take back on the ship. She was fun and very informed. She really loves her island and it shows. There were many places she took us that we would have never found on our own. I bought Frommer's Carribean Port book on the recommendation of this board and was very disappointed. It didn't include nearly the amount of information that I expected. The walking tour it described made me leary because my sense of direction isn't great. I had read that there places you don't want to be after dark and was worried we would get of the beaten path. We were thrilled with Debbie's tour and received pretty incredible communications from her (including a personal phone call, after we were home). It's made me start planning a Southern Carribean cruise so we can be in San Juan a couple of days pre-cruise. I'll be taking one or two of their tours then. Their website is: http://www.*****.com

[CODNERZ]

so we can be in San Juan a couple of days pre-cruise. I'll be taking one or two of their tours then. Their website is: http://www.*****.com

 

I found debbie website, and wanted to do rainforest hike-tour or something that took the majority of the day,I emailed her, and do you know if she emails quickly. I have emailed other tour agencies, no one ever emails back!. I hope debbie does. It say on her rainforest tour, she needs 10 people in a group to go to rainforest. Does anyone know if you can be added to another group, as it is just 2 of us.We are in San Juan 2 days after Cruise, March 11-13. I have found it very difficult finding info to do tour in San Juan.My lst effort is Debbie, otherwise we will hit the beach or shop.(but I hate to do that in such a great place)

 

What tours do you plan to do?

 

Thanks

Stephanie

[soupercb]

DH & I did the Legends of Puerto Rico tour. It was from 6-8. Debbie, our guide, was great! After the tour she took several of the group to a place to buy bottled water to take back on the ship. She was fun and very informed. She really loves her island and it shows. There were many places she took us that we would have never found on our own. I bought Frommer's Carribean Port book on the recommendation of this board and was very disappointed. It didn't include nearly the amount of information that I expected. The walking tour it described made me leary because my sense of direction isn't great. I had read that there places you don't want to be after dark and was worried we would get of the beaten path. We were thrilled with Debbie's tour and received pretty incredible communications from her (including a personal phone call, after we were home). It's made me start planning a Southern Carribean cruise so we can be in San Juan a couple of days pre-cruise. I'll be taking one or two of their tours then. Their website is: http://www.*****.com

 

I totally agree. We also did Debbie's tour and had a great time. It is so much more fun to take a walking tour with someone who has really researched the local legends and history, than trying to remember what you read in the book before you left. She had some great stories. We would not have enjoyed San Juan without her!!

[Cruisin' Cat Lover]

Any other suggestions for San Juan at night. Debbie's tour is booked for April 10, the date we will be there. We have 2 kids; 12 and 9.