Our second port of call on this 7-day inaugural sailing of the new MSC Cruises flagship, MSC World America, is none other than San Juan, Puerto Rico—one of my favorite spots to visit in the Caribbean any time of the year.
We were given the all-clear to head ashore around 9 a.m., and what is normally a busy port was rather quiet today, as we were the only ship here. This meant that many of the locals who set up tents along the main street right outside the cruise terminal took the day off, as the street was pretty clear with fewer than half a dozen out selling their wares.
San Juan has been off the port call list for several months now for cruisers traveling on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships due to damage that was done to a mooring dolphin (the “thingie” ships tie up to when they’re docked). Back in April 2024, an MSC cruise ship hit the dolphin, and it ended up in Davy Jones’s locker, rendering the only pier able to accommodate a vessel the size of the Oasis-class ships unable to dock.
A year later, repairs are still being made in a process that seems to be taking an awfully long time. With MSC’s World-class ships just slightly smaller than the Oasis-class, they can use the piers unaffected by the damage. The photo below shows work progressing, and it hasn’t progressed much since my last visit here a few months ago.
San Juan is a 100% walkable port with so much to do in close proximity to the cruise terminal. Whether you’re looking to do some shopping at one of the hundreds of little stores that line the narrow, hilly, cobblestone streets in Old San Juan, or head to one of the forts, like El Morro (the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean), all of this can be done without having to grab a taxi or take a tour.
However, if you want to hit up a beach or visit newer parts of the city, you can grab a taxi right outside the port. Unlike other destinations in the Caribbean, the locals are very friendly and aren’t pushy. The area is considered very safe, and with it being part of the United States, many attractions are under the auspices of the U.S. Park Service and are well-maintained and staffed with guides to answer any questions or give you a bit of a history lesson.
Whenever I’m here, I pretty much spend my time wandering around, and since all aboard isn’t until 10:30 p.m., there’s plenty of time to just take in as much sightseeing as possible, even though I’ve seen much of the area dozens and dozens of times, including an old cemetery, which I did a video tour of that you can watch below.
After stepping off the ship, I had to check out the MSC World America up close. She was docked bow-in, and as you can see in the photos, her bow is not the traditional bulbous bow that most cruise ships have today and one that initially comes to mind when thinking of ocean travel, as seen here on the Holland America ship, Eurodam.
MSC World America has what is called a plumb bow, where the bow of the ship rises straight up from the waterline. As ships continue to evolve, they’re being built to be more efficient so they save on fuel yet remain fast. The striking plumb bow design on the World-class ships is designed to do just that—make the ship efficient while not compromising speed. While she may look a little strange compared to traditional cruise ships, when you see her this close up, she’s incredible and certainly turns heads!
After admiring the ship’s beauty from the outside, I headed over to El Morro to do some walking around. It was a hot and very humid day, so it didn’t take long for my t-shirt to look like I wore it in the shower. The walk over to El Morro only takes about 10 minutes, and once you’re there, there are plenty of walking trails, things to see inside the fort, and some spectacular views and photo ops overlooking San Juan Bay.
On this particular trip, I noticed that the feral cat population, rumored to have descendants of felines brought over by Columbus when he discovered the New World, has been greatly reduced. Work has been going on for a few years to relocate the cat population, as they had grown in such large numbers that the entire area turned into one big smelly cat litter box.
While wandering around, I noticed that many of the feeding boxes have been removed, brush has been cut back, the smell has been dramatically reduced, and I counted a grand total of just four cats. You used to walk all along the fort and see dozens and dozens of cats in the bushes, on the rocks, and just meandering around among the iguanas.
Where is Umbrella Street in San Juan?
That’s a question I get asked a lot from friends and cruisers looking for this popular photo op. Well, Umbrella Street USED to be located on Calle Fortaleza, and you can find many photos online when searching for “umbrella street Puerto Rico” to see what this looked like.
