Time to tour between B2B cruises?

[BroncosFan2010]

I am taking a B2B cruise that leaves out of San Juan. In between sailings, I will be in San Juan for the day. I would really like to tour the fort and Old San Juan. Has anyone taken a B2B and know how we might go about getting on and off the ship to tour for the day? What happens to our luggage, etc...?

[paul929207]

Once the ship has been cleared by local authorities, you can get off. On our b2b's, (none in San Juan), Princess has offered tours for those staying on.

[LHT28]

If on the same ship same cabin you just leave your things just like any other port

After the ship is cleared you are free to do whatever you want ..just be back onboard at the appointed time

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done a few San Juan back-to-back cruises.

 

We booked them months out so that we had the same cabin. That way once the ship was cleared we could do whatever we wanted to.

 

You make it sound like you have to change cabins. If that is the case -- you will have to move everything to your new cabin once it has been prepped before you can do whatever you want to.

[BroncosFan2010]

As of right now, I have the same cabin for both legs, but we are hoping to upgrade to a Balcony (if prices drop), and if that happens we may end up with a different cabin for the 2nd leg. Hopefully not, but you never know.

[momofmeg]

If you are docked near old San Juan you can walk to the shops and there is that fort-you could easily go see that-as long as it is not Sunday-the fort is closed on Sunday. There is a beach about 30 to 45 minutes away. I would not try and do that- because of the time frame-unless that was offered as a ship sponsored tour.

 

If the ship sponsors a tour of the rain forest-you could do that without fear of there not being enough time-I liked that the best ( we spent 2 days in Puerto Rico after a cruise)-and I am sure if you have your bags packed up-the stewards would move your bags to your new cabin-or else there would be a place you could leave your bags.

[BroncosFan2010]

If you are docked near old San Juan you can walk to the shops and there is that fort-you could easily go see that-as long as it is not Sunday-the fort is closed on Sunday. There is a beach about 30 to 45 minutes away. I would not try and do that- because of the time frame-unless that was offered as a ship sponsored tour.

 

If the ship sponsors a tour of the rain forest-you could do that without fear of there not being enough time-I liked that the best ( we spent 2 days in Puerto Rico after a cruise)-and I am sure if you have your bags packed up-the stewards would move your bags to your new cabin-or else there would be a place you could leave your bags.

 

 

We will be docked at the PanAm pier, so we won't be within walking distance of Old San Juan. Thanks for the heads up that the fort is closed on Sundays! That is when we will be there, so we will have to try to catch that on Saturday when we fly in!

[dfb]

Since when are the forts closed on Sunday? NPS website says open everyday except a few holidays.

 

Castillo San Cristobal & Castillo San Felipe del Morro are open to the public everyday 9:00am to 6:00pm except on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

 

http://www.nps.gov/saju/planyourvisit/hours.htm

 

We have spent a few days in San Juan and love just wandering Old San Juan. Below are our trip journal links from those days to give you some ideas.

http://circle-south-america-2008-aboard.blogspot.com/2008/03/day-58-march-1-2008-san-juan-puerto.html

 

http://rsscdiamondsanjuanrt22005.blogspot.com/

 

http://rsscdiamondsanjuanrt22005.blogspot.com/2005/02/good-start.html

 

Debbie

[momofmeg]

Since when are the forts closed on Sunday? NPS website says open everyday except a few holidays.

 

Castillo San Cristobal & Castillo San Felipe del Morro are open to the public everyday 9:00am to 6:00pm except on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

 

http://www.nps.gov/saju/planyourvisit/hours.htm

 

We have spent a few days in San Juan and love just wandering Old San Juan. Below are our trip journal links from those days to give you some ideas.

http://circle-south-america-2008-aboard.blogspot.com/2008/03/day-58-march-1-2008-san-juan-puerto.html

 

http://rsscdiamondsanjuanrt22005.blogspot.com/

 

http://rsscdiamondsanjuanrt22005.blogspot.com/2005/02/good-start.html

 

Debbie

 

This was in 2000. Our cruise was Saturday to Saturday, September 23 -30th. October 1st was when we tried to go to the fort. It was closed and locals told us it was always closed on Sunday. We flew home Monday morning, so we did not get a chance to see it. I am glad to know that is no longer a problem.

