San Juan (Puerto Rico)

San Juan is Puerto Rico's principal/main port (locode PRSJU), as well as the largest city (population around 350,000) and the country's capital. San Juan is the second-oldest capital (after Santo Domingo Dominicana) that the Europeans/Spaniards established in the Caribbean.

Originally the island was named San Juan and the port - Ciudad de Puerto Rico. They swapped over time.

San Juan cruise port schedule has booked ships operating mainly on Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries leaving roundtrip from Florida USA ports. San Juan is also homeport to several major cruise companies operating roundtrips out of Puerto Rico. Among the most popular Caribbean island port destinations often combined with Puerto Rico are Windward Islands (St Lucia, Dominica, St Vincent, Barbados, Tobago, Grenada), Leeward Islands (St Maarten, Guadeloupe, St Kitts) and Dutch Antilles (Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba).

All Puerto Rico beaches are open to the public. However, public beaches (served by lifeguards and with facilities) are called here balnearios. They are free of charge (no entry fees) but charge for parking, as well as lockers and showers. The most popular are El Escambron and Isla Verde.

In early April 2017 was announced the RCG-Royal Caribbean Group's partnership with Puerto Rico Ports Authority (government-owned corporation) for improving the Port's cruise pier "Pan American Wharf 2". The decision followed RCCL's announcements about homeporting Freedom of the Seas in San Juan (starting May 2018). To needed development investments will optimize the port's cruise docking infrastructure. The works will include boarding bridge improvements, safety checkpoints improvements, restrooms improvements, mooring improvements, new passenger registration desks, building improvements, enlarging the terminal's baggage inspection area, also dredging in the pier's ship docking area.

In August 2022, GPH-Global Ports Holding (2003-founded, UK-based corporation, currently the world's largest cruise port operator) signed a 30-year concession agreement with Puerto Rico Ports Authority for the San Juan Cruise Port.

• Under the concession terms, GPH agreed to pay an upfront fee of USD 75 million.
• During Investment Phase I, GPH agreed to invest ~US$100M on critical cruise dock repairs (at Pier 1, Pier 4, and the Pan American Piers/1 & 2), rebuilding and upgrading all terminal facilities and the walkway.
• During Investment Phase II, GPH agreed to invest ~US$250M in expanding the Port's capacity by building a new cruise pier and a new terminal (at Pier 11 and Pier 12) with capacity to handle the world’s largest passenger liners.
• Through its wholly-owned subsidiary SJCP (San Juan Cruise Port Ltd) GPH started operations on February 15, 2024.

During season 2015-2016, Royal Caribbean ships alone brought to Port San Juan 574,140 passengers. During season 2017-2018, this number reached 700,000. In 2019 (before the Coronavirus crisis) the cruise port handled ~1,8 million tourists.

The cruise port was visited by 6,8 million cruise tourists in 2008-2009, 7,9M (2014-2015) and 1,5M (2015-2016). Cruise tourists contribute around 7,1% to Puerto Rico's economy. To be able to handle the world's largest cruise vessels, Port San Juan invested ~USD 8 million in building a 3rd dock. On December 28, 2016, the port was visited by Harmony of the Seas (max capacity 6314 pax / 2300 crew).

For FY2018, Puerto Rico estimated that ~1,7 million cruise ship tourists will arrive on the scheduled 540 ship calls, generating around USD 250M for the local economy. The tourism industry represents ~7% of the country's economy. 2018 ended with handled nearly 1,8 million cruisers via 517 ship calls (21% increase over 2017).

In late-September 2020, PRPA (Puerto Rico Ports Authority / managing company) issued a request for proposals for Isla Grande's Pier 15 drydock (southeast from the cruise port). The future project includes the facility's repair (overhaul), maintenance and operation. The drydock was originally built (in the early-1940s) and operated by the US Navy, acquired by PRPA in the late-1990s and not used since 2000. The project could generate ~USD 20M (in private investments), ~USD 16M (annual impact) and support ~400 local jobs. The renovated drydock could be used for general maintenance works and refurbishments of various ship types (including cargo, smaller-sized cruisers, ferries, superyachts). The drydock has length ~600 ft (183 m), width 102 ft (31 m) and depth 26 ft (10 m), which allows it to serve ships with max LOA length 400 ft (121 m).

By annual passenger traffic (statistical data 2019), the Caribbean's top-10 largest airports are:

1. Luis Munoz Marin Airport/aka Isla Verde (San Juan Puerto Rico) with ~9,5 million pax
2. Punta Cana Airport (Punta Cana Dominicana) with ~7,2M pax
3. Jose Marti Airport (Havana Cuba) with 5,7+M pax
4. Sangster Airport (Montego Bay Jamaica) with ~4,8M pax
5. Lynden Pindling Airport (Nassau Bahamas) with ~4,1M pax
6. Las Americas Airport (Santo Domingo Dominicana) with ~4M pax
7. Piarco Airport (Port-of-Spain Trinidad) with 2,8+M pax
8. Queen Beatrix Airport (Oranjestad Aruba) with 2,5+M pax
9. Pointe-a-Pitre Airport (Pointe-a-Pitre Guadeloupe) with ~2,5M pax
10. Grantley Adams Airport (Bridgetown Barbados) with ~2,3M pax

This explains why these port cities are used as seasonal turnaround ports for homeporting (roundtrip itineraries) by many major cruise companies with ship deployments in the Caribbean.

San Juan cruise terminal

San Juan tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

• El Morro Fort: the huge fort dates from 1539. It main service was to protect Port of San Juan from pirates. It is named after the Spanish patron – saint King Phillip. The full name of the fort is Castillo San Felipe del Morro.
• San Cristobal Fort: dates from the 18th century.
• La Fortaleza: dates from 1540 and it is the most ancient fort in San Juan. It used to be the governor’s official residence.
• Cathedral de San Juan: dates from 1592. The neoclassical cathedral is situated on Calle Cristo.
• Paseo de la Princesa and Paseo de la Muralla: take a walk along the old walls of the city. Both paths are to the waterfront.
• Escambron Beach: spent a leisure day at that beautiful beach. Enjoy breathtaking views along all the coastline (including El Morro Fort).
• Shopping: there are a lot of stores in Old San Juan. The main shopping streets are Fortaleza, Cristo and San Francisco. You can buy souvenirs, arts, fashion and jewelery from the craft markets at the Plaza de la Darsena and on Paseo de la Princesa. Located close to San Juan cruise port (Pier 1).

Old and New San Juan (Royal Caribbean) is an optional guided tour that includes visiting Condado (neighborhood), Isla Verde Beach, residential areas, Window of the Seas (square with a sidewalk resembling Hollywood Blvd), Old San Juan (Capitol Building, 5th Centenary Plaza, San Cristobal Fort or the shopping district).

Pirate Treasure Hunt (Royal Caribbean) is a family tour (pirate-themed and guided) on the trail around Old San Juan (leading to Castillo San Felipe del Morro (fortress).

Campo Rico ATV Adventure (Royal Caribbean) is an ATV (4x4) guided driving tour through the countryside and includes driving through a private ranch (with plantation house), mangroves, lagoons, mountains, forests, wildlife viewing, visiting Mi Casa (traditional sugarcane plantation home), short breaks for photos, operational ranch (with Paso Fino horse stables), stopping at Mojito Bar.

San Juan Food and Culture Tour (Royal Caribbean) is an Old San Juan walking tour (for a small group) themed on local foods, architecture, cultural traditions, shopping. Each cruise tourist receives a coupon booklet for additional savings in local restaurants and shops.