Not to Be Missed Ports?

[Nancyewhite01]

Hi

 

I am going on a Southern Caribbean cruise in January. I have chronic pain with some difficulty walking. I am hoping to spend at least one or two port days on the ship.

 

Can anyone who has been there tell me if there is something that I absolutely should not miss in any of these ports? Or conversely, an island that I can miss with less regret? 

 

Itinerary:

Antigua

Barbados

St. Lucia

St. Kitts

St. Maarten

 

I realize that this is a subjective question. I am specifically asking for opinions from folks who have been to these places. Research is starting to blend them all together, and obviously is largely selling the respective places.

 

 

 

[CntPAcruiser]

It strikes me that you could possibly find excursions on most, if not all, of these islands that could accommodate your needs. For example, St. Kitts has a railroad excursion (which I have not been on myself) where you would be seated for the experience itself. And specific to St. Kitts, the Brimstone Fortress is a must-see but, unfortunately, would involve a great deal of walking, hills, steps, etc., so might not be suitable. But perhaps the train would be a good way to see the sights.

As you said, this is completely subjective, but if I had to pick one to stay on the ship, it might be St. Maarten. Although it is a beautiful place, much of what is memorable are beaches and sights on the French side, which is not recovering as quickly as the Dutch side from what I understand. We will be there in January 2019 to see for ourselves.

We did guided tours on Antigua and St. Lucia the last time we were there, and while there were opportunities to get out and walk around, you wouldn't have to. Possibly St. Lucia would be good for this. It is a beautiful island. On Antigua you would miss out on Nelson's Dockyard, since that is a walk-in area.

I have less information about Barbados, as we did not do much when we visited there, but a quick look at tourism websites suggests there are a number of experiences (culinary tours, etc.) that would perhaps not involved as much active walking around.

I hope that you will find a way to enjoy as many ports as possible on your upcoming cruise.