SHORE EXCURSIONS

Tear through the jungle canopy high above the forest floor on a series of ziplines, stopping every so often on towering platforms that will offer extraordinary views. The venue for your adventure will be Hacienda Campo Rico, a former sugar plantation that blankets thousands of acres of subtropical forest. Following an orientation that will allow you to maximize the experience, you will walk to the hilltop starting point. The view from this elevated perch will be magnificent, but only a hint of what’s to come. After being harnessed in and stepping off the platform into thin air, you will race through the tree canopy on a series of ziplines, each one a thrill in its own way. It will be an absolutely exhilarating experience as you fly through the air as high as 200 feet above the ground. You will pass over glassy lagoons, fields of plantain and pastureland before the last zipline ends at the Mojito Bar.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Race through a tree canopy high above the jungle floor on a series of ziplines.
• Marvel at the views of the forest and sea, especially from atop the zipline platforms.
• Walk along a natural path and across wooden suspension bridges between platforms.
• Toast the adventure with a refreshing beverage at the Mojito Bar, if you wish.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

The most enjoyable way to learn about a new destination is to indulge in its culinary offerings! Eat, drink, and learn as you walk through this 500-year-old city on a guided San Juan culinary & city tour rolled into one. Walk at a moderate pace along the historic cobblestone streets and use gastronomy, history, and culture as a passage to discover Puerto Rican culture.

During your food and culture tour, you’ll see stunning architecture, fortifications, historic plazas, and many other sites of cultural significance.

You’ll taste several Puerto Rican delicacies throughout four stops. During your tour, you'll sample a variety of regional dishes that may include perfectly roasted pork, flavorful rice and beans using Grandma's recipe, a creative plantain-focused dish, a rum cocktail and more! You get much more than just bites; our tastings are substantial, giving you a real taste of Puerto Rican cuisine and leaving you full and satisfied.

This tour is committed to reinvigorating Puerto Rico’s economy and agricultural heritage. By frequenting establishments that use local, sustainably-sourced ingredients, you receive the best and help this beautiful island thrive.

Enjoy a guided drive through one of the most beautiful cities in the Caribbean with its 17th century architecture and historic buildings. You'll have the opportunity to stroll around the grounds of the biggest fortification built by the Spaniards in the New World on your self guided visit to Fort San Cristobal. Come see its Main Plaza, “Garitas” watchtowers and authentic mortor balls. Re-board your bus and continue your guided tour to the New City, which will take you to the Condado District, filled with high-rise condos and luxury resorts.

A stop is made at one of the beautiful beaches and the Capitol Building for pictures. Return to Old San Juan where you'll visit the famous Plaza Colón. Here you may choose to stay to explore the local surroundings and enjoy some shopping or return to the ship. Take a step back in time and enjoy this captivating journey through history.

