jbean1016

Taking Princess cruise out of San Juan for a week in April. The 5 islands are St Thomas, Tortola,Antigua, St Lucia, and Barbados. I am not a big beach person - though one day would be fine. So the questions are; Which island for the beach and what to do on the others? The cruise offers many shore excursions but they can be a ripoff. Activities interested in: snorkeling, seeing the non-tourist part of an island, jet-skiing, zip-line, native craft shopping, and enjoying a good native lunch.

Then we have 2 days in Puerto Rico, ideas on what not to miss and restaurants?

any thoughts or ides will be much appreciated. These forums helped on our trip to Thailand and central Mexico.

RangerRick

My family just had a cruise on RCCL and we went to several of these islands the first week of February.

We flew into Puerto Rico a day early, stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Condado. It's a 2 block walk to the beach and close to Old San Juan (via taxi) where you can explore on your own. Many walking maps available, great spots to eat all around Old San Juan. Explore Fort Morro too.

St. Lucia was our favorite. Hook up with COSOL tours (www.cosoltours.com) for a fantastic island tour that includes everything they list on the sight. Breakfast eats, drinks, great tour guides, stops at the drive in volcano, then on to a water taxi where they take you around the Pitons to Jalousie Beach where you can snorkel in very calm waters. Book the tour on your own, pay in cash after tour. They will meet you on the cruise ship docks and are extremely helpful and highly reguarded. Highly rated by reviews and well worth it. this will b ethe best tour ever. Just email them.

Antigua - we booked a tour on our own called Jeep Safari tour /snorkeling at Cade's Reef. Cade's Reef was awesome, but the waves may make it a challenge. The fish were everywhere and if we needed a rest, we jsut stood up in 5' deep water. We got taken through Nelson's Dockyard, Shirley Heights, Devils Bridge all before Cades Reef. Well worth the $$.


Tortola - we took a tour to Jade mountain hiking, then on to Brewer's Bay beach. snorkeling was good, beach was quiet, very few people, changing stations and showers available. Was supposed to go to Cane Garden, but it was packed with taxis and people.

We stopped in St. Thomas on our first cruise and took the Blackbeard Castle tour via the ship. St. Thomas is a fun place to shop and has very beautiful sights all around the island.

Have fun. There's nothing like a cruise for relaxation!!

xkenx

The most drop-dead-gorgeous beaches are on the north shore of St.John, in the National Park, including snorkeling. From St.Thomas, catch the short ferry to St.John, then short taxi to Trunk Bay Beach (snorkeling trail around a tiny island), facilities. Have lunch @ Caneel Bay Resort (also snorkeling).
On Barbados, hire a taxi (not a crowded tour) to take you around a very interesting island. There is a wildlife preserve, restored plantations from the sugar days, rum factory, gorgeous gardens (Flower Forest), Harrison's cave.
See www.barbados.org

chgeeb

Thanks everyone for the posts! I'm looking to go on the same cruise and was curious about all these places as well

mamacrow

Great ideas, I too will be on this cruise. Love doing thing on our own. Leaving April 18th....you?

chgeeb

Found a great deal for March 21st...looking for that one!

landl8

Anyone on the Caribbean Princess leaving PR March 20 want to share island tour of St Lucia for $40 pp, guide recommended by numerous tripadvisor contributors as professional, friendly, knowlegable, humorous, takes us to all major sights and then some, plus a beach break, 6 hours or so, pick up/dropoff to ship let me know: [email protected]. Also looking into Antigua tours...

SarahJames12

Hi JBean,

Try getting some stops in St. Maarten and Dominica. I am a little biased when it comes to these islands but they are fantastic!

St. Maarten is so unique. So much to do!

Dominica is a nature lover's paradise. Most beautiful place on earth!