sothern caribbean excursions help

[shipknotshore]

We took the Lawrence of Antigua tour...he was a very nice guide and took us to Turner Beach for few hours where they had a pretty decent bar and restaurant. He returned to pick us up and take us back to the ship.

 

St. Thomas we took an island tour with Sunny Liston. He & his wife are a team and they both sing and encourage everyone on the open air bus to sing along. Quite entertaining and knowledgable. He took us to Sapphire Beach (we didn't stay...a little to "pebbly" for us)...he advertises he stops at Megans Bay, Coki & Sapphire beaches but only stopped at Sapphire on the day we went. When you book their tour they will pick you up at the pier and take you downtown to shop if you want (you name the duration - 1 -3 hours of shopping) and they will pick you back up and take you on the tour. (A nice touch so that you're not having to grab a cab or walk if you want to shop.)

 

St. Maarten we shopped and ate at a beach front restaurant (Taboula Mango's). Food was quite good but the service left alot to be desired. (they gave us our drinks for free because of the service so it might have just been a bad day for them.) We will booking an excursion the next time we go there - maybe Maho Beach (where the planes fly directly over the beach), and the America's Cup yacht race.

 

San Juan we did some shopping - they have the Coach and the Dooney & Bourke purse outlet stores - which are very popular stops for the women...no big surprise there...;) . We did our own walking tour of Old San Juan and the fort. Needed the exercise so it was actually enjoyable.

 

Have a great time.

[wraithe]

I'm probably going to be in the minority here. I am not a big fan of excursions, IMHO they're overpriced for what you get and often people complain of being rushed and overly tired from the hectic pace and stress of trying to get off the ship, rush to the excursion and then get back to the ship before it departs. My wife and I recently did a 9 night cruise on Grandeur, we boarded on Friday and she didn't get off the ship the first time until Labadee the next Thursday. The ship is usually very quiet when everyone is ashore, great time to lay out by the pool, relax, unwind, use the spa (many discounts while on port days to drum up business), eat liesurely in the Windjammer, etc.

 

That said, on St. Maarten, I would take a taxi (about $20 each way in April 2006) to Maho Beach to watch the planes since I absolutely love the planes.

 

I would recommend that you do a couple excursions, but also recommend that you try a little shopping pier side and enjoy the ship while it's relatively empty. Good luck and happy sailing.

[Shazni]

we are off on the 11th November to Souhern Caribbean - first time cruisers - visiting St Maarten St Johns Antiqua, Dominia, Barbados, St Kitts, St Thomas, San Juan. Can anyone recommend off ship trips/activites - we are 60 and 56 quite active and willing to have a go!

 

Any advice/help will be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Barbara

 

We're doing this same cruise on 2 December this year and we're also from Northern Ireland (Ballymena)! If you go to the Ports of Call Boards on this website you'll find some great information on the various tour operators on each island. You can also Google the islands and find plenty of information on the islands' websites. I did it this way and have booked privately run excursions for most ports. Let me know if you'd like any more info on these or any of the islands.

[lais]

This is what we did in Dominica

http://www.travelbarefoot.com/Tours/obt/ It was fabulous!!

[lais]

Also check out the review from this person

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=439329

[jmom5]

in st. maarten, we did the loterie tree top tour (zip lines and obstacle course). it was a blast and physically challenging. when we go back there next year we are going to do it again. definitely worth the money.

[Gummie]

Just remember, if you book a private tour and are delayed returning to the ship, you have missed sailing and it is your dollar getting to the next port of call to reboard. On ship sponsered tours the captain is obliged to await the return of the tour. He will not be happy about it, but he will.

[texancruzer]

Just remember, if you book a private tour and are delayed returning to the ship, you have missed sailing and it is your dollar getting to the next port of call to reboard. On ship sponsered tours the captain is obliged to await the return of the tour. He will not be happy about it, but he will.

 

 

Not always. Have heard stories differently. But they will wait if at all possible.

[waterbugohio]

I also have questions on excursions.

 

My first is, how soon do you have to book?? thru the ship how early? and how early with private??

 

we are not sailing till 11/08 but I want to take my time and research all the possibilities?

 

next, if you do private. are most of these just done over the internet?? and then you just check on cc to make sure that someone has used them before and that they are reputable??

 

bplazo - you said you loved the silvermoon on Barbados, is this a private or ship offered excursion?? who did you go thru??

 

and have read a bunch about Eli Eco Tour, but I checked the website and it gives very little information. I would like more info if possible.

 

thanks to all

[Shazni]

I also have questions on excursions.

 

My first is, how soon do you have to book?? thru the ship how early? and how early with private??

 

we are not sailing till 11/08 but I want to take my time and research all the possibilities?

 

next, if you do private. are most of these just done over the internet?? and then you just check on cc to make sure that someone has used them before and that they are reputable??

