WC in San Juan

[willieg]

We need some ideas of how to spend the day in San Juan with a WC. We will be on the Zenith and don't know exactly where we will dock. Previously, we docked downtown.

Thanks for the help

[OracleBones]

I visited San Juan in 1999 in a manual chair and was able to stand and transfer at the time, which allowed my wife and I to use a taxi cab. Much of El Morro, the Spanish fortress dating from the mid-1500s, is accessible and worth the visit. It's a good "walk and roll" from the dock and is worth the cab ride if this type of thing is of interest to you. The old city has narrow cobblestone streets, with few if any curb cutouts for wheelchairs. It is also hilly, which makes using a wheelchair a challenge. Nevertheless, we did manage to see much of the old city and its 16th and 17th – century Spanish colonial architecture. My wife was very tired from pushing me up and down the narrow uneven streets all day. I don't think she could do it today. How much you see will depend on your stamina or that of the person pushing the chair. There is a trolley ride around the old city which is good if the person can transfer and do a couple of steps into the trolley. There may be some accessible tours now available, which given the historical interest that San Juan has, may be worth researching further. I don't think a power wheelchair is advisable.

[QuickieGlenn]

I am in a manual chair and me & my wife were on the Dawn in march and stopped in PR. There is a mean hill and a few of the streets are cobblestone. We made it up approx 4 streets with the help of my wife pushing. Great Workout. You have to watch the sidewalks as they are narrow and some do not have cut-outs and the curbs are about 12" tall and wheelieing of that can be a bit of a drop. My chair is 32" wide and the sidewalks are about 36" wide. Most of the shops you can get in. There is a trolley with a lift but we waited for about 1Hr and they were all full so I decided to push. Good Luck

 

Glenn

[DEL67]

The Bicardi factory tour is accessible if you are interested. Its not a true factory tour. They take you to a building where they provide information regarding Bicardi's history and rum makiing. They also take you to where you can see the bottling process; however, the ramp to the viewing area is quite steep. They also give you some free samples.

[willieg]

Thanks for the specific information about the sidewalks and curbs. It looks as if a taxi tour will be our best option.If we dock near the trolley we might try that. I pushed DH around Barcelona this spring, but the sidewalks and curb cuts were excellent. Of course, there were some hills there, too. I think I lost the weight I had gained on the TA.

The last time we were in San Juan the weather was so sultry even in the early evening. We walked around the waterfront, but didn't go very far.

After our last cruise, I wrote to the shore excursion people at Celebrity on behalf of disabled cruisers about the lack of choice of shore excursions. I received a letter from the president's office--one of his assistants, but nothing from the excursion office. I will keep trying. I call them before each cruise and complain.

[LuLaLuvlee]

We were in San Juan in April. Very very narrow sidewalks and no room to use the street as an alternative roll space. The main touristy area for shopping has no rest stops or seats for the chair pusher. It was muggy and rainy. We went to El Morro via taxi. Easy to get TO but it was a bit rough getting one back to the shopping area. It took us well over 45 min to get a taxi in the rain :and we ended up sharing with a compassionate couple who felt bad for my poor husband. We also ran into people who didn't "understand" our Spanish when we asked for directions..next trip we aren't even getting off in PR.