The Caribbean

#1

Well, I am finally spreading my wings and am going to embark on a Caribbean cruise. Well after all this snow I am in need of warm weather.

Can any of you well seasoned travellers recommend any of the excursions that P & O advertise. I know alot of people do it alone but when you are a single traveller it isnt quite so easy so any advice would be brilliant.

Many thanks

jack

#2

Don't do the zipwire!

#3

Jack the majority of taxi's in the Caribbean are mini bus which take about 16 passengers so you wouldn't be on your own, you will find it will probably cost half of what P&O are charging.

Where are you going and then maybe we can recommend specific places and whether you would be better to do DIY or a ships tour.

#4

Ponta Delgada, Antigua, Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados and Horta.

I had wanted to go zip-lining but my insurance wont cover me for it

#5

Ponta Delgada is pretty expensive to DIY so if you want to see the island I would book a tour, it's a very interesting island and very different from one side to the other.

The 5 Caribbean islands are all very easy to DIY and there will be an abundance of taxi's ( mini bus ) as you exit the port, most will offer something very similar to the ships tours at half the price but always agree the price first ... Barbados the fares are set ( so non negotiable ) but most of the others you will be able to barter with the price.

My personal choice would be:

Antiqua ........ Nelson's Dockyard

Tortola ........ Pussers Landing ( this is a marina with a few shops/restaurant ) a lovely place to while away a few hours and have lunch, whilst some of the tours go there if you wanted to spend the day there you would have to DIY.

St Maarten ... Shop till you drop !!!

St Lucia ...... Either an island tour or spend the day at Sandals ( you can book independently, the cost was around $100 pp but includes use of all facilities + food and drink )

Barbados ..... Catamaran/swim with the turtles ( ship tour ) we have done this a few times, an excellent fun day with lunch included and as much rum punch as you can drink .

Sorry have never been to Horta.

These are just my favourites but I'm sure others will have other suggestions.

#6

Prettty much the same suggestions as DQ has made.

Ponta Delgada is very much like Funchal, architecture wise, but tours to fire lake etc. are dicey due to the weather. We didn't see very much on our tour so now just have a wander around to prepare for the days at sea.

We shared a taxi in Antigua to Nelson's Dockyard and Shirley Heights but also took the helicopter tour later in the day to Montserrat..........unforgettable.

Took a tour in Tortola which included Pussers Landing but could have spent more time there on DIY.

Head to the French side. St. Martin, if you don't want to shop or, there is a beach behind the main street, very clean and just where the local boat taxi drops you off from the ship.

Barbados and the turtles, just another great tour. After the swim the rum punch flows and it's a great atmosphere on the boat.

One of the best ever excusrions that we have taken is, 'St Lucia by land and sea'. It's an all day one but very slow paced and just brilliant. If you do this tour try to get your allocated tour early and do the land bit first; better than being a salty for the land bit later in the day.

#7

Antigua - definitely do Nelsons dockyard and make sure to see the view from Shirley Heights

Tortola - the Beautiful BVI trip uses a boat to take you to Pussers and then buses you back to the ship; alternatively consider Virgin Gorda

St Maarten - Shopping island, you can either walk into town or take a boat to the beach that fronts a load of bars and restaurants with shops behind them. Alternatively this is where you will find Maho beach (at Julienne airport), or Orient beach (if you fancy that all over tan).

St Lucia - best trip here is the 'Island and Sea tour' ... bus trip around the island and then catamarran trip back to the ship

Barbados - consider Harrison caves.

#8

Many thanks all.... will have a looksie..

#9

Don't know whether you are into the wildlife, but swimming/snorkelling with the turtles in Barbados, and also with the Stingrays in Antigua - both are amazing, never experienced anything like it. Don't touch the turtles as they are protected, but feed and hold the stingrays they are almost like your pets!

Also included in these tours is plenty of time to enjoy the rum punch - but only after the swimming!

As already posted - the BVI tour in Tortola is brilliant - wholeheartedly recommended

#10

I will second DQ suggestion of swimming with the turtles in Barbados, done this a couple of times, well worth the money. I am sure you will have a great time

#11

Emailed this to some first time cruisers, have also just posted this on CC so you may have already seen it hope you find it useful although a bit long

Most of the ports are based around the March Itinerary which we are doing on Azura.

