Virgin Island Ports - Star Pride

[MarLieb]

We have booked the Star Pride for a San Juan and Virgin Islands cruise.  I have picked our activities for most ports, but I am stuck on Virgin Gorda.  Windstar doesn't list any excursions for this port and I don't even know where we will tender onto this island.  Does anyone have any info on where we will tender or ideas on what we should do on this island?  Thank you!

[minidonuts85]

We just left the BVI and spend a lot of time there. 
 

If you haven’t been to The Baths before it’s quite nice and interesting to see. 

In the past they’d tender into the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour. But they have also resumed the beach day bbq at Prickly Pear Island which is on the other side of the island in the north sound. Not sure if your itinerary specifies prickly pear?

Edited September 3, 2022 by minidonuts85

[MarLieb]

11 hours ago, minidonuts85 said:

We just left the BVI and spend a lot of time there. 
 

If you haven’t been to The Baths before it’s quite nice and interesting to see. 

In the past they’d tender into the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour. But they have also resumed the beach day bbq at Prickly Pear Island which is on the other side of the island in the north sound. Not sure if your itinerary specifies prickly pear?

Thank you so much for your response!  Our itinerary doesn't specify Prickly Pear - maybe I will call and see if they are planning on doing that.  The Baths sound very interesting!

 

Do you happen to have any thoughts on the other ports?  We will be going to St. Thomas, Gustavia, Little Bay, St. Maarten, Jost Van Dyke and Virgin Gorda - we were going to do snorkel and beach day excursions where available, (except St. Maarten where we were just planning on walking to Great Bay if possible) - do you know if there are beaches or other interesting things to see within walking distance of where we would tender in these ports?  I really appreciate your feedback!

[minidonuts85]

Hi! We actually just spent a week on Jost Van Dyke. Definitely take a taxi to White Bay where there are a few beach bars including the famous Soggy Dollar bar where you can try their painkiller drink. But also check out the others bars, all maybe a hundred yards from each other. Gertrude’s is our fave hangout and you can pour your own drink and enjoy Chef Olgas island cuisine. No need to book the expensive ship tour. Safari taxis will be waiting at the tender pier ready for you all. $5/pp each way plus a couple bucks tip. Here is a pic of white bay. Our guesthouse is on the far right. 
 

St Maarten- Great Bay/Philipsburg beach is very close easy to rent beach chairs and umbrellas. The Holland House Hotel has a great bar/food and $25 for chairs/umbrella with shower and bathroom facilities. Attached a pic from our room at the Holland House and you can see the port. Have a guavaberry colada! 
 

St Thomas- taxi to Sapphire or Megan’s Bay Beach or if time permits, check into a ferry over to St John to the national park beaches like Trunk Bay. There are a couple of craft beer spots near the port that we hit up when we are on our way to the airport- Tap and Still and Leatherback Brewing. 
 

Gustavia and Little Bay we haven’t been to. 

[MarLieb]

1 hour ago, minidonuts85 said:

Hi! We actually just spent a week on Jost Van Dyke. Definitely take a taxi to White Bay where there are a few beach bars including the famous Soggy Dollar bar where you can try their painkiller drink. But also check out the others bars, all maybe a hundred yards from each other. Gertrude’s is our fave hangout and you can pour your own drink and enjoy Chef Olgas island cuisine. No need to book the expensive ship tour. Safari taxis will be waiting at the tender pier ready for you all. $5/pp each way plus a couple bucks tip. Here is a pic of white bay. Our guesthouse is on the far right. 
 

St Maarten- Great Bay/Philipsburg beach is very close easy to rent beach chairs and umbrellas. The Holland House Hotel has a great bar/food and $25 for chairs/umbrella with shower and bathroom facilities. Attached a pic from our room at the Holland House and you can see the port. Have a guavaberry colada! 
 

St Thomas- taxi to Sapphire or Megan’s Bay Beach or if time permits, check into a ferry over to St John to the national park beaches like Trunk Bay. There are a couple of craft beer spots near the port that we hit up when we are on our way to the airport- Tap and Still and Leatherback Brewing. 
 

Gustavia and Little Bay we haven’t been to. 

WOW!   Thank you SO much!  This is incredible info - I will look into everything you mentioned.  I so appreciate you taking the time to reply and giving me such great feedback on your experiences on the islands - THANK YOU!!

[minidonuts85]

17 minutes ago, MarLieb said:

WOW!   Thank you SO much!  This is incredible info - I will look into everything you mentioned.  I so appreciate you taking the time to reply and giving me such great feedback on your experiences on the islands - THANK YOU!!

