Getting of ship in PR

[mrsd2fan]

Are we allowed to get back off the ship once we get through check in? AOS doesn't leave till 10 pm and we are wondering if it's possible. Also, what is around the port in PR? (Bars, shops restaurants)

Thanks!

2 weeks!

[Shanafan]

Yes, once you get onboard and get your sail and sign pass you are able to get on and off the ship until on hour or so before sailing. I think it is half an hour, but why risk it?

 

In Puerto Rico the Fort is a cool place to walk through and there are all kinds of places to eat and drink. We like to sit in this little cafe where the tables and chairs are in the street and we have a few beers and people watch.

[VaCruzers]

Yes, you can get back off the ship. AOS uses the Pan Am pier which is across the channel from Old San Juan. It is not possible, (well, I guess it is, but it would be a LONG walk) to walk around San Juan from the pier. You could take a taxi back into town & back to the ship.

[Puerto Rican Cruiser]

You have to grab a taxi to get to Old San Juan from the AOS pier or it would be a looooong walk to get there.

 

Go to Paseo La Princesa, there is some live tropical music sunday's afternoon. Or taxi can leave you at Fort El Morro and then you could walk down until you get to Paseo La Princesa. You could eat there some traditional Puerto Rico food or have some drinks.

 

Enjoy your trip and your cruise.

[CoronaCpl]

I don't remember anything to do or see in the immediate area of the Pan Am pier. A taxi ride would have to be considered if you're planning to do anything in San Juan after boarding the ship (and getting off). As PRCruiser says going into Old San Juan would be a good option and can be considered a pre-cruise excursion of sorts. And be sure to try the local cuisine - morcilla especially! My favorite...

[cb at sea]

Why not use the ship you've paid for? This is the 1st day of your cruise!

[Ocean Boy]

It would be really nice if they ran a water shuttle between the pier and Old San Juan but I suppose that the taxi drivers like things just the way that they are.

[mrsd2fan]

for all of your replies...

CB- we are travelling with another couple and they mentioned getting off the ship after we've checked in, and I don't want to be the only nay sayer...if you know what I mean...

[MszKitty]

for all of your replies...

CB- we are travelling with another couple and they mentioned getting off the ship after we've checked in, and I don't want to be the only nay sayer...if you know what I mean...

 

Maybe you can go into San Juan a day prior to the cruise (which is highly recommended) and sitesee that day instead.

Also, once they get on the ship, they may change their minds about getting off. A couple years ago when we went on the AOS, a few people in our group of 8 had planned to go off the ship after checking in. As it turned out, once we got to the pier, checked in (actually, we were delayed getting on the ship...we didn't get on the ship until 1:30ish... because they had problems with the returning passengers), checked out our cabins, ate lunch, had a drink, explored the ship....the idea of getting off the ship sort of fell by the wayside. They were in awe of the ship and already enjoying themselves they didn't want to bother getting off.

 

But, if your friends do want to get off the ship and you don't, why don't you just stay on the ship. The best thing about a cruise is, everyone can do what pleases them. Just because you are travelling with another couple, that doesn't mean you all have to stay together all the time. If you and your husband want to do something different than them, that should be ok. Eventually, you will all meet up at dinner in the dining room. My husband & I normally cruise with at least one other couple, if not more, and we've always had the understanding that if there are things we might want to do that the others don't, and visa versa, go for it. 90% of the time we all agree on and do the same things, but those times when someone wants to do something different, then its understood we will separate. Also, one night we make it a "date night" where hubby and I eat alone in the specialty restaurant alone.

[wrp96]

Yes, you can get off the ship after checking in to go explore Old San Juan. You just have to be back onboard the ship before muster drill, which will be around 8pm. You will need to take a taxi back and forth to OSJ since AOS docks at the Pan Am Pier which is across the harbor.

[Sheffie]

Here are a couple of maps that will help you get an idea of the location of things in the OSJ area:

 

San Juan piers and hotel area

Old San Juan

[philamike]

Silly question... I've been to San Juan once (not on a cruise) and saw the piers by Old San Juan. I wasn't aware of the Pan Am pier until I saw this thread.

 

I'm on the Atlantis charter of the Freedom of the Seas departing 1/28, and our first port-of-call is San Juan on 1/30. (I believe it will be the first time that FOS will visit San Juan, as well as our next port-of-call, Philipsburg.) Does anyone know at which pier (OSJ or Pan Am) the FOS will dock at?

 

They're only giving us 7 hours in San Juan, so I'm hoping it's the OSJ pier...

 

Thanks!

- Mike :-)

[wrp96]

Usually ships in transit dock at the piers in OSJ BUT there is no guarantee, especially with the Freedom. I don't know if it's too big to dock at any of the piers in OSJ (one would hope not). If there are a lot of ships in port, occasionally one or 2 in transit ships will get pushed over to the Pan Am Pier. The one good thing is that there is only 1 other ship in port, the Norwegian Jewel. Let me see if I can find the port schedule for San Juan (I'm pretty sure there is one floating around) and see what it says. Well, they haven't published the January 2007 schedule yet, so sorry.

[philamike]

Ah yes, CruiseCal.com does show only the Norwegian Jewel docking in San Juan on the 30th: http://www.cruisecal.info/portal/SanJuan,PuertoRico/tabid/1915/Default.aspx

 

(The Jewel is also sailing out of Miami with us on the 28th.)

 

Ironically, when I was in San Juan a year ago, I snapped photos of the Norwegian Jewel docking at OSJ:

 

http://mikelamonaca.com/pr/5/index4.html

 

- Mike :-)