What is your favorite Caribbean port?

[Sigyn]

I've only been to a few Caribbean ports and I'm trying to plan a cruise with my teenage son. What is your favorite port in the Caribbean? 

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, njsmom said:

I've only been to a few Caribbean ports and I'm trying to plan a cruise with my teenage son. What is your favorite port in the Caribbean? 

There are two - tied for first place.  San Juan is a lovely old Spanish colonial city - a nearby tropical rain forest ---- then Sint. Maarten with its beaches and Caribbean flavor and delightful people --- adjoining the French flavored St. Martin.

[BklynBoy8]

Barbados and St Tom....

[BklynBoy8]

Just now, BklynBoy8 said:

Barbados and St Tom....

Next St Martin...

[bonsai3s]

We love starting in San Juan, then visiting Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

 

* Wish flights to SJ wa$n't so expensive...from the West Coast.

* We also enjoy Royal Caribbean's private "islands"...Coco Cay and Labadee.

[John Bull]

St Lucia & Antigua (eastern Caribbean), Curacao southern Caribbean..

 

We've got no time for cruiselines' private beaches / islands cos that ain't "seeing the world".

So if you live near beaches I suggest you don't waste your time. But if you want a "beach vacation" - or even one day off from exploring places - they're super-easy & hassle-free.

 

JB 🙂

[Joebucks]

People are naturally going to choose the ones that are harder to get to. It makes each visit special and limits the undesirables. 

 

It's tough to pick one. The Caribbean offers so much beauty, depending what chance you give it. What I will tell you is a southern caribbean itinerary is a must. 

[VMax1700]

Martinique.  After being looked after so politely and pleasantly by the crew onboard, it is refreshing to encounter some real French attitude. 😁

[navybankerteacher]

6 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Martinique.  After being looked after so politely and pleasantly by the crew onboard, it is refreshing to encounter some real French attitude. 😁

For the strongest French attitude, you should go to St. Barth's

[John Bull]

7 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

For the strongest French attitude, you should go to St. Barth's

.......but take your life's savings with you 😏

 

JB 🙂

[Aquahound]

6 hours ago, njsmom said:

I've only been to a few Caribbean ports and I'm trying to plan a cruise with my teenage son. What is your favorite port in the Caribbean? 

 

Bonaire.

[Sigyn]

This is all very helpful. On my two Caribbean cruises I've only been to Nassau (ack, don't feel a need to return), Ocho Rios (again, no need to return), Half Moon Cay (Carnival's private island), and then we were at Cozumel but didn't get off the ship on this past Christmas Day because it it was pouring down rain with 20-25 mph winds causing the aforementioned rain to come down sideways. Our ship didn't even get to stop at Grand Cayman or NCL's private island due to the rough seas and those being tender ports. 

[Aquahound]

8 minutes ago, njsmom said:

This is all very helpful. On my two Caribbean cruises I've only been to Nassau (ack, don't feel a need to return), Ocho Rios (again, no need to return), Half Moon Cay (Carnival's private island), and then we were at Cozumel but didn't get off the ship on this past Christmas Day because it it was pouring down rain with 20-25 mph winds causing the aforementioned rain to come down sideways. Our ship didn't even get to stop at Grand Cayman or NCL's private island due to the rough seas and those being tender ports. 

 

I highly recommend getting down to the Southern Caribbean.  

[Zach1213]

4 hours ago, Joebucks said:

People are naturally going to choose the ones that are harder to get to. It makes each visit special and limits the undesirables. 

 

I don't know, my favorite is St. Thomas (because you can easily get to St. John), and that's a pretty darn easy place to get to by sea or by air, and Americans don't need passports. 

 

4 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

For the strongest French attitude, you should go to St. Barth's

 

Love flying in and out of St. Barth's...and then watching the planes once you're there. 

[dolittle]

By far mainland  Mexico best beaches, attractions and people.

