First time in San Juan..any suggestions?

[Guest rfrenchbaxter]

You are so right! OSJ is full of rich history. We stayed for 3 days before our cruise and 1 after. We went to El Morro, walked the streets and shopped from local vendors and took in a folklore show or two at the stage in the shopping area.

I don't understand the stay on the ship mentality either. I think part of the cruise experience is experiencing the local cultures, which will include poverty! There isn't a city in the US that has the same problems, just maybe not to the same degree or definitly not in the tourist areas!

Go and enjoy OSJ! You will be glad you got off the ship!

 

 

We are flying in to SJ a day early and would like to know some really good resturants to eat Dinner and Lunch. I am sold on Bombonera for Breakfast! We are just Indiana folks not to fancy!!

Thankyou

Rebecca

[Guest rfrenchbaxter]

Why the need to be rude?

 

I was stating MY reasons for why I have decided to stay on the ship next time. You were not there with me, you don't know what I experienced so who are you to judge someone? Personally, I wished that I would have read a more accurate review of OSJ before I left - maybe then I would have been more prepared for what OSJ is really like. Instead all the reviews I read had no mention of the stuff I mentioned above.

 

Sure, this stuff can happen in any major US city. However, it usually happens in the bad areas - and not the areas that tourists are attracted to.

I agree with you but also like any other place you have to be aware of your surroundings at at times. We were in Jamaica lat Dec. And visiting Dunes River Falls when my DH decided to turn back when we were trying to find our bus!! (Don't let me forget to tell you he did not tell me he was turning back). All along thinking he was behind me and when I reached the end of the parking lot this crazy man grabs my arm and demanded money! I about PI$$ my pants!!!1:eek: I told him I had no money mun! He still demanded and then an angel appeared out of no where and ask if I was ok and I told her no!! She started screaming while I was sobbing!!! All was fine but it did scare the ***** out if me! So things can happen!!!

Rebecca

[Guest rfrenchbaxter]

I am Puerto Rican and I know what Old San Juan is like which is far from what has been described by some people here. My God, poverty? Does anybody know how much one of those colonial houses is worth? More money that I could ever dream of. And if there's so much poverty, did anybody happened ro see barefoot children begging for food on the street? No. And how come most of the houses in La Perla has one or more satellite dishes on their roofs? Most people in this island live well, and there are also poor people but not as poor to the extent that they are living in crumbling houses and going hungry, like in the US, the government wouldn't allow that and also the Puerto Ricans don't have the heart to see someone living in such a state and not help. Poverty is an ugly thing but it exist, it's all arround the world, even in the US and we should face it and try to help instead of trying to shield ourselves and our children from it.

 

Can you please tell me of some places of interest and places to eat that are reasonable?

 

Yes, there is criminality in San Juan but not in Old San Juan or any touristic area for there is heavy police surveilance. The real criminality is in La Perla which is drug dealer territory and they strictly keep their business in La Perla. But no tourist has ever been murdered or kidnapped in Old San Juan. I fear New York a thousand times more than OSJ. We are talking about the same city the governor lives and if the police thinks it's safe enough for him, i's safe enough for everybody else.

 

Homeless people on the streets? The mayor has constantly tried to help them but most of them are mental patients and drug addicts who don't like to be helped. You could spend the rest of your life trying to help them but they refuse to be helped. There are also those who accept help and have been taken from the streets.

 

The city smells? What big city doesn't.

 

Stray dogs? Welcome to the Caribbean.

 

"Crime areas reserved for poor areas" Give me a break.

 

And I could care less if people stay in their cruises instead of going to OSJ. Just get it straight that OSJ is not Somalia or Haiti.

 

Can yu tell me places of interest and places to eat that are reasonable?

Also, we are staying at The Normandie for one night, can you please tell me how far this is from Old San Juan?

Last, Sorry for so many ?'s but how expensive is the taxi service?

Thank you

Rfrenchbaxter

[texancruzer]

Taxis are regulated by the govt......not too bad as fares go. We paid $25.00 for two of us and 4 bags of luggage from airport to our hotel in Old San Juan.

