IslandStar

Thank You, do you know if any water taxi's will be running to the beach?

Jim

Both land and water taxis should be running :cool:

A lot of town is shut on Sunday so you could argue this is a perfect day to wander our town and head up to the fort and not have to dodge traffic. In general cruise ship terminal is open and some other places but if you have a key place you want to visit see if they have a facebook page and send them a message. Have a wonderful visit :cool:

We booked our island tour and beach break when we arrived in Grenada. There are lots of mini bus drivers to book. Arrived back to ship with plenty of time but the traffic was chaos. This was one of my favourite island's.

Getting back into town for your ship departure time is usually about the same time as us all knocking off work and heading out so it can be a bit crazy - sorry :o. The water taxis avoid the land traffic and drop you right back at your ship but they can take a while to fill up. Both routes have lots of drivers available and are good ways to travel but as the previous poster said just give yourself plenty of time so you don't have the worry and end your beautiful day on our island stressed out :cool:

Agree with the previous poster - don't use plastic bags as they will go mouldy which would be a shame.

Things to buy in Grenada that are unique are our spices, our chocolate and some of our hot sauces :-) We have a fabulous chocolate museum in town that serves coffee and all things chocolate - very yummy:*

Always a good question - jellies can appear but thankfully very rarely. Their appearance is often associated with a strong storm front having passed and the wind blowing onto the west coast - not a usual occurrence though

Thanks Island Star...was hoping you'd chime in! I did get a really thorough response from Seafaris and believe we'll go ahead and book with them. Really want to see those sculptures!

My pleasure - always like to give others a chance to jump in but on this occasion had not visited in quite a while and then couldn't remember my log-in (going daft I think). Just let them know your concerns when booking and also when meeting their people and they'll take super care of you. Hope you have a wonderful cruise.:cool:

I see recommendations for Seafaris but I am a little hesitant to book with them because of the layout and speed of the boat. The seats don't look comfortable and they advertise high speed and I'm wondering how bumpy the ride would be. I have neck issues and smashing into waves isn't my idea of fun. I really do want to snorkel at the underwater sculptures park tho. Can you advise my concerns? I did check with Eco Dive but their payment and cancellation policy isn't the norm for most tour operators we've ever dealt with. TIA for any guidance you can offer!

Tour is on the west coast of the island so usually flat calm. Boat is designed to ride the waves not slap through them like other boats. They are super aware of safety and a fun adventure rather than scaring their guests. Seats allow you to sit or stand. IT is great fun - don't miss it :-)

Why aren’t people taking a land taxi or the local bus. The water taxi sounds like a disaster...

A few thoughts :confused:

1. At the moment the water taxi may not be the optimal choice as there are still concerns about the dock at the beach by the water taxi operators so they will be pulling up to the beach which is fun if you dont mind getting your feet wet but may not be best for some not as able-bodied guests. I strongly request feedback from you guys to the Grenada Tourist Authority of good/bad experiences as unless they hear from our valued tourist guests it is only us locals raising the issue.
   
2. The last month or so has been unusual with a ridiculously long period of very large sea swells making normal loading location at the cruiseship unsafe hence the need to walk through the tunnel and load on our Carenage. Note this is not the norm and all has returned to normal with next to cruise ship loading.
   
3. Land taxis have their downsides too as you can sometimes be stuck forever just trying to get out of the carpark as you have to go through town and it isn't hard to get to complete gridlock. Once in the taxi you get some view but nothing like the gorgeous views of our coastline if on the water taxis.
   
4. Local bus is an experience so make sure you are prepared to wait until bus is full, have ear plugs as we play our music LOUD and be prepared for a trip of fast acceleration and emergency braking as the guys vie for as many customers as possible while being 1st to/from the bus stops. Oh and they dont always adhere to the rules for bus stops so they will stop for anyone all along the road :')
   
5. I recall once standing by guests getting a water taxi and thinking the three guys were going to kill each other only to find it was simply a heated but friendly discussion about the cricket :p While we may sound angry and harsh at times we're a lovely peace-loving nation (poor team cricket scores excepted ;p
   

However you travel in Grenada we wish you a wonderful visit and hope you love our island as much as we do. :hearteyes:

If you are water babies you can mix sightseeing, island history and information and snorkeling at the Underwater Sculpture Park on the Seafaris powerboat Adventure. It usually gets great reviews and is 2.5hrs long - possibly perfect for a short stay in port? Hope you have a great day regardless of what you choose to do

The new dock is built but I am hearing concerns that it is too high for guests to easily get into and get out of. Would appreciate any feedback from those that have used it please

Usually the walk back to the ship is about 2 minutes as they drop you right by your ship. Unfortunately we have had some horrible sea swells and so the decision is taken to load you inside the Carenage which means a short walk through the Sendall Tunnel.

Our water taxi dock on the beach has now been rebuilt but some say it is very high and stepping into and out of the boats is relatively tricky. It would be useful to gather feedback from those that use the dock as there is a request in to add a step or too to make it easier for your cruise ship guests. Has anyone had any experience of the dock?

I just went in and did this to see what we would come up with and after entering the code, it's still more expensive than booking directly with Eco Dive. (about 17.40 cheaper to book direct). I assume if they use Eco Dive for this excursion, you get everything that you would directly with the company (such as pick up at the port???).

 

 

Anyone know if these companies pick you up directly at the port?

