Royal Caribbean's San Juan Cruise Port Guide

We kicked off our honeymoon adventure in San Juan, and this trip taught us a lot right from the start. One of the best decisions we made was flying in a day early. As luck would have it, the airspace actually got shut down on the day we were originally supposed to board! Many passengers arrived extremely late—or missed the ship entirely—so arriving early definitely saved us some stress.

When we got to the port, there’s a small drop-off area, but it can be a little tricky to access. We took an Uber from our hotel and accidentally entered the wrong port address—apparently there are two cruise ports in San Juan! Definitely double-check that before you head out.

Once we arrived, security was quick and easy. We usually purchase “The Key” add-on, and for us it feels worth it because it saves a lot of time. Boarding was an absolute breeze. There’s an escalator going up, and an elevator is available as well for accessibility. The staff were welcoming and friendly, and compared to huge cruise ports like Miami, this one felt much more relaxed and manageable.

As you head inside, there’s some really pretty artwork along the way—so it’s a great spot to grab a quick selfie before boarding the ship.

Because we had The Key, we were able to board earlier. It’s actually a great little trick if you book a cruise last minute and the early boarding times are already gone. One of the perks is a special welcome lunch, and it was delicious. I ordered a perfectly cooked filet mignon and started the vacation off with a glass of wine. (Wine is extra unless you have the drink package.) On this cruise we skipped the drink package since we had so many port days—it ended up being cheaper to grab drinks while we were off the ship.

Debarkation at the end of the cruise was a little chaotic, mostly because not everyone sticks to their assigned departure times. We ended up waiting about 20–30 minutes for an Uber.

Overall, though, the San Juan cruise port had a really nice, relaxed vibe. If you want to see more, check out our videos where we share a full cabin tour of the Jewel of the Seas and show off our adventures around the ports—and some fun onboard fashion moments too.