Puerto Rico‘s historical past, tradition, meals, and sunny shores have made the island a favourite journey vacation spot for a few years. House to the oldest metropolis in the USA, San Juan is a well-liked cruise port for guests who need to expertise the town, and lots of return to spend extra time there and enterprise to different components of the island as properly.
Courtesy of Silversea
The mountains, rainforest, white-sand seashores, pleasant individuals, and vibrant ambiance are a number of of Puerto Rico‘s options that appeal to cruise followers. The chance to discover the favored port with the comfort and luxurious of a cruise ship retains San Juan on a wide range of itineraries.
Listed here are a number of of our high picks for one of the best cruises to Puerto Rico and different beach destinations.
Associated: More Caribbean cruises
Holland America
Roger Paperno/Courtesy of Holland America Cruise Line
Seven-day Japanese Caribbean Cruise
The cruise begins in Fort Lauderdale in late afternoon, giving company time to go to the town’s retailers alongside Las Olas Boulevard or cruise the Intracoastal Waterway on an quaint paddle wheeler. The subsequent day is spent at sea, and company can benefit from the Zuiderdam’s eating places, on line casino, spa, and leisure. For teenagers, there’s Membership HAL that includes supervised video games, sports activities, arts and crafts, and themed events.
The ship arrives in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos for a day of snorkeling, diving, fishing, or kayaking. Then, on to San Juan, Puerto Rico the following night for an in a single day and a full day within the historic metropolis. Non-obligatory actions embrace a drive via El Yunque Nationwide Rainforest, a kayak journey via a bioluminescent bay the place the water glows at evening, a strolling tour of Outdated San Juan, and a meals tour with samples of native delicacies.
The subsequent port is St. Thomas within the U.S. Virgin Islands, the place company can chill out on the seashore, snorkel, store in Charlotte Amalie, or take pleasure in views from a few of the Caribbean’s highest viewpoints. For an exciting expertise, there’s the Sea Trek Helmet Dive at Coral World Ocean Park with a guided stroll alongside an underwater path. After a day at sea, the ship arrives in Half Moon Cay, Bahamas for a day on the seashore, snorkeling, kayaking, horseback using, or climbing earlier than returning to Fort Lauderdale the next morning.
Oceania Cruises
Michel Verdure/Courtesy of Oceania
Ten-night Atlantic and Amber Gems Cruise
The cruise departs from Miami for 2 days at sea aboard Riviera, the place company can take pleasure in eating at a wide range of eating places, indulge at Aquamar Spa, work out on the health middle, take a cooking or artwork class, gamble on the on line casino, or take pleasure in night leisure at one of many lounges or piano bar. On day 4, the ship arrives at Gustavia, St. Barts for a day of duty-free procuring, exploring the colonial city, or enjoyable on the seashore.
The subsequent port is Fort-de-France, Martinique, a walkable harbor metropolis with stunning seashores, climbing trails, and French ambiance. In Castries, St. Lucia, the next day, there’s the charming 18th-century metropolis of Soufriere, botanical gardens, mineral baths, and spectacular mountain views. St. Johns, Antigua is the following port, earlier than the ship continues to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a go to to historic Outdated San Juan, a day on the seashore, an tour to El Yunque rainforest, or a Bacardi Rum manufacturing facility tour.
From San Juan, the cruise continues to Puerto Plata on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, often called the Amber Coast for its wealthy deposits of the resin referred to within the title of the cruise. After a day at sea, the ship returns to Miami.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Kikor/Courtesy of Norwegian Cruise Line
Caribbean — Curacao, Aruba, and St. Lucia Cruise
This seven-day cruise aboard Norwegian Epic boards in San Juan, the place company can discover Puerto Rico earlier than or after their cruise. Subsequent, there is a day at sea with nightly leisure, a wide range of eating spots, lounges, whiskey bar, cigar lounge, spa, and pool. For younger cruisers, there’s the Aqua Park, kiddie pool, and Teen Heart.
The ship then arrives at Oranjestad, Aruba for a metropolis tour of Dutch colonial buildings, a lighthouse, and an aloe plantation. The subsequent port is Willemstad, Curacao the place company can tour the island on a trolley practice, kayak, snorkel, swim with dolphins, or cruise the lagoon in a yacht. The subsequent port is St. George’s, Grenada for an non-compulsory glass-bottom boat tour or get together aboard a Rhum Runner. In Castries, St. Lucia, choices embrace a scenic drive alongside a rainforest to La Soufriere among the many towering Pitons.
The subsequent day is spent in St. Kitts with white-sand seashores, procuring, and eating at a seaside restaurant. From there, the ship returns to San Juan the next day.
Windstar Cruises
Peter West Carey/Courtesy of Windstar Cruises
Boston to San Juan — 11-day Cruise
The all-suite Star Pride, utterly renovated in 2021, carries 312 company and presents new public areas, spa, infinity pool, health space, and eating venues. Departing from Boston, the ship spends two days at sea because it cruises south to Hamilton, Bermuda. There, experiences embrace a guided kayak tour, Segway tour, and a possibility to snorkel amongst two of Bermuda’s well-known shipwrecks, the Constellation and the Montana. In St. George’s, Bermuda the following day, company can tour the historic Outdated City in a horse and carriage.