My pleasure and feel free with any other questions. 🙂 
 

We got home last night at 10:45pm and already missing it. 

[Strenz]

Agree totally with Minidonuts85, we love White Bay, Yost, Gertrude's, the best conk fritters ever. We adore  the Holland House, great place to stay and if you are leaving on your flight late the same day as your return, terrific to hang out, have lunch etc. Enjoy. We are on the Surf 12/10 for 17 days. Happy Sailing

[MarLieb]

8 hours ago, minidonuts85 said:

My pleasure and feel free with any other questions. 🙂 
 

We got home last night at 10:45pm and already missing it. 

 

7 hours ago, Strenz said:

Agree totally with Minidonuts85, we love White Bay, Yost, Gertrude's, the best conk fritters ever. We adore  the Holland House, great place to stay and if you are leaving on your flight late the same day as your return, terrific to hang out, have lunch etc. Enjoy. We are on the Surf 12/10 for 17 days. Happy Sailing

Thank you, both, so much!  This is so incredibly helpful - thank you!!

[su-arizona]

Think Little Bay is Montserrat, which is our absolute favorite Caribbean port.  We booked a private tour with Sun's Tours and it was the best tour ever. You really cannot tour Monserrat on your own, and the tour is really amazing.  As I recall, there were 4 of us from the WS ship on Sun's tour - and I think we met the WS excursion (led by Sun's father, if memory serves).  I think I posted a review on TA - don't miss this tour!

 

We haven't been to the Soggy Dollar, but had a wonderful time at Foxy's (pre-hurricane) on Jost Van Dyke just walking from the where the tender dropped us.  Often the waterspouts platform will be available on that port too.

 

St Bart's isn't our favorite island...at least in all past years they were not welcoming to non-A-list folks.  If the waterspouts platform is available, we probably won't even leave the ship.  If not, Shell Beach is pretty and walkable.  Most exciting thing to do there is to watch planes land from the road overlooking the airport IMHO.

[su-arizona]

OOPS!  Think I was autocorrected - not "waterspouts" but "watersports" platform.  Entirely different things!😱

[minidonuts85]

15 minutes ago, su-arizona said:

OOPS!  Think I was autocorrected - not "waterspouts" but "watersports" platform.  Entirely different things!😱

I was gonna say, I wanna do the waterspouts platform!!! 
 

Foxys is def a great spot especially at night, it’s the happening place to be on island! It’s a bit more of a walk now from the tender because they drop off over at the ferry dock in Dog Hole instead of the central customs dock in Great Harbour. Still manageable. 
 

 

@MarLieb not sure what your hours are in port but if you’re there during the evening hours, su-Arizona makes a good suggestion in Foxys as a night time spot for dinner. Great lobster! 
 

 

Edited September 7, 2022 by minidonuts85

[su-arizona]

2 hours ago, minidonuts85 said:

I was gonna say, I wanna do the waterspouts platform!!! 
 

Foxys is def a great spot especially at night, it’s the happening place to be on island! It’s a bit more of a walk now from the tender because they drop off over at the ferry dock in Dog Hole instead of the central customs dock in Great Harbour. Still manageable. 
 

 

@MarLieb not sure what your hours are in port but if you’re there during the evening hours, su-Arizona makes a good suggestion in Foxys as a night time spot for dinner. Great lobster! 
 

 

Our Dec 2022 cruise is scheduled to depart Great Harbour at 11:59pm...sadly one minute before my birthday!  

[minidonuts85]

2 hours ago, su-arizona said:

Our Dec 2022 cruise is scheduled to depart Great Harbour at 11:59pm...sadly one minute before my birthday!  

Awwww so close! 
Maybe a champagne toast on deck at midnight as you’re sailing away to celebrate! 

[Host Jazzbeau]

5 hours ago, su-arizona said:

Our Dec 2022 cruise is scheduled to depart Great Harbour at 11:59pm...sadly one minute before my birthday!  

This will add even more excitement for you if there are 'pier runners' – please delay departure by 1 minute!!!

[MarLieb]

On 9/7/2022 at 2:09 PM, minidonuts85 said:

I was gonna say, I wanna do the waterspouts platform!!! 
 

Foxys is def a great spot especially at night, it’s the happening place to be on island! It’s a bit more of a walk now from the tender because they drop off over at the ferry dock in Dog Hole instead of the central customs dock in Great Harbour. Still manageable. 
 

 

@MarLieb not sure what your hours are in port but if you’re there during the evening hours, su-Arizona makes a good suggestion in Foxys as a night time spot for dinner. Great lobster! 
 

 

Yum!  Thank you for the suggestion!