which cruise? and which ports can we avoid doing any tours- caribbean

[fragilek]

Hi we r just about to book either the Azura - barbados, grenada, st lucia, Dominica, St Kitts, St Maaten, Tortola, Curacao, Bonaire

 

Or Ventura- barbados, st vincent, Dominica, St Lucia, Antigua, St Kitts, Grand Turk, Tortola, St Maaten,

 

Now money is going to be an issue (as we have just been treated- to a big family meet in florida next summer so now need to budget for tickets) on this trip so we are booking GTY rooms on the Ventura it would be inside and on the Azura - we may be able to push to gty obstructed view. - Is the much diff in the rooms wtr size.

 

The next question is on both cruise I am hoping there will be some days we can just walk off the ship and wonder about or walk to the beach as we can probably only do 3 OR paid 4 trips depending on cost.

 

 

Based on the above information and any other differences between the ships which of the 2 cruises would you choose and also which ports are we able to avoid the added cost of trips.

 

Thanks

[cosytoes]

I don't think there's much in either, both trips have towns you can go round or beach - grenada and grand turk ( fabulous beaches and straight off the boat). Others you can wander round town (though didn't feel safe in St Lucia), do your own trips at each port by local mini bus for $15 to $25. look in port review section on here.

[sueandphil]

Fragilek,

You can walkabout at any port but some are more interesting than others. The easiest one to walk to Grand Turk as the ship will almost be on the beach with you! And the sunbeds are free there. St Maarten beach is a short hop on a water taxi and at Barbados you can get a shared Taxi to the Boatyard where you then pay a reasonable fee for a lounger, parasol and drink with a free taxi back to the Port. There is also Paynes Bay nearby but that is a little more expensive. Tortola and Antigua you will need a taxi to the beach and Dominica I would do an excursion as there is not much in Port. Grenada you can also do a water taxi to Grand Anse Beach. St lucia you can also get a taxi to Rodney bay or an excursion to the Pitons etc. Bonaire has a boring port area with no beach and never been to Curacao. St Vincent is also short on beaches so an excursion to Bequia is recommended, though a little expensive

Phil

[bee-ess]

As the previous poster says St Maarten and Grenada are 2 places you can do beaches with just a cheap water taxi.

Barbados is also quite easy for beaches, you can avoid taxis by using buses up the West Coast, and Carlisle Bay is walkable (20 mins) and get the free taxi back.

Unless you do a tour Dominica is not much of a town, there is a small local beach walkable from the ship to the right of town as you look at it from the ship.

Grand Turk we did not like at all, but there is a beach right next to the ship.

On Tortola you can get the open sided bus to Cane Garden Bay or taxi to Brewers Bay which is quieter. There is a good trip to the Baths on Virgin Gorda, you can take the Ferry.

Curacao has a nice town for a walk around

Bonaire - not much of a town - need to get out of town

St Kitts - the beaches here need a taxi there is a train trip here that gets good revews. Had got a ferry to Nevis from here which made a nice day.

St Lucia - recommend a trip here, Castries is not nice. I would recommend COSOL Tours land trip to Pitons or Ambrose boat trip to Pitons.

St Vincent - not much of a town - I would take a tour, Bequia is nice.

 

You can always get taxi tours at every port which will be cheaper than the ship or you can research it yourself, the Ports of Call section on here is good for info.

[vizzog]

A few bits of info I have passed on to friends cruising in the Caribbean before.

If you want specific info on certain islands please post I will try to help.

 

 

St Maarten

Port:

Catch the water ferry ($6 for an all day wristband last year) to the beach from the cruise terminal. Great place we have always stayed in the bay so can’t comment on the island. It is very American lots of nice bars and the place to buy duty free, jewellery. Sunbeds and brollies on the beach usually in front of the beach bars so someone comes out and you pay them (I think it was $10 for 2 beds last yr) then they will run back and forward if you want drinks or snacks!

 

Antigua

Port:

The first time we came here it rained!! So we didn’t go anywhere but walked around the town and had coffee. There are a few nice arty shops if you like that as well as the usual touristy ones quite a nice place for a wander.