St Maarten
Port:
Catch the water ferry ($6 for an all day wristband last year) to the beach from the cruise terminal. Great place we have always stayed in the bay so can’t comment on the island. It is very American lots of nice bars and the place to buy duty free, jewellery. Sunbeds and brollies on the beach usually in front of the beach bars so someone comes out and you pay them (I think it was $10 for 2 beds last yr) then they will run back and forward if you want drinks or snacks!

Antigua
Port:
The first time we came here it rained!! So we didn’t go anywhere but walked around the town and had coffee. There are a few nice arty shops if you like that as well as the usual touristy ones quite a nice place for a wander.
We have also been kayaking here out in the mangrove swamps! Also visited one off the small islands on the Atlantic side of Antigua, Bird Island the sea is very rough on that side not for the faint hearted. It is a very beautiful island so probably a good island to go out and about there are the English Harbour and Nelsons Dockyard, which are popular places to visit. If you are a cricket fan there is a cricket tour you and do which visits the test ground and you meet one of the Caribbean cricket stars. We have used the local taxi’s here but do look after your belongings, as this is where our youngest son ‘lost’ or had stolen his iphone. Please don’t be put off by this, as 99% of the people on the islands are friendly. On our last visit here we went on the Crusoe Island excursion this was fantastic, about 40 people on their own island for the day open bar, music and lunch thoroughly recommend if you are a beach bum.

Dominica
Port:
There is a warehouse where the ship docks, the locals set up a market there so ok for a wander. The town is about a 20-minute walk away not very much there though. We have also docked right in Road Town right in front of the local market depends if there are two ships in port.

We have done the Arial Tram in the rain forest here I liked it. (OH fell asleep! had to nudge him in case the guide spotted him!) Great for seeing the rainforest, plants, trees and I did see hummingbirds. We have also been river tubing here twice we loved it but only great for those who love the water and getting wet. Tried the tubing on the Pagua River in the Carib territory but the journey there and back is very long and over very poor roads so if tubing on the Layou river is available this is a much better option.
We have also visited the waterfalls here and then went to a black sand beach for a couple of hours. Not an island for beaches it is a very much a tropical rainforest island with small narrow roads, mountains and valleys you do need to get out of the port to experience it but I would probably always do a ship excursion here due to the roads and terrain if you are late back on a ship tour the ship will always wait for you!

Barbados

Port:
The actual cruise terminal has lots of shops etc but walk (about 15mins) or taxi it to Bridgetown a lot more here. As far as beach you could get a taxi to Malibu on Brighton Beach ($20 return for the four of 5 years ago) it is about 10 mins from the ship and for about $5 you can have a tour of the distillery and There are beds and a bit of shade on the beach it is an absolutely beautiful beach
If you take a taxi anywhere on most islands you only pay the driver when he returns to take you back to the ship just give yourselves plenty of time to get back before the time they want you back onboard. There are lots of things to see and do in Barbados depending on whether you are beach fans, like the fauna and flora things or getting out on the water. My favourite time here was on a catamaran sailing down the coast stopping at Sandy Lane beach then out to a reef to swim with turtles. Most times here though we just walk into Bridgetown then out the other side onto Carlisle Bay for a swim and a beer. (Check it out on Google earth)

St Lucia
We have always gone out here, there are two cruise terminals the one on the right side of the bay does not have much, on the left side it is much better with shops and bars. Lots of taxi’s offering trips
We have visited Pitons and the volcano. The last couple of times we have got a taxi to Wharf Bar on Choc beach. There is a small Sandals resort at one end but it is quite quiet there is never that many people there. We did go and have a look at Reduit Beach where all the taxi drivers try and take you, it was packed and so busy we got straight back in the taxi and went back to Choc Beach! Unfortunately now this beach is only half as lovely as our first visit as during the rainy season a river flows out into the bay, and a lot of sand and palm trees have been washed away. For a first timer in St Lucia I would probably visit the Pitons and the volcano whether you do it in an organised excursion or take one of the local taxi’s maybe share with someone else from the ship.

