blue_water

c, Yes, if there is heavy sargassum at the time and it smells bad the east shore is not the place to be, you are right…If light or non-existent it’s just a fun bar to hang at. The waves on the rocks are mesmerizing… We took friends visiting us in ‘19 if I recall from the mainland to check out Playa Palancar. There were two larger ships and one smaller in port, so not a 6 - 7 ship day… They had expanded the line of palapas and tables waaaay down the beach, and every spot was taken. We haven’t been back since either…We did drive by in ‘21 and saw it was definitely busy! 20 years ago it was far enough away from the cruise ship dock…Every island with a cruise port shares this problem today… I often see folks requesting a recommendation for a gorgeous beach in many Carib forums, with all the amenities, but away from their fellow cruisers…That’s animal rarely exists today…☹️

Playa Palancar, 20+ years ago…We were there, alone all day, except for a diving group that stopped in for lunch. Fast forward to today - no such animal exists when your cruise ship is in port…Money Bar is probably your best option with your requirements, we’d choose Bucannos… Our favorite spot to stop for a bit when we ferry over for the day is the Bob Marley bar. Fewer day visitors, but instead of beachfront you have waves hitting the rocks… [EDIT] Gladys, you were Samantha’s neighbor on “Bewitched”! 😄 I’m sure you’ve heard that one before!

Good details pattycake! There are actually several different beach restaurants/bars in CGB, some including Quito’s, Big Banana and Myett’s with regular dining areas and very good food! They also rent lounges/umbrellas at these different spots… One note on amenities at other beaches for anyone still deciding between CGB and other options - Brewers has natural shade, lounges, a restroom, and one beach bar/restaurant, but is more “rustic” than CGB. So it is a favorite of visitors looking for a more laid back vibe than the busier CGB… Smuggler’s Cove has older, free lounges and vendors serving delicious food and ice cold beverages and cocktails. But portapotties for restrooms. Long Bay (Beef Island) is now a cruise line excursion beach where lounges/umbrellas, drinks and restrooms are available to guests. Not sure about visitors who go there on their own, perhaps someone can answer that? When we’ve stayed on CGB we’ve had such rough water that we couldn’t get in the water. Other times we’ve been there the water is like glass…So it just depends on the sea conditions and the wind direction that day…

Thanks for your recent feedback. So the shared safari taxi fare is now &12/pp, good to know. It was $8/pp since 2014 and it had to go up sometime, just as in the USVI… What bar/restaurant did you choose for your spot? We’ve stayed at Myett’s on land vacations which is a little further from the main crowds and has great food. But there are many options…Quito Rymers is a great spot as well…We’ve lost some of our favorite spots like Stanley’s Welcome Bar where Jimmy Buffet got his “Cheeseburger in Paradise” idea from… Just our comment to first-time visitors looking for a gorgeous beach on Tortola - CGB is a large bay and a very nice beach, but we don’t compare it to the nicer beaches we’ve enjoyed throughout the Carib. It is a popular spot for evening dinners and live music though. But if looking for a gorgeous beach with fewer fellow passengers, look at reviews from visitors to Brewers Bay, and if a bit more “adventurous Smuggler’s Cove…Paradise Found!

I have not contacted him in some time, but I have seen recent land visitors recently sharing their recommendations for him. I would suggest posing this question on a forum that will get you a quick reply. It is the BVI forum on TTOL - http://www.traveltalkonline.com/ubbthreads.php/forums/7/1/british-virgin-islands.html Good luck! And thanks for your kind words! 🙏

Sure! Apparently you feel those remarks were ok!

“Have fun at whichever beach you choose drinking diet Pepsi.😁” “…feeding iguanas peanuts all morning drinking soda pop in 95 degree heat. 😳🙄😳” Wow 🤷🏼 Was that really necessary TT? Just my opinion, mind you, but I don’t think erby needs these snide remarks…

Has Buccanos been mentioned? Agree with Money Bar… If you were frequent visitors to Coz and didn’t care about a beach I’d suggest just heading to the Bob Marley on the south end. Mesmerizing waves against the rocks, and cold, cold cervezas and cocktails (if you aren’t driving)!

Some unsolicited comments for sure…🤷🏼 Agree with nearby Lindbergh Bay (aka Emerald Beach for the Emerald Resort) if you want full amenities on a decent beach. Water Island requires the ferry which can be an issue when time is limited. Brewers Beach is another close option. If you really want that gorgeous beach and island views a taxi to Sapphire Beach may be worth it… No real resort day pass options that I am aware of; Some resorts do offer the AI option to guests but not day visitors. Having said that, if you want access to a beach, pool and restaurant I’d suggest contacting the Bolongo Bay Resort to see if restaurant patrons can still use their facilities, including the pool. That was the case when I previously contacted them… (EDIT] No need to tell them you are on a cruise 😉 Congrats on reaching your 50th milestones! 👏

We did see excursion outfits docking there before the construction was completed. I assumed cat and larger boat vendors would use these for pick ups but haven’t been back since May…

I don’t believe the $1.25/pp jitney comes to Atlantis…If not you’d have to taxi or walk back across the bridge and catch a jitney going that way. You can google the jitney routes, or better yet pose that question to the resident experts on the TripAdvisor New Providence forum…

Yes Junkanoo will be quite crowded as it is the one beach that is walkable. If you want something less congested consider walking to the Jitney (bus) stop and going to Goodman’s Bay Park. Just $1.25/pp each way (have correct change) and easy to get a bus back.