 

Rebecca: Try La Jabirito for dinner..... locally owned and real puerto rican food and lots of it!!!! Not fancy..... or El Picoteo at the El Convento. It is a tapas bar and you eat in the courtyard of the hotel which is 355 years old !!! (Tapas is just what they call appetizers) and we each got 3 or 4 and then you share with everyone.... the calamari was melt in your mouth, the ceviche was really good too. so were the lobster empanadas and the shrimp !!!! Now I am hungry.....

 

For things to see or do : Go to your bookstore and look at Frommers Caribbean Ports of Call.... you will see it is worth the $14.95 !!!!! Full of info.

[Miss Priss]

I agree with you but also like any other place you have to be aware of your surroundings at at times. We were in Jamaica lat Dec. And visiting Dunes River Falls when my DH decided to turn back when we were trying to find our bus!! (Don't let me forget to tell you he did not tell me he was turning back). All along thinking he was behind me and when I reached the end of the parking lot this crazy man grabs my arm and demanded money! I about PI$$ my pants!!!1:eek: I told him I had no money mun! He still demanded and then an angel appeared out of no where and ask if I was ok and I told her no!! She started screaming while I was sobbing!!! All was fine but it did scare the ***** out if me! So things can happen!!!

Rebecca

 

Things can certainly happen anywhere. I think maybe the question is why we want to travel. For some of us, perhaps, it is to get away from the everyday and just chill. For those people, I don't think it matters much where they go or what they see. It's the getting away. For others, it's a chance to experience new thrills and chills. For these people, it's the extreme sports that challenge. And so on with nature lovers, bird watchers, and people watchers. My DH and i loved to hike, bike, canoe, etc. Then an unexpected stroke and although he is fine mentally, he has a balance problem and now I am forever grateful for cruises that allow us to have our traveling hotel so we can still see more of this beautiful world. Yes, we have had to change our "view" of the world, but we still have a view. In PR we met a young man on the pier from the area who had gone to school at UCLA. He took us on a tour of the city and surrounds that was a delight. I pick the excursions carefully, both from the ship and from these boards. Life is good!

 

Veendam, Caribbean January 2007

Statendam, Australia, New Zealand February 2006

Prisendam, Baltic Sea, August 2005

Volendam, Caribbean, February 2005

Volendam, Alaska, August 2004

Noordam, Caribbean, January 2004

Celebrity, Caribbean 2003

Zaandam, Caribbean February 2002

[Wendy The Wanderer]

wrp96, it's Thursday December 14th. We are there almost the entire day, 08-23, so we have some flexibility.

 

Has anybody rented a car and driven around the island??

[Rafaella]

I was just "browsing" comments on PR - and WAW... you , guys, are not very respectful to opinios on other folks. Let's keep in mind, that this is a free website and you are alloud to post your comments about places.. And, while commenting on places and countries, it is important to keep it on the " informational" level, and not on "personal" . SO.... The comments "Honey" and "Miami" and others are not appropriate in this case. The comments like that assult the posting , as well as the person who posted ...

It is correct, we are travelling to see and enjoy AND to form our personal opinions about what we have seen...

PS. I have recently returned from a travel to one of the third - world country ( for a "safety reasons ( as the TD getting one dangerous businees here) I will no disclose the name) - and I was kissing the ground of US upon my arrival... Did I enjoy the trip ? - Sure, the question is " would I go back there? " - No, and that's what makes us individuals - our opinios and reasons.

Take it to consideration;)

[Madkitty]

is el morro within walking distance of the other fort?

[maurick]

Maurick--we were on the Explorer May 19th-28th. We docked in Old San Juan area. We simply walked through the city to the Old Morro Castle. That was incredible--just beautiful views for picture taking!! We asked a cab driver to drop us off at a nearby restaurant for lunch--we ate a delicious but expensive lunch and rushed back to the ship. We found it to be a basically clean safe city and would go back again. Enjoy!

