Help us be cheap...

[CrimsonCruiser]

Hello friends!

I've come seeking your assistance. We're all booked (and have been for a while) for Oasis in August and really looking forward to it BUT funds are getting tighter with other life events. We don't want to waste our time on land but shore excursions (even ones booked 3rd party) can get pricey...so I'm here asking...

 

What are your low-cost or free (non beach day) excursion suggestions for:

BASSETERRE, ST KITTS & NEVIS

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

 

Much thanks as always!

[melmar02]

San Juan - we skipped breakfast on the ship and ate at a restaurant that looked good along the way to the fort. Took pictures on the hill and toured the fort. Walked down the wall and around the city, then stopped in for drinks at El Covento on the way back to the ship. I think we spent less than $20pp all day, but that was also 15 years ago.

[Ryan79]

San Juan you can just walk around for hours in Old Town very easily and not spend a dime. However there are tons of very good bars and restaurants that you can venture in and out of. No need to schedule anything ahead of time for that port at all! I was just there 6 months ago and I could spend 2-3 days there easily!

[WhoCruiser]

As others have already noted, in San Juan it's very easy to just walk up the hill to do the fort (a small entry fee there, or free if you already have a National Parks membership pass) and enjoy the old city on the way back, lots of options to snack or lunch on if you want to.

[Jolly Ogre]

St Kitts... do the train ride.

[CruiseRoyalDad]

On 5/31/2025 at 12:54 PM, CrimsonCruiser said:

Hello friends!

I've come seeking your assistance. We're all booked (and have been for a while) for Oasis in August and really looking forward to it BUT funds are getting tighter with other life events. We don't want to waste our time on land but shore excursions (even ones booked 3rd party) can get pricey...so I'm here asking...

 

What are your low-cost or free (non beach day) excursion suggestions for:

BASSETERRE, ST KITTS & NEVIS

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

 

Much thanks as always!

I thought you were on the Eastern Harmony last August with us!? Weren't we on the same roll call? I see Western in your signature so maybe not. Anyway, we are on the Wonder during the same timeframe this August with a stop in San Juan. You can spend every port hour there, as others have said, exploring el morro and old town. Dip in to a few jewelry shops, restaurants for a local drink, people watch, often music breaks out in the square (plaza colon by Sofia's restaurant) as you get closer to evening. It's one of our favorite ports hopefully we don't lose it because of pier issues. Walk up hill to tour the city and downhill if you feel like you can't find the pier. You'll find it! As many times as we've done the Eastern carib itineraries we've missed St Kitts..so no advice there. Do let us know what you come up with as far as a non-beach day for that one. 

[Jskinner]

Old San Juan is one of the most amazing old cities in the world. Many narrow streets with old cobblestone and old buildings on each side that make it feel like you’re walking in the past. It’s a 500 year old city.  We lived in PR and would go there monthly to just walk around. We are going back on a cruise and will spend the stop just in old San Juan.  Some ideas:

- zero cost: walk down paseo de princessa street then follow the pathway along the bay from there to old San Juan gate then around the city and morro where you’ll come up the side of el morro. 
- some cost: tour el morro. It’s a national park so you just pay the national park entrance fee. 
- some cost: eat at the Barrachina restaurant which has great local food and is where the pina colada was invented. Take your photo in front of the plaque. 
- some cost: get ice cream at Anita’s 

- some cost: get piragua from any little cart street vendor

- no cost: fly kites with the locals in the big grassy area in front of el morro. Always a breeze. Just let your kite go. Kids love it. 
- some cost: buy a pincho to eat from the street vendor on the paseo de princessa street. 
 

But I’m wondering when the pier for larger ships will be finished with repairs so we can go there on our next cruise. Does anyone have updates?

[CrimsonCruiser]

On 6/27/2025 at 8:53 AM, CruiseRoyalDad said:

I thought you were on the Eastern Harmony last August with us!? Weren't we on the same roll call? I see Western in your signature so maybe not. Anyway, we are on the Wonder during the same timeframe this August with a stop in San Juan. You can spend every port hour there, as others have said, exploring el morro and old town. Dip in to a few jewelry shops, restaurants for a local drink, people watch, often music breaks out in the square (plaza colon by Sofia's restaurant) as you get closer to evening. It's one of our favorite ports hopefully we don't lose it because of pier issues. Walk up hill to tour the city and downhill if you feel like you can't find the pier. You'll find it! As many times as we've done the Eastern carib itineraries we've missed St Kitts..so no advice there. Do let us know what you come up with as far as a non-beach day for that one. 

I think we did 2023 Harmony at the same time! I ended up being extra introverted and didn't go to any meetups but i think that's the one you were thinking of. lol small forum! (because of work i usually only take august cruises tho so maybe only a little small lololol)

also thanks for the tips! I'm definitely thinking we'll skip booking anything for San Juan - seems like there's so much to do easily on your own.

[CrimsonCruiser]

On 6/27/2025 at 10:01 AM, Jskinner said:

Old San Juan is one of the most amazing old cities in the world. Many narrow streets with old cobblestone and old buildings on each side that make it feel like you’re walking in the past. It’s a 500 year old city.  We lived in PR and would go there monthly to just walk around. We are going back on a cruise and will spend the stop just in old San Juan.  Some ideas:

- zero cost: walk down paseo de princessa street then follow the pathway along the bay from there to old San Juan gate then around the city and morro where you’ll come up the side of el morro. 
- some cost: tour el morro. It’s a national park so you just pay the national park entrance fee. 
- some cost: eat at the Barrachina restaurant which has great local food and is where the pina colada was invented. Take your photo in front of the plaque. 
- some cost: get ice cream at Anita’s 

- some cost: get piragua from any little cart street vendor

- no cost: fly kites with the locals in the big grassy area in front of el morro. Always a breeze. Just let your kite go. Kids love it. 
- some cost: buy a pincho to eat from the street vendor on the paseo de princessa street. 
 

But I’m wondering when the pier for larger ships will be finished with repairs so we can go there on our next cruise. Does anyone have updates?

I've just recently seen that the pier is back open...cut it relatively close but I'm SO glad we get to go. San Juan was one of the primary reasons we booked this sailing.

Also you rock for this breakdown! definitely adding to the cruise binder