We have also been kayaking here out in the mangrove swamps! Also visited one off the small islands on the Atlantic side of Antigua, Bird Island the sea is very rough on that side not for the faint hearted. It is a very beautiful island so probably a good island to go out and about there are the English Harbour and Nelsons Dockyard, which are popular places to visit. If you are a cricket fan there is a cricket tour you and do which visits the test ground and you meet one of the Caribbean cricket stars. We have used the local taxi’s here but do look after your belongings, as this is where our youngest son ‘lost’ or had stolen his iphone. Please don’t be put off by this, as 99% of the people on the islands are friendly. On our last visit here we went on the Crusoe Island excursion this was fantastic, about 40 people on their own island for the day open bar, music and lunch thoroughly recommend if you are a beach bum.

 

Dominica

Port:

There is a warehouse where the ship docks, the locals set up a market there so ok for a wander. The town is about a 20-minute walk away not very much there though. We have also docked right in Road Town right in front of the local market depends if there are two ships in port.

 

We have done the Arial Tram in the rain forest here Great for seeing the rainforest, plants, trees and I did see hummingbirds. We have also been river tubing here twice we loved it but only great for those who love the water and getting wet. Tried the tubing on the Pagua River in the Carib territory but the journey there and back is very long and over very poor roads so if tubing on the Layou river is available this is a much better option.

We have also visited the waterfalls here and then went to a black sand beach for a couple of hours. Not an island for beaches it is a very much a tropical rainforest island with small narrow roads, mountains and valleys you do need to get out of the port to experience it but I would probably always do a ship excursion here due to the roads and terrain if you are late back on a ship tour the ship will always wait for you! There is not a great deal in the port a market selling local crafts and tourist bits a few local bars and a hotel bar to sit and people watch and drink the local brew.

 

Barbados

Port:

The actual cruise terminal has lots of shops etc but walk (about 15mins) or taxi it to Bridgetown a lot more here. As far as beach you could get a taxi to Malibu on Brighton Beach ($20 return for the four of 5 years ago) it is about 10 mins from the ship and for about $5 you can have a tour of the distillery and There are beds and a bit of shade on the beach it is an absolutely beautiful beach

If you take a taxi anywhere on most islands you only pay the driver when he returns to take you back to the ship just give yourselves plenty of time to get back before the time they want you back onboard. There are lots of things to see and do in Barbados depending on whether you are beach fans, like the fauna and flora things or getting out on the water. My favourite time here was on a catamaran sailing down the coast stopping at Sandy Lane beach then out to a reef to swim with turtles. Most times here though we just walk into Bridgetown then out the other side onto Carlisle Bay for a swim and a beer. (check it out on Google earth)

 

St Lucia

We have always gone out here, there are two cruise terminals the one on the right side of the bay does not have much, on the left side it is much better with shops and bars. Lots of taxi’s offering trips

We have visited Pitons and the volcano. The last couple of times we have got a taxi to Wharf Bar on Choc beach. There is a small Sandals resort at one end but it is quite quiet there is never that many people there. We did go and have a look at Reduit Beach where all the taxi drivers take you, it was packed and so busy we got straight back in the taxi and went back to Choc Beach! Unfortunately now this beach is only half as lovely as our first visit as during the rainy season a river flows out into the bay, and a lot of sand and palm trees have been washed away. For a first timer in St Lucia I would probably visit the Pitons and the volcano whether you do it in an organised excursion or take one of the local taxi’s maybe share with someone else from the ship. For an less expensive option a shared taxi to the beach but be prepared for it to be busy if there are a few ships in dock.

 

Aruba

On our first visit here our friends got married so our day was spent at their wedding! We did go to a beautiful beach for photos after it is an island much like Barbados of white powder sand beaches and resort hotels. Our second visit last year we caught the local bus to Eagle beach only about 2½ US dollars return for both of us! The sunbeds and straw umbrella cost us over $20 on the beach and a couple of beers were expensive at $6 dollars each though.

