Which port would you skip on a S. Carib. sailing?

[mousey]

none

 

Ditto! I wouldn't skip any of these ports. I've been to all of them and would do them all again in a heartbeat.

[navybankerteacher]

While St. Thomas has access to great beaches on St. John, the other islands all have better beaches than St. Thomas -- which, aside from its access to St. John, is simply an over-crowded, marginally unsafe shopping port. Perhaps worth seeing - but certainly the one to skip if you are going to skip one.

[Floridiana]

I never skip a port, but I don't do a lot in the ports I know and where I have toured before. Just walking around in the port area or town is better than staying on the ship all the time.

Of these ports, St. Thomas would be the one where I might just take the funicular for the view or walk around in town in the morning, then go back to have lunch on the ship and relax.

[ladygal4.4]

St Thomas is great for shopping, but if you need a break, skip this one. There is a ton of walking unless you get taxis. The tram ride is nice for a great view, but once you've seen it there's nothing really else to do up there except eat/drink

 

 

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[Cruisegoer]

Thanks all for the recommendations and while I agree St. Thomas would be a understandable port to skip for all the reasons you've mentioned it's the first port of call. Who wants to skip the first port of call?!?!?!

 

To qualify I've done this itinerary a couple times so I believe St. Kitts is the new island I'll actually be visiting but having said that when I look up things to do in St. Kitts either here on CC or just TripAdvisor I'm a little underwhelmed. Barbados is my second choice to skip simply because I wasn't overly impressed on my previous visit. I was offered crack/cocaine minutes off the ship which of course leaves a sour taste in your mouth. This time I was considering doing a day trip to Sandals Barbados while in port so again hesitant to just skip it. St Lucia I absolutely love thanks to the Cosul Tour I took on the island in 2009 so I can't wait to do that one again and St. Maarten I want to go to Maho beach where the planes land over your head.

 

If only the rest of my life had such difficult decisions to be made.

Edited August 14, 2015 by Cruisegoer

[Langley Cruisers]

Barbados is my second choice to skip simply because I wasn't overly impressed on my previous visit. I was offered crack/cocaine minutes off the ship which of course leaves a sour taste in your mouth. This time I was considering doing a day trip to Sandals Barbados while in port so again hesitant to just skip it.

 

Well let's face it, you're not in Kansas anymore. ;) These things happen. Many of the islands are known for pushing drugs; there are many vendors, tour operators, crime, poverty... it is what it is. I would never skip a port - waiting so long to go on a cruise and after all that expense, I am off that ship! LOL :p I understand about Barbados but again, it is what it is. Don't let anything get in the way of your fabulous vacation - don't give anything or anyone that power. Enjoy every port and know that we are all blessed to be cruising. :)

[notentirelynormal]

I wouldn't skip St Thomas. First, it is your first port (I was gonna say this even before OP mentioned it). You can always find something to do even if it is sitting at a sidewalk cafe people watching. If I had to choose one from the list it would be St. Kitts. However, as you've never been there why not take the train excursion. You just sit there and get a trip around the island then back on the ship. No walking. You get a narrative and singing experience. I would skip St. Martan.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I would skip St Thomas too simply because it is on a lot of itineraries. Second choice to skip would be St Lucia, but that's probably because all I did there was go to a beach resort so the island itself didn't make much of an impression on me.

 

 

At the risk of getting flamed, I suggest you skip them all and head to the Pacific, including Hawaii, French Polynesia (e.g., Bora Bora, Fakarava, even New Caledonia) and further west (e.g., Fiji).

 

We've done the Caribbean on cruise ships and by yacht charter. Boring! Though yacht charter can get you to more secluded anchorages, most cruise port islands are overrun with tourists and are cookie-cutter in looks and culture. In the Pacific, you will still run into some crowds and tourist traps. But the natural beauty, geographic and cultural diversity will offer a much more dimensional (and memorable) experience.

 

Imagine dinner at Le Lotus over the water on Tahiti or a helicopter ride along the NaPali coast on Kauai.

[spookwife]

Barbados easily.

