Frequent cruisers will know that there are a limited number of destinations one can visit when embarking on an island tour closer to the US: in the Caribbean, some of the most common ports are Nassau in the Bahamas, Cozumel in Mexico and CocoCay, the private island. owned by Royal Caribe (RCL) .
While some ports in the city would be a perfect stop for a cruise, ships may not stop there for several reasons. Sometimes it comes down to local laws or agreements with cruise companies, while, as in the case of the recent political violence in Haiti, itineraries are rerouted at the last minute.
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Puerto Rico's capital, San Juan, is a stop on many Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Caribbean itineraries. But the carnival (CCL) Princess Cruises, owned by Princess Cruises, withdrew from this port in 2015 to prioritize other destinations; This week, the cruise company announced that it will return to Puerto Rico for the first time in 10 years with a seven-day route aboard the Grand Princess. starting October 2025.
Princess Cruises wants to re-engage in this 'fast-growing destination'
“Puerto Rico remains one of the fastest growing destinations in the Caribbean and continues to attract new airlifts from source markets throughout the United States, as well as markets in Europe and South America, making it an excellent choice for Princess “said the commercial chief of Princess Cruises. Officer Terry Thornton said in a statement. “Plus, there are many great options to choose from for a great pre- or post-cruise stay.”
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The two new routes, which will alternate one after the other throughout the season, will begin in San Juan and continue towards the Caribbean; The first route will make stops in Tortola, St. Kitts, Dominica, Grenada and Barbados, while the second will stop in St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Antigua, Saint Vincent and Barbados.
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The Grand Princess will go to Puerto Rico instead of Australia and New Zealand
The Grand Princess is a 2,600-passenger ship whose amenities include four swimming pools, an adults-only sanctuary overlooking the ocean, a large entertainment theater and a putting green. According to Princess Cruises, tickets for the new routes will be available for purchase starting May 18, while the season for the new routes will run from October 12, 2025 to March 29, 2026.
She was originally supposed to sail from Sydney and Brisbane for a tour of Australia and New Zealand, but was reassigned to the Caribbean route departing from San Juan, as the closer routes are likely to have more traffic from US markets. Puerto Rico, in particular, has seen a lot of interest in recent years.
“We are excited to welcome Princess Cruises back to the Port of San Juan,” Carlos Mercado Santiago, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, said in a statement. “This announcement underscores our commitment to establishing San Juan as the leading home port in the region, where guests can sail through the wonderful ports of the Eastern and Southern Caribbean. Additionally, travel will help drive economic development for both Puerto Rico and our regional partners.”
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