I think all three operators do pick up at the cruse ship terminal but best to check with them directly. In general booking directly with operators is the way to go as there is no ship's cut to take into consideration ;p

Well we are almost mid-february and the dock is still not completed. It has been relocated three times and now seems to be in its final place but it will still be a while until it is completed. It should be ready for next cruising season (yn)

(wish there was an emoji for tearing hair out )

Standard Bus with stops. I got most of the short-change back - in a couple of 'instalments'. In fairness, once it became clear that the Collector was trying to fleece me, a local resident young lady in the next row of seats joined in and helped the 'nagging'! The amount I was out of pocket was probably US3-4 - not a fortune but it is the principle. I didn't see any Tourism Police on the beach - it was raining quite hard so a great temperature for our first visit to the beach itself!

 

Every other port of call was really good and people were very friendly and fun. Just one of those things - I think we will take another Caribbean cruise - and if it involves Grenada, I shall make sure that I have small USD Bills so that there can be no repeat.

oh yuck raining too :o Never a good first impression. Please do give us another chance as we are a lovely and proud people and hate to read experiences like yours. We wish you a wonderful 2018 and hope to see you again in better circumstances.:cool:

I just booked a tour for Underwater Sculptures + "one other snorkel stop" for January 9th through shoreexcursionsgroup.com. Cost was ~$56 pp after using the promo code "COSTSHRX". Based on the ticket I received, it appears that the tour is actually conducted by Eco Dive.

Eco Dive is a great company - you're sure to have a great day :cool:

The three companies that contribute time, money, effort and work hard to maintain the sculptures and work with new artists to get new ones installed are:

Grenada Seafaris

Eco Dive & Trek

Dive Grenada

:)

We didn't have a problem with pickpockets on Grenada - just a variation on the theme. Handed over a US$10 bill for 2 x US$1 adult fares on the standard minibus and the fare collector tried to get away with just handing back EC$5! That would have paid for about 8 fares! The beach was great (Lockers were not available, though - perhaps explains the 'easy pickings') but that blatant attempt rip-off left a nasty taste. The amount doesn't matter - it's the fact that an employee of the Bus Company should have tried to fleece me.

 

Definitely the worst of the Caribbean Islands that we visited and not one that I would rush back to. There were others with equally attractive sites but with more honest service staff.

Sorry you had a bad experience. May I check did you take a standard bus or one of the Taxi Association Buses? Taxi Association is usually US$5 per person to take you Grand Anse Beach but this can vary depending on numbers in your party. If a standard bus with a conductor that stops the whole way to pick up folk and drop off then yes you should definitely have called him out on it and also taken his numberplate and passed it to the tourism task force police on the beach. We do not need his sort ruining our island character.:mad:

I am so sorry to hear that. If you do have pictures can you please send them as soon as you can to Mrs P Maher, CEO, Grenada Tourism Authority info@puregrenada.com with a copy of your transcript. We work hard on our island to ensure tourists and locals don't have to worry about things like this so thank you for your comment and we hope to deal with it asap.

Royal Caribbean the Not So Ultimate Sun Sea Fun Cruise

oh I know which one you mean now - one of the catamarans. So sorry our wildlife didn't want to come and play that day - they can be fickle beasties at times. What we often find on island is if we have had some sea swells in the prior few days the nutrients get all churned up which can affect visibility at times but also can mean the wildlife venture further out than the MPA boundary for food. As will all things wildlife we do hope when you return you give them another chance to pop out and say hi :cool:

Thank you Island Star! Looking forward to more time in Grenada!

My favourite way of seeing the statues is with Grenada Seafaris as they do a guided snorkel and have good equipment. Small group so they really take care of you. Hope you have a wonderful cruise and looking forward to hearing about my island :-)

We visited Grenada a while back and purchased some vanilla. My wife is obsessed with the flavor of it and her supply has run out. I have searched and searched online and cannot find anyplace that sells it. I want to surprise her with more so I'm hoping to find someone that can bring some back here locally. I would pay you in advance.

Want me to find out a price for purchase of some and I can ship it to you from Grenada? No idea on rules of posting vanilla to the USA though to be fair :confused:

Do they have things like banana boats and jet skis for rent there??

 

I saw that you can get two chairs and an umbrella for about 20 bucks which is great as I’m not supposed to be in the sun very much

 

 

Thanks!!

 

 

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We do not have banana boats but there are a couple of boats that offer towed inflatable rides. Jet Skis are illegal on Grand Anse beach :cool:

Better to book ahead with a tour operator, especially one that pays towards the maintenance and development of the Sculptures and the Marine Protected Area. All operators who take you should make you wear a wrist band as this shows they (you) have paid to enter the marine park. There are a few that say it isn't needed but it is and the money received pays for the wardens and boats who protect the marine species from illegal fishing and the marine environment from illegal anchoring. Grenada Underwater Sculpture Management Inc are a few volunteers that work to bring new artists to the park and to maintain the sculptures already in place. They have a facebook page you can check them out on :-)

We were at umbrellas today. Arrived at noon. Got our lunch at 1:15 pm. The service was excruciatingly slow.

 

The fish sandwich was everyone's favorite main. The pineapple baked beans was our favorite side dish.

 

We rented beach chairs out front from a local vendor. The water taxi was USD $10 return. There were plenty of water taxis running on this two ship day.

We prefer to say "waitress was on island time" rather than slow service ;p Glad you had some wonderful meals - am heading there now to try the pineapple baked beans xx

Not this November. They have a few pilings in and lots of steel on site. Looks like a very active project. But nowhere near completion.

Yes I was somewhat premature. :rolleyes: They were putting it in a new location which wasn't the ideal spot as not as protected as the original location. So they uprooted the pilings they had put in and moved back to old location (in front of Coconuts Restaurant) and I am now revising my estimate to end December. As before will keep everyone posted :cool:

You are not privy to how these animals were obtained or trained. This is certainly not the practice in the Bahamas.

https://www.globalanimal.org/2014/07/25/dolphins-big-blow-to-bahamas-tourist-attractions/