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, njsmom said:

This is all very helpful. On my two Caribbean cruises I've only been to Nassau (ack, don't feel a need to return), Ocho Rios (again, no need to return), Half Moon Cay (Carnival's private island), and then we were at Cozumel but didn't get off the ship on this past Christmas Day because it it was pouring down rain with 20-25 mph winds causing the aforementioned rain to come down sideways. Our ship didn't even get to stop at Grand Cayman or NCL's private island due to the rough seas and those being tender ports. 

Of course, Half Moon Cay (while a decent beach) and  Nassau are not in the Caribbean to begin with :  and Ocho Rios (which should not be done on your own), Grand Cayman (which offers little), and Cozumel (a fair beach and Senor Frog's are its only draws) hardly represent much more than the dregs of the Caribbean. 

 

Try the Eastern or Southern Caribbean.

[Sigyn]

23 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Of course, Half Moon Cay (while a decent beach) and  Nassau are not in the Caribbean to begin with :  and Ocho Rios (which should not be done on your own), Grand Cayman (which offers little), and Cozumel (a fair beach and Senor Frog's are its only draws) hardly represent much more than the dregs of the Caribbean. 

 

Try the Eastern or Southern Caribbean.

Ah, that's right. Those first two were on a Bahamas cruise. Silly me. It was warm and a long time ago. I forget things. 

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

Grand Cayman (which offers little),

 

Yes, I'd be bored if if I spent more than a day on the island.😟

But on a one-day port-of-call visit "Stingray City" is well worthwhile. 🙂

Its a sandbar about a mile (?) off-shore, where the sea is only about waist deep and reached by boat, and there are literally hundreds of stingrays swimming amongst folk paddling around.

Take scuba gear if you have, it enhances the experience.

 

JB 🙂

[horseymike]

On 2/20/2023 at 7:03 AM, njsmom said:

I've only been to a few Caribbean ports and I'm trying to plan a cruise with my teenage son. What is your favorite port in the Caribbean? 

I personally like the A B C islands. The private cruise line islands are also great for a nice beach day , with everything conveniently situated and most of the food options are included in your fare.

( I am not referring to Harvest Cay )

[lenquixote66]

Dominica

[Honolulu Blue]

I'd like to add another vote for Sint Maarten.  The ABCs are also nice.  But all the Caribbean ports have their charms.  Once you've been on a few cruises in the Caribbean, you'll find your own favorites based on what you like to see and do.

[Hlitner]

Even as an avid cruiser, our favorite Caribbean port are some islands that do not allow cruise ships (or only allow a few small luxury ships).  These are islands like St Barts, Anguilla, etc.  

 

As to Caribbean cruise ports, St Maarten is high on our list (but we know where to go to get far away from the masses of other cruisers) and St Lucia does have its charms.  

 

Folks might wonder why avid cruisers are not big fans of Caribbean Islands that have lots of cruisers.  Just try driving through Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas) on a day when there are 40,000 cruisers on the island :(.  or... walk through Phillipsburg, St Maarten on a day when the island has 30,000 cruisers and than go to that same town on a Saturday when there are no cruise ships in port.  Big difference.

 

Hank

[navybankerteacher]

1 minute ago, Hlitner said:

Even as an avid cruiser, our favorite Caribbean port are some islands that do not allow cruise ships (or only allow a few small luxury ships).  These are islands like St Barts, Anguilla, etc.  

 

As to Caribbean cruise ports, St Maarten is high on our list (but we know where to go to get far away from the masses of other cruisers) and St Lucia does have its charms.  

 

Folks might wonder why avid cruisers are not big fans of Caribbean Islands that have lots of cruisers.  Just try driving through Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas) on a day when there are 40,000 cruisers on the island :(.  or... walk through Phillipsburg, St Maarten on a day when the island has 30,000 cruisers and than go to that same town on a Saturday when there are no cruise ships in port.  Big difference.

