San Juan Puerto Rico Cruise Guide

Old San Juan, Pan American Pier, Transfer Services, FAQ’s, Map and more…

Photo: La Rogativa overlooking the San Juan Bay – Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan is one of the Caribbean’s hottest and most beloved cruise stops, welcoming visitors to explore one of the best-preserved Spanish Colonial historic cities. We are celebrating five centuries of history in our beautiful Old San Juan, we invite you to celebrate with us.  Five centuries ago, our capital city was walled and protected by fortifications, keeping outsiders out.  We are proud of the fact that in modern days, San Juan is often referred to as one of the happiest and most welcoming places on earth.  

Visitors can easily walk to explore blue cobblestone streets in Old San Juan leading to UNESCO historic sites, museums, restaurants, unique shops, and elegant squares, as well as participate in the many events that keep our traditions and vibrant culture alive.  A short taxi drive from Old San Juan there’s more to see and do.

If your cruise begins in San Juan, we encourage you to extend your stay by at least 2 nights, we are confident that once you get a little taste of what Puerto Rico has to offer, you’ll regret not having stayed a few more nights.  If your situation does not allow it, we hope that when you visit, you feel a warm welcome and come back to visit again.

The San Juan Cruise Port is host to an estimated 500 cruise ships (approx. 18 different cruise lines), and nearly 2 million passengers travel to Puerto Rico through this port – every year.  Most Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises include a stop in San Juan offering travelers an opportunity to experience a little bit of the magic of this extraordinary city.  

Photo: Pier 1 in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

The San Juan Cruise Port is one of the largest and busiest cruise ports in the Caribbean.  There are 4 cruise ship piers and 2 modern terminals along the southern shores of historic Old San Juan with a total capacity to accommodate 7 ships at once.  The strategic locations of these piers give tourists easy walking access to Old San Juan and its many attractions.  In addition, just 1-mile southeast, across the San Antonio Canal, are 2 more large modern cruise ship terminals at the Pan American Pier, which can hold 2 more cruise ships.

Photo: View of Cruise Port from the corner of Calle Norzagaray – Castillo San Cristobal

In order to plan your stay or day in San Juan, be sure to inquire about which pier your ship will be docking at or departing from.  Although we provide information,  be sure to contact your booked cruise line or call the San Juan Cruise Port at 787-723-2260, Pier (Muelle) 4, in Old San Juan in order to verify the arrival or departure pier location.  By being informed you can prepare for whether you’ll need transportation, find a nearby hotel, and plan adequate travel time for getting to or from the ship.

Home Port cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, Princess) often use San Juan as their departure port, thus cruises embark from San Juan.  Transit ships are those docking for a day or two originating from another homeport.  See the map below for pier locations.

Old San Juan Piers & Terminals

Photo: View of Pier 3 in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Getting Around from Old San Juan Piers:

The Old San Juan Cruise Ship Piers are the most convenient for cruisers.  As soon as you get off the ship, you can easily walk the 7 blocks magical city of Old San Juan and enjoy the top attractions and things to do on foot.

Closest Hotel to the Old San Juan Pier: 

The most convenient hotel to stay at near the cruise terminals is the Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel & Casino, just across the street from the piers.  See more hotels below.

Old San Juan Pier Facts: 

• Pier 1 – Modern passenger terminal (2-ship capacity) used by various cruise lines
• Pier 3 – Reconstructed pier for transit ships only (2 ship capacity), managed by Royal Caribbean
• Pier 4 – Modern passenger terminal (2 ship capacity) used & managed by Carnival for arrivals & departures
• Pier 6 – Wharf at Bahia Urbana (1 ship capacity) only used on heavy cruise traffic days

Pan American Pier & Cruise Terminals

Photo: View from Parque de Las Palomas in Old San Juan

Getting Around from Pan American Pier:

You will have to take a taxi or book a tour in order to visit the historic Old San Juan and other tourist districts in San Juan.  The pier is a 10-15 minute ride into Old San Juan.  The only thing within reasonable walking distance is the regional Isla Grande Airport, Puerto Rico Convention Center, Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino, and the Hyatt House Hotel.

Closest Hotels to Pan American Pier: 

The most convenient hotels to stay at near the Pan American Pier terminals are the Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino, Aloft San Juan, Hyatt House, and Hyatt Place.

Pan American Pier Facts:

The Pan American Pier has two modern two-tiered passenger terminals (I & II), located in Isla Grande, next to the Isla Grande Airport and near the Puerto Rico Convention Center.  Two mega-ships can dock at the Pan American Pier terminals.  Depending on your cruise line and cruise ship traffic, your ship may arrive and dock here for the day and will most likely embark from here if San Juan is the home departure port.

faq