I’m curious if anyone has vacationed in Puerto Rico since the hurricane and what your feelings are? Should you have waited to go. I believe infrastructure is still being reconstructed and I’m wondering if this makes for a somewhat less than desirable experience.
Posted by
Kentucky
78 posts
I am curious as well, I am considering a southern Caribbean cruise for Dec. 2019 that embarks/disembarks from San Juan and would want to come in a few days early to explore the city and maybe beyond. I've never been to Puerto Rico and would like to support them with my tourist dollars.
Posted by
Virginia
634 posts
Infrastructure in San Juan and bigger cities are okay. I do not know how things are if you head for the small towns. Most hotels in the San Juan are are operational and the beach in Isla Verde is great. What do you desire to do once you are there?
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8319 posts
I'd suggest just flying into San Juan and staying on the beach out by the airport. There are buses that run down to Old San Juan where the cruise ships come into.
You could rent a car and try to go around the island. But who knows what the most beautiful inland sections are like after the hurricane. Puerto Rico is mountainous, and the government has never properly invested in their road infrastructure. Most highways just run west from San Juan along the coast--turning south on the western end of the island.
The place is unique. People will stop their car and park in the middle of 4 lane highway to go into the bank. People sell bottles of waters at red lights. Give'em a canopy and a gas grill, and they'll have a roadside restaurant. They operate on their own time frame.
Cruises going out of San Juan usually hit a new port every morning, and they're our favorite cruises in the Caribbean.
Posted by
Mahopac
34 posts
I hope I am not too late in replying but I just saw this while searching for something else. My husband and I were in Puerto Rico at the end of January for a four day getaway and we had the best time. We stayed in an airbnb in the Condado area near the Marriott Stellaris. This is a great area to stay in as you can walk everywhere. The beach is clean, chair rentals are cheap and it was not crowded. The Marriott has a casino and they had live bands in the lobby for dancing. The Concha resort hotel is also on that strip and has some great restaurants. The Vanderbilt hotel is also there and quite elegant. There are many wonderful restaurants in this area.
We rented a car but, except from the airport, you can easily get around with Uber.
The cruise ships are in Old San Juan. On the days when the ships are in, there is a craft market and lots of vendors. No hard sales and affordable hand made souvenirs. Go take a selfie with the colorful parasols on Fortaleza street and wander the cobblestone street. Stop in for a beer and a tapa and walk down behind the walls of the Morro and back up Take the .50 ferry across to Catano to tour the Bacardi factory or simply have a nice lunch at the restaurant across from the ferry building.
We also drove across to the other side of the island and while traffic can be hairy, the views were gorgeous driving through the mountains. This was a regular highway with the best views. I can almost say it was as pretty as driving to the other side of Oahu.
The roads were fine. There are some places where you may see damaged buildings but the tourist areas are up and running. We are even thinking of making it an annual winter getaway.
Finally, I wish we could have gone to Bio Bay, but time ran out and I was a bit of a chicken to go out on a Kayak at night. There are tours that pick you up and take you back.
I have not been to the island in almost 20 years and I can say that I really enjoyed it this time. I found everyone friendlier and everything more affordable. So, yes go. You will enjoy it. If you go pre-cruise, there are also hotels across from the pier in Old San Juan but El Convento would be my pick.