Experienced Journey Cruisers-Need Advice

[GTO-Girl]

We are about to take our first Journey cruise in November.  We have eight ports and I am having a hard time trying to do decide what to do.  I don’t think I want to do excursions on every single one.  

 

So...from the list below.....which ports would you take an excursion.....just explore on your own....or are there any you would just stay on the ship?

 

St Croix

Aruba

Curacao

Barbados

St Lucia

St Kitts

San Juan

Amber Cove

 

Thanks in advance!!

[1025cruise]

Have you checked the ports of call forums?

[purplephenom]

14 minutes ago, GTO-Girl said:

We are about to take our first Journey cruise in November.  We have eight ports and I am having a hard time trying to do decide what to do.  I don’t think I want to do excursions on every single one.  

 

So...from the list below.....which ports would you take an excursion.....just explore on your own....or are there any you would just stay on the ship?

 

St Croix - never been here, but I would say excursion since not a lot of Carnival itineraries go here

Aruba - you could just go to the beach here

Curacao - easy town to walk around and explore by yourself, lots of see

Barbados - I'd do a turtle excursion here, though many people also like the Boatyard Beach Club, which has a turtle swim

St Lucia - I'd do an excursion to the Pitons

St Kitts - go to a beach, or an off road type excursion 

San Juan - walk to the forts and see the umbrellas if they're up again

Amber Cove - Carnival has built out the port area, if it's your thing, you can just hang by the pool.  I haven't been here so i don't know about excursions

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

 

I edited my thoughts into your post.  There are plenty of ports you could do your own thing, just depends on your comfort level and what you like to do.  

[GTO-Girl]

2 minutes ago, purplephenom said:

 

 

I edited my thoughts into your post.  There are plenty of ports you could do your own thing, just depends on your comfort level and what you like to do.  

 

Thank you!!

[jimbo5544]

Of all the ports, St Croix is my least fav.  That said, one of the good things about a Journey cruise is the chance to do these things and less traveled ports of call.  We loved our Journey cruise, enjoy yours!

[Micahs Grandad]

Aruba, Curacao and Amber Cove would be beach days for sure. San Juan take a stroll to the old forts

[evandbob]

2 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

We are about to take our first Journey cruise in November.  We have eight ports and I am having a hard time trying to do decide what to do.  I don’t think I want to do excursions on every single one.  

 

So...from the list below.....which ports would you take an excursion.....just explore on your own....or are there any you would just stay on the ship?

 

St Croix

Aruba

Curacao

Barbados

St Lucia

St Kitts

San Juan

Amber Cove

 

Thanks in advance!!

I have ported in all of these multiple times, as well as done land vacations in Aruba, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana, DR and San Juan.

 

Maybe a melange of excursion types?  Some beach, some discovery sightseeing, throw in a little shopping?  I would definitely stay on the ship (and have) for Amber Cove, I don't like Carnival built make believe corrals.  San Juan I can go either way, but only because I've been there so often.  The forts are interesting the 1st time around.  Good food in local joints though.

 

Aruba, beach/shopping, Barbados snorkel/beach, St Croix explore the isle, Curacao explore the floating bridge & town, St Lucia, Pitons, mud bath, snorkel, St Kitts Carambola beach club.

[jimbo5544]

20 minutes ago, evandbob said:

I have ported in all of these multiple times, as well as done land vacations in Aruba, Barbados, St Lucia, St Kitts, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana, DR and San Juan.

 

Maybe a melange of excursion types?  Some beach, some discovery sightseeing, throw in a little shopping?  I would definitely stay on the ship (and have) for Amber Cove, I don't like Carnival built make believe corrals.  San Juan I can go either way, but only because I've been there so often.  The forts are interesting the 1st time around.  Good food in local joints though.

 

Aruba, beach/shopping, Barbados snorkel/beach, St Croix explore the isle, Curacao explore the floating bridge & town, St Lucia, Pitons, mud bath, snorkel, St Kitts Carambola beach club.

Nice post,  me thinks St Lucia to be th gem of the Caribbean.

Edited August 6, 2019 by jimbo5544

[cruisegus]

Pretty much all good destinations in my opinion.  My 2 least favorite would be Amber Cove and St Croix.  Easiest to tour on your own San Juan (again depends on how many times you've been there)   I think Old Town is wonderful and very safe.

[richbum]

We are going to 3 of these ports on our Journeys cruise..St. Kitts, we are going on Mad Maxx dune buggy rides,  San Juan is with Ellis Tours on the Rain Forest tour, and Amber Cove, we are doing the 27 falls.  Out of all of your stops, we have only been to San Juan in the past and we just walked around the forts and around town.

[Sea-Bos]

On 8/6/2019 at 5:44 AM, Micahs Grandad said:

Aruba, Curacao and Amber Cove would be beach days for sure. San Juan take a stroll to the old forts

amber cove is a weird port. It was originally designed as an educational port (? Can’t think of the exact word). This failed and Carnival took over the port. It is created. There are no beaches or much to do outside of the port area.  When we were there we stayed in the area and swam. There are zip lines and water slides for a small $$$. We enjoyed it although I was disappointed because I wanted to explore DR (We like to wander the ports not the bars). 

[Sea-Bos]

Puerto Rico has a free shuttle that runs around the old-town. It is great and you can jump on and off. Love PR.