OVERVIEW

Walk along the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan with a local guide that will reveal some of the lesser-known aspects of the most iconic landmarks. As you stroll the Paseo de la Princesa promenade, you will hear about life in San Juan centuries ago, dating back to 1521 when the Spaniards founded the city. You will see the original main gate into San Juan that was constructed in a defensive wall 20 feet thick. Inside, you will view a commemorative monument, a historical military barracks and the former residence of Ponce de León, the first governor of Puerto Rico. The guide will elaborate on the importance of these heritage sites that goes well beyond the obvious. You will delve even more deeply into El Morro, a late 18th-century fortress that was once considered impregnable. The San José Church is also noteworthy as it is the second-oldest in the Americas.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Walk through Old San Juan with a guide that will disclose little-known facts about the city.
• Hear the back stories of landmarks that were constructed during colonial times.
• Explore iconic El Morro fortress but on a deeper level unknown to most visitors.
• See the second-oldest church in the Americas, which dates to San Juan’s founding.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Visit attractions so dramatic and visually beautiful that they were chosen as locations for some of the most well-known and award-winning films. Being the largest Spanish-built fort in the New World, Castillo San Cristóbal makes for an ideal historical setting and you may recognize it from the 2011 movie “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.” El Morro may be an even more iconic fort, which is why parts of the 1997 Steven Spielberg-directed film “Amistad” were shot there. As you walk between these locations and others, the guide will describe their cinematic significance. You will also drop by the neighborhood La Perla, which was featured in the 2011 film “Fast Five,” and the Puerto Rico Cultural Institute, which served as a location for “Black Panther: Wakanada Forever.” You may recognize the Hotel El Convento – a former Carmelite convent built in 1646 – from the TV series “The Flying Nun,” starring Sally Field.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See a variety of historical buildings that were used as movie locations.
• Hear stories about the movies shot in San Juan and the actors that starred in them.
• Gain an understanding of why the locations were chosen for the movies.
• Get a feel for San Juan’s wonderful ambiance while walking from location to location.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Delve into San Juan’s history on an enlightening walk through Old Town and discover how Bacardí rum has long been part of the city’s storied past. Ponce de León founded San Juan in 1521 and several landmarks from the 16th century still remain. They include the original city walls and the forts Castillo San Cristóbal and El Morro. As you follow the guide through the atmospheric streets, you will hear commentary describing events that shaped San Juan. The second-oldest church in the western hemisphere, the gothic-style San Juan Bautista has survived hurricanes, pillages and attacks. You will learn much about the influential Bacardí family on the Legacy Tour of Casa Bacardí, the world’s largest rum distillery. Its museum details the extraordinary history of Bacardí rum and the distilling process. A cocktail made with Bacardí Special Reserve, a rum that is only available at the distillery, will round out the experience.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See many of San Juan’s historical landmarks on a guided walk through Old Town.
• Browse the enlightening exhibits at Casa Bacardí on a special Legacy Tour.
• Discover the history of the Bacardí distillery and watch the rum-making process.
• Enjoy a cocktail made with a Barcardí rum that is only blended in Puerto Rico.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Enjoy a leisurely and enlightening walk through Old San Juan and Fort San Cristobal, one of the largest fortresses ever constructed in the Americas. Named for Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, the Spanish-built fort is a masterpiece of 18th-century military engineering and design. The expansive main plaza, complex tunnels and still-functioning system of collecting rainwater are particularly fascinating. So too is Old San Juan, a wonderfully atmospheric area that was settled 500 years ago. You will enter the historical district through the only original gate that remains. As you pass through it, be sure to note the remarkable thickness of the centuries-old defensive walls. While visiting the 18th-century Christo Chapel, you will hear about the miracle that supposedly happened there. Similarly, you will learn about the bishop that is said to have saved San Juan from British troops in 1797. His statue stands in Rogativa Plaza.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore Fort San Cristobal, a massive Spanish-built fortress overlooking the sea.
• See the highlights in Old San Juan while walking through the 500-year-old district.
• Hear tales of the legendary figures that played key roles in San Juan’s development.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Spend hours relaxing however you please on Isla Verde Beach, a beautiful stretch of sand in the nearby town of Carolina. It won’t take long to reach the beach, giving you all the more time to enjoy the tropical setting. As a cultural introduction, you will be encouraged to learn a few dance steps to traditional bomba and plena music before continuing on to the golden sand. It should be easy to find your own slice of paradise there as the beach is wide and long. Despite being one of the most popular beaches in the metropolitan area, Isla Verde boasts a laid-back ambiance that invites relaxing. You will be free to do nothing more ambitious than bask in the sun, stroll along the shore and lie in the shade beneath a coconut palm. The sea couldn’t be more enticing so be sure to take a refreshing swim in the turquoise waters.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Delight in the carefree atmosphere at Isla Verde, an urban beach often voted the best.