Aah, I see what you mean 😄… You will be voting on your choice based on what you’ve learned from research and from feedback here, so an informed vote! Thanks for explaining to this sometimes very slow guy! ☺️

“informed” vote?

I would consider Magens the calmest and easiest entry of the three. Unless Godfrey has agreements at each beach the chair rental will be at the daily rate. But yes ask there, or others may answer here… Not a big deal to make your mom and grandmother comfortable… I thought that the tour group “voted” on the beach choice but I may be wrong…

If time allows, you can hook up with a driver and ask him/her to drop you at a few different spots like Savannah Bay or a lunch spot and return to drop you at the Top of the Baths after the main crowd has left. That’s an option for folks who have a nice long day in port. For < 8 hours it is hard to avoid fellow passengers of course…

I wish this as the situation in the Riviera Maya!

Less than 10 minutes to the Top of the Baths or to Spring Bay…

When we cruised here years ago we had a favorite, small bar right on Waterfront/Veteran’s Dr. Can’t recall the name, and probably no longer there. But just enough space to get out if the rain, and they had a sign - “A day without a buzz is a day that never was!” One of those places you remember… As far as the East End beaches, we’ve had the driver drop us at nearby Cowpet Bay and enjoyed our time there virtually free of fellow cruisers. Beach bar/restaurant but no lounge rentals. For amenities you are stuck with Secret Harbour Resort, which can be crowded, Sapphire, where at least there is some space to get away from the main area, Smith Bay, again, limited amenities, or Coki which is the smallest beach and so the busiest… choices…

A self-excursion is actually a great option for JVD (and the Baths), and I would not be concerned about missing the ship as long as you are responsible enough. The taxis and ferries are very reliable, just as in STT and other major ports. The ship’s excursion is great if available and the “safest” choice, but sometimes going on your own is the only option, or is just worth it…

>> 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. << Absolutely! MS411 is much more current on this topic, and Gladys’ is a top recommendation. Have you been to ‘De Coal Pot while on the East End? Whenever we are on the island and get into town we make a point of hitting the Green House for a lunch…It’s a touristy spot and a chain (we like the SXM place too), but we love eating there. The mahi mahi and grouper are my favorites, friends like the coconut chicken and fish tacos.Probably not much less a local experience than SG, maybe just a bit more casual bar atmosphere with good food. When we are waiting for a ferry to Tortola we will get a bite at the Petite Pump Room over the ferry terminal and watch the pontoon planes come and go. But at busy times the fumes from the ferries can be a problem on the outside deck…

Can’t wait to get back to HB! For a gorgeous beach, Sapphire and Lindqvist are it…For a wonderful day away from your fellow cruisers (or us when staying at Sapphire on a big ship day), Hull Bay was always a great spot, now even better… https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g3946800-d23827630-Reviews-The_Shack_at_The_Hideaway-North_Side_St_Thomas_U_S_Virgin_Islands.html If concerned about getting a taxi there and back, read the reviews. If you are determined to try something new after multiple cruises here, renting a car is safe and easy too…

The problem with the Aristocat, Kuralu, Patouche and other independent charters is the very limited time you have on Jost with their western itineraries. We would highly recommend these outfits, and their eastern day sails to the Indians, Norman and Cooper Islands. But for trigger and others looking to maximize their time there - without opting for a more expensive private motorboat charter - the taxi and ferry makes perfect sense. We’ve stayed on Tortola (and cruised there) and know that the ferries are very reliable, and taxis are always waiting for fares when the ferry returns. So that option is a no-brainer for us (if the water “taxi” out of CGB is not available), and we would not share your concerns about getting stuck there…

On Tortola, the published taxi rates are “three-tiered” by the number of passengers. So as an example, the fare to Cane Garden Bay is as follows: 1 person - $24 2 persons - $12/pp 3 persons - $8/pp With the 12 - 24-passenger safari-type taxis, even a solo traveler would only pay the $8 fare. With “private” taxis a solo traveler would pay the full $24… On STT the rates are two-tiered…and they recently went up substantially… Thanks for the Coz explanation!

Curious - in other cruise ports like St Thomas, Tortola, even a solo rider pays the shared taxi fare which is much less than the solo or 2-person fare. That isn’t the case here I gather…We’ve taken many taxis around Playa Del Carmen, but those are private taxis and scheduled rates… Thanks for the feedback!