This week, we're featuring ports you may find on your cruise itinerary, to give you a snapshot of what it's like, what ships usually go there and what some of the options are once you get off the ship. Today it's San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Twice we've had the pleasure of being on a cruise ship in San Juan, once to depart and once as a port stop. And it is a pleasure because, among other things, the place where our ships docked was in the heart of Old San Juan.
Like, almost across the street.
That means, if you're flying in to catch a cruise, you can stay at the Sheraton Old San Juan and — depending on how close your ship is — roll your luggage down the street…you also can, if so inclined, also spend some time (and money) at the casino in the hotel's lobby.
That means you can take your own walking tour of Old San Juan and visit places from San Cristobal Castle to San Felipe Del Morro Castle to the Governor's 
Residence (easy to find), where there are two free tours a day.
That means there's a Starbucks in the heart of the old city so that if you're not hooked on the coffee you can still hook into free WiFi for a cyberspace update, and the streets are filled with people, shops and restaurants. Even better, a hop-on, hop-off shuttle takes you from one end of town to the other, if you get tired of walking.
Between our visits, the Puerto Ricans made the waterfront area even more appealing and safety is generally not an issue. In a restaurant late one evening, we met a server who said she regularly walked home alone after her shift ended at 1 a.m., and even at that hour she felt completely safe.
While there are many cruise lines going in and out of San Juan, we were on Celebrity and Royal Caribbean ships. The last time, we were on Explorer of the Seas and did notice that a sister ship, Grandeur of the Seas, was moored on the other side of San Antonio Canal from Old San Juan.
To us, that was their loss, although one that could be overcome with a short cab ride around the water.
Today at portsandbows.com: The latest in cruise news
Crown Princess
7 nights
September 13, 2014
Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Astoria, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles
Inside: $699
Cost per day: $99
www.princess.com