[BroncosFan2010]

I am really confused....So, someone who has been there recently..... Clear it up for me. Is the fort open on Sundays or not?

[LHT28]

I am really confused....So, someone who has been there recently..... Clear it up for me. Is the fort open on Sundays or not?

 

try this site

http://www.nps.gov/saju/planyourvisit/index.htm

[momofmeg]

I am really confused....So, someone who has been there recently..... Clear it up for me. Is the fort open on Sundays or not?

 

Their website indicates they are only closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Apparently things have changed since I was there- I guess I should have realized that was possible-as it has been nine years since we were there. I am sorry I mislead you.

[BroncosFan2010]

try this site

http://www.nps.gov/saju/planyourvisit/index.htm

 

 

Thanks for the link, that was very helpful!

[BroncosFan2010]

Their website indicates they are only closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Apparently things have changed since I was there- I guess I should have realized that was possible-as it has been nine years since we were there. I am sorry I mislead you.

 

 

No big deal! I figured it out. These boards are great for a wealth of information, regardless of when you were there, I value your experience.

 

Did you enjoy the fort when you visited it?

[momofmeg]

No big deal! I figured it out. These boards are great for a wealth of information, regardless of when you were there, I value your experience.

 

Did you enjoy the fort when you visited it?

 

As I said, we went on a Sunday and it was closed, and we flew home on Monday. If we had known I guess we would have tried to see it Saturday when we debarked ship, but with all our luggage that would have been a pain. We did not get to see it.

 

My hubby wanted to see it-I did not really care-I have been to others forts-Tybee Island, Sullivan's Island, and St. Augustine. I have even been to one in Dover England at Dover castle.(that was a World War II one, so was the one at Sullivan's Island, SC) I am not into forts.

 

What I loved best was the tropical rain forest, it was beautiful. We did have a beautiful blue ocean to look at by the beach-like what you see on the gulf side of FL. We actually watched our ship that Sat.night from the beach, as it left on the following cruise.

 

Now, we stayed near the beach, which was 30 to 45 minutes away form San Juan. Of course we also paid more for a room also in a mediocre hotel-because of the beach -and we also rented a car, which made us pay a bit. If I were you though, I would stay closer to the ship's dock-you get a much better hotel for the money. There are buses that will take you to the beach, if you want to see it, perhaps someone can tell you about that at your hotel. The buses are inexpensive. If you fly in early enough the day before, that is what I would do. There is a nice touristy shopping area by the beach also. But no need to go to the beach really, since you will be cruising 2 weeks, you will see PLENTY of beaches I imagine.

 

I would have been just as happy spending 2 days at a San Juan hotel-my hubby wanted a beach hotel-and we had been to beaches in Martinique and Barbados that cruise. Except for watching our cruise ship leave out again that night-I did not really care that much about the beach. Watching the ship leave was fun.

[BroncosFan2010]

As I said, we went on a Sunday and it was closed, and we flew home on Monday. If we had known I guess we would have tried to see it Saturday when we debarked ship, but with all our luggage that would have been a pain. We did not get to see it.

 

My hubby wanted to see it-I did not really care-I have been to others forts-Tybee Island, Sullivan's Island, and St. Augustine. I have even been to one in Dover England at Dover castle.(that was a World War II one, so was the one at Sullivan's Island, SC) I am not into forts.

 

What I loved best was the tropical rain forest, it was beautiful. We did have a beautiful blue ocean to look at by the beach-like what you see on the gulf side of FL. We actually watched our ship that Sat.night from the beach, as it left on the following cruise.

