Good spot in Isla Verde for half a day

[Sete Mares]

Hello Cruisers,

 

I will be in San Juan next 5th of August aboard Celebrity Equinox with my wife. We already know San Juan and we just want to have some time to relax at beach. Our choice is Isla Verde beach. Someone can suggest a good spot to stay with chairs and umbrella? 

 

Thanks in advance!

[pdc2013]

On 5/11/2019 at 2:43 PM, Sete Mares said:

Hello Cruisers,

 

I will be in San Juan next 5th of August aboard Celebrity Equinox with my wife. We already know San Juan and we just want to have some time to relax at beach. Our choice is Isla Verde beach. Someone can suggest a good spot to stay with chairs and umbrella? 

 

Thanks in advance!

They rent chairs and umbrellas throughout the beach especially the beach street entrances. finding food, drinks and washrooms are sketchy and if you do, expensive. Try Island marketing beach package in PR, i also know that the Marriott sells a day pass if want resort and a pool style place.  Done both and by fay the best value is the the package that Island marketing sells. But i do not have to be by the pool all day.

[jonsmom]

1 hour ago, pdc2013 said:

They rent chairs and umbrellas throughout the beach especially the beach street entrances. finding food, drinks and washrooms are sketchy and if you do, expensive. Try Island marketing beach package in PR, i also know that the Marriott sells a day pass if want resort and a pool style place.  Done both and by fay the best value is the the package that Island marketing sells. But i do not have to be by the pool all day.

Is there a website for Island Marketing?  TIA

[pdc2013]

4 hours ago, jonsmom said:

Is there a website for Island Marketing?  TIA

https://puertoricocruiseexcursions.com/excursion/san-juan-beach-break/

[5thgirl]

On 5/26/2019 at 4:29 PM, pdc2013 said:

https://puertoricocruiseexcursions.com/excursion/san-juan-beach-break/

I too am looking for something at Isla Verde, and this looks like a great option for a half day. For the 4 hour AM, do you happen to know what hours? Our port stop at San Juan is from 7am to 2pm. Thanks!

[jonsmom]

As another option, I also contacted the Marriott.  They offer a day pass for $75 per couple.  Includes chair, umbrella, 2 drinks and use of the pool and beach

 

[jean87510]

3 hours ago, jonsmom said:

As another option, I also contacted the Marriott.  They offer a day pass for $75 per couple.  Includes chair, umbrella, 2 drinks and use of the pool and beach

 

I've done both the island marketing and the Marriott and the Marriott is better. My preference though. Beach was nicer. Pool was nicer. Food and drinks were better. And I think it was closer but I may be wrong. We did island when we were in port 7a to 2p from old San Juan pre 2017 hurricane and the Marriott post cruise from pan American last November.  

[pdc2013]

I too have done both, resort style is very different than being almost on your own. I do bounce back and forth depending how i feel:) I went back last year and Island Marketing changed to Isla Verde from Ocean park very close to the Marriot.

I guess it all comes down to price and how much you want to spend (half day was $29.00 PP with 4 drinks), i went in the afternoon and really enjoyed the view from the roof top terrace watching the sunset. No sun over the water but still beautiful colors.  

[jonsmom]

On 5/29/2019 at 11:38 AM, pdc2013 said:

I too have done both, resort style is very different than being almost on your own. I do bounce back and forth depending how i feel:) I went back last year and Island Marketing changed to Isla Verde from Ocean park very close to the Marriot.

I guess it all comes down to price and how much you want to spend (half day was $29.00 PP with 4 drinks), i went in the afternoon and really enjoyed the view from the roof top terrace watching the sunset. No sun over the water but still beautiful colors.  

The $29 per person include beach chairs and umbrellas?  Do you recall how much a taxi was from cruise pier?

[pdc2013]

26 minutes ago, jonsmom said:

The $29 per person include beach chairs and umbrellas?  Do you recall how much a taxi was from cruise pier?

 

Yes it did, i would have taken the package with the meal but already had lunch and paid alot more. Email them they provide all that info to you:) But should be around $20.00 each way.  

[jonsmom]

1 hour ago, pdc2013 said:

 

Yes it did, i would have taken the package with the meal but already had lunch and paid alot more. Email them they provide all that info to you:) But should be around $20.00 each way.  

That is a deal!

[pdc2013]

Right! I notice very few people talk about it and for the price i am shocked. Just renting umbrella and 2 chairs is $20.00 per couple, almost no where to by drinks or go to the bathroom, at least at a reasonable price. I like service and they do their best but walk along way for it, so i think ahead order my drinks at the beach with anticipation and im happy.  The best is when they close the beach club and you enjoy the rest of your time on their roof top terrace, just a great view of Isla Verde beach 

I found them by accident through a local friend who uses their beach day pass, it is cheaper than having lunch and drinks at any other location. 

[kyriecat]

I took Island Marketing's Old San Juan City Tour & Beach Escape tour today. In my opinion, the tour information is misleading. On the website under EXCURSION HIGHLIGHTS "Access to beach club and facilities" is listed. In the tour details section, it states "Beach Club: Relax at our exclusive beach club and be swept away by the soft, rolling sounds of the ocean." I have screen shots of the website tour information. 

 

Since we had an early evening flight and wanted showers after spending time at the beach, I inquired about the beach club facilities and was told that it had showers and bathrooms. At no point was I told that access to the beach club facilities was not included in the tour price. Because we wanted picked up at ship and dropped at airport, our price was $220 for four people, which included an hour tour around Old Town then a couple hours at the beach.

 

It turns out that their "exclusive beach club" is just the public beach with NO facilities, not even a restroom. The beach was very nice, but not what we expected from the tour description. I explained to our driver that the tour was supposed to include access to a beach club and shower facilities. At that point I was told that beach club access was not included in the price and he could take us to the club, but we were expected to spend at least $40 per person in food and drinks to use their facilities. In my opinion, that is a lot to spend just to use the bathroom and take a shower. Many of the other beaches have bathrooms and showers either for free or included if you rent a chair for about $10. I feel like we were taken to this beach because it had no facilities so we would be stuck buying food and drinks from them. We ended up not using the beach so we wouldn't be hot and sticky for our flight home.

 

I complained to Island Marketing and received a reply from Angelo (Port Manger) who claims that their website does not misrepresent what is included in the tour. He said that I should not have assumed beach club access was included because according to him, the website clearly states that they offer access to the beach club but nowhere does it say that the access is included in the tour price. Technically, he is correct, but I expect more transparency from a reputable tour operator. I would not use them for any tours again because of this experience.

[jonsmom]

Thank you so much for taking the time to post this and post screen shots of the excursion.

 

Nothing irritates me more than misleading information like this. 

 

I am sorry you endured this.