Two extra days at sea on the best way to Gustavia in St. Barts give company a possibility to chill out and benefit from the ship’s facilities. In St. Barts, choices embrace a sundown Champagne cruise, self-guided rental automobile tour, a catamaran journey with snorkeling, and an tour aboard a semi-submersible to search for inexperienced turtles and fish amongst coral reefs.
The subsequent day, the ship arrives at Basseterre, St. Kitts, the place company can experience a century-old scenic railway, tour one of many oldest cities within the jap Caribbean, expertise native delicacies at Fairview Nice Home & Tropical Backyard, or discover underwater in a snorkel safari. The subsequent port is Virgin Gorda for excursions that embrace a powerboat cruise to a secluded seashore, a snorkel journey, and a safari bus journey to The Baths and the white sands of Satan’s Bay. The final port is San Juan, and company can tour the Bacardi Rum manufacturing facility or tour historic Outdated San Juan.
Seabourn
@michutravel/Courtesy of Seabourn
11-day Gems of the Leeward Islands Cruise
The cruise begins in Miami when company board Seabourn Ovation for 2 days at sea earlier than arriving in San Juan, the place they will tour the town and the Bacardi Rum Distillery, bottling their very own personalised rum. There’s additionally a culinary expertise, a drive via El Yunque rainforest, and a strolling tour of Outdated San Juan.
The subsequent port is Marigot in St. Martin, the place choices embrace an expertise aboard an America’s Cup yacht, a visit to the seashore aboard a Rhino Rider inflatable motorboat, an artwork tour, and a lagoon kayaking journey. Iles des Saintes, off the coast of Guadeloupe, is the following port, for a glimpse of the Caribbean of the previous. Climbing, kayaking, and sampling rum are some actions. In St. Johns, Antigua and Barbuda, company can snorkel, kayak, zipline, or chill out on a sundown catamaran cruise.
The subsequent port is Carambola Seaside, Saint Kitts and Nevis, residence to luxurious seashore golf equipment and eating places. Company can journey across the island on the St. Kitts Railway, experience in a 4×4 automobile to the Valley of the Giants and zipline throughout the valley over the rainforest under, swim with dolphins, or sail on a catamaran for a snorkel journey. In Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands, company can snorkel or cruise in an inflatable boat for breathtaking views. After a day at sea having fun with Seabourn Ovation’s spa, restaurant, bars, and small-ship facilities, the ship returns to Miami.
Viking Ocean Cruises
Courtesy of Viking
13-day Amazon and Caribbean Journey
The cruise boards in San Juan and spends the following day there, giving company time to discover Outdated San Juan, El Yunque Rainforest, and the plush Condado District earlier than crusing away to Antigua and Barbuda the place company can take a catamaran cruise, off-road journey, sugar plantation tour, or spend a soothing day on the seashore. Subsequent, the ship docks in Castries, St. Lucia with choices for an aerial tram experience over the forest cover, cooking class, or catamaran cruise. The subsequent port is Bridgetown, Barbados, residence of Mt. Homosexual Rum, St. Nicholas Abbey Rum Distillery, and gorgeous seashores.
The ship cruises the Atlantic the following day, and company can benefit from the small-ship facilities, eating places, infinity pool, and leisure earlier than arriving in French Guinea, as soon as a French penal colony. After one other day at sea, the ship arrives on the mouth of the Amazon to start crusing the mighty river.
The ship visits the small metropolis of Santarém, based in 1661, the place the Amazon and Tapajós Rivers meet. The subsequent day, the ship reaches Parintins, a river island, for a folklore efficiency, the Boi Bumbá, a theatrical custom. One thousand miles upriver from the Atlantic, the ship reaches Manaus, probably the most populous metropolis within the Amazon basin, for an in a single day stick with excursions that embrace a ship cruise, motorcoach tour, jungle trek, dolphin encounter, and culinary journey. The subsequent day, company disembark for the journey residence or for added exploring of the historic metropolis.
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Derick E. Hingle/Getty Photos
Seven-night Southern Caribbean Cruise
This cruise begins in San Juan when company board the Explorer of the Seas for seven completely different Caribbean locations. The primary port is Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, with sandy seashores, colonial historical past, and scrumptious meals specialties like conch fritters and coconut patties. St. Croix is the following cease, the place duty-free procuring is a favourite pastime together with rum tasting, snorkeling, and diving. St. Maarten, ruled by each the Netherlands and France, is the following day’s port, and company can discover the tropical forest on a ziplining tour, spend the day enjoyable on a seashore, or discover centuries-old ruins.
In Castries, St. Lucia, a catamaran cruise alongside the shore supplies good views of the Pitons mountain peaks. Company can select a rainforest or fishing village tour, and there is glorious duty-free procuring as properly. Bridgetown, Barbados is residence to colonial buildings, open-air markets, and historic sugar plantations. Company can journey in a solar-powered tram into Harrison’s Cave, the place they will see waterfalls, swimming pools, and stalactite formations or they will discover the Barbados Wildlife Reserve in a 4×4 automobile.
St. Kitts and Nevis are subsequent on the itinerary, the place choices embrace a six-mile hike to the crater of a dormant volcano, rewarding hikers with spectacular views. There’s additionally a possibility to experience via the countryside on the West Indies’ final railway in a century-old double-decker railcar. The ship returns to San Juan, and company can proceed exploring the town with a strolling tour of Outdated San Juan and a dinner of native delicacies, like mofongo (fried inexperienced plantains) or bacalaitos (codfish fritters).
