TTEllis

Boy they certainly do. I'm way off I thought there was a line when it came to how much the cruise lines had there hands into making money off us. Tour operators on their own island's aren't even exempt from getting popped in one capacity or another. How greedy can ya get!! I'm sure it's completely legal but it's still dirty. I know "Whoever has the gold makes the rules". Got it!! Thanks.

That's not only unethical and wrong it's criminal. I noticed that in Barbados as well had to walk about half a mile outside the gate to get to our private tour bus. All the B.S. ships tours were inside security waiting for everyone we had to walk almost a half a mile to find our tour bus because our tour wasn't booked through the ship. I didn't think much about it but it's a crummy unfair racket, and one of many reasons I don't do ship tours. We've all heard the argument about if you book a ship's tour you never have to worry about the ship leaving without you. I've done literally countless wonderful private tours never associated with the cruise line. Never once had an issue of getting back to the ship before it disembarks wherever I was. If I missed the ship it was because I was a complete idiot not because our tour operators bus or speed boat or whatever broke down. Yes the island tour business is scammy, I personally give my money to true locals it's staying that way. Have a nice evening.

Hmmm, yesiree that's a windmill alright.😳 Hey it's a start.🥴 The weather certainly looks lovely, don't it though!😎 Thanks Ms411 for the update.😁

Windmill😳🙄what Windmill? Well a Windmill is a start anyway. I guess.🥺 At least your not staying on the ship by yourself pounding Shirley Temples taking selfies on a empty ship. While everyone else is out enjoying an otherwise very fun and beautiful destination. Your making progress..........I think.😕

I don't have the foggiest idea why people think they're safer. Never heard that before. The ABC's are a bit more subdued and quiet because it's so hot down there. They're no safer than Dominica, St. Maarten, or St. Kitts just to name a few. Stay away from Santo Domingo DR, Port-au-Prince (Haiti) or San Juan PR and your good.

Yes you can get to Sapphire Beach in a safari van. I took a minivan with other's off the ship the time's I went.

Absolutely it is becoming more difficult to find different things to see and do, especially after you've been to the same destination several times. St. Thomas has enough beaches, access to another island St. John so that's really not a problem. The only problem I have with St. Thomas and it's like this on other islands but St. Thomas is worse. What your going to do, what beach your going to go to, everything you do is based on how many ships are in port the day your there. The more ships in port the more taxi's and ferry's and taxi's and taxi's and ferry's and taxi's you take. Comprende' Amigo? I have no problem going back to the same beaches over and over again. As long as they're on an island in the middle of an ocean preferably somewhere around the equator. Daytona Beach, Clearwater Beach, Myrtle Beach, Cocoa Beach and on and on and on and on and on. They're nice beaches and all, they're just not my cup of tea. That's all. Going to Sapphire on my next visit. Always a nice quiet lovely beach. It's nice over there and just far enough away from the port to where it's never busy or crowded. Catch a taxi back to town, hit Taphus keep the ball rolling and then head back to the ship. Got it!! Thanks chief!!

So are they accepting US currency or not? I was there 3 year's ago they did not accept US currency. Then about 6 months later they did and then they didn't again and so forth and on and on and on and on.

They may have taken Belize off because Goff's Caye was closed last year. I can't imagine Resorts for a Day being the only tour operator that sells tours to Goff's Caye. I've done this tour twice other than being short in time it's one of the best tours I've ever taken. Our CC group had a blast looking forward to going back.

Goff's Caye. This is the best tour on Belize. Snorkeling is world class. Resorts for a Day.com All kinds of fish everywhere. Water crystal clear. Walk for days in 3 feet of water on the flats. You'll go back.

I have to eat before I drink or something weird always happens. Taphus sounds like an after dinner somewhere else lounge. I have absolutely no issues whatsoever with that.😁 I can walk right up to a bar in any country and have, order just a drink, a couple of them, I'm good. Until I order my next drink.😉 In a cozy hole like that who cares, when you roll in Taphus lunch or dinner is out, it's time to take about 2-3 steps back order that GG vodka martini and get the ball rollin. Work the bugs out, full steam ahead. I got that part😂😂😂!! Btw that curried chicken sounds yummo!! I appreciate you. You have provided me some excellent suggestions. I'm in. Thanks!!

No I don't need to go in Taphus on an empty stomach. Thanks for the heads up!!😁 LMAO!! That's really funny. If you only knew. I just kinda thought when those passageways we're made when everybody was little or something like that. I didn't really know what was up with those other than I thought they were really cool and authentic Caribbean architecture. That's probably one of the main reasons I've always enjoyed St. Thomas so much some real authentic Caribbean architecture still remaining. Everybody leaves everybody else alone, nice people, you can have a lot of fun and your still home. Btw thanks again for the head's up on not serving food at Taphus. Your a life saver. 😄😄

I do, I have experience with the Courtyard Marriott Ft. Lauderdale Beach(Seabreeze and Las Olas Blvds). Front side overlooks the marina and Coconuts. Backside PHAT deck and pool bar, goes right out to A1A across the street is Las Olas Beach. I highly recommend this hotel. Best location ever. Marriott Beach Place Towers my old home away from home. I like all these hotels you mentioned, the new AC Hotel I don't know about that one. BeachPlace Marriott I think it's better for longer stays. The Westin Ft. Lauderdale Beach great location right beside the Ritz Carlton nice hotel AWESOME restaurant and bar overlooking A1A and the ocean. Marriott BeachPlace Towers, Courtyard Marriott and The Westin all 3 hotels are within walking distance from one another. The 3 I've stayed in are great pre-cruise stays. Nice restaurants beach across the street. 10 minutes to Port Everglades. Taxi's everywhere. No problemo. Los Olas and A1A if you're porting out of Ft. Lauderdale it's the only place I would ever stay. You'll go back. From the Airport and to Port Everglades. Your good go have fun. If it were me I would take the Courtyard Marriott on Seabreeze Blvd. Love this little hotel. Great views of everything. 10-12 minutes from the ship. Best location on Las Olas.