Aruba
On our first visit here our friends got married so our day was spent at their wedding! We did go to a beautiful beach for photos after it is an island much like Barbados of white powder sand beaches and resort hotels. Our second visit last year we caught the local bus to Eagle beach only about 2½ US dollars return for both of us! The sunbeds and straw umbrella cost us over $20 on the beach and a couple of beers were expensive at $6 dollars each though.

Bonaire
Again only been here once went to a coral beach for snorkelling as the reef is very close to the shore amazing for this as this island is one of the top dive sites in the world. We walked off the ship in the afternoon, as there is a small market and craft stalls set up on the quayside

Curacao
First time we visited we docked right inside Willemstad the floating bridge was opened to let us pass through. We took a taxi to Sea Aquarium beach nice sandy beach quite close to Willemstad for a couple of hours, although if there are other ships in port this can get quite busy. Then spent a couple of hours in Willemstad across the floating bridge is a nice shopping area, restaurants and bars. Second time here we docked at the Mega pier just outside Willemstad the cruise terminal area has nice bars and shops and you can walk into Willemstad in about 10 minutes. We did a beach transfer here to a beach just a little further up from the Sea Aquarium beach. There is a highly recommended local bus company called Irie Tours, which have a tour, stop at the Curcao distillery, and an hour or so at the beach admission price included all for $20 (also beer and soft drinks!) which we are hoping to use next time here.

Grenada
The water taxi’s directly next to the ships pier will take you to Grand Anse beach and bring you back again, think the last time we used them it was $5 dollars each way? Might have gone up to $6 now, make sure you get some small $ bills when getting your holiday money. The water taxi’s run all day every 15 minutes or so. Grand Anse beach is huge so if you are looking for a quiet spot don’t take the first sun beds offered walk further along the beach. There is a market area where sovenirs, cold drinks, food and toilets are available. We no longer go to this beach having found our ‘ideal’ beach a bit further a field the name of which I have been asked not to say!! Grenada is the spice island of the Caribbean so a place to taste and buy the wonderful spices available here we usually go home with a few but jerk chicken is probably the only thing we have cooked at home!

Tortola
We have visited several times here is a brief over view of the excursions we have done as value for money the Tortola excursions are cheaper than the other islands.
Beach transfer – this is usually to Cane Garden Beach a lovely beach but can be crowded if more than one ship is port. This is easily available by local open sided buses and cheaper than the ship excursion costs just allow plenty of time to get there and back. (Once our buses gear box fell out!! Had to wait for his mate to come and pick us up luckily it was on the way there so we had all day)
Virgin Gorda – have done this twice it is about a 45 minute ferry or fast motor boat ride across but it is an amazing place. It does involve quite a bit of walking and if you wish to go to Devils Bay you have to climb up rocks, steps etc, go in water up to your knees and be able to bend down quite low. Again if there is more than one ship docked or a ship tendering off Virgin Gorda it can be busy. The first time we went here we were lucky enough to be the only visitors apart from the yachts and private motor boats, last time it was very busy as two ships were docked in Tortola and a Silversea cruiser was tendering locally.
Jost Van Dyke – a 45 minute motor boat ride through Sir Francis Drake Channel takes you to an island on the other side of Tortola where you have a couple of hours on a fine white sand beach White Bay. There are a couple of bars here and you get a snack and a drink included in the price. Good value and a nice excursion.
Virgin Island Sailaway – did this last time unfortunately we did not have the greatest of weather quite showery and overcast the whole time. A catamaran sails you to Peter Island where you have chance to snorkel. I did enjoy this we saw rays and an abundance of fish. A stop on Norman Island at a beach club for a drink you can also buy lunch here, the beach is not great but then we did not have the weather that day. An ok excursion good for a bit of snorkelling and a sail on a catamaran (obviously the poor weather made it less enjoyable for us)
Skyworld and Cane Garden Beach – great value if you have not been to Tortola you see the island have a great photo opportunity (Skyworld is in fact a restaurant in the middle of the island where you can go on the roof and see for miles on a clear day) then go to Cane Garden Beach for lunch and time on the beach.

