Cruises from San Juan to the Eastern Caribbean

Which lines sail from San Juan to the Eastern Caribbean?

• Royal Caribbean International
  Energetic, family-friendly and packed with headline attractions; think floating theme park with a good Broadway show at night.
• Viking
  Quiet, elegant and intellectually curious; think a stylish Nordic hotel where the evening entertainment might be a history lecture.
• Virgin Voyages
  Adults-only and boutique-hotel cool, with a playful, sometimes cheeky edge and a late-night social scene.

Ships recently or currently deployed on this route include Resilient Lady. Deployments change season to season, so we confirm the ship for your dates when we quote.

When to go

1. January: Best time, average high 84 degrees F Jan 84°74°
2. February: Best time, average high 84 degrees F Feb 84°74°
3. March: Best time, average high 85 degrees F Mar 85°74°
4. April: Best time, average high 86 degrees F Apr 86°76°
5. May: Shoulder season, average high 87 degrees F May 87°78°
6. June: Cruises run, average high 89 degrees F Jun 89°79°
7. July: Cruises run, average high 90 degrees F Jul 90°79°
8. August: Cruises run, average high 90 degrees F Aug 90°80°
9. September: Cruises run, average high 89 degrees F Sep 89°80°
10. October: Cruises run, average high 88 degrees F Oct 88°78°
11. November: Shoulder season, average high 87 degrees F Nov 87°77°
12. December: Best time, average high 85 degrees F Dec 85°75°

• Best time
• Shoulder season
• Cruises run
• Few or none

Temperatures in Fahrenheit, long-term averages. Climate source.

Sailings run year-round. December to April is the dry season and peak demand. The islands sit in the main Atlantic hurricane track, so June through November, and especially mid-August to mid-October, carries the highest chance of itinerary changes.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and the Virgin Islands and Leeward Islands lie in the path of many storms that form off Africa in late summer. Most activity falls between mid-August and mid-October. Expect possible port swaps in those months. Winter trade winds can make sea days a little bumpy on the open-ocean leg from Florida.

Where you'll stop

Itineraries vary by line and length. These are the ports the Eastern Caribbean cruises most often visit:

• Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands: Magens Bay, duty-free shopping, the Skyride viewpoint and ferries to St. John's national park beaches.
• Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Sint Maarten: Beach right off the boardwalk, plus quick trips to the French side, Orient Bay and Maho Beach.
• San Juan, Puerto Rico (US): Old San Juan's forts and colorful streets are a short walk from the pier, and evening departures leave time for dinner ashore.
• Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands: Boat trips to The Baths on Virgin Gorda and to some of the best sailing waters in the Caribbean.
• Basseterre, St. Kitts, St. Kitts and Nevis: Brimstone Hill Fortress (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a scenic railway and a short boat ride to Nevis.
• St. John's, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda: Many beaches close to port and the restored Nelson's Dockyard at English Harbour.

Before you sail from San Juan

From SJU, taxis and rideshare reach the Old San Juan piers in roughly 20 to 30 minutes, and Puerto Rico's tourism taxis use set zone fares from the airport. Cruise lines also sell airport transfers. If your ship uses the Pan American Piers on Isla Grande, make sure your driver knows, since that is a different location from the old-city piers.

Few cruisers drive to the San Juan piers. Public garages in and around Old San Juan offer multi-day parking, but space is tight; if you are a local driving in, confirm overnight rules and rates with the garage in advance.

• U.S. citizens do not need a passport to fly to Puerto Rico, but a passport is recommended for a Caribbean cruise in case you need to fly home from another island.
• Confirm whether your ship uses the Old San Juan piers or the Pan American Piers on Isla Grande.
• Spend a night in Old San Juan; the forts and streets are a short walk from the ship.
• Expect warm, humid weather year-round and pack accordingly for the walk to the terminal.

Documents: Cruises that begin and end at the same US port are "closed-loop" sailings. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says US citizens on a closed-loop cruise can re-enter the United States with a birth certificate plus a government-issued photo ID, and children under 16 need only proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate (most lines want an original or certified copy, not a photocopy). CBP also warns that the countries your ship visits may still ask for a passport, and cruise lines can set stricter rules than the government does. We recommend a passport book anyway: if you miss the ship or have to fly home early from a foreign port, you cannot board an international flight without one, and a passport card works only for land and sea crossings. Non-US citizens, including green card holders, have different rules. Check current requirements with your cruise line and the State Department before you sail. St. Thomas, St. John and Puerto Rico are US territories, but your other stops are foreign countries with their own entry rules.

More detail: our full San Juan cruise port guide and our Eastern Caribbean cruise guide.

Related routes

Also from San Juan: Southern Caribbean, Caribbean.

Eastern Caribbean from other ports: Baltimore, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Port Canaveral.