Puerto Rico’s colourful, characterful capital is just 900 nautical miles from the Magic City and makes a popular stop-over for cruises destined for the powder-white sands of the Caribbean.
A beach in San Juan (Photo courtesy of MSC Cruises)
Miami is widely known as one of the cruise capitals of the world for good reason. Conveniently located in Biscayne Bay, to the east of downtown, it’s the busiest port in the United States. That means plenty of options when it comes to choosing a cruise bound for Puerto Rico and beyond. Most cruises tend to incorporate the capital city into a longer trip around the Caribbean, either as one of the first or last stops on the itinerary. To help make the choice a little easier, we’ve selected five of the best cruises from Miami to Puerto Rico, based on value for money, itineraries and ship amenities and facilities.
7 Night Eastern Caribbean with MSC Cruises
This eight-day cruise is an excellent option for those who want to combine city sights with beachside bliss. Cruises depart from Miami in the evening, then stop off at the liner’s private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The island’s lively capital Nassau is next on the list, followed by a full day at sea. On day five, guests are treated to a full day in San Juan, leaving plenty of time to trace back 500 years of history, drink cocktails and salsa dance, and snorkel at one of the city’s many beaches. The final stop is Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. From $409 per person.
7 Night Caribbean with Carnival Cruises
A view of San Cristobal fort (Photo courtesy of MSC Cruises)
This lively cruise combines trips to three Caribbean islands with three days of fun at sea onboard the renowned Carnival Celebration. First up is a trip to Amber Cove, a private 30-acre island with overwater cabanas, resort-style pools and dozens of excursions, from kayaking to swimming with dolphins. Then it’s onwards to San Juan for full day of wandering around colourful, cobbled streets, colonial fortresses and gold-sand beaches. The final stop on the itinerary is St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, followed by two fun-packed days at sea. From $754 per person.
9 Night Caribbean with Norwegian Sky
This upper-end cruise includes a jam-packed itinerary that ticks off five blockbuster Caribbean destinations, including a whole day in Puerto Rico’s lively capital city San Juan. Cruises depart from Miami at 5.30 pm and, following a day at Sea, stop off at Puerto Plata, San Juan, Philipsburg, St. John’s and St. Thomas. On board the recently refurbished Norwegian Sky, guests are treated to more than 10 dining options, including the all-new Sushi Bar, an onboard spa, pools, casinos and entertainment. From $1,499 per person.
9 Night Caribbean with Royal Caribbean International
Grandeur of the Seas (Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean International)
This budget-friendly 10-day cruise is one of the cheapest we’ve found online, but it doesn’t scrimp on itineraries or amenities. Guests onboard Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas can keep themselves occupied during their two full days at sea with complimentary Broadway-style entertainment, a sprawling Vegas-style casino, a rock climbing wall above the waves and open-air poolside movies. The itinerary includes stops at Puerto Plata, San Juan, St. Johns, Roseau an Basse-Terre before returning to Miami.From $530 per person.
14 Night Caribbean & Antilles
This epic 15-day cruise offers a dizzying whistle-stop tour of some of the Caribbean and Antilles’ showstopping islands and destinations, stopping in Mexico, Honduras, the Bahamas, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico along the way. Cruises depart from Miami in the evening bound for Mexico’s glistening Costa Maya. After a day exploring ancient ruins and lagoons, the next stop is Isla de Routan in Honduras followed by the dreamy island of Cozumel, in Mexico. After a day at sea, it’s the first of two stops at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, followed by a day out in Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. The trip winds down with a full-day stopover in San Juan, followed by one last hurrah at Ocean Cay MSC. From $849 per person.