NCL Epic Eastern Caribbean excursion recommendations??

[springbreak2024]

We are first time cruisers, and all of the shore excursion offerings are overwhelming! We are visiting 1) Great Stirrup Cay,   2)St Thomas,   3)San Juan PR, and   4)Amber Coast Dominican Rep.  What do you recommend we choose to do? We are not limited by fitness level. Since the exclusions are costly, we likely won't choose an excursion for each port...so which ports are great for self-guided vs ports that we should definitely book an excursion?  Any experience with private (non-NCL) tours? Please telll me all of your tips for these ports of call!  Thank you!! We are cruising March 10-17 so I want to get any excursions booked ASAP. Also, how do you get onto one of the first tender boats (or first disembark groups) to maximize your shore day? Again, first time cruiser so we are clueless. Please help and thank you!!

[Crazy planning mom]

San Juan, you can definitely get off the boat and walk to the forts and Old San Juan.   Great Stirrup Cay is essentially a beach day.  In Amber Cove, alot of people do the Damagugua WaterFalls Excursion or a Puerto Plata excursion depending on your fitness level and interest.  You can also just hang out at the port.  We haven't been to St. Thomas yet but will be there later this month on Celebrity.  We are doing an excursion to Magen's Bay and the Sky Ride.  Alot of people also say that going to St. John is a must for snorkelers.

[ready2cruzagain]

Just got back from this cruise. San Juan you can do a self walking tour. Or you can go to the Forts, inexpensive and interesting.  Great Stirrup Cay is a beach day and no excursion needed. St. Thoma, take the Sky lift, beautiful scenery. Do not book it through the ship. If docked in Havensight then it is only a 5 minute walk. You can buy the tickets yourself, I think they are around $24pp.  If you go to a beach a taxi will cost you at least $25 each way. Amber Cove has a nice port. It has a large swimming pool that is free. It also has a zip line that is $20pp for all day.  

 

For the tender, the only one that you will need it at is GSC. As soon as you get on the ship go to deck 6 to the "Box Office", there will be a line. That is where you make your reservations for the tender.  You ca do it in your cabin also but we did not get to go to the cabin until after 2:30 and the first couple of tenders were full.  You should be able to do them at the kiosks but last week none of the scanners on the kiosks were working and I doubt from the looks of it that they was planning on fixing them.