 

Bonaire

Took a taxi to a local coral beach for snorkelling as the reef is very close to the shore amazing, as this island is one of the top dive sites in the world. We walked off the ship in the afternoon, as there is a small market and craft stalls set up on the quayside as well as the usual couple of bars for a cold drink

 

Grand Turk

This is an island set up specifically for cruise ships. Right off the ship is a cruise terminal with shops bars swimming pool etc. The beach/pool has sunbeds and brollies that are free to use. You can walk in to Coburn town along the beach I believe we may try this in March when we are there. There is a small museum dedicated to the space race as they used this area for splash down during some of the Apollo missions. It was also a missile station during the cold war, and used as a base to keep an eye on Cuba during the 50’s and 60’

 

Curacao

You could stay in the port area her lots of shops and places to walk, nice port area especially if your docked at the Mega port (you would be if on Azura or Ventura). Quite inexpensive to catch a local tour bus ($20 each) for a tour of Willemstad, stopping at a Curacao factory then a bit of time at the beach.

[vizzog]

Added a few other islands for you!

 

St Kitts

The port area has shops and bars for a wander, there are lots of taxi's to the beach you can share one quite inexpensively to Friars or Cockleshell Bay this what we usually do. A few years ago did the sugar train around the island this is a nice excursion but looks very expensive now on the ships tour itineraries.

 

Grenada

Port area ok for shopping and wandering a taxi or water taxi across to Grand Anse beach easy and inexpensive one tip though is to walk further along the beach once off the water taxi as the sunbeds are nicer and its less crowded the beach vendors will try and get you to stop as soon as you get off the boats.

 

St Vincent

The port here is not great, we have taken a couple of excursions here once a tour up the island to where the pirates of the Caribbean was filmed and then a catamaran back to the port another couple of times have sailed across to Bequia. There are no great local beaches, they do run a (pirate) water taxi round to Villa beach ok if not too busy as it is quite a narrow beach. Last time we were here we sat in the local port and listened to a local band it was our last day remember packing was very haphazard after drinking the local rum punch!

 

 

Tortola

Think this the island we have been to most! Have tried most of the excursions visited Virgin Gorda, Vost Van Dyke, Peter and Norman Island as well as the usual taxi up Ridge Road to Cane Garden Bay you just share one of the American style truck taxi's with others. The port has a few shops even one selling all things English! great if you want a few things for the cabin usually get a few soft drinks for the cabin fridge.

[fragilek]

Added a few other islands for you!

 

Thank you for this info (an also to the others who have replied as well all very useful).

 

Which of the two cruises do you think has the best itinerary. Also as you have been on both which actual ship did you prefer.

 

Having read the replies I think we will do paid trips st kitts -train / Dominica- skycart arial tour/ st Lucia- pitons trip of some sort/ and one other snorkel trip either bonaire or Barbados (we know this island quite well as have been on hols here and know that there is amazing snorkeling off shore if we just taxi to nr sandylane).

 

based on the help you have given I think we manage in the other ports doing beach or town based taxi (water taxi) excursions.

[vizzog]

Both itineraries very similar but would probably edge for the Azura one because of missing St Vincent but visiting Grenada.

As far as the ships go they are very similar especially after Ventura's refit. Biggest difference is Ventura older, it has a sliding roof over one of the pools great if you are cruising in cooler climates, we prefer the Beach House restaurant over the equivalent on Azura and use to prefer Ventura because it had no Retreat and I could use the Oasis pool although now I can use this pool on Azura and Ventura has a Retreat! So there is not really much difference between them!

We are off on Azura in November did similar cruise on Ventura last year would look forward to either ship :)

[fragilek]

Its the nov 15th azura cruise or the nov 8th ventura that we are looking into. We are late planning as we were meant to be going to cuba but have had to cancel due to building work at the hotel. I am not usually a late planner so I am worried that some of the excursions for the 15th sailing on the azura and the ventura on the 8 may already be booked out.

[bee-ess]

I would choose the Azura one as well - had a not too good experience on Ventura in March after other good cruises on her. Grenada is a good stop. If you like a drink, a good cheapish fun trip is the Rhum Runner in Grenada.

[westie1490]

Well , reading the above I haven't much else to say as they have given you some excellent advice. ( re the ship we prefer Azura, but just personal preference really)

 

However just a couple of remarks -

 

St Lucia- although you can take a taxi to various beaches, for a first time visit we can recommend Cosol Tours - he comes very highly recommended on this and other sites( trip advisor). He ( or one of his team)picks you up from the ship first thing in the morning and delivers you back well in time for sailing. To see everything that the tour takes you on would be the equivalent of booking about three ships trips. You are given breakfast, lunch, various snacks throughout the day and there is a coolbox containing beer, rum punch, water and soft drinks which is replenished regularly. We did this tour a few years ago and recommended it to our friends last October and they thoroughly enjoyed it. He charges about $70 pp I think now, but its well worth every penny. You pre-book via email - the site is www.cosol-tours.com There are usually about 8 to 10 of you in the comfortable mini-bus, lots of stops, beach visit and local information. We were lucky enough to have Cosol himself and he seems to know everyone on the Island!