 

St. Thomas is the No. 1 Cruise port for a reason-just need to try something new

 

All these ports are outstanding-better than anything the Western Caribbean has overall

 

 

interesting. Hubby just left Barbados, (Liberty port , last one before the end of the deployment) and was lucky enough to be allowed to get a hotel for 2 nights. he said it ls worth going to for a land or a sea vacation.

 

he also loved Rousseau so much (the other Liberty Port) that he wants me to research itineraries that hit both ports (so far all I can find is AsventiureOTS)

[YubaSutter]

None.

[Arzeena]

I'm going on the Liberty in January and it's a very port intensive cruise (St Thomas, St Marten, St Kitts, Barbados & St Lucia). Given your druthers if you were going to take a day off from an excursion, beach or shopping in port and just stay on the ship, which of these ports might you choose to miss?

 

None.:)

[Cruisegoer]

At the risk of getting flamed, I suggest you skip them all and head to the Pacific, including Hawaii, French Polynesia (e.g., Bora Bora, Fakarava, even New Caledonia) and further west (e.g., Fiji).

 

We've done the Caribbean on cruise ships and by yacht charter. Boring! Though yacht charter can get you to more secluded anchorages, most cruise port islands are overrun with tourists and are cookie-cutter in looks and culture. In the Pacific, you will still run into some crowds and tourist traps. But the natural beauty, geographic and cultural diversity will offer a much more dimensional (and memorable) experience.

 

Imagine dinner at Le Lotus over the water on Tahiti or a helicopter ride along the NaPali coast on Kauai.

 

If you're picking up the tab that is.

[sail7seas]

While others do not agree, I would skip St. Lucia. If one wants active shore excursions, they want different things than those of us who enjoy other activities. I've been to St. Lucia many times and if it is now on my itinerary, I almost always stay aboard.

[sail7seas]

At the risk of getting flamed, I suggest you skip them all and head to the Pacific, including Hawaii, French Polynesia (e.g., Bora Bora, Fakarava, even New Caledonia) and further west (e.g., Fiji).

 

 

 

<snip>.

 

That wasn't the question nor the choice of many of us. I'd rather spend time at the luxury resort beaches in Europe than travel to Hawaii to go to another beach. Of course, I'm on the East Coast so Hawaii is a long journey and just not so special IMO NO desire to go to Bora Bora and the like. :o

 

[sail7seas]

interesting. Hubby just left Barbados, (Liberty port , last one before the end of the deployment) and was lucky enough to be allowed to get a hotel for 2 nights. he said it ls worth going to for a land or a sea vacation.

 

he also loved Rousseau so much (the other Liberty Port) that he wants me to research itineraries that hit both ports (so far all I can find is AsventiureOTS)

 

I'm not going to do the research but I'd be surprised if you couldn't find a cruise on HAL that included Barbados and St. Lucia. Seems to me we have done that in the past. We've been to both so many times, I've forgotten if both ports on the same cruise.

 

[Mr2Scents]

While St. Thomas has access to great beaches on St. John, the other islands all have better beaches than St. Thomas -- which, aside from its access to St. John, is simply an over-crowded, marginally unsafe shopping port. Perhaps worth seeing - but certainly the one to skip if you are going to skip one.

 

Which beaches on St. Kitts do you feel are better than St. Thomas, St. John? I'm not being argumentative, I'm actually curious because on our last stop at St. Kitts I wasn't impressed with the beaches at all. We did the full tour of the island, Cockleshell, South Friars, Frigate etc. I know questions like this are subjective, just curious for your opinion because we're stopping again in December and I'm open to suggestions.

[MCC retired]

I'm going on the Liberty in January and it's a very port intensive cruise (St Thomas, St Marten, St Kitts, Barbados & St Lucia). Given your druthers if you were going to take a day off from an excursion, beach or shopping in port and just stay on the ship, which of these ports might you choose to miss?

 

I would skip St Thomas :

 

If you have been there before or even if it is your first visit , you will have ample chances to visit on future cruises as it is on tons of Southern & Eastern Caribbean itineraries .( far too many IMO)

[abisha]

Thanks all for the recommendations and while I agree St. Thomas would be a understandable port to skip for all the reasons you've mentioned it's the first port of call. Who wants to skip the first port of call?!?!?!

