Pier 4 (Old San Juan)
Old San Juan District berth with East and West sides, handling both transit calls and homeport operations, with check-in, baggage handling and a boarding bridge. Assignments vary by sailing.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico, a US territory in the northeastern Caribbean, and the US dollar is the currency. More about San Juan →
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Ship schedule by month
October 2026 · from today · all times local (Atlantic Standard Time)
ShipDateArrivalDeparture
Showing 10 of 11 calls in October
Cruise Ships in San Juan
Today and the next 7 days · all times local (Atlantic Standard Time)
Today · Thu 22 OctLight
5,013 people in port
1 ship · ships alongside 13:00 – 21:00
44% quieter than a typical day in San Juan. Busiest 13:00 – 21:00, when 1 ship is alongside.
Next 7 days
Quietest: Sat 24 Oct · busiest: Wed 28 Oct- Thu22 Oct5.0kLight1 ship
- Fri23 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Sat24 Oct2.8kQuiet1 ship
- Sun25 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Mon26 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Tue27 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Wed28 Oct11.2kBusy3 ships
Thousands of people in port, guests plus crew. Crowd level compared with a typical San Juan day.
Planning a day in San Juan?
The crowd calendar shows every ship and how busy the port is, hour by hour, plus the quietest and busiest days for the next 90 days.
Where is the San Juan cruise port?
San Juan Cruise Port has two districts, and berths vary by ship and sailing; ships dock alongside, with no tendering.
Transit ships mostly use Piers 3 and 4 on the south waterfront of Old San Juan, about 20 minutes' walk (1.5 km) from the historic streets and 10 minutes from Castillo San Cristobal. Pier 4 also handles embarkation.
Big homeport ships mostly use the Pan American Piers on Isla Grande, next to the convention center, about 6 km (15 minutes by car) from Old San Juan with no practical walk.
Terminal
Getting to the San Juan cruise port
Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (SJU) → Old San Juan cruise piers (Piers 3 and 4)
12–13 km · ~15 min by car
Most embarking passengers take a taxi or Uber/Lyft west on PR-26. Airport taxi dispatchers write the fare before you board; allow longer in weekday rush hours.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
TransportTypical priceJourneyGood to know
Taxi Turistico
$24per vehicle
~15 min
Airport fixed fare (USD 21 Zone 4 plus USD 3 airport fee); bags and night extra, cash.
Uber / Lyft
$20–30per vehicle
~15 min
Approximate; surge pricing is common on busy embarkation mornings.
Private transfer
$45–75per vehicle
~15 min
Pre-booked sedan or van; prices vary by operator and group size.
Cruise-line transfer
Variesper person
Varies
Varies by sailing; book through your cruise line.
AMA bus (T5 / D53)
$0.75per person
~50 min
To Covadonga terminal next to the piers; small bags only, no Sunday service.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
Driving to the port
San Juan Cruise Port says taxis and Uber/Lyft are available outside both districts, and there's no parking inside the port. Check your boarding documents for your pier: the Old San Juan piers and the Pan American Piers are about 4.4 km (8 minutes' drive) apart. Taxi fares are paid in cash; tolls and tips are extra.
San Juan Cruise Terminals
4 terminals
Pier 3 (Old San Juan)
Old San Juan District berth, recently upgraded to take today's largest ships, mainly used for transit calls by lines such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC and Disney. Assignments vary by sailing.
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Pan American Piers I & II (Isla Grande)
Two terminals on Isla Grande, across the channel from Old San Juan, built for large homeport operations with dual boarding bridges. They mainly handle turnarounds and are not walkable to Old San Juan.
Pier 1 (Old San Juan)
Westernmost Old San Juan pier, historically used by smaller ships. No cruise calls are currently scheduled here.
