Excursion for a family

[panurse]

I will be in Antiqua on the Golden Princess on 5/1/06. We are a family of 6 looking for something for everyone. The kids are 16, 13, 6, 6. I don't want to spend $80 pp because that adds up fast.

thanks

[texancruzer]

Rent a car.....do your own thing. We were only 4 and rented a Suzuki Grand Vitara from Hertz for $ 55.00+ for the whole day. You would need something a little bigger but I'm sure something is available. Driving is on the left so a little tricky if you have never done it..... but once out of town there was almost NO traffic. We headed to Long Bay (spent a few hours there - snorkeled) then down to Nelsons Dockyard (didnt stop) and then over to Fig Tree drive (WOW) and to west coast and back up to ship.... still had @ 1 hr to shop at pier.... However, you can tailor your day to whatever you want to do..... Gas is high but we only ended up putting about 10.00 in to make sure it was returned full. Island is just not that big that it takes much gas or time to go almost all the way around. Very friendly people and we did have to stop and ask directions once due to some construction.....

[debbie9703]

Did you arrange to rent the car before your cruise or when you arrived on the island? Do they supply a map so you can find all the tourist sights?

[texancruzer]

We were on 11/26 Serenade (RCL) and I actually booked 3 cars on 3 islands months ahead..... San Juan, St. Martin and Antigua. We prefer to tour this way versus with cruiseline excursions as we have more control over when, where, how long etc....

 

I always use a larger international firm ( I used Hertz for these) and have never been disappointed. Yes they supplied maps, good ones, but I had ordered them online months before. I like to research everything ahead of time and have a basic itinerary planned ahead. We can always deviate from it if we get on the island and see something interesting....but this way I know what there is to see and decide what would be the most fun - interesting - scenic - etc... I did a web search for the official tourist site for each island and there was a link in there somewhere for a map.... I think I paid $3.50 for a map of Antigua and it came in 3-4 days. The key is just to plan ahead and we had a blast driving all over the place and met some really nice people (they are different when a whole bus descends on them than when it is just us). Any more questions...let me know :)

 

edit: P.S. On Hertzs' website there is an 800 number for international reservations... I like to talk to a human being when making my important vacation plans !!!

[debbie9703]

Thanks for the info.I will consider this. Did you have any problems parking at the places you toured? We also want to go to a beach.

[tigercruiser]

which Hertz location is closest to the pier?

[texancruzer]

We went first to the church on the hill....you will see it from the ship as my best friend loves old churches.....really neat one too. The girls school across the street was there practicing choir so made for a neat visit. We parked across the street (parallel) then out of town over to Long Bay (where Pineapple resort is) and it is very nice beach..... we parked right near where we sat under a tree so car did not get hot.... then down to south coast (Nelsons dockyard - but did not stop) then along Fig Tree drive which is a drop dead gorgeous canopy road in hills and rainforest area..... stopped at a roadside vendor and bought some pineapple jam (YUM) and homemade crafts from Elaine !!!! also stopped at another old church and then over to west coast and along it back up to town. There was virtually no one else on the road with us.....we felt like we were on a deserted island. Driving is on the left tho....so that is kind of tricky especially in the "roundabouts" - big circles at intersections. Just think LEFT and you'll do allright. Basically one main road goes all around the island and the island is not very big either.... Picked up car at 9, 30 minutes for that, 30 minutes at church, 30 minutes drive to Long Bay, 2.5 hrs at beach, we spent about 3 hrs exploring, 1 hr shopping (bought a diamond ring for 25th anniversary!!!) and back on ship by 5:00

 

I made reservations thru the "main office" and it stated on webs that they would deliver to hotel or pier.....they actually delivered to a small hotel about a 3 minute walk from the moment we stepped off the ship....about a block in. Our rep Vivian was there with our car and we filled out the paperwork and off we went.... we returned it to the same place at the agreed time and then shopped at the pier.... we had a wonderful day exploring Antigua and I loved this island... kind of like a tropical Texas hill country... very rural and lots of pastures, cows, goats with palm trees :D

 

Any more questions ???