Tortola ... What's a Tortola ??

[BarbCT605]

I confess that I have never heard of Tortola before. I searched these boards and most of the Tortola posts were from last year.

 

Has anyone been to Tortola? From what I could find on the internet, it seems small -- how is the shopping?

 

Here's the Tortola line from the itinerary:

Fri ARRIVE-DOCK TORTOLA, VG 7:00 AM

Fri DEPART TORTOLA, VG 6:00 PM

 

If it's safe to assume that Tortola has a dock, has anyone actually seen the dock? ;)

 

Thanks.

[shoreguy]

Tortola is in the BVI and the place you catch the ferry to Virgin Gorda for the day :D It is best know as a great spot to start a bare bones charter. You can see St Thomas and St. John from the island. It has some nice beaches and very limited shopping.

 

An hour away by ferry are the Baths at Virgin Gorda a remarkable beach. Some of the most expensive rental properties in the islands as well.

[Polish Falcon]

The Baths @ Virgin Gorda(Fat Virgin)...

Lanakai Beach...

Megan's Bay...

All three have been withdrawn from Dr. Beach's annual "Worlds Best Beach" contest because they have won soooooooo many times.

They have been retired as "Undefeated Champions".

 

I am so very forward looking to our time @ The Baths in December!

 

Heck, After I run with the Bulls next year...I am running our of vacation options!

[seahorse]

The Baths @ Virgin Gorda(Fat Virgin)...

Lanakai Beach...

Megan's Bay...

All three have been withdrawn from Dr. Beach's annual "Worlds Best Beach" contest because they have won soooooooo many times.

They have been retired as "Undefeated Champions".

 

I am so very forward looking to our time @ The Baths in December!

 

Heck, After I run with the Bulls next year...I am running our of vacation options!

 

BULLS:eek: (I am going to spell this phonetically) sus to yest, cuopia?

[Capt_BJ]

get a cab and ask them to take you to Bomba's Shack

 

of course the only decent time to b there is on a full moon at mid-night

 

but Bomba's is the place 2 b :D

 

ladies might want to bring extra garments since one of BomBa's attractions is the 'display' tacked to the structure...... did I say that PC enuf??????:eek: :eek:

[Polish Falcon]

sanfermin.com

Si?

[kruzkupple]

I think what they're trying to tell you, Barbara, is that the best thing on Tortola is the ferry that will take you over to Virgin Gorda. Apart from some decent beaches, there's not much to see or do in Tortola. The town (I believe it's called Road Town) is an absolute nothing IMO, with practically no shopping whatsoever. I was on a Cunard cruise that stopped there several years ago even though it wasn't on our itinerary (an engine was acting up, and we had to bypass another port for a short visit to Tortola). Everybody who went ashore seemed to be quite disappointed. Perhaps the place is a little better now, but I wouldn't count on it. My advice: plan to take the ferry to V.G., and forget about spending the day in Tortola.:)

 

Jack

[BarbCT605]

I think what they're trying to tell you, Barbara, is that the best thing on Tortola is the ferry that will take you over to Virgin Gorda.

Jack

Thank you!

 

After reading some of the other posts, I was starting to wonder if I just had wayyyy to much wine with dinner ! :)

 

Capt BJ: Sorry, Cap'm, but I'm the type of gal that has to be told straight out ... I could never read between the lines! :confused:

[Welove2cruise2]

On our November Dawn cruise, Tortola was one of our "highly debated on/off" ports (this was the cruise that was having azipod problems and was "tortola on, tortola off) and, after the ship/corporate/line made up it's mind, we did end up going there. We did not, however, ever physically set foot on Tortola (it's a tender port) but, rather, went to our much desired shore excursion to Virgin Gorda (one of the 100 places you "must" visit before you die, according to the book - hey, we had to go there!). It was a beautiful trip to VG and I'm glad we did it. However, we are looking at an E. Carib on the Dawn, and actually looking forward to "setting foot" on Tortola!

[BarbCT605]

On our November Dawn cruise, Tortola was one of our "highly debated on/off" ports (this was the cruise that was having azipod problems and was "tortola on, tortola off) and, after the ship/corporate/line made up it's mind, we did end up going there. We did not, however, ever physically set foot on Tortola (it's a tender port) but, rather, went to our much desired shore excursion to Virgin Gorda (one of the 100 places you "must" visit before you die, according to the book - hey, we had to go there!). It was a beautiful trip to VG and I'm glad we did it. However, we are looking at an E. Carib on the Dawn, and actually looking forward to "setting foot" on Tortola!

Thanks for the info -- now I'm looking forward to Tortola!

 

This is interesting ... the current itinerary indicates that the Dawn will be Docked, not anchored at Tortola.

 

Hmmmm... was a dock constructed since last year? I wonder...