Thank you as well. If I were to book this hotel which avenue would you recommend I take to get the best rate, any help would be appreciated.

Passageways I see. Those passageways are cool. I've always admired them, you have no idea who over the last several hundred years has walked through them.

Gladys Cafe. I just checked it out that's a nice place too, very nice. I've walked through that corridor several times but it was a long time ago. It's no wonder everyone recommends it. That place is sweet. Taphus is right around the corner. Thanks chief I can't wait to try them out.The 2 venues you have provided are premium. 🤜🤛

Yes TAPHUS certainly does look very cozy. A new destination for me. I'm looking very much looking forward to it. Thank you.

There's no way whatsoever to spend all day on a cruise visit to St. Thomas and not drink. Water don't cut it, actually water just piss you off. Gatorade only goes so far, soda in the heat will make you sick. Ice cold refreshing beer it's the only way to go.😁 If you go downtown on Main St. drinking goes along with that, I always loved that about Charlotte Amalie. Walk all over town having a nice drink shopping and no worries of Barney badass breathing down your neck. St. Thomas has never failed me. Always a nice beach somewhere, always a place to get a drink, best taxi drivers in the Caribbean. Never a worry, and NEVER a hurry. That's HUGE!! St. Thomas is special and you can tell it.

Ms411, TAPHUS that place is magnificent. WOW!! Definitely a new(for me anyway) MUST TAPHUS gives me all the reason I need to the leave the beach come in town and have a LOCAL or local enough draft. Those pale ales looked to DlE for!! Somebody spent some $$$ that place is beautiful . Atmosphere and vibe looked AWESOME. Thanks for the info and the link. They finally did it. Looks like the premier watering hole in the USVI. Location I know exactly where it is, it's genius. It's everything you would ever want in a "beer lounge" and then some. Signature Hot Charlie sounded WONDERFUL. Sea Walls Guave Pale I'm very picky, that place is it. 🤜🤛

We didn't have 4 people we had 7-8 of us in a minivan. 😳

I'm still trying to shake off the "Beer lounge" thing. Who's idea was that?? That's genius!! I like that direction too Ms 411😁, your correct they're on to something with the local craft "Beer lounge" thing. Ice cold local draft in 90 degree heat and equatorial sunlight that will barbeque your ass from head to toe and keep barbequing..... I'm in. "Beer Lounge". Charlotte Amalie Blackbeard's Castle needs to stay closed or turned into another "Beer lounge".

I've never been to the De Coal Pot. The Green House I've heard of that. Last time we ported at Havensight I grabbed something to drink hopped on a safari van🥺 and we went RIGHT around the east side of the island and stayed all day at Secret Harbor I had a nice lunch(but not local) I didn't get a chance to go anywhere else. You have no idea how many safari vans full of people I saw going to Magens Bay or to a beach somewhere over there or somewhere like over in that direction if you know what I mean. I wanted to go anywhere but wherever those zillions of other people were going. 5 ships in port. Love Magens Bay I wanted to go but with that many people going it would be a 20 minute wait for a drink if you're lucky. That particular day thank God for Secret Harbor it worked great other than not being able to have a true local meal. I missed that last time and I don't want to do that again. Thanks. Ms411 Magens Bay is where you take a nice soft sided cooler. No worries about who's manning the bar, you bring your own, keep walking down the beach don't look back until you can barely hear anyone drop your party. The rest is history. 😎

Beer!! Dang I didn't know that. Thanks for the history lesson. I'll find the beer lounge (that even sounds cool) beer lounge how awesome. The breadfruit vodka produced locally sounds SCRUMPTIOUS. Yummy. Mutiny I wrote it down. I'm extremely open minded when it comes to breadfruit vodka produced locally. Nice thanks. Btw WTH is breadfruit? Sounds great!! Appreciate you. 🤜🤛

Thanks you. I have one more question 😁 would you let the number of ship's in port dictate whether or not you went in town or not? For whatever reason it seems the last several times there's been 5-7 ships in port that's why I either got off the island and went to St. John or I went to the other side of the island Secret Harbor or Sapphire. I cannot imagine what it's like walking around downtown with 4 or more ships in port. Btw last time or the time before that, downtown, parts of it were closed. Would love to see downtown like it used to be. Too much fun. 😎

I haven't been downtown in a long time I was going to make a concerted effort to spend some time in town this go round. Stop and have a nice local lunch. Shop and hit Riise like the good ol days. There's a very nice pub restaurant type thing across the street on the hillside from Havensight I forgot the name I thought it was very nice. It's in a shopping area on the left corner I think. Was with a large group from the ship they went shopping in the store next door and I went to the bar next door. Place is nice. I'm just going to keep an open mind about that. Last time at Secret Harbor I had a great lunch at the Sunset Grille but it wasn't like local fare. I was looking for something a little more traditional if that makes any sense. Thanks!!