What is fun to do in San Juan?

[jlk806]

We will have a day in San Juan on our November fantasy cruise, not too much looks real appealing on the Cruise Activities page. Kind of don't want to do another beach day, as we have Castaway and were thinking of Magens in St Thomas. The Cristobal fort tour with childrens discovery center but the only time option is 8:15AM which will definitely be too early for us to be up and off the ship, esp the morning after Pirate Deck party night. We have one 6 year old son, he loves forts and stuff so I thought that tour would be fun but the time is just too early. Not sure what else we can do there... I was in San Juan once a couple years ago I cruised from there with a group of girlfriends, but I wasn't really touring.

Edited September 11, 2014 by jlk806

[Scrapnana]

Take the free trolley. No commentary but you can get off at the fort if you want to tour it on your own. There are stops very close to the docks.

 

http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/free-trolley-old-san-juan/

Edited September 11, 2014 by Scrapnana

[Zqueeze1]

Take the free trolley. No commentary but you can get off at the fort if you want to tour it on your own. There are stops very close to the docks.

 

http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/free-trolley-old-san-juan/

 

 

Good call by Scrapnana. Also, if you can, walk around the outside of the city walls along the water. You can get off the ship and walk west towards the Paseo de la Princesa and follow the walkway along the water to the San Juan Gate (aka where the Captain Ron party scene was filmed), then walk along the beautiful OSJ streets back to the ship. Enjoy.

Z and TB

[barbaro_3003]

We are also on Fantasy in November, with San Juan port of call. Our plan is to take the free trolley from stop #4 to the forts (there are two of them?), tour the forts, then walk back to the ship through Old San Juan. From what I have been told its not terribly far, and from the forts back to the ship is downhill.

 

-E

[CC Help Jenn]

We were just in San Juan on the Fantasy as we diverted to miss a storm - if you don't mind missing the commentary there is NO NEED to pay for an excursion to Cristobal. It took us all of 7 minutes to walk there - and we paid $5 pp entrance fee. That also includes the other fort(Morro) if you want to walk there after visiting Cristobal. There is one long road from Cristobal to Morro and I was told it is about a 10-12 min walk. Also there is also a trolley along this road as someone mentioned above - it is free - and will take you from Cristobal to Morro

 

There is a movie theater that runs an informational show about the city/forts etc if you want to watch that before walking around Cristobal.

[jwalk03]

I will agree with what everyone else said. There is def no need to book a ship excursion to view 1 or both of the forts in San Juan. You can walk to both (though Im not sure I would recommend the walk with little ones, its not THAT close.) or there is a free trolley that runs all over Old San Juan including to both forts. You can catch the trolly just accross the street from where the ship docks.

[jlk806]

Thanks all that's what I figured when I went online and found out admission to the fort is around $5 per person, kids free, and Disney is charging $34 for a child and $54 per adult for the walking tour! So basically we just wont walk over with the group and save $120 or so.

[ivanrocko]

Top 5 List:

1) Fort El Morro

2) Old San Juan Historic Walking Areas: Princess Walk, La Fortaleza Street

3) Puerto Rico Capitol Building

4) Condado Beach

5) Bacardi Rum Factory Tour

 

 

 

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[Jocecruise]

The trolley is a very nice way to get around and sightsee! I recommend Fort San Cristobal! We loved it!

[lascmojo]

Hi all,

 

Regarding the free trolleys in Old San Juan, do they come fairly often? We are traveling with a 5yo and 4mo infant, so would like to take advantage of the trolleys (esp. between the two forts), if at all possible.

 

Also, in your opinion, is it worth visiting both forts?

 

Thanks!

[ivanrocko]

Hi all,

 

 

 

Regarding the free trolleys in Old San Juan, do they come fairly often? We are traveling with a 5yo and 4mo infant, so would like to take advantage of the trolleys (esp. between the two forts), if at all possible.

 

 

 

Also, in your opinion, is it worth visiting both forts?

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

Yes, it is worth visiting both forts.

Fort El Morro is the most famous, the one in the postcards, and movies.

Fort San Cristobal is next to the Capitol Building another good place for pictures.

 

 

 

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[lascmojo]

Yes, it is worth visiting both forts.

Fort El Morro is the most famous, the one in the postcards, and movies.

Fort San Cristobal is next to the Capitol Building another good place for pictures.

 

 

 

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Do you know if the trolleys run frequently?

Thanks.

[ivanrocko]

Do you know if the trolleys run frequently?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Old San Juan Trolleys are totally free of charge, and operate Monday to Friday 7am - 7 pm and Saturday to Sunday 9am - 7pm. Check online for a map of where the trolleys stop.

 

 

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[ivanrocko]

Due to varying traffic conditions, the trolleys don't run on a set schedule, depending on the amount of traffic and visitors, you should expect to wait from 10 - 45 minutes.

 

 

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[moki'smommy]

There are 2 docks. Whether the trolley is right outside the port depends on which dock DCL is using. The Pan American dock is NOT at the old city.

 

After our 9/20 experience in San Juan (Border control was a disaster), the best thing to do was LEAVE. Sorry. After 3 1/2 hours from leaving the ship to FINALLY getting thru the lines....it was awful.