San Juan cruise larboard is located on the north seashore of Ruerto Rico. It is the largest city and the capital of the island. San Juan is the second-oldest, after Santo Domingo, capital that the Europeans established in the Caribbean. originally the island was named San Juan and the interface – Ciudad de Puerto Rico. They swapped over meter. San Juan cruise interface agenda has booked ships operating chiefly on Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries leaving roundtrip from Florida ports. however, it is besides a homeport for several major cruise line vessels operating roundtrip cruises leaving from Puerto Rico. Among the most popular Caribbean island port destinations frequently combined with Puerto Rico are Windward Islands ( St Lucia, Dominica, St Vincent, Barbados, Tobago, Grenada ), Leeward Islands ( St Maarten, Guadeloupe, St Kitts ) and dutch Antilles ( Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba ). All Puerto Rico beaches are open to the public. however, public beaches ( served by lifeguards and with facilities ) are called hera balnearios. They are free of charge ( no entry fees ) but accusation for parking, a well as lockers and showers. The most popular are El Escambron and Isla Verde.
In early April 2017 was announced the ( RCCL ) Royal Caribbean ‘s partnership with Puerto Rico Ports Authority ( government-owned corporation ) for improving the port ‘s cruise pier “ Pan American Wharf 2 ”. The decisiveness followed RCCL ‘s announcements about homeporting Freedom of the Seas in port San Juan ( starting May 2018 ). To needed development investments will optimize the port ‘s cruise dock infrastructure. The works will include boarding bridge improvements, safety checkpoints improvements, restrooms improvements, mooring improvements, new passenger registration desks, building improvements, enlarging the terminal ‘s baggage inspection area, besides dredging in the pier ‘s transport docking area. During season 2015-2016, RCCL / Royal Caribbean ships alone brought to Port San Juan 574,140 passengers. During season 2017-2018, this number reached 700,000.
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The cruise port was visited by 6,8 million cruise passengers in 2008-2009, 7,9 million ( 2014-2015 ) and 1,5 million ( 2015-2016 ). Cruise tourists contribute around 7,1 % to Puerto Rico ‘s economy. To be able to handle the world ‘s largest cruise vessels, Port San Juan invested around USD 8 million in building a 3rd dock. On December 28, 2016, the port was visited by Harmony of the Seas ( max capacity 6314 pax / 2300 crew ). For FY2018, Puerto Rico estimated that around 1,7 million cruise ship tourists will arrive on the scheduled 540 ship calls, generating around USD 250 million for the local economy. The tourism industry represents ~7 % of the state ‘s economy. 2018 ended with handle about 1,8 million cruisers via 517 ship calls ( 21 % increase over 2017 ).
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In late-September 2020, PRPA ( Puerto Rico Ports Authority / managing company ) issued a request for proposals for Isla Grande ‘s Pier 15 dry dock ( southeast from the cruise port ). The future project includes the adeptness ‘s rectify ( overhaul ), sustenance and operation. The dry-dock was in the first place built ( in the early-1940s ) and operated by the US Navy, acquired by PRPA in the late-1990s and not used since 2000. The project could generate ~USD 20 million ( in individual investments ), ~USD 16 million ( annual impact ) and support ~400 local jobs. The refurbish dry-dock could be used for general care works and refurbishments of assorted ship types ( including cargo, smaller-sized cruisers, ferries, superyachts ). The dry-dock has length ~600 foot ( 183 megabyte ), width 102 foot ( 31 thousand ) and depth 26 foot ( 10 molarity ), which allows it to serve ships with soap LOA length 400 foot ( 121 megabyte ). By annual passenger dealings ( statistical data 2019 ), the Caribbean ‘s top-10 largest airports are : This explains why these port cities are used as seasonal turnaround ports for homeporting ( roundtrip itineraries ) by many major cruise companies with ship deployments in the Caribbean .