San Juan post cruise

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

Has anyone used Barrachina to store luggage for a few hours after their cruise? I’ve read they will hold luggage until 5. Our flight is not until 5:45 and we were thinking about doing some walking around old San Juan rather than sitting in an airport. Just wanted to know how easy it was and what was involved. It said it was free service but we’d definitely tip. Also not sure on that of anyone has suggestions for amounts. And, lastly, I’m assuming a taxi is required to get there from the cruise terminal. Thank you for any help!!

 

[auntlynne]

From a thread on Cruise Critic concerning this:



From TripAdvisor. Not as recent, but shows this as an option a decade ago. These may have been traveling together (one experience):




…I realize we went there during a port stop in San Juan.

If you are coming off a Disney cruise, you will definitely need transport from the cruise port (across the water from Old San Juan; not a reasonably walkable distance - in this situation. 1.5 hours walking).

On Fodor’s, it’s got a positive mention as far back as 2006.

They advertise this service on Facebook and Instagram.

I’d say it’s a safe bet. It’s downhill from the Fort, not a bad walk to retrieve luggage on way to airport.

PSA: Don’t forget to do the mandatory Agriculture Inspection of luggage as soon as you enter the airport!

The airport has expensive food - so definitely eat in town. Maybe grab some snacks for the plane while you are in OSJ.

For my fun:
Fortress, “wild” cats, the walkway outside the city walls and a city gate (from the walkway) built in 1749. The cats are fed and well looked after. I think it has kept down any rodent concerns.






Have fun!

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

From a thread on Cruise Critic concerning this:

View attachment 905340

From TripAdvisor. Not as recent, but shows this as an option a decade ago. These may have been traveling together (one experience):

View attachment 905341
View attachment 905342

…I realize we went there during a port stop in San Juan.

If you are coming off a Disney cruise, you will definitely need transport from the cruise port (across the water from Old San Juan; not a reasonably walkable distance - in this situation. 1.5 hours walking).

On Fodor’s, it’s got a positive mention as far back as 2006.

They advertise this service on Facebook and Instagram.

I’d say it’s a safe bet. It’s downhill from the Fort, not a bad walk to retrieve luggage on way to airport.

PSA: Don’t forget to do the mandatory Agriculture Inspection of luggage as soon as you enter the airport!

The airport has expensive food - so definitely eat in town. Maybe grab some snacks for the plane while you are in OSJ.

For my fun:
Fortress, “wild” cats, the walkway outside the city walls and a city gate (from the walkway) built in 1749. The cats are fed and well looked after. I think it has kept down any rodent concerns.

View attachment 905349
View attachment 905350
View attachment 905354
View attachment 905353View attachment 905352View attachment 905351

Have fun!

Thank you so much! I forgot to come back and check this. Sorry for the late reply. All of this is helpful! Thank you for the tip on the airport food! We are actually flying in a couple of days prior to the cruise to spend time in OSJ. We are staying at Casablanca so will be right in town. Any other must see/eat/do you would suggest? Definitely planning on the forts. Thank you again!!

 

[auntlynne]

Thank you so much! I forgot to come back and check this. Sorry for the late reply. All of this is helpful! Thank you for the tip on the airport food! We are actually flying in a couple of days prior to the cruise to spend time in OSJ. We are staying at Casablanca so will be right in town. Any other must see/eat/do you would suggest? Definitely planning on the forts. Thank you again!!

On a night stop, we ate popsicles at Senor Galeta, had Pina coladas (w/ and w/o rum) at Baranchina’s and had an avocado bowl at Stuffed Avocado Shop.

I can’t recommend or not recommend these. They were okay.

I’d like to try mofongo, to taste Puerto Rican cuisine. Lots of cruisers I watch on YouTube seem to enjoy it. And there are multiple modern restaurants over in Condado mentioned on TripAdvisor. Should be an easy taxi (or bus!) ride from Casablanca.

And I’d like to give Chocobar a try - there’s one in OSJ and Condado.

We haven’t been there over meal times - or in the right area. For our pre-cruise on Disney, we arrived after dark and had hotel “breakfast,” not even getting the chance then to try Chocobar.

The one thing I would like to get back and do pre- or post-cruise is visit El Yunque. It’s close enough to do it after disembarkation if choosing to fly out the following day (which I would do to avoid sitting in the airport. I guess you have figured out how not to just sit!)

I hope you find it as charming as I have. It somewhat reminds me of Antigua Guatemala. I love that early Spanish Colonial style with colorful buildings. I find myself photographing doors. They can be ornate or unique.

 

[LOVEMY3KIDDOS]

On a night stop, we ate popsicles at Senor Galeta, had Pina coladas (w/ and w/o rum) at Baranchina’s and had an avocado bowl at Stuffed Avocado Shop.

I can’t recommend or not recommend these. They were okay.

I’d like to try mofongo, to taste Puerto Rican cuisine. Lots of cruisers I watch on YouTube seem to enjoy it. And there are multiple modern restaurants over in Condado mentioned on TripAdvisor. Should be an easy taxi (or bus!) ride from Casablanca.

And I’d like to give Chocobar a try - there’s one in OSJ and Condado.

We haven’t been there over meal times - or in the right area. For our pre-cruise on Disney, we arrived after dark and had hotel “breakfast,” not even getting the chance then to try Chocobar.

The one thing I would like to get back and do pre- or post-cruise is visit El Yunque. It’s close enough to do it after disembarkation if choosing to fly out the following day (which I would do to avoid sitting in the airport. I guess you have figured out how not to just sit!)

I hope you find it as charming as I have. It somewhat reminds me of Antigua Guatemala. I love that early Spanish Colonial style with colorful buildings. I find myself photographing doors. They can be ornate or unique.

Thank you so much for the tips! I am pretty much just as excited for old San Juan as I am for the cruise itself. I think it will be gorgeous and such a unique place. The history and bright colors and fun architecture just are drawing me in.

 

[auntlynne]

Thank you so much for the tips! I am pretty much just as excited for old San Juan as I am for the cruise itself. I think it will be gorgeous and such a unique place. The history and bright colors and fun architecture just are drawing me in.

Look at the colored streets when walking around.

“Many of the streets in old San Juan are paved with adoquines, or blue cobblestone pavers, made from waste from iron smelting. The famous cobblestones were brought as ballast on European ships in the 18th century, and were later used to pave streets of San Juan.Mar 13, 2018
https://www.icann.org/en/blogs/deta...y of the streets in,pave streets of San Juan.

Top 10 Things You Didn't Know About Puerto Rico - icann”​