Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

El Morro Question

Cabin8538

By Cabin8538,
in San Juan, PR

Recommended Posts

Cabin8538

Cabin8538

Posted
Posted

I posted this on the Carnival board, but thought it might get answered better here. . .

 

I have heard that there is a free shuttle that you can take from the piers to El Morro. How long of a trip is it? It is really FREE or is there a nominal charge. Can you walk back down to the pier from El Morro. . . I heard it is up hill to get there.:confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lillabella

lillabella

Posted
Posted
I posted this on the Carnival board, but thought it might get answered better here. . .

 

I have heard that there is a free shuttle that you can take from the piers to El Morro. How long of a trip is it? It is really FREE or is there a nominal charge. Can you walk back down to the pier from El Morro. . . I heard it is up hill to get there.:confused:

 

I can answer one of your questions by saying that El Morro is up hill. I've never arrived by ship so I can't answer the other. El Morro is not something to be missed if you are interested in history. It's an amazing fort, plan to do a lot of walking though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fontaid

Fontaid

Posted
Posted

I used to live in Puerto Rico (west of San Juan). When my wife and I went to Old San Juan, we would drive to Catano, take the ferry to Old San Juan (it docks between the cruise ships). Then, we'd take a cab up to El Morro and walk back. That way it's all down hill! I don't know if there are any "free shuttles" The cab fare should be less than $5, but I can't be sure. You can ask when you get off the ship.

 

If you walked straight back from El Morro to the ship, you can do it in less than 15 minutes. But, I've never actually made it in less than an hour. There are too many shops that my wife wants to stop in and shop.

 

Besides El Morro don't forget San Cristobal. It is not quite as big as El Morro, but it is very impressive. You can walk to San Cristobal from the ship (4 - 5 blocks and not much uphill). However, it is a very long walk from San Cristobal to El Morro. I do NOT recommend that walk. I would recommend walking to San Cristobal...take the self guided walking tour, take a cab to El Morro, take the tour there, then walk back to the ship visiting shops along the way. One shop you should not miss is the "Butterfly Shop". They moved a couple of years ago, so I don't know where they are in Old San Juan now, but their displays are amazing. We have some of their butterflies in our house today (not many... they can be very expensive!!!).

 

Dave

:) :) :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
texancruzer

texancruzer

Posted
Posted

You are probably referring the the "free trolleys" in old San Juan. We were there 3 days/2 nights precruise and only ever saw 1 and we were walking faster than it was going.... we stayed in osj. Old San Juan is only about 15 square blocks but since it is up and down and tiny cobble streets it feels bigger. Here is a link for you to get your bearings.

 

www.langland.org/cruises/sanjuan.asp

 

In Frommers Caribbean Ports of Call book there is a detailed walking tour that is very good. The whole book is worth every penny for anyone going to the caribbean on a cruise ship as it is written from that perspective.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Crystalcat

Crystalcat

Posted
Posted

We just spent Sunday and Monday in the San Juan area. Sunday we took a local bus (B21) from the Condado area (Ashford Avenue) to Old San Juan. San Cristobel was the closest fort to the local bus terminal. If you are interested in seeing both forts, tell the Ranger charging the admission. It is $5US per adult to visit both forts, I don't think it even has to be done on the same day - just hang onto your receipt to show at the other fort. Kids 12 and under were free. There was a video shown at San Christobel detailing the history of the forts which was very interesting. You can see El Morro from San Christobel, and we walked it. There is a free green trolley that runs in a loop, but as Texancrusr pointed out, you could probably walk faster than it goes - we did. Traffic that afternoon was very heavy.

The views from El Morro are gorgeous.

 

Cathy

Link to comment
Share on other sites
texancruzer

texancruzer

Posted
Posted

If I recall (I could be mistaken) when you buy a ticket for one fort it will get you into the other BUT ONLY ON THE SAME DAY - that is why we did not do both.... it took all morning to do El Morro. Definately worth the $5 and I usually am not real excited about visiting forts - but this one is pretty impressive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
GOLDENBONNY

GOLDENBONNY

Posted
Posted
If I recall (I could be mistaken) when you buy a ticket for one fort it will get you into the other BUT ONLY ON THE SAME DAY - that is why we did not do both.... it took all morning to do El Morro. Definately worth the $5 and I usually am not real excited about visiting forts - but this one is pretty impressive.

 

IF WE CAME IN 5PM DO WE STILL HAVE TIME FOR EL MORO?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
idwt13

idwt13

Posted
Posted

How long does it take to walk to the city gate? Would it be better to take a cab there and then walk back to the pier? We'll be getting in port at 5pm so I don't want to be walking back in the dark. I had read discussions on the dark streets in San Juan.

 

Anyway, all we would like to do is see some of the old city wall and possibly the gate, then go to a couple stores in town before it gets too late. I don't mind it being dark when we are near the ship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cessna140

Cessna140

Posted
Posted

We were in OSJ three weeks ago. The trolleys (which are actually regular buses in disguise) are free and they do come around often enough and follow the same loop around OSJ. Watch for the trolley stop signs, there is one right near the pier next to the visitors center in OSJ. We travelled up to El Morro and it didnt take long at all. We were there on a Saturday, the traffic wasn't all that bad. We visited El Morro, and yes, you can buy kites in the gift shop there, and then walked back along the wall that surrounds OSJ. We ended up at the OSJ gate, then walked a little bit uphill toward the Cathdral and El Convento then it was downhill all the way back to the ship. It is a good walk,maybe a half hour, but very much worth taking the time to do. All safe areas during the day but I wouldn't do it at night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Coolmama_1

Coolmama_1

Posted
Posted

 

Besides El Morro don't forget San Cristobal. It is not quite as big as El Morro, but it is very impressive. You can walk to San Cristobal from the ship (4 - 5 blocks and not much uphill). However, it is a very long walk from San Cristobal to El Morro. I do NOT recommend that walk. I would recommend walking to San Cristobal...take the self guided walking tour, take a cab to El Morro, take the tour there, then walk back to the ship visiting shops along the way.

 

Dave

:) :) :)

 

We did actually walk from San Cristobal to EL Morro and you are not kiddin! It is a very long walk. My husband enticed me by saying that we could take a cab back. Except all the cabs there were taken already so we walked back! LONG WALK BACK!:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
babsroth

babsroth

Posted
Posted

Are there generally taxi's right outside Fort San Cristobal?

 

We are thinking of walking to San Cristobal touring it then taxing up to El Morro. Then walking back to the pier after that.

 

Thanks,

 

Barb

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fontaid

Fontaid

Posted
Posted

Barb, I don't remember taxis inside the parking area at San Cristobal, but you can walk back down to the pier area (4 - 5 blocks and not a bad walk) to get a cab to El Morro. My wife likes a small restaurant/bar near El Morro (just across from the Pablo Casals museum) called El Patio de Sam. They make a great chocolate freeze! It's a nice place to rest your feet right after walking all over El Morro. Then you can walk back down to the ship.

 

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SeaW

SeaW

Posted
Posted

We were in San Juan last month. We asked about walking to El Morro but it was suggested to us to take a taxi. It was on Sunday about 5pm. The traffic was terrible and it took quite awhile to get there and back by cab. Also by the time we arrived El Morro was closed (maybe it just wasn't open on Sundays, not sure). Anyway I got to see it and take a few pictures. I honestly don't know if it would have been quicker to walk. The driver took us in and out of back streets and alleyways. Very confusing, just glad I wasn't driving.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: Set Sail on Sun Princess®
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...