[Welove2cruise2]

If you've never been there, are you thinking of doing the Baths? That's our recommendation; however, you might want to read the "Tortola" message board for other ideas. FYI, we did just that; since we were there for such a short time (7 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m.), VG was our best bet (especially since it was a ship excursion). The best thing about that shore excursion was the ferry picked us up right at the ship (we didn't have to tender in to Tortola and then catch the shore excursion from there) so we went directly from the ship, boarded the ferry and went right to Virgin Gorda. After our tour, we boarded the ferry and went right back to the ship. It was GREAT! But we never did set foot on Tortola, so we're looking forward to that on our next trip!

[BarbCT605]

If you've never been there, are you thinking of doing the Baths? That's our recommendation; however, you might want to read the "Tortola" message board for other ideas. FYI, we did just that; since we were there for such a short time (7 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m.), VG was our best bet (especially since it was a ship excursion). The best thing about that shore excursion was the ferry picked us up right at the ship (we didn't have to tender in to Tortola and then catch the shore excursion from there) so we went directly from the ship, boarded the ferry and went right to Virgin Gorda. After our tour, we boarded the ferry and went right back to the ship. It was GREAT! But we never did set foot on Tortola, so we're looking forward to that on our next trip!

Thanks for the info regarding the messages boards for the ports of call -- I didn't know they were there!

 

For others who are also 'scrolling-impaired' ;), here's the link for the ports of call (Tortola is discussed in Caribbean - Other): http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5

[GuyFromOH]

"We did not, however, ever physically set foot on Tortola (it's a tender port)"

 

Was in Tortola in April on the Spirit and there is a dock. I didn't actually make it to Road Town because I went to Virgin Gorda, but I did walk over to the market just off the dock. It had the usual island crafts with great prices.

 

As to Virgin Gorda, take the time to explore and make it over to Devil's Bay. Not nearly as many people and a better beach!

[OCruisers]

As BarbCT605 recommended, do check out the Caribbean Other Ports Board! Please don't fail to read the older posts as well. Honestly, these excursions just don't change from year to year or even cruise line to cruise line.

 

We've been lucky enough to have been to Tortola many times on business land trips and on cruise ships as a port stop! LOVE TORTOLA! Here are a couple on the Ports Board that you might enjoy reading:

 

The Baths of Virgin Gorda -- MAP & Info (Click Here)

 

Here's one for folks who have already been to The Baths and want to do something different ... our favorite:

 

Virgin Island Sailaway Cruisers' Reviews (Click Here)

 

Have FUN planning! Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)

[BarbCT605]

Thanks for sharing, everyone!! Great links.

 

Virgin Gorda looks absolutely gorgeous! Love the idea of a ferry directly from the ship to VG. The Brits always get the best islands :eek: :D

[platterb]

Both my husband and myself love Tortola and have been there three times. In many ways, the British Virgin Islands is nicer than the US Virgin Islands. Tortola and Virgin Gorda are the two main islands. They're quaint and not nearly as commercial or over-developed as St Thomas. You'll see an abundance of sailboats and cruisers who moor in this area.

 

We both think the snorkeling options in British VG is better now that the US VG. We use to snokel over on St. John but overpopulation and usage has really impacted the quality. The last time we visited (NCL Spirit in December 2004) we took a catamarran over to one of the various islands that are not habited.

 

But for the first time, go the Bathes on Virgin Gorda. It's absolutely a unique site and extremely easy location to swim, snorkel or just enjoy the location. It's amazing to see Boulders as big of these still there in the Caribbean since the last Ice Age.

 

I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.

[DaisyL]

On our 1st trip to Tortola we went on the Virgin Gorda trip to the Baths and the only bad thing was it was a long trip and not being at the beach long enough... just beautiful and worth the trip ... but on the itinerary you quoted would be great..

 

Our 2nd trip was from the Dawn, and being the last island of 5 (plus there only till 2 PM) we were actually 'beached out' and just walked around the port and 'flea market'. We could not believe the construction there from 1-1/2 yrs. before. There's even an Emerald International there now. Stop in Sunny Caribee for wonderful spices, sauces .. and local artwork. BTW, there is a dock with several ships there (Feb-very crowded) but we tendered.

 

Our 3rd trip, took the Tour/Cane Garden Bay excursion and the open taxi ride was just beautiful but very scary ! Luckily they took the short ride back to the ship. We got some nice pictures along the way and can even see the US Virgin Islands from there. The beach was very nice... reminded me of Magens Bay on St. Thomas.

[Coastalbreezes]

Hi -- one of my favorite islands is Tortola. It was a lovely port on our HAL cruise last year. We played tourist and took a wonderful taxi ride to Cane Garden Bay beach. Everyone was so nice and we had a delicious lunch right at a small restaurant right on the beach. It was one of the most memorable parts of our cruise--the island was beautifully scenic (even if the taxi ride was a bit scary! Lots of very steeeeep hills!), the beach was just heaven, and the water crystal clear. I cannot wait to go back -- enjoy!

Tracy

[MrPete]

Here's a pic where the ship docks.