 

Thank you for your suggestion.

[countryside]

To Ms Priss and other members who know just how to pick their excursions when they visit a new place.

One way of doing this (in the case of Puerto Rico) is to visit www.***** click on sightseeing and then on expert.

This way you will receive many options.

In old San Juan, make a stop at pier # 2 and have a complimentary rum drink.

[maurick]

I was not around this thread in awhile to last night. Thank you all for you input on what to do in OSJ. We will be there in Oct.

[Lady with one RED shoe]

Hello all!

 

I will be in San Juan in January on the Carnival Liberty with a group of 20 for an onboard wedding. Our ship doesn't dock until 5PM, so our group is thinking of doing something similar to a groom's dinner and I am looking for suggestions for some places to eat that will give us a taste of the local flavor, but will also satisfy some of our pickier eaters.

 

I'm also interested in renting a jet ski, but wonder if any will be available after 5...has anyone ever rented one in the evening, and if so, where was it :) and how much did it cost?

 

Thanks much in advance for any suggestions!

[porsche1]

Best fun we had was going to Senor Frogs!! What a great place to kill a few hours, and its a riot for children!! Great food, great drinks and just a completely fun atmosphere. Waling distance from the boat...5 minutes..After walking around the city/shops, we didnt feel threatened, just bored! Its architecture is really nice though. We are going to go to Condado beach next year...which is supposed to be beautiful.

HAve a great time!:cool:

[melissa89n]

Just wanted to post a thanks to all on this thread that have offered good info!

 

I am looking forward to visiting San Juan again - the last time I was there I was 10. I traveled a lot with my parents and I learned early that the world is not EPCOT! I think some people posting in this thread don't quite get that.

[maurick]

Just wanted to post a thanks to all on this thread that have offered good info!

 

I am looking forward to visiting San Juan again - the last time I was there I was 10. I traveled a lot with my parents and I learned early that the world is not EPCOT! I think some people posting in this thread don't quite get that.

 

 

OH I DO Think people know thie world is not EPCOT. No need to be insulting.

[melissa89n]

OH I DO Think people know thie world is not EPCOT. No need to be insulting.

 

I wasn't referring to you! And, no I do not think all people realize the world is not Epcot. They go on vacation and expect it to be spotless, happy, and beautiful at every turn. When they see the reality, they complain that it wasn't what they expected. Well, what did they expect? Perhaps...Epcot?!

 

Edited to add that I love Disney World by the way. I just think that for many people, that type of vacation is their only point of reference. When they go elsewhere, their expectations tend to remain the same and they are disappointed when they are not met. It is an interesting commentary about our society and how we think about travel.

[texancruzer]

I actually agree !!!!

 

You read alot of posts about people who don't understand why the "tourist area" has crime or poverty. Well - welcome to the real world ..... and it is not anything like Epcot (which I really enjoyed visiting when I lived in Florida)

 

It is not insulting to comment regarding these people..... it is just an observation that some people don't have a clue.

[maurick]

I really don't care if people want to stay on the ship, expect their ports to be clean or whatever. That is their choice, everone is different. I think live and let live. This board is for information.

[texancruzer]

I really don't care if people want to stay on the ship, expect their ports to be clean or whatever. That is their choice, everone is different. I think live and let live. This board is for information.

 

Yes - this board is for information.. and that information is coming from peoples' observations. Each person has different views on those observations. For those who skip through life thinking that those shiny sun shining vacation posters represent how it is everywhere- don't have a clue. Sometimes ships put in where real people live, work etc. and it's not always perfect. But to say it's not worth experiencing because of that is not a good thing IMO but that's just my observation :D

[Guest rfrenchbaxter]

To Ms Priss and other members who know just how to pick their excursions when they visit a new place.

One way of doing this (in the case of Puerto Rico) is to visit www.***** click on sightseeing and then on expert.

This way you will receive many options.

In old San Juan, make a stop at pier # 2 and have a complimentary rum drink.

 

 

Thank you for the helpful info!

Rebecca