12 Day SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN with Carnvial

[Honeybee6636]

HI doing this in March...can anyone tell me which ports you can just walk off the ship and enjoy the beach within walking distance without having to book an excursion for each port? And which ports you would recommend I do book excursions? 12 Day SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN Itinerary.

 

DAY PORT OF CALL ARRIVE DEPART Sun San Juan, Puerto Rico

10:00 PM Mon St. Thomas, Usvi 8:00 AM 6:00 PM Tue Fun Day At Sea

 

Wed Barbados 8:00 AM 6:00 PM Thu Scarborough, Trinidad & Tobago 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Fri Grenada 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Sat Fun Day At Sea

 

Sun Aruba 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Mon Fun Day At Sea

 

Tue Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Wed Fun Day At Sea

 

Thu Fun Day At Sea

 

We like to snorkel too :)

[CruiserBruce]

Some research on the Ports boards, here:

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=587

 

 

would give you tons of info on your ports. For example, you might want to swim with the sting rays at Stingray City on Grand Cayman.

Edited November 18, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[Langley Cruisers]

You do not have to book an excursion; you can take a taxi at each of these ports. Don't be afraid or nervous about adventuring outside the port areas. We have been to all of these ports except Trinidad and I don't recall a nice beach within walking distance. Truth be told, I would definitely want to get away from the port - the water will not be nice for swimming.

 

Definitely go to the Caribbean Ports of Call board, as Bruce said. You can scroll down each port and read the threads on what others have done there. This will take some time and research, but that's all part of the fun of planning. :)

.

[Keith1010]

HI doing this in March...can anyone tell me which ports you can just walk off the ship and enjoy the beach within walking distance without having to book an excursion for each port? And which ports you would recommend I do book excursions? 12 Day SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN Itinerary.

 

DAY PORT OF CALL ARRIVE DEPART Sun San Juan, Puerto Rico

10:00 PM Mon St. Thomas, Usvi 8:00 AM 6:00 PM Tue Fun Day At Sea

 

Wed Barbados 8:00 AM 6:00 PM Thu Scarborough, Trinidad & Tobago 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Fri Grenada 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Sat Fun Day At Sea

 

Sun Aruba 8:00 AM 4:00 PM Mon Fun Day At Sea

 

Tue Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Wed Fun Day At Sea

 

Thu Fun Day At Sea

 

We like to snorkel too :)

 

As others have said you need to do research.

 

In places such as Aruba and Barbados you just walk off the ship and with careful research you can easily see these places on your own or you can make arrangements ahead of time.

 

For Grand Cayman you will tender over to the tender drop off. For certain activities it is wise to book something ahead of time.

 

For St. Thomas you dock and you can make arrangements when you get there.

 

The key is to read about each port of call and there is not only a wealth of information at the ports of call section but also in other areas of the internet such as http://www.frommers.com and http://www.fedors.com and many more sites like these.

 

Keith

[cruiseapril]

In Aruba, we take a taxi from the pier to Palm Beach.

 

In Barbados, we have been to Carlisle Bay beach with a day pass

at Harbour Lights. (There are several places to get a day pass.)

Carlisle Bay is not far from the pier.

 

St. Thomas can be quite crowded, so we like to book a short excursion there.

 

The port forums will give lots of info.

[Bonnie J.]

In Grand Cayman you tender in. You can take the local bus to 7 Mile Beach, Cemetery Beach or other beaches. It used to be $2.50 per person no matter where you got off. ( Haven't been there is a while so don't if it's still $250.)

Or when you get off the tender turn right. There is a beach then a snorkeling beach which has coral, not sand as their 'beach'.

I can also recommend doing the Sting Rays with Captain Marvin- not the ship's tour. You also stop for snorkeling at two other spots. You can Google Capt. Marvin.

 

In Barbados we 'fed' the turtles and went to two wrecks 70' apart. You don't actually feed the turtles, the dive master does but they are all around you. We went with David in his boat with triples on it- not a catamaran- and had a small group- not the 30 or so on ship's tour but don't think they fed turtles. Let me know if you want info on who we went with.

Edited November 21, 2015 by Bonnie J.

[Velvetwater]

Also check out your roll call on the roll call forums as people have probably already got it planned and can advise.

[kadeycat]

When you get off the tender in grand Cayman, go out the gate and walk down the street to your right. There is decent snorkeling at Eden rock about 1/4 mile down the road. Stairs for entry and a snack shop if you need food.