 

Now, we stayed near the beach, which was 30 to 45 minutes away form San Juan. Of course we also paid more for a room also in a mediocre hotel-because of the beach -and we also rented a car, which made us pay a bit. If I were you though, I would stay closer to the ship's dock-you get a much better hotel for the money. There are buses that will take you to the beach, if you want to see it, perhaps someone can tell you about that at your hotel. The buses are inexpensive. If you fly in early enough the day before, that is what I would do. There is a nice touristy shopping area by the beach also. But no need to go to the beach really, since you will be cruising 2 weeks, you will see PLENTY of beaches I imagine.

 

I would have been just as happy spending 2 days at a San Juan hotel-my hubby wanted a beach hotel-and we had been to beaches in Martinique and Barbados that cruise. Except for watching our cruise ship leave out again that night-I did not really care that much about the beach. Watching the ship leave was fun.

 

I would love to go visit the rain forest. Since we will have lots of time in San Juan this time around, I may try to visit the fort and go see the rain forest.

[momofmeg]

I would love to go visit the rain forest. Since we will have lots of time in San Juan this time around, I may try to visit the fort and go see the rain forest.

 

I am thinking since the ship alternates itineraries that others do back to backs-they may offer this as an excursion.

 

If not-is there a car rental place near the ship dock? You may could rent a car for the day. Bring your Garmin if you have one. That will be your best help getting to the rain forest.

 

What we did was that Sunday we went that morning to the rain forest and that afternoon to Old San Juan. The Sat. after we debarked we spent near our hotel and on the beach.

 

I think it would be hard to do both since you would need to be back on ship by 4 -unless they allow you to board later-and they may if the ship does not leave until 10 pm-our ship left late. The lifeboat drill was at 8:30 pm. I am guessing you should allow at least 4 hours for the rain forest-an hour driving each way-and then a couple of hours there-but you could easy spend more time there.

[BroncosFan2010]

I am thinking since the ship alternates itineraries that others do back to backs-they may offer this as an excursion.

 

If not-is there a car rental place near the ship dock? You may could rent a car for the day. Bring your Garmin if you have one. That will be your best help getting to the rain forest.

 

What we did was that Sunday we went that morning to the rain forest and that afternoon to Old San Juan. The Sat. after we debarked we spent near our hotel and on the beach.

 

I think it would be hard to do both since you would need to be back on ship by 4 -unless they allow you to board later-and they may if the ship does not leave until 10 pm-our ship left late. The lifeboat drill was at 8:30 pm. I am guessing you should allow at least 4 hours for the rain forest-an hour driving each way-and then a couple of hours there-but you could easy spend more time there.

 

 

Thanks so much for the info! I don't know that DH is comfortable enough to rent a car, so we will probably go the tour/taxi route. Our ship leaves at 8:30, so I have no idea what time they will want us back on, and whether the 90 before boarding requirement will apply to us. I plan on finding out that information on the first sea day during our first week.

[momofmeg]

Thanks so much for the info! I don't know that DH is comfortable enough to rent a car, so we will probably go the tour/taxi route. Our ship leaves at 8:30, so I have no idea what time they will want us back on, and whether the 90 before boarding requirement will apply to us. I plan on finding out that information on the first sea day during our first week.

 

Our situation was a little different. We had two friends with us on the cruise, who were flying home after debarkation. All of us took a taxi van to the airport. We rented a car at the airport and saw our friends off.

 

After learning about the buses, we realized we really did not need a car and the cut rate hotel had no parking-we had to pay for parking-something like $12-$15 extra a day.

 

It was also a hassle driving there-hubby did not like it much-but then also-most people did not speak English, we know only high school Spanish-so that was a problem. Also, no Garmins back then to help us out. We DID get lost.

 

There was no fee for the rain forest-that is a public highway-we may have still saved a few bucks renting a car for the two days-but still-I think it would have been worth a little more to have taken taxis to and from the hotel, when arriving and leaving to fly home, and to have taken a tour to the rain forest. Much more simple-for sure.