Royal Caribbean has announced their return dates for San Juan, Puerto Rico and Philipsburg, St. Maarten, marking a major milestone towards the revival of the Caribbean gems that were impacted by recent hurricanes. On November 30, Freedom of the Seas will be the first in the fleet to call on San Juan. Grandeur of the Seas will follow suit on December 17 as the first cruise ship to sail into St. Maarten since Majesty of the Seas arrived to provide relief last month. The news comes on the heels of the recent announcement that Adventure of the Seas will be the first ship to call on St. Thomas on November 10.
Working closely with the islands’ governments and local businesses, Royal Caribbean will be offering destination experiences that will allow guests to enjoy the natural beauty, historic landmarks, and culture of the idyllic islands. Power and transportation is on track to be available in San Juan by November 30, and guests can tour the city by foot, bike, Segway, or bus. Similarly, the return of power and water to most of St. Maarten means that most of the shops, restaurants, and tour operators around Philipsburg will be fully operational for guests.
As of November 30, all scheduled calls to San Juan and St. Thomas across 10 ships in Royal’s fleet will operate as planned. The scheduled visits to St. Maarten will operate as planned starting December 17, with the exception of Oasis of the Seas which will make her first call to the island on January 1 during the New Year’s Eve cruise. The line will also be returning to St. Croix in January, on the 8th with the arrival of Jewel of the Seas. All calls to Dominica are cancelled through June 2018, and Royal Caribbean is working closely with the local government on a return date to the destination.
