We always get asked "What do they have at the Duty Free stores?", "Are the any prices good?" and “Can I take it with me on the ship or plane?".

If you’re at the airport or embarking on your cruise from San Juan (at both the Pan American pier and Pier 4 in Old San Juan), you’ll be able to purchase duty free liquor at the terminal and pier before you board the plane or the ship (and cigarettes at the airport).

For the plane, you can buy up to the customs limit and carry it on the plane.

For the ship, the employees at the duty free store might tell you that you can carry anything you want onto the ship — they want you to buy at lot. Each cruise line has a different policy on what (if any) liquor you can carry onto the ship to drink onboard, so you’ll have look into the ship’s exact policies and then take your chances with that. Most of the time, the cruise ship will find your "stash" and they take it and hold it for you until your last day on the ship (so you can pack it for your trip home).

The shops at the cruise pier and at the airports are run by different companies. For the cruise, at Pan Am and Pier 3, it is SMT Duty Free. And Pier 3 will be opening a large store run by Duty Free Americas. Look for the Puerto Rico stores on webpage their website. I know the stores had some wines, soda, a few mixers, and water available for sale at these shops, (I don’t think they have beer), if you want to take that on your cruise. These stores are accessible during your embarkation, but not during your debarkation. I believe it is open on the day in port .

There are different companies that operate the duty free/tax free stores in the SJU airport. We don’t have a copy of their ad, but you can see the specials on their website. They offer duty free liquor, perfume and cigarettes after the security check points, and you can bring these items on as carry-ons without the TSA 3-1-1 rule in effect. But this only applies if you don’t change planes, or leave the USA. As these are carry-ons, any time you have to go through another security checkpoint, these bottles will be subject to the TSA 3-1-1 rule and will confiscated. Don’t forget to check your Customs Allowances.

We are not affiliated with, nor do we represent, the duty free shops at the piers or airport in San Juan. The prices and items in these ads are subject to change.

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