Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Bacardi factory in San Juan

ljhershey

By ljhershey,
in Princess Cruises

Recommended Posts

ljhershey

ljhershey

Posted
Posted

We'll be heading out on the Caribbean Princess on a Sunday 11 pm sailing from San Juan. We are flying into San Juan late Friday evening. Any thoughts on the best way to get in a visit to the Bacardi factory. We will be staying in the Condado area. Some have said you are near the factory and could take the tour after dropping off bags on the ship in early afternoon.

 

Any thoughts on a Saturday tour? Sunday tour? Best way to get to the factory ... or arrange a land tour?

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Jennygirl

Jennygirl

Posted
Posted

We are on the CB July 29th. We had booked the tour but cancelled it as we listened to the cruise critic people (who are the most knowlegeable) and took their advice. $100 seemed like an awful lot of $$ just to see a museum. We thought we would actually see the bottles being made or something but nah, we cancelled it. Someone told me for $12 you can cab it there and back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
moosenaroundtheship

moosenaroundtheship

Posted
Posted

Don't take a tour and spend $$ when it is just as easy do this yourself. We took the ferry and then purchased a couple tickets when we got there. You still get to see a lot of stuff and the information on the place is very interesting. My Hubby likes rum and we enjoyed tasting a few different rums (they give you a couple coupons for free drinks) You can still see Old San Juan and do this the same day. If possible take a tour of San Juan and you will see and hear so much great info. We found a place with the most fabulous view called Hacienda Don Jose. Mixed reviews on Trip Advisor, but if you are not in a hurry try to get a table next to the open windows. Very laid back and after a full day can be relaxing. Expecially after a few drinks :eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
SandG

SandG

Posted
Posted
We are on the CB July 29th. We had booked the tour but cancelled it as we listened to the cruise critic people (who are the most knowlegeable) and took their advice. $100 seemed like an awful lot of $$ just to see a museum. We thought we would actually see the bottles being made or something but nah, we cancelled it. Someone told me for $12 you can cab it there and back.

 

If you really have your heart set on going to Bacardi (we did this in 2008 because we'd already seen what there is to see in San Juan) we found it somewhat interesting, and the free drinks were okay, but don't spend a lot of money to do it. Take the ferry which docks in old San Juan near where the ship docks. (Hmm, it just occurred to me that if you have a departure from San Juan, you may not be docking there, and so this answer could be irrelavant ... check on this.) Anyway, the ferry cost us something like 50 cents each way. Taxis hang out on the other side to take you to the factory (it was just a few dollars from there), or you can catch a bus.

 

Here is a link with some information:

http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/bacardi-rum-factory/

 

Sue

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Carolin

Carolin

Posted
Posted

I'm a big fan of Bacardi so I enjoyed going. I did not book a tour through the ship. When you drop off your bags, walk down the pier to the water taxi. If I remember correctly, it cost .75 for a one way trip across the bay. Grab a cab ($3.00 ride) when you get to the other side of the bay. its a 5 minute cab ride to the Bacardi plant. The tour is free and you get two free drinks. I picked up a couple of Bacardi trinkets while there. Cheapest and nicest tour I took on my cruise IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ljhershey

ljhershey

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks so much for the information. We have visited Old San Juan several times and do enjoy wondering around for a bit. This time based on what I've read, we'll probably take the ferry on our own and then a taxi to see the factory, and enjoy the samples. This will be something different for us. For those who have not done it, I'd put visiting the rain forest and the top of my "to do" list in San Juan. It is worth it to pay a tour company to take you there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
satxdiver

satxdiver

Posted
Posted

I have been to PR several times. If you are a Bicardi fan like I am, then the tour through their museum is very interesting and they give you two free samples. By some miracle the tour ends in their gift shop! The tour is free. Best way is to go to OSJ, take the ferry across and then the taxi as has been pointed out. We stayed in the Condado area and took the city bus down to OSJ which is cheap. The alternative is a taxi of course for more $$$. I believe all totaled I did not spend more than $10 round trip.

 

The ships that originate in SJ leave from the Pan American pier which is not near OSJ but on the other side of the bay near an old airport. BTW taxi fares are mostly fixed by PR rules.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
The Wilkies

The Wilkies

Posted
Posted

Hi, as a UK passenger whose flights/transfers are included in the cost of the cruise, we went to the Barcardi factory after disembarking the ship before going to the airport. You may find, depending on your flight time that there will be an opportunity to go. Our experience was that you had vouchers for 2 free drinks. They were very large drinks and felt very happy on the way to the airport.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
calliecat

calliecat

Posted
Posted

Ditto on boring......even getting two free drinks isn't worth the bother. We are headed back to San Juan in January and will need to find some things to do before the cruise. Have you considered renting a car and going to El Yunque National Forest? We loved doing that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Katie333

Katie333

Posted
Posted

We enjoyed Bacardi. Was it the best thing we did? No, but since we had a rental car prior to our cruise, we made a stop there and elsewhere in SJU for shopping and sightseeing. The tour is free and yes, it's really a museum more than anything else, but we like museums and we like rum so good combo for us.

 

I would NEVER pay the $50pp the ship charges for this tour.

 

I do second El Yunque, that was just beautiful and enjoyable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BratDet

BratDet

Posted
Posted

We went to Bacardi on our own last summer & totally enjoyed it. It was interesting and we are glad we did it. It was simple, but not boring, nor a waste of time.

We plan to go back this year for a quick visit.

The gift shop had nice quality items and uniqiue things for gifts. Skip the liquor unless it is something you can only get there. There were a few items not available in the states.

We were glad we did it on our own. DO NOT book thru the ship.

This year- we go there first since it will be a quicker stop for us and we will spend all the rest of our time in Old San Juan.

I copied and enlarged my walking maps today!

Counting down....

Bernadette

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
      • 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...