Cruise Excursion + Shopping

[jcgrim]

First let me say thanks to everyone here for all the awesome reviews and help. My fiance and I are cruising for our honeymoon in March and are about to book our Excursions. What we want to do is the Buck Island Sailing and Snorkling Excursion provided by the cruise ship (since this is our first time there). We also want to do some shopping and possibly visiting one of the beached. We arrive at the port at 9am and leave at 6pm. Our choices for Buck Island are 9am or 1pm and it lasts 3 and a half hours. Which time would you suggest we do the buck island in order to get in the shopping? Is there a 1/2 day tour that we could do in order to go to Buck Island then shopping and a beach.

 

I figure we only need a couple hours of shopping and a couple hours at a beach. We want to purchase some liquor as well as maybe a small amount of jewelry.

 

Thanks in advance for all the help!!!!

[jcgrim]

Bump for any input.

 

Thanks!

[lka1012]

It depends on several things. First when do you get into port and when do you leave. Also, how well do you know the port. Or more specifically, the stores. Those of us who have been to St Thomas several times, in a crunch can "speed power" shop. Get off the ship, get into town (or Haversight), hit the stores we want the most, then get back to the ship. Personally, I would take the earlier tour since (if book thru the ship) the ship will wait on a late tour, but not a late shopper. (And I have seen one left at the dock before). Hope this helps and have a great trip.

[zqvol]

It depends on several things. First when do you get into port and when do you leave. Also, how well do you know the port. Or more specifically, the stores. Those of us who have been to St Thomas several times, in a crunch can "speed power" shop. Get off the ship, get into town (or Haversight), hit the stores we want the most, then get back to the ship. Personally, I would take the earlier tour since (if book thru the ship) the ship will wait on a late tour, but not a late shopper. (And I have seen one left at the dock before). Hope this helps and have a great trip.

If I read the OP correctly they are booking through the ship. If that is the case I don't think it matters which tour. If they are booking on their own take the morning.

[jcgrim]

We arrive at St. Thomas at 9 am. I have booked the 9am Buck Island Snorkeling Tour through the ship. Which I am second quessing now that I have read about Sunny Liston. The Fiance and I really want to snorkle, hang out on the beach some and do some relaxed shopping. Would it be better to cancel the Snokeling I booked through the ship and book Sunny Listons tour.

 

Does he allow for snorkeling and is it good snorkeling?

 

So you guys think its better to just keep the snorkeling excursion booked through the ship and then come back and go into town and shop or would it be better to do Sunny's tour. We really want to snorkel and shop.

 

Thanks for any and all of the help!

[lka1012]

Actually, I meant to recommend you shop in the morning and take your tour in the afternoon, espically if you are doing a ship's tour. (Since the ship will wait on one of their own tours, but not any one elses) Otherwise, I would reverse and take the tour in the morning and shop in the afternoon. (Am I making any sense?)