St Vincent – not a favourite port the town is quite run down and not a great deal to do locally. There is a water taxi on the pier which will take you round to Villa beach a narrow beach with a few bars etc can become crowded if lots go there.
Have done the Waterfall and Coast excursion which will take you to the film set from pirates of the Caribbean, after about an hour or so in a bus so you see a bit of the island, lunch at a resturant then a cruise back to the port.
Escape to Bequia – a catamaran across to Bequia where you have some time on the beach and lunch onboard. I loved this as it was very much real sailing as it can be quite gusty and choppy sailing across but those who don’t have very good sea legs did find it a problem as it is quite a long way, (my husband would not do it again).
We have no idea yet what to do in March maybe take advantage of a quieter ship!

Guadaloupe – if we do actually visit!!! It will be a first time for us so just researching options at the moment. Thats why I included Antigua and Dominica in case we go to one of these islands instead.

#12

Nothing to add re the Caribbean destinations .. . so that leaves the Azores ( pronounced Az-ohr-res )

The Islands are all different and have different highlights but in reality are best seen during the warmer months due to the wild flowers and plants that abound, especially Hydrangas on Sao Miguel.

A mouch about in Ponta Delgaga will keep you busy for an hour or two but also consider the full Island Tour, if available, as this will take in some great scenery plus the historical Capital of the Island.

Horta, Faial, is basically a mouch about whaling community of old and there is a museum dedicated to their history and craft plus lots of other marine type stuff to take in and photograph.

#13

Would love to know the name of the beach in Grenada as not keen on Grand anse just like not keen on Cane Garden.

#14

Thanks again all..... will have a looksie on CP to see what they are offering... I have already had a recky on Antigua.com to see what the island is like

#15

Best trip I ever did was snorkelling in Dominca - Champagne Reef snorkel, called so because you snorkel over a submerged volcano through bubbles coming up through the vents so like being in a Champagne glass. - you need to be quite fit as a lot of swimming but you get life vests and well worth it. Guides were very very good.

Not been to St. Vincent, but going this time - next week - and have booked luncheon Young Island, which is approx 200 metres off of Villa Beach - it is the only AI report in St. Vincent, will let you know what it is like.

#16

Suekersh wrote:
Would love to know the name of the beach in Grenada as not keen on Grand anse just like not keen on Cane Garden.

Sue,
I think the beach in Grenada might be Morne Rouge. Here is the web site of the http://www.Hotel kalinagobeach.com

#17

Looks good Rex and some snorkelling there as well. Have you been there?

Hope you are both well.

Sue

#18

Hi Jacksparrow,

The first year we cruised the caribbean we did a P&O tour in each port (we werent sure what the islands were like or how safe wandering around on your own was), but the one that stood out the most was the helicopter ride in St Lucia. It was approximately 3/4 of hour to one hour up in the air, all round the island including the Pitons, the pilot was excellent as well pointing out all the places of interest. I do believe it has got quite expensive now but we found it was well worth it. Hope you enjoy your cruise, we love the caribbean (just returned off of Ventura) and now just tend to do our own thing. The islands are quite safe and the people are so friendly, the only ones I am still a bit wary of are Dominica, St Vincent and Montego Bay in Jamaica .

#19

Sue,
Sorry just seen your reply, yes we have been to this beach twice, really good but snorkeling not very good unless you walk to far end of beach. Last time we went we went with Marym.

We are fine hope both of you are well. Not long before your next cruise and ours too.

#20

Thanks again.... When I receive the brochure I will see what there is and run it by you again....

I just love this one....

#21

jacksparrow wrote:
Ponta Delgada, Antigua, Tortola, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados and Horta.

I had wanted to go zip-lining but my insurance wont cover me for it

St Maarten must see is their airport on the beach hold on to ur hat tho

#22

Antigua - The helicopter over Monserat was unforgettable - we were speechless!
Again in Antigua - stingray city - you don't get to hold a string ray very often!
We did a 'DIY' in Tortola and swam with dolphins, followed by a trip to Cane Garden Bay where a very small rum distillery is worth a visit, and a purchase or 2!

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