 

To qualify I've done this itinerary a couple times so I believe St. Kitts is the new island I'll actually be visiting but having said that when I look up things to do in St. Kitts either here on CC or just TripAdvisor I'm a little underwhelmed. Barbados is my second choice to skip simply because I wasn't overly impressed on my previous visit. I was offered crack/cocaine minutes off the ship which of course leaves a sour taste in your mouth. This time I was considering doing a day trip to Sandals Barbados while in port so again hesitant to just skip it. St Lucia I absolutely love thanks to the Cosul Tour I took on the island in 2009 so I can't wait to do that one again and St. Maarten I want to go to Maho beach where the planes land over your head.

 

If only the rest of my life had such difficult decisions to be made.

 

Go to Carambola Beach Club on St. Kitts. It is gorgeous. You enter through a contemporary restaurant (very lovely)..and walk right through to the back doors that are opened up wide to the beach. The beach has chairs and umbrella rental, and gorgeous views of the mountains of Nevis. The water was nice, but the setting is nice and quiet. It's a short ride from the pier too. You do not need to purchase anything at the restaurant if you don't want, but they do come around to the loungers to take drink orders (but you don't need to if you don't want to). On the way there, you go up Timothy Hill to see where the Atlantic waters meet the Carribbean waters..very interesting. You also can get a photo op with those adorable little monkey's wearing clothing (they expect a tip though).

 

Carambola Beach Club is down the beach from Cockleshell I believe. It is much nicer than Cockleshell..people from Cockleshell were leaving to come down to the Carambola and said they thought much nicer too. I would go back to Carambola in a heart beat.

Edited August 14, 2015 by abisha

[Krazy Kruizers]

Of the ports that OP posted -- for us -- we would skip St Thomas.

There was a time when we loved to stop there. But now that HAL docks at Crown Bay which has very few shops and not much of anything else, we get off walk around a little bit and then get back on the ship. I am partially handicapped and it is hard for me to get to Havensight -- which we loved for years.

[CanadaDeb]

We tend to skip St Lucia. We've done some tours before but it's just not an interesting place for us compared to the others.

[kelmac]

For the most part, all of them are great. I wasn't thrilled with Martinique, but it's been a while and I will give it another shot some day. Nassau is okay, but my wife likes it. San Juan would be better if the ships could arrive early in the morning -- most arrive afternoon.

 

Love all the others!

Kel:D

[jcl410]

 

he also loved Rousseau so much (the other Liberty Port) that he wants me to research itineraries that hit both ports (so far all I can find is AsventiureOTS)

 

I've done several cruises that depart from Barbados on the Royal Clipper. She's a small ship that stops at smaller ports; other smaller ships also start their cruises there, as does one of the P&O ships.

 

There is a lot of fun things to do in Barbados besides the beaches;I'm a big fan of the cave tour, as well as the Concorde museum. (One of these days I hope to be there when there is a cricket match going on.)

 

Aloha,

 

John

[BeagleOne]

St. Thomas. Over-rated, over-priced, and over-crowded.

 

I love St. Kitts. Too much to do there in one day. Brimstone Hill, Romney Gardens, Caribelle Batik, shopping in Basseterre, the sugar train....

[navybankerteacher]

At the risk of getting flamed, I suggest you skip them all and head to the Pacific, including Hawaii, French Polynesia (e.g., Bora Bora, Fakarava, even New Caledonia) and further west (e.g., Fiji).

 

We've done the Caribbean on cruise ships and by yacht charter. Boring! Though yacht charter can get you to more secluded anchorages, most cruise port islands are overrun with tourists and are cookie-cutter in looks and culture. In the Pacific, you will still run into some crowds and tourist traps. But the natural beauty, geographic and cultural diversity will offer a much more dimensional (and memorable) experience.

 

Imagine dinner at Le Lotus over the water on Tahiti or a helicopter ride along the NaPali coast on Kauai.

 

I'm sure Tahiti is lovely, but why bring it up on a thread dealing with a question concerning a short Caribbean cruise - on which the costliest accomodations would be just over $1,000 - so you can change the subject to destinations on cruises where the least expensive is probably about $7,500?

[mapsmith]

Disembarkation port.