 

http://community.webshots.com/photo/349926227/349970527XdpXEM

 

As everyone is ssaying, there is NOTHING where you dock, but you can either go to the Baths by ferry, or to the other side of the island in about 15 minutes to one of the beaches by cab. That side faces the back of St. John.

 

There are plenty of cabs to take you anywhere you want. The roads have some interesting angles. We went to Cane Garden Bay.

[mafig]

We were in Tortola in January on the Star Princess. We went over to the Baths on Virgin Gorda. Afterwards the ferry left us off in town and we walked back to the ship. There's a bar/restaurant in town (I think it's called Pusser's) that's supposed to make a mean rum punch, but it was mobbed when we were there.

 

When we walked back to the ship it was so nice to not be hassled for a taxi. The harbor had mid size yachts and sailboats bobbing at anchor. My dh and I thought it was very scenic and made us think this is what the real Caribbean is like. You could just imagine being on a sailboat, dropping anchor, getting on your dingy to shore to buy supplies, have a drink and lunch. Lovely.

 

The baths on Virgin Gorda were very nice. We were there on a rainy day so some of its beauty was diminished somewhat -- we would definately go back!

[www]

Hi, Just putting my two cents in. We went to Tortola on the Princess Star in April of 2005. We did not dock, we tendered in. We then took a small bus to a large ferry, which took us to Virgin Gorda. While on the ferry a girl did come around with a map of the islands for us to see and told us just were we were,what we could see from the ferry, and where we were going. We went to the "Baths". It was beautiful and the water was unbelievable.

 

Things to know about this tour. You should be phyically fit, and able to hike in. It is a long path through a woodsy area with lots of rocks. Sneakers are the best bet. Sandles are slippery! To go to the second beach, you really have to be fit because you are ducking inbetween HUGE rocks, sometimes in water up to your knees, sometimes you have to duck down very low. I am very phyically fit, but I still opted out of going to the second beach. My hubby & Brother in-law, very able bodied, but not really phyically fit, did go to the other beach. My husband did slip on a wet rock and twist his ankle a little (it could have been worse, he was lucky). They both said it was unbelievable and worth seeing. My sister & I (40ish) and our two daughters (18) stayed on the first beach, which was just fine with us.

 

You stayed there for a few hours and then a bus came and picked you up and took you back to the ferry and you took another small bus back to the ship, to get on the tender, to get back onto the ship!!! LOL!!!

 

My mom & dad, (mom's not phyically fit at all), opted for a tour of the island , shopping & lunch, and had a wonderful time. Island is very pretty.

[Capt_BJ]

Thank you!

 

After reading some of the other posts, I was starting to wonder if I just had wayyyy to much wine with dinner ! :)

 

Capt BJ: Sorry, Cap'm, but I'm the type of gal that has to be told straight out ... I could never read between the lines! :confused:

 

BomBa's is da place to be on the night of a full moon. 'twas a special request from my crew......

 

The place is but a few stray boards tacked together that goes absolutely wild on full moon night. Folks from the surrounding islands come over for the party.

 

The decor' is panty and bra ..... all tacked up to the few boards that are the place. Plus a bar/cooler.....

 

Well, you asked......:rolleyes:

[Surfgirl]

I was in Tortola about five years ago when I sailed on the Windjammer Barefoot Cruise's "Flying Cloud." We were anchored, and had to be tendered to-and-from the ship.

 

We took an "island tour".. and there really wasn't much to see. You can buy some touristy things at Pussers (such as their famous Pusser's Rum...t-shirts.. and other items)... but that's about it as far as shopping.

 

On the Windjammer cruise, the ship was tiny (it's a tall ship) so it could get in to the tiny islands. One of the islands we stopped at was Virgin Gorda (didn't need to do the ferry).

 

My friend was a little upset because when she was there ten years ago, it was untouched... but now, they're making it very touristy-- with food stands, etc.

 

If you go-- walk through the rocks to the left... and keep walking. You'll hit a gorgeous beach-- well worth the hike. Go for a swim--but don't end your walk there!

 

A lot of people don't know that the hiking trail continues-- and goes through some gorgeous cactus plantings until you reach the ocean. You can't swim there, but the view is gorgeous!

[BarbCT605]

BomBa's is da place to be on the night of a full moon. 'twas a special request from my crew......

 

The place is but a few stray boards tacked together that goes absolutely wild on full moon night. Folks from the surrounding islands come over for the party.

 

The decor' is panty and bra ..... all tacked up to the few boards that are the place. Plus a bar/cooler.....

 

Well, you asked......:rolleyes:

Thanks for the specifics (I think).

 

25 years ago, I probably would've scheduled a cruise around this one event! Today ... they'd probably give me drinks NOT to show up! :eek: ;)

[BarbCT605]

Thanks, everyone!

 

You've changed my attitude from " just another port to visit " to

" oh, m'gosh ... I can't wait!!!!"