Part of the Umbrella Sky Project, the display was installed in 2017 and removed in 2019. Since then, it’s been replaced with seasonal decorations like Christmas bells or replacements like kites, butterflies, or a Puerto Rican flag.
While there is no longer an Umbrella Street, there are plenty of other great places in the historic downtown area to grab a selfie.
One tip for travelers visiting San Juan that I always share is right in plain sight from your ship—Walgreens! If you forgot to pack deodorant, need some Advil, or have to grab some Band-Aids because your feet are sore from all that walking, Walgreens to the rescue. The pharmacy is directly across the street from the dock, so it makes a convenient stop for things you may need.
Despite being in town until 10:30 p.m., almost all were back on board by dinner time, and the ship was buzzing with activities with a packed calendar of events that you can see at the end of this post in the daily planner. However, no casino. The casino would not be open until we were clear of San Juan Bay and out in international waters, so gamblers got a night off. However, we have two back-to-back sea days, and that means the casino will be open around the clock.
Dinner at Kaito Teppanyaki on MSC World America
After having a few cocktails at The Gin Project, including a G&T made with black tomato gin (yes, that’s a thing), I headed over for my dinner reservation at Kaito Teppanyaki.
With multiple seatings per night, this dinner and show is a must, especially if you’ve never been to a teppanyaki restaurant before. Priced at $55 per person and available as a dining credit if you’ve purchased one of the specialty dining packages, the dinner is a multi-course experience.
I always hope going in that I’m going to be seated at a table that is going to be fun. Many times, I’ve been seated at a table where nobody talked or got into the spirit, which made for a very long evening. Tonight, I lucked out. I was seated at a table with a family of four, a newlywed couple from Ireland onboard for their honeymoon, and an older couple. We all had a great time interacting with our chef and enjoying all the delicious food that just kept on coming.
Dinner starts out with a sushi course, which can be swapped out for a vegetarian option if you’re not into raw fish. That’s followed by miso soup and salad. You can choose from two different main courses, with proteins already chosen as part of the $55 (and the dining package), or you can upgrade for $20 to have Wagyu, lobster, scallops, and black cod, which most of us did, as well as the traditional fried rice and veggies.
This is all followed up by some ice cream for dessert!
Service was great, the food fantastic, and everyone at the table had an enjoyable evening.
White Night & Sail Away from San Juan
Once dinner was over, I headed over to the Panorama Lounge, as it was White Night, and that’s where the party was. I was a bit early, as I got there right at 10:45 p.m. when it started, and the place wasn’t filled up yet. Since it was White Night, the majority of those onboard got into the spirit and dressed in white for photo ops all around the ship.
When 11 p.m. rolled around, I headed outside for our sail away from San Juan. This happens to be one of my favorite parts about visiting San Juan. The views entering and leaving the port are beautiful, and nighttime is no exception. With the lights of the city fading in the distance as the ship pulls out of port and heads out into the bay, you can’t help but notice the formidable El Morro guarding the city, also bathed in light as a beacon waving goodbye.
Time Lapse Video of our Departure from San Juan
Check out this time lapse video of our 20 minute departure from San Juan, in five minutes:
Once we were on our way, I headed back to my stateroom to call it a night when all of a sudden an announcement from the bridge was made—“MIKE ECHO, MIKE ECHO SPORTS BAR.” That is the alert for the crew to respond to a medical emergency at the All Star Sports Bar, which is directly below my cabin.
While I won’t get into details, the entire World Promenade was cleared of guests, and those out on their balconies were told to go back inside their staterooms.
Around 2 a.m., the ship turned around and began to head back to San Juan to disembark the passenger in need of medical attention. We pulled back into port around 4 a.m. and departed an hour later, continuing on with our journey.
As I mentioned, the next two days will be spent at sea as we head back to Miami, but not before visiting MSC’s private island in The Bahamas, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve, for a full day of activities on Friday.
Stay tuned for more from the inaugural sailing of MSC World America, and as always, thanks for following along!
MSC World America Day 4 Daily Program
Click here for the entire version as a PDF.
