5 Ports on a 7 Day Cruise - Too Much??

[billet]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Getting off the ship is not compulsory :), in fact leaving the cabin is not required either!

 

When the ship is alongside and everyone is ashore the ship is a wonderfully peaceful place to be. Quite often I have just stepped off the ship and walked around for an hour just for the change and then returned onboard.

 

Heck it is your honeymoon enjoy the sunbathing, thermal suite and the spa!

[cruisingpeople]

With what happened in Antigua with other passengers I would stay on ship for your spa treatment.

 

May I ask "what happened in Antigua" ? ? ?.... I must have missed that story.

 

Thanks,

 

Joe

[happycat Bainbridge Is]

First of all cruisingpeople I love your kitteh!!

 

This is what we find works for us on every vacation - at a certain point we acknowledge that we are NOT going to see and do everything - not on board and not in port - because racing around trying to "do it all" is not in concert with our idea of a relaxing vacation - and certainly not what most people want on a honeymoon.

 

So we make a conscious effort to decide on a few things we most want to do and then remind ourselves that with luck we'll have the opportunity to visit again and do more in the future. It just takes the mental pressure off to think of each trip as a sampling of experiences not an effort to take it all in.

 

It really helps to be flexible and open to the fact that sometimes plans don't work out as planned (and sometimes that's the most memorable thing - the one you laugh about long after you've forgotten the details of the just-right stuff). It's okay to just go to a beach for a few hours or just go have lunch in town after sleeping in or to just stay on board and enjoy the ship.

 

I personally can't think of a more relaxing honeymoon - unlike the "honeymoon hike from hell" which I will tell you about if you must know ....

 

Congratulations and enjoy "the BEA-U-TI-FUL Caribbean Princess" (that's how the captain said it anyway) .... HCBI

[Tatka]

PS - Tatka..Isn't the BVI port in Road Town, Tortola?? Are you doing an excursion to Virgin Gorda??

 

Yes it is in BVI. We've done VG last year by ourself. There are 2 ferry companies - Speedy's and Smith's (?) - located 5 minutes from the port. You are paying to them around $35 and they take you to VG and then by taxi to the Baths.

[mrobinson]

We did this same itenary last year and I was concerned about the same thing - however it wasn't too many ports - we did something at each port - a couple of them we were back on the ship by 2:00 pm - so we were able to relax on the deck for a few hours and just did a later dinner.

 

That helped make it more relaxing. I would do it again - although this December we are doing the other Southern Caribbean itenary but with 10 days out of FLL. We decided we wanted a few more sea days and wanted to try a longer cruise.

 

Enjoy - those were wonderful ports and I could do them again and see completely different things.

[jcastro1202]

First of all Congratulations on your wedding and honeymoon.the Southern Carib is great for beautiful beaches Bring your own snorkeling equipment ..buy it here

 

Definitely go to the Baths .You can do this EASILY on your own .Walk to red roofed Ferry station to your left from dock -5 minute walk .Get first ferry out with cab ride to BATHs .AMAZING place .Bring snorkeling gear Explore the caves Book fairly early return 2pm the latest also catch first ferry around 9am Ship excursions leave early .Once they leave the place is yours /We loved te baths .It is Magnificent

 

In St Thomas if you like snorkeling go to Coki Beach Bring boxed cereal or buy dog biscuits from diving shack //loads of multicoloured fish

 

With what happened in Antigua with other passengers I would stay on ship for your spa treatment.

 

DO NOT GO on road trip in St Lucia..ROADS are very dangerous .If you must go somewhere take a boat

Go to water taxi landing hook up a ride to Marigot resort ..nice little beach

Or Stay on board

 

In Barbados go to Carlysle Beach LObster pot Hook up with vendor on beach for snorkel dive to 2 sites of sunken ships ...lots of fish .and some turtles

Try to do your own excursions it will be MUCH cheaper and not difficult to do In Barbados you could walk to Carlysle beach -20 minutes or grab a cab

For Coki definitely a cab

 

You will love Southern Caribbean .It is GORGEOUS!!!

 

Enjoy

 

 

Michele

 

Enjoy

 

Thanks for the tips!

[piper28]

Personally I hate this itinirary, and wouldn't be in any hurry to do it again. Not nearly enough down time to relax. I need my sea days to relax, after all, this is supposed to be a vacation. Heck, even for the Med we picked an itinirary that had a few extra sea days (and even then felt like I needed a vacation after the vacation).

 

Course, my parents love this itinirary, so to each their own.

[caribill]

May I ask "what happened in Antigua" ? ? ?.... I must have missed that story.

 

 

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/cruises/item.aspx?type=blog&ak=68500302.blog

[cruisergal 1]

We just came back from a cruise, 7 days, 7 ports, and it was fabulous. We paced ourselves, and beached it every second day, so plenty of time to rest and enjoy the suns rays! Don't try to do an excursion everyday, or you will be zonked, and be overwhelmed with too many sites. They will all start to look the same. You'll probably go back to those islands at another time, so try not to do it all! A port intensive itenerary like yours, requires lots of planning, depending on what you want to do. Head on over to the ports of call, to see what each island has to offer, and then pick and choose depending on what your interests are. Congratulations & enjoy your cruise!

[Minoushka]

May I ask "what happened in Antigua" ? ? ?.... I must have missed that story.

 

Thanks,

 

Joe

 

There was a story about cruise passengers and a taxi ride .From what I understood a price was agreed upon and reneged by the driver who demanded more .He took his passengers to an unidentified building where many locals rushed them .they were actually cops and a rumble occured and 6 passengers were arrested.The pax claim the building was not identified nor did the cops present themselves as such.The were put in jail until the court case agreed to plead guilty .paid the Fine returned home. As a result Carnival is no longer going to Antigua .Had this happened to me whereas I would have been transported to some unknown destination and surrounded by local big men I would have freaked out too !!!

People here blamed the pax

I'm not so sure iI can

When I was in Jamaica I was more then once VERY frightened by VERy intimidating local vendors who seemed to get a KICK out of being in my FACE .I have not been back to Jamaica since WEre I there I would remain on ships Actually I purposely DO NOT choose cruises that go to Jamaica

MY late Mom used to say ...do not buy trouble with money ...I totally agree

 

If islanders realize they CANNOT abuse their tourists these things would not happen

As i have said this is what I understood of this story .others here said they should have given the $$$ the cab driver wanted and avoid all this even if they were being taken for a ride

 

Antigua is a beautiful island and it is a shame this happened but I stand by what I said clean up your act and treat your tourists with respect or you will LOSE them

 

 

That is why I suggest you have a LOVELY spa day instead People who treat tourists badly do not deserve our money !!!!

 

Michele

 

Please do not flame me This is My opinion and I have a right to have it!!!!