 

bplazo - you said you loved the silvermoon on Barbados, is this a private or ship offered excursion?? who did you go thru??

 

and have read a bunch about Eli Eco Tour, but I checked the website and it gives very little information. I would like more info if possible.

 

thanks to all

 

We booked our excursions about 3 weeks ago and we're sailing on December 2. Most of them had good availability except for Beau Robinson on St Thomas, I had heard he was very good but he was all booked up. I'm doing Eli's EcoTour so will be able to give you more info when we return although I'm sure there are plenty who will be able to do that before then! I booked Levi Baron for Dominica (www.bumpiingtours.com), Godfrey Renal for St Thomas (www.godfreytoursvi.com) and Thenford Grey for St Kitts (*****) - I've read good things about all of these so here's hoping! Barbados and San Juan we're doing our own thing as we've been there before and just want to take it easy! If there's anything else I can tell you just ask!

PS. These were all done over the internet, great e-mail communication in all cases - very fast!

[waterbugohio]

shanzi

 

thanks for the info. Need to get off these boards for a while and start looking into excursions. Will look at the sites you gave.

 

Again, does anyone know where to book silvermoom in Barbados? Is this a ship excursion or private. I keep reading about how nice it is.

 

Also, have read about several biking combination tours, has anyone done this??

[bplazo]

Silvermoon is a private excursion.

[waterbugohio]

How do I find it?? Is silvermoon the name of the excursion or the name of the company?

[micdee]

How do I find it?? Is silvermoon the name of the excursion or the name of the company?

 

Here is the web address, www.silvermoonbarbados.com

Has to be the best excursion we've ever done.

[cruznsugs]

has anyone done the Grand Pineapple Beach Resort in Antigua?

[sj25]

We booked our excursions about 3 weeks ago and we're sailing on December 2. Most of them had good availability except for Beau Robinson on St Thomas, I had heard he was very good but he was all booked up. I'm doing Eli's EcoTour so will be able to give you more info when we return although I'm sure there are plenty who will be able to do that before then! I booked Levi Baron for Dominica (www.bumpiingtours.com), Godfrey Renal for St Thomas (www.godfreytoursvi.com) and Thenford Grey for St Kitts (*****) - I've read good things about all of these so here's hoping! Barbados and San Juan we're doing our own thing as we've been there before and just want to take it easy! If there's anything else I can tell you just ask!

PS. These were all done over the internet, great e-mail communication in all cases - very fast!

I would agree on godfrey tours I have been on tour twice and enjoy it both times! Very nice guy!

[cruisingbooboo]

has anyone done the Grand Pineapple Beach Resort in Antigua?

I didn't do it but others on my 4-07 trip did and loved it! I think on the ports board there is info on it.

Good luck :)

[grandmaR]

The first and maybe the second time I go to a place, I book a tour through the ship. Then depending on how I feel about the place, I go out on my own.

 

St Maarten - I've only been here once, and I took two tours. One of them I hated - it was a general tour and basically forced shopping with a little information. It happened to be Sunday so all the shops on the French side were closed.

 

I loved the Natural Wonders tour which went to the zoo, but I'm interested in endemic and indigenous plants and animals (more than stopping at a roadside stand to shop).

 

We are not beach people, but St. Maarten beaches are good. Next time we go, we are going to rent a car and try to drive back to some places that we passed on the bus last time without stopping.

 

St Johns I have not been to

 

Domincia - I took the rain forest aerial tram and it was very interesting, but of course I'm interested in plants etc. We also took a general tour to a waterfall which also went to the Botanical Garden - it was OK. I would like to do a whale watching trip - I've never done one of those.

 

Barbados - we stayed on Barbados for a week about 10 years ago, so I have in mind where I want to go. Last time I took the he Best of Barbados tour that went to the Orchid Farm and the Sunbury Plantation House. We also took a taxi to revisit the Barbados Museum. I really want to go to St. Nicholas Abbey, but it has been closed for remodeling.

 

St Kitts - unlike someone else who posted, we did like the little railroad trip. It was expensive, but I thought it was worth it. I might even do it again.

 

St Thomas - This is another place where we've gone quite a lot. The last three times, we've

1) Taken the sky ride up to the top and then taken a cab to Coral World and Coki Beach

2) Met a friend for lunch, and then took a cab around the island on our own

3) Took the ferry to St. John, and visited the store of another friend (St. John Spice)

 

San juan - we engaged a private guide and she took us to El Yunque and also to Fort Cristobal. Next time I want to go out to El Morro.

[Shazni]

Also check out the roll call board for your cruise - others might have tours to share - and a lot of info! I am on the 12/2 to these islands - can't wait!

 

My husband and I are on this cruise too! Can't wait either!