• Relax for hours in the tropical setting and do most anything you please.
• Swim, bask in the sun and stroll along the shore, if you like.
• Enjoy the welcoming bomba and plena music and learn a few dance steps.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Discover how coffee is locally grown, harvested and roasted while walking about Hacienda Muñoz, a small coffee plantation in San Lorenzo where you will enjoy a traditional Puerto Rican lunch. Although the enterprise began as a restaurant, in 2014 coffee was planted and it soon became an integral part of the farm’s success, winning awards for the Best Coffee in Puerto Rico. As you tour the hillside plantation, you will learn a bit about the history of coffee – which the Spanish introduced to Puerto Rico in 1736 – and the step-by-step process of producing Hacienda Muñoz’s aromatic signature coffee, which you will sample afterwards. Time will also be allotted for you to browse the gift shop for coffee-related items before sitting down to a multi-course lunch. If you would like another cup of coffee, you might try a latte, espresso or a cortado, a coffee drink with a one-to-one ratio of espresso and steamed milk.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour a small 20-acre plantation whose coffee has been voted the best in Puerto Rico.
• Learn how the coffee is grown and processed and sample a freshly brewed cup of it.
• Savor a classic Puerto Rican lunch at the plantation restaurant.
• Follow the meal with your choice of a latte, espresso or cortado.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Hike through the beautiful countryside surrounding Window Cave and then explore the interior of this voluminous cave system that sits atop a limestone cliff. While driving inland toward the Arecibo River Valley, you will notice the terrain becoming greener and more mountainous. A leisurely walk through the woodlands around the cave will reveal some of the more unusual flora and fauna that flourish in the tropical landscape. Still, the natural wonders inside the cave system are the real showstoppers. As you follow an environmentalist from cave to cave, you will learn about the Taino Indians that once lived in this area and see pre-Columbian petroglyphs carved into the rock surfaces. The caves are full of eerily shaped stalactites and stalagmites, which look even more dramatic when illuminated. The highlight will be standing before large namesake opening in Window Cave that offers a sweeping view of the lush valley that lies 700 feet below.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hike through the woods with an environmentalist that will describe the flora and fauna.
• Explore several caves that feature bizarrely shaped stalactites and stalagmites.
• See petroglyphs carved into the cave rocks in pre-Columbian times.
• View the valley 700 feet below from the “window” opening in Window Cave.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Delve into the world of Puerto Rican rum at Casa Bacardí, followed by a panoramic drive through the newest and oldest sections of San Juan. At the bat wing-shaped Bacardí visitors pavilion, you will hop aboard an open-air tram for an enlightening tour of the rum distillery. You can expect to see exhibits detailing the history of Bacardí rum and the distilling process. You will also visit a museum of historical documents, family portraits and vintage rum bottles. To celebrate this immersion into all things Bacardí, you will be served a cocktail made with a Bacardí rum that is only blended in Puerto Rico. Afterwards, you will pause for photos outside San Cristobal, the biggest Spanish-built fortification in the Americas, and the historical Capitol, which stands near the entrance to Old San Juan. A drive through Condado, a modern district full of high-rise condominiums and luxury resorts, rounds out your introduction to the city.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse the enlightening visitors pavilion at the Bacardí rum distillery.
• Discover the history of the distillery and watch the rum-making process.
• Enjoy a cocktail made with a Barcardí rum that is only blended in Puerto Rico.
• See the modern side of San Juan and the historical area that was founded in 1521.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Delve into the history of Puerto Rico’s capital on a heritage tour of an acclaimed rum distillery and by exploring Old San Juan. A special welcome cocktail will be served as you arrive at the Ron del Barrilito distillery, which has been producing rum in the same manner since 1880. While touring, you will learn about the age-old process and have the opportunity to purchase rums only available at the visitor center. More history will be revealed at Fort San Cristóbal, a 17th-century Spanish fort that UNESCO recognized as a World Heritage site. Built to protect the island from land attacks, the so-called Gibraltar of the Caribbean boasts walls that rise 150 feet above the sea and a sentry box that is supposedly haunted. Old San Juan is even older as it was founded in 1521. A panoramic drive through the historical city will serve as a fine introduction, so you can maximize your free time there.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See how the Ron del Barrilito distillery produces rum using a process that dates back to 1880.
• Visit San Cristóbal, a 17th-century fort that UNESCO deemed a World Heritage site.
• Enjoy a panoramic drive through Old San Juan and free time to explore it on your own.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.