 

Hank

Exactly -- we spend two or three weeks on Sint Maarten every January -- we make careful note of cruise ship schedules in planning our days --which  largely involves "sheltering in place" on those heavy days with five, six, or more ships in at Philipsburg - dumping 25,000 to 40,000  folks to jam the streets, clog the roads and mob the beaches which welcome them.  Much as I resent them for turning a large part of the island into a rush hour mob scene, I pity them for not being able to get any real idea of what the island has to offer. 

 

On our (now very few) Caribbean cruises, we essentially board ships to enjoy sea days and largely empty ships on port days.  

[Hlitner]

21 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Exactly -- we spend two or three weeks on Sint Maarten every January -- we make careful note of cruise ship schedules in planning our days --which  largely involves "sheltering in place" on those heavy days with five, six, or more ships in at Philipsburg - dumping 25,000 to 40,000  folks to jam the streets, clog the roads and mob the beaches which welcome them.  Much as I resent them for turning a large part of the island into a rush hour mob scene, I pity them for not being able to get any real idea of what the island has to offer. 

 

On our (now very few) Caribbean cruises, we essentially board ships to enjoy sea days and largely empty ships on port days.  

We do please guilty to being cruise hypocrites!  Why?  We love to cruise, but also do a lot of independent land travel.  As a result, we think we have good understanding of how cruise ships (especially large ships) have ruined (and are in the process of ruining) many wonderful parts of the world.  More and more cruise ports (all over the world) are now realizing that the big ships are just too damaging to their environment, infrastructure, and charm (which attracts tourists who spend lots of money).  Just consider the island of St Barts, which is a popular vacation island for jet-setters and other visitors with the financial means to stay and eat on that island.  St Barts is a truly charming place with many world-class restaurants, little crime, no traffic problems, etc.  On St Barts you will not find Diamonds International or cheap T-shirt shops, but you will find Fine Jewelers, high-end boutiques, etc.  Just having lunch at a beachfront cafe can set a couple back over $100, but few who vacation on that island complain.  The last thing they want are thousands of cruisers invading their quiet island.   

 

We have sadly watched as the Cinque Terre area (Italy) is being destroyed because of hoards or day tourists.  While they always managed to deal with this, in years past, they are now overwhelmed because of nearby La Spezia being used as a cruise port.  Just a single 4000 passenger ship in that port, can flood a small village like Riomaggiore with too many people.  The once charming village now routinely has a situation where hundreds (or more) are trying to cram on the relatively small trains that move through the various villages.  The Italian Government has already installed movable barriers on the main access road with the intent of closing the road on days when the area is overun by tourists.  This is not all the fault of the cruise ships (there are plenty of other tourists flooding this area) but adding 4-8000 cruisers to the mix may be the straw that has broken the back of this wonderful, charming area.  

 

There are no easy answers to "overtourism" but it is rapidly turning into a we vs they issue with cruise lines becoming the goat!  

 

I have long argued that cruise ships have completely ruined the once charming island of St Thomas.  The island embraced cruise ships, helped develop two cruise ports, and now is paying the price.  Many tourists who used to flock to this island's decent hotels/resorts now go elsewhere.  The once charming Charlotte Amalie, full of nice ships, linen stores, etc. has become a cliche cruise town with chair stores (that only go where cruisers go).  The cute boutiques and fine linen shops have mostly disappeared by one can certainly find wall to wall jewelry and electronic stores that mostly rely on cruisers.  Just consider that the town of Charlotte Amalie's population (about 16,000) can expand to over 50,000 for a few hours when there are 6 or 7 cruise ships in town.  I recently read a post from a couple who missed their cruise ship (in St Thomas) because they were stuck in traffic trying to get through Charlotte Amalie back to the port!  This is a charming Caribbean Island?  Not anymore!

 

Hank

 

 

[lynncarol]

For an island where regular cruise ships go, faves are Barbados, followed by St. Lucia (with excursion to the Pitons).  For a small boat cruise, Virgin Gorda.  I agree St. Thomas is no longer very appealing, but you can get a ferry from there to Water Island which we liked.