After more than a year of canceled cruise stops, one of the most popular cruise destinations in the Caribbean is finally ready to welcome Royal Caribbean’s biggest cruise ships again.
The only berth in the cruise port able to accommodate Royal Caribbean’s giant Oasis and Icon Class ships has been closed since April 2024, when an MSC Cruises ship struck and damaged a dolphin mooring structure just off the main pier.
Related: MSC Cruises plans to take key title back from Royal Caribbean
The U.S. Coast Guard took operational control of the pier following the incident, closing it to cruise ships pending completion of necessary repair work, satisfactory assessment studies, and a Coast Guard inspection of the facility.
Although the port’s other piers remained open to cruise ships, only the damaged pier could accommodate Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon Class ships.
As the pier repair work dragged on for months, Royal Caribbean was forced to cancel a number of calls to the sought-after Caribbean destination. The situation disappointed many passengers who booked their cruises specifically to visit this port.
Unfortunately, Royal Caribbean had no control over the port and the only thing the cruise line could do for its passengers was find an alternative port to visit. The pier closure also impacted other cruise lines' ships like Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Treasure.
But finally, the persistent pier problem has come to an end in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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San Juan Cruise Port’s Pier 3 West finally reopens to cruise ships
On June 27, San Juan Cruise Port posted a long-anticipated announcement on its Facebook page.
“Good news for San Juan and the entire cruise industry! Pier 3 West has been officially restored, after completing a rigorous structural assessment in accordance with U.S. Coast Guard requirements. The length restriction is lifted and the full use of the facility is enabled,” San Juan Cruise Port wrote on its Facebook page on June 27.
The port’s general manager, Clarivette Diaz, acknowledged that the process was long, but necessary to ensure the safety of the port for cruise ships and their passengers.
Related: Royal Caribbean drops popular port from months of cruises
“It has been a long road, but our priority has always been to meet all the requirements established by the regulatory agencies and ensure the safe arrival of cruise ships in the coming years,” Diaz said.
There were many people and agencies involved in making it possible for San Juan to again welcome the world’s largest cruise ships.
“We deeply thank all the technical teams, consultants and agencies who made this long-awaited breakthrough possible. We continue to work with commitment so that San Juan continues to lead as the base port of the Caribbean,” San Juan Cruise Port added in its Facebook post.
Reopening of San Juan’s Pier 3 West is good news for many cruisers
Cruise passengers who have been eager for updates on the status of San Juan’s Pier 3 West are already celebrating the news that their cruises should be able to visit San Juan as planned.
“Thank you and congratulations to all who worked so hard! We chose our upcoming cruise specifically to be able to visit Puerto Rico and I’m so excited we will now be able to port here! We can’t wait to see this beautiful island,” Sarah Metzger commented on the Facebook post.
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Royal Caribbean has not yet provided any updates on its next planned calls to the port. Early this year, the cruise line canceled Icon of the Seas’ visits to San Juan in May, June, and July, replacing them with calls to Ponce, Puerto Rico or Philipsburg, St. Maarten.
This promising update from San Juan Cruise Port suggests that the ship’s Aug. 12 visit and others that follow will be able proceed as scheduled. Additionally, Oasis class Wonder of the Seas should be able to visit San Juan as planned on Aug. 6.
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