Beach hotel day passes
 

We, a group of 8, are planning a Southern Caribbean cruise for late February. Are there hotels on the following islands that will allow you to use their facilities for a few hours while your ship is docked there. Islands: St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Antigua. Just thought a beach day with facilities might be a nice alternative to some of the offered shore excursions. Thanks for any suggestions.

Many hotels that allow non-guests to use their facilities often charge a "day fee" which is often not worth the amount you are paying. While I can't give you any specifics regarding which resorts allow non-guests to use their facilities I can tell you that on each of the islands you are visiting you'll find numerous "public access" beaches that have "facilities" (beach bars/restaurants, lounge chairs, umbrellas, kayak and/or small sailboat rentals, snorkel equipment rentals, various other water sports, etc.) for tourists. In short, pretty much anything you'd find at a resort (without having to pay the high "day pass" rate).

You can find where these beaches are located by doing a simple google search using such topics as "Things to do on NAME THE ISLAND" or "NAME OF ISLAND Beaches". If you don't want to take the time to do research prior to your trip, simply ask one of the many taxi drivers that will be meeting your ship at each port of call to take you to one of the islands beaches that "has facilities" - once you get to the beach ask the driver to come back at a predetermined time to take you back to the ship.

Better yet, check www.cruisecritic.com and go to their shore excursion forum for each Island you plan to visit. There are many recommendations from several people who has already been there, done that.

friends used the sandals on antigua while on their cruise. i don't know what they paid for the day pass but they had a good day and felt it worth the price. they did call from home to arrange.
when you get to st. lucia seeing the pitons from beach or boat is very popular. also there is the worlds only drive through volcano.
pitons: http://www.flickr.com/photos/j0sh44/2637474379/ <<very dramatic pic or http://www.flickr.com/photos/sncdestinations/420247925/
from st.croix if you can arrange a trip out to buck island to snorkel - that might make a nice day.
st. kitts is not really a beach island. you can go to the beach the marriott resort is on but i'd probably choose to find something else to do that day.
cruisecritic is an excellent source.

When we've been on Caribbean cruises, we just have a local taxi take us to a nice beach. Most of the beaches have facilities and chairs for rent.

I have been on a cruise with almost that exact itinerary (plus Barbados)and I have also been to Antigua twice and St. Kitts once on other trips. On St. Croix, if you are in anyway interested in snorkeling and a boat trip, a trip to Buck Island is a must. On Antigua, Dickinsen Bay beach is a nice place to hang out for the day (that's where the Sandals is) there are beach bars, watersports and other hotels there as well. Years ago in Antigua, we went to Hawksbill Resort for the day (three beaches)and they just charged us for use of the beach chairs. But it's an AI Rex Resort now so there's probably a day charge which includes lunch. Both Dickinsen and Hawksbill are about 20 minutes or so from the port. (Antigua's a pretty large island so be careful what beach you choose, it could end up being 45 minutes away.) On St. Kitts, my husband played golf at the Marriott course and I went to the Marriott for the day and no one bothered me, I figured I would say he was at the golf club and then ask about a day pass but it's a large resort so wasn't really an issue. Agree with previous poster, your best beach destinations of those islands are Antigua and St. Croix, St. Lucia there's a lot of scenery (we took a great "land and sea" tour that took us to the sights on a van, (volcano, botanical garden, lunch at a plantation) then back to the ship via catamaran -- it was fun and well worth the money.) On St. Kitts, Brimstone Hill and Romney Manor are interesting.

Thank you. I may check out Sandals for our Antigua day and just wing it and use local transportation for St. Croix. On St. Kitts and St. Lucia we will probably take tours, either those offered by Celebrity or ones arranged independently. Any other advice appreciated.

There will be taxis at every port willing to take you on tours or to beaches or wherever you want to go. Agree on the price BEFORE you get in the taxi. They will even set a time to pick you up and bring you back to the ship.

In St.Kitts if you are a beach person...Cockleshells beach is lovely with a sensational view of Nevis which is a stones throw away and that makes it unique in my mind. Also I gather the Zipline experience in St.Kitts is pretty great! My personal favorite spot in St.Kitts is Shipwreck with a very nice beach as well.