Eastern Caribbean - tips needed!

[Hanne]

Hi!

 

I´m cruising with my family on RCCL Explorer on march. We are taking the Eastern Caribbean route. The Ports of call are Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Nassau Bahamas.

 

I´m so confused with all the excursions and the info from those ports! Please help me - what are your best tips to get the most out of those great places. Where to shop where to snorkel anf where are the best beaches?

 

Sorry about my English!:o

 

Hanne from Finland

[pharmdawg]

go with Godfrey. He has many options but he took us shopping for 2 hours, sight seeing for 2 hours and beach for 2 hours. All for just $20 per person. Great time.

[taminark]

i am going on the voyager eastern in march. we go to nassau, st thomas, san juan then labadee. Does anyone know when we have to line up to do the immigration thing before we get off the ship in the port. Is it nassau or st thomas, or do we have to do it every morning before we disembark. I think you just do it in the first non-U.S. port. Does that mean nassau or stt or both?

[atlcple2]

We have done this once before and will do it again when we go in a couple of weeks. St. Martin is very easy to get around on, there is one main road that goes around the entire island. We rented a jeep through SXM online and Best Deal Car Rental is the actual company. I believe it is $75 for the day, which is much cheaper than getting a cab even to Orient Beach, plus you get to see the entire island. We to to the rental company at the dock and they took us to Phillipsburg to get the car. We shopped first and then picked up the car, took the top off and we were off! It is safe to leave the car at the beach and stuff. We also took the insurance online for $7 for the day I believe. You will have a great time!

[KelJ]

We loved the BOBs in St. Thomas. And when you're not on them, you're snorkeling. It was a great excursion.

[Nliedel]

In St. Thomas Magans bay is a gorgeous beach, just spectacular. In St. Martaan I am a fan of Orient Beach, you may see some nudity but it's not everywhere. Both are lovely beaches, clean and just a delight. The drive to Magan's, over the hills, is simply delightful.

[Mattismom]

:) We were in St. Thomas April 2 years ago--we took a small boat to St. John-Trunk Bay--the snorkeling was wonderful. St. Martaan is a great place to but jewelry--i found some really great buys!:)

[FlyingPhotog]

In San Juan we did the Bacardi tour and it was awful. You don't even see the real factory. Plus because some people in our group were late to the bus so we missed El Morro.

 

In St Thomas we did the skyride to Paradise Point, then went to Magen's Bay.

 

In St Maarten we did the America's Cup Regatta and loved it.

 

Read all about our excursions in my detailed review below in the signature.

[GabrielaNG]

I received some very good suggestions on this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=294532

;););)

[wrp96]

i am going on the voyager eastern in march. we go to nassau, st thomas, san juan then labadee. Does anyone know when we have to line up to do the immigration thing before we get off the ship in the port. Is it nassau or st thomas, or do we have to do it every morning before we disembark. I think you just do it in the first non-U.S. port. Does that mean nassau or stt or both?

 

You will have to do it in St. Thomas since you go to a foreign port, Nassau, before entering a US port. That is the only port you will have to do it in.