Parking at the San Juan cruise port
The San Juan cruise port says there is no parking inside the cruise port. It points passengers to the public Covadonga parking garage across from the Old San Juan piers, and to private lots nearby. Most passengers arrive by taxi from Luis Munoz Marin Airport, about 20 minutes away. The Pan American piers at Isla Grande are not walkable from Old San Juan, so taxis are the norm there.
Parking facilities
FacilityServesRatesReservationRate notes
Covadonga parking garagePublic garage (operator not confirmed)
All terminals
Rates not yet published
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Serves All terminals · Reservation: —
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The operator lists wheelchair assistance among its guest services.
Where to Stay Before Your Cruise
Pick the area first. Typical nightly prices, approximate.
Old San Juan
$75–390 / night
Walking to the piers
Typical hotel
$75–390 / night
Port ~5 minAirport ~20 min
Historic boutique hotels a short walk or taxi ride from the Old San Juan piers.
Hotels here
- Hotel El Convento
- Hotel Palacio Provincial
- Hyatt Place San Juan
Condado
$110–440 / night
Beach and restaurants
Typical hotel
$110–440 / night
Port ~10 minAirport ~15 min
Beachfront resort strip with many restaurants, about 10 minutes from the piers.
Hotels here
- The Condado Plaza Hotel
- AC Hotel San Juan Condado
- DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Juan
Isla Verde
$100–305 / night
Beach stay near the airport
Typical hotel
$100–305 / night
Port ~15 minAirport ~10 min
Beach hotels next to the airport, for late arrivals and early flights.
Hotels here
- Hyatt Centric San Juan Isla Verde
- The Royal Sonesta San Juan
- Embassy Suites by Hilton San Juan Hotel & Casino
Rates rise in the December–April high season.
Eating in San Juan
- Breakfast per person
- $10–30
- per person
- Casual lunch per person
- $10–30
- per person
- Restaurant dinner per person
- $20–70
- per person
Prices are approximate. Sales tax (IVU) is added to menu prices, and a 15–20% tip is customary at table service.
Where to eat
Old San Juan
Cafés and Puerto Rican restaurants on Calle Fortaleza and San Justo, steps from the piers.
Condado – Ashford Avenue
Restaurant strip along the Condado beach hotels.
Destination
About San Juan
San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico, a US territory in the northeastern Caribbean, and the US dollar is the currency.
Its walled historic core, Old San Juan, sits on an islet at the mouth of San Juan Bay, with blue cobblestone streets, pastel colonial houses, La Fortaleza and the Spanish forts of El Morro and San Cristobal. Beyond the walls, Condado and Isla Verde have beach hotels, Santurce has street art and La Placita's night scene, and El Yunque rainforest is within an hour's drive.
San Juan is both a major cruise homeport and a busy port of call, with about 1.43 million cruise passengers a year.
- Climate
- Tropical and warm year-round, averaging about 27°C, with the hottest weather from June to October. The rainy season runs roughly April to November, wettest in August to October, and hurricane season is June to November.
- Time zone
- Atlantic Standard Time
- Currency
- US Dollar (USD)
Things to Do in San Juan
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San Juan National Historic Site: El Morro and San Cristobal
The two great Spanish forts guarding Old San Juan, with ramparts, tunnels and Atlantic views; San Cristobal is about 10 minutes' walk from Pier 4. One USD 10 adult pass (cashless) covers both for 24 hours.
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Old San Juan historic district
Blue cobblestone streets of pastel colonial houses around Calle del Cristo and Calle Fortaleza, with La Fortaleza, the cathedral and Paseo de la Princesa. It is walkable straight from Piers 3 and 4.
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El Yunque National Forest
A protected tropical rainforest with trails and waterfalls such as La Coca Falls, about 40 minutes' drive from the piers. Rideshare pick-ups aren't allowed, so go with a tour, taxi or rental car.
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Casa BACARDI, Catano
The world's largest premium rum distillery, across San Juan Bay, with tours, tastings and cocktail classes (18+). The ferry from Pier 2 plus a shuttle takes about 20 minutes; booking ahead is recommended.