Toilets on Caribbean Islands?

[jtsbusiness]

My father is going on a cruise visiting islands such as Samana, Tortola, Curacao, Bonaire, Antigua, Barbados, St Vincent, Dominica, St Maarten, Granada, Grand Cayman. He is a very active person but due to a medical condition he needs to use a hygenic toilet around mid-day. He would like to go snorkling and touring the islands but wonders whether this is going to be a problem - ie will the boats have a toilet on them, and the parts of the islands where the lunches are provided have hygenic toilets?

 

Should he use the cruise ship tours or will he be able to go on self organised tours using local tour companies and taxis?

 

This is really causing a concern because when the cruise was booked this medical condition was not known. However it is absolutely essential to have a toilet break at the required time - give or take half an hour or so.

 

Really, really need the help of all you cruisers out there. Are there places where he should not even leave the ship?! :o:o:o

[xxoocruiser]

My father is going on a cruise visiting islands such as Samana, Tortola, Curacao, Bonaire, Antigua, Barbados, St Vincent, Dominica, St Maarten, Granada, Grand Cayman. He is a very active person but due to a medical condition he needs to use a hygenic toilet around mid-day. He would like to go snorkling and touring the islands but wonders whether this is going to be a problem - ie will the boats have a toilet on them, and the parts of the islands where the lunches are provided have hygenic toilets?

 

Should he use the cruise ship tours or will he be able to go on self organised tours using local tour companies and taxis?

 

This is really causing a concern because when the cruise was booked this medical condition was not known. However it is absolutely essential to have a toilet break at the required time - give or take half an hour or so.

 

Really, really need the help of all you cruisers out there. Are there places where he should not even leave the ship?! :o:o:o

 

If by "Hygenic Toilets" you mean that the facility needs to fully cleaned, disinfected and sanitized at the time you father uses the it, that's not a practical request. You have to remember these are public toilet facilities and you have no control over the conditions in which you find them.

 

 

• Tour boats - Varies . Generally speaking most have them. But your father will have to confirm that prior to booking the tour.
  
• Tour Buses - Have never had a tour bus in the Carribean with a toilet. Have had it on rare occassions in Europe.
  
• Re: lunches included in tours - Most all restaurants will have toilet facilites. If not than there will be some close by.
  
• If the cruise itinerary incudes a stop on the Cruise Line's Own Private island for swimming than there will be toilet facilities
  
• Any group tour by bus generally includes a rest break. However the timing of that break depends on the specific tour schedule. It's unreasonable to expect that a tour will stop at a restroom at a specific time ( give or take 1/2 hour) to meet the needs of your father. Remember there are numerous other people who have paid for the tour and expect the tour to keep to schedule .
  
• There is always the option of your father using taxi's to tour on his own where he can control the timing.
  
• Would suggest you not prebook any shiptours, wait to speak directly to the Shore Excursion Manager once on board to determine if any of the tours fit within your father's requirements.
  

[jtsbusiness]

I realise most of this. The toilets need to be of a good standard - eg of a reasonable standard and not a hole in the ground!

 

I was hoping for recommendations from people that have used these facilities and could specify places where they certainly would not go.

 

Thank you for taking the time to reply

[Arwenmark]

I realise most of this. The toilets need to be of a good standard - eg of a reasonable standard and not a hole in the ground!

 

I was hoping for recommendations from people that have used these facilities and could specify places where they certainly would not go.

 

Thank you for taking the time to reply

 

I would say from my experience on some of the Islands mentioned the answer is a clear NO. some are ok others are Fly infested old and dirty. This includes on tour boats and on shore excursions.

 

Not all will be that bad but some will be.

[xxoocruiser]

I realise most of this. The toilets need to be of a good standard - eg of a reasonable standard and not a hole in the ground!

 

I was hoping for recommendations from people that have used these facilities and could specify places where they certainly would not go.

 

Thank you for taking the time to reply

 

They won't be a hole in the ground but occassionally they can be just as nasty.

[katisdale]

We were recently in Grand Cayman where we chose to go to Boatswain Bay Beach/Turtle Farm. The restrooms there were clean and there was an accessible stall in the ladies room I used.

[Toto2Kansas]

The larger snorkeling catamarans usually have a marine head onboard. By that I mean a small bathroom with a marine toilet. With marine toilets, it is hit and miss as to how clean they are, but they do have them. A marine head is one that nothing that didn't come out of your body can be placed in them (this is how they explain it onboard), paper goes into a trash can and can not be 'pumped' down into the holding tank system or it can be clogged and non-usuable for the rest of the trip (I have seen this happen). The smaller snorkeling boats do not have any type of head onboard.

 

As for being on a tour and near a bathroom at certain times on schedule, that is iffy. Whether there is a public restroom in the area at the time he may need one, again iffy.

 

I think I would suggest either a ships tour on a large catamaran for snorkeling, and possibly private tours in ports where he can schedule his stops as he wishes without putting the entire tour off schedule. Good luck!

[jtsbusiness]

Thanks everyone.

 

One of the tours he would like to go on is the Silvermoon(?) tour in Barbados. It is the one that is highly recommended by so many people. This is a larger catermaran I believe. Do you think this would be possible?