 

The only other concern recently is in Barbados, where a friend of ours was mugged outside the Boatyard last year. We are usually very careful and alert however were taken totally by surprise. During interviews with the police they did admit that there has been a rise in tourist thefts just lately. So obviously don't let this stop you getting off the ship, but just be on your guard.

 

Have a fantastic time, we have just booked to do 15 days on Azura on 1st November, about our 28th time in the Caribbean - so you can say we love it !!:D

[sueandphil]

Have to agree about Cosol. We have done the Tour twice with him and had Yellow Bird to guide us. On St Maarten If you want to do a tour You could do worse than try Bernards tours.

[vizzog]

Its the nov 15th azura cruise or the nov 8th ventura that we are looking into. We are late planning as we were meant to be going to cuba but have had to cancel due to building work at the hotel. I am not usually a late planner so I am worried that some of the excursions for the 15th sailing on the azura and the ventura on the 8 may already be booked out.

 

We are still on-board for the two weeks on Azura checking our cruise personaliser there is good availability on the excursions. I think less people must pre book now as you pay in advance this way.

[Magicdi]

Thanks Vissog for your detailed descriptions of each island. We are going on the Azura for the new year cruise on 27th December, it's our first time with P & O and in the carribean so will printing off and take it with us.

[bee-ess]

Few photos here for you guys on your first Caribbean Cruise - hope they are some help.

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/107693552597250328299/Carib10Photos#

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/107693552597250328299/Carib11Photos#

 

https://picasaweb.google.com/107693552597250328299/Caribbean2013#

[soobs]

We did the Azura in March and are going on the Ventura in December, chose this because the itinerary goes to 3 different island one being G Turk and the dates fit and slightly different ship.

 

Also believe but not sure you can use the pool at the front of the ship and don't think you can on the Azura please can cruisers who have been on both confirm this? And think you can walk all around the prom. desk on the Ventura.

 

Once we are back we will have an informed opinion.

[Britboys]

In St Maarten you can actually take a 20 minute stroll up to Phillipsburg with all its (duty free) shops, bars and restaurants. There is also a long beach in front of it too. As others have said, you can also get the water taxi.

 

Feel free to have a look at my photo album from 2011 aboard Azura: https://picasaweb.google.com/109155145146926578223/CaribbeanOnAzuraFeb2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCI-YmvC07_2Neg#

 

I've not been on Ventura but from what I have seen and heard, Azura seems to be marginally more sophisticated in terms of decor etc. If you like cinema, Azura also has the outdoor seascreen.

[ParCan]

If you are on a budget, my suggestion is the Azura cruise.

All of the islands are nice and worth a visit.

 

St Vincent is not at all nice. Grenada is far better in every respect.

On St Martin we took a Bus, $2 each way. The Airport beach has to be seen to be believed.

If you want a really fun tour and like Rum Punch, take the Rum Runner in Grenada. If not the Nutmeg Factory is also very good.

 

On all the islands there will be Taxi tours, mostly between $10 and $20 each. If you get a full Taxi you can work together to get a bit of discount !

 

whichever you chose, have a great time :)

[StLucia]

We have booked Cosul for St Lucia when we visit on Azura's 8th Feb departure. We have been quoted $65 payable at the end of the tour. Would be great if others want to join is, I have set up a roll call. We went with Cosul a couple of years ago but because a big hurricane had just gone through we could not reach the south of the island. Nereus was our guide and despite this it was a brilliant tour. Hopefully we will get to the south this time.

[soobs]

this tour looks fantastic value does it cost you anything to use the mud baths or anything??

[bee-ess]

Cosol is No 1 and has been for a number of years - probably the best tour we have done in Caribbean. The Beach stop at Jalousie is just a bonus on top of an excellent tour.

He keeps the drink flowing as well, try the spiced rum.