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Doctor in Old San Juan by Video, for Visitors and Cruise Passengers

If you need a doctor in Old San Juan, know that the Walgreens on Calle Brumbaugh has no pharmacy, and that the cruise port lists Ashford Presbyterian in Condado as its hospital. For something common, Dr. Diana Nieves Castro, MD, can see you by video for US$79 while you are physically in Puerto Rico, even on a port day. In an emergency, call 911.

Can we help by telehealth? Sometimes: it depends on the evaluation.

We are a telehealth-only service: we have no office or clinic in this area or anywhere else in Puerto Rico. If you need to be seen in person, this guide shows where to go.

Is this an emergency?

This is not an emergency service. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you have:

  • Confusion, fainting or hot dry skin after walking in the sun
  • Bloody vomit or diarrhea, or being unable to keep fluids down
  • Chest pain, shortness of breath or stroke signs
  • A fall on the cobblestones with a head injury

Help lines:

Warning signs: when to go to the ER

Book a visit

The emergency room for Old San Juan and the piers: Ashford

The San Juan Cruise Port's contact page lists 911 for police, ambulance and fire, and Ashford Presbyterian Community Hospital (787-721-2160) as its hospital. Our sources show no hospital ER inside the old city.

Ashford is at 1451 Ashford Ave, Condado, PR 00907, east of the islet. The hospital says its ER is open 24 hours with separate adult and pediatric areas (extensions 1095–1098); more on the Condado page. For major trauma, Centro Médico de Puerto Rico (ASEM) in Río Piedras is the island's highest-level trauma center; the ambulance decides where to take the patient.

Is there a pharmacy in Old San Juan? Not at the Calle Brumbaugh Walgreens

The old-city Walgreens is a store and photo counter only; the Walgreens locator shows no pharmacy there. The nearest pharmacy counters it lists, with the locator's own distances (not travel times):

  • Walgreens, 100 Calle Brumbaugh, PR 00901, 787-723-1364: store only, no pharmacy.
  • Walgreens, 25 Ave Ponce de León, Guaynabo, PR 00965, 787-782-1798: 2.4 miles.
  • Walgreens, 700 Ave Roberto H Todd, PR 00907, 787-945-7710: 2.7 miles; the counter opens 8 a.m.
  • Walgreens, 1130 Ashford Ave, Condado, 787-721-7895: 2.9 miles; the store is open 24 hours, but the counter opens 8 a.m. and is not 24 hours.

Some search results still show a Walgreens on Calle Cruz, but the official locator no longer lists it, so it may have closed. Call before you walk up the hill.

Cruise passengers: ship doctor, telehealth or the ER?

The CDC says about 95% of illnesses and injuries on cruise ships are treated or managed onboard, and respiratory illness accounts for 30–40% of ship clinic visits. If the ship's doctor can see you, that is usually the simplest route.

A video visit makes sense when you are ashore in San Juan (before embarking, after disembarking, or on a longer stay) with something common: a sore throat, UTI symptoms, allergies. We can only see you while you are in Puerto Rico; once the ship sails, we can't. Request a visit online 24/7 — we confirm your time by email or text. See doctor options for cruise passengers, online doctor visits and the guide for visitors.

Forgot or lost your medication in port

If it is a non-controlled medication, such as one for blood pressure or thyroid, the doctor can assess whether it is appropriate to prescribe enough to finish your trip. If appropriate, the doctor can prescribe medication. We do not prescribe controlled substances. Have the bottle, a photo of the label or your medication list handy; the CDC advises cruise travelers to carry their medical history and medication documentation. With no Walgreens pharmacy counter in the old city, allow time to reach one. See lost or forgotten prescriptions.

Seasickness before you re-board

The CDC says motion sickness medication works best when taken before exposure rather than after symptoms start, and that gradual habituation is the most effective countermeasure over time. If you want the doctor to assess an option before you sail, book early enough to reach a pharmacy counter that is open.

A doctor in Old San Juan without an appointment: no verified urgent care

We could not confirm a walk-in clinic or CDT inside Old San Juan, with address and hours, from a primary source, so we list none. If you find one, phone before you set off: the old city's streets are steep and cobbled. If you are unsure between urgent care, the ER or video, read ER vs urgent care in San Juan. Staying across the bay? The Cataño ferry crosses in about five minutes; see Bayamón & Cataño.

Heat on El Morro and the city walls, and mosquitoes

Walking El Morro and the city walls at midday is harder work than it looks. The CDC lists muscle cramps, heavy sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness, headache, weakness and nausea as possible signs of heat illness; drink water and find shade. Confusion or fainting is an emergency: call 911. Dengue circulates in the city too: San Juan municipality reported 41 cases in weeks 1–37 of 2026, according to the Puerto Rico Department of Health weekly report (week 37, published 2026-09-23); see dengue in Puerto Rico.

Stomach bugs and norovirus on board

According to the CDC, more than 90% of cruise-ship GI outbreaks are caused by norovirus. If vomiting or diarrhea starts while you are ashore, wash your hands with soap and water, keep up your fluids, and tell the ship's medical staff before you re-board. Wondering whether your US insurance or Medicare applies here? See US insurance and Medicare in Puerto Rico. More on stomach bugs; if you would rather stay near the hospitals, see Santurce & Miramar.

Addresses, phone numbers and hours on this page were last verified on 2026-09-30.

Video visit: US$79 · Pay by card · See the price and what is included

Before you book

  • You must be physically in Puerto Rico during the visit (visitors and tourists are welcome).
  • We see patients from 6 months old. Patients under 21: a parent or legal guardian must be on camera for the whole visit.
  • Real-time video only; we do not do phone-call visits.
  • We do not prescribe controlled substances.

What we don't do by telehealth

Frequently asked questions

Can a cruise passenger use telehealth in port?
Yes, while you are physically in Puerto Rico. The visit is by video and costs US$79. Request it early: we confirm your time by email or text, and we cannot see you once the ship has left Puerto Rico.
Can you replace the blood pressure medication I forgot?
If it is not a controlled substance, the doctor can assess whether it is appropriate to prescribe it. Have the bottle or a photo of the label ready. You will then need an open pharmacy counter: the nearest in the Walgreens locator is on Ave Ponce de León in Guaynabo.
Is there a 24-hour pharmacy near Old San Juan?
Not in the old city: the Calle Brumbaugh Walgreens has no pharmacy. The nearest counter we verified as open 24 hours is Walgreens, 2505 Carr 841, Guaynabo, 787-287-0528, with a 1:30–2 a.m. break.
Which ER does the San Juan cruise port use?
The San Juan Cruise Port lists Ashford Presbyterian Community Hospital, 787-721-2160, plus 911 for emergencies. Ashford is on Ashford Avenue in Condado.
What if I get sick after the ship leaves Puerto Rico?
We can no longer see you: the doctor can only treat patients who are physically in Puerto Rico. Onboard, see the ship's doctor.

Sources

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