Destiny & St. Lucia
Aug 14th, 2002, 04:10 PM
#3
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Pity, dee. I have visited St. Lucia via cruise ship and I have stayed on St. Lucia for over a week and have always had a wonderful time there. I was on the Destiny when they went to St. Lucia and they didn't spend enough time there as far as I am concerned.<BR><BR>So what did happen to you?
Aug 14th, 2002, 10:02 PM
#4
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Hi Dee,<BR><BR>St. Lucia is not a popular port but the Jubilee sails there. I've been there 3 times and each time it was very enjoyable. Granted anything can happen on any island.<BR><BR>The port that was cancelled by many cruise lines is St. Croix. Too much crime.<BR><BR>Paul
Aug 15th, 2002, 03:50 AM
#5
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We got to St. Lucia and decided to take the car tour over to Soufrierre (sorry about the spelling), so we took an 1-1/2 hour tour up and down mountains, around windy hair-pin turns while feeling very nausous after a while. So we get to the center of town where all the natives were outside drinking, smoking pot and acting like animals. So the small car we were in was driving very slow and we wind up getting caught up in the middle of a brawl where the natives were throwing bottles at each other almost hitting our car and some even holding knives. At that point I said "here is when I get killed on a beautiful island". We finally get to the stinky volcano's and it was really nothing to brag about. After standing there for about 10 min. we took the long haul back to the ship, again up and down mountains (since that island is very mountanous) around windy hair pin turns feeling like we would go over any minute. It was sad to see all the little kids & animals living in such poverty. Maybe staying on a resort there is different but we hated it!
Aug 15th, 2002, 07:01 AM
#6
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You know what they say - some peoples junk is other peoples treasure. We had the best excursion on St. Lucia of any we have ever had on all of our cruises. We took a private 4 wheel drive jungle tour that lasted almost 8 hours. Yes, we drove around hairpin curves and up and down mountains - but, hey, it was great - good scenery and a little adventure. Yes, the volcano wasn't much to look at and it did stink - but we went downstream a mile or so and swam in the warm waterfall ponds - it was great. Was there poverty - absolutely - about like most any of the other Caribbean islands we've been on.<BR><BR>Oh, and by the way Paul, technically the Jubilee doesn't sail there - not until September of 2003!
Aug 15th, 2002, 10:04 AM
#10
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Just as I suspected, Deedles. Just how did you instruct your "tour guide/taxi driver" to squire you around and what sights did you ask for? Sometimes what you described is what you end up with on a "tour" on your own, without knowing exactly where/what you are off to see.<BR>You very easily could have found the same thing in any city in the U.S.--just pick one, hire a cab to drive you around.<BR>I have been to St. Lucia several times and have never had a problem, but I know there are areas there I don't want to go to.
Aug 15th, 2002, 10:48 AM
#11
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We told the driver to take us to Sufrierre, not knowing what we would drive through to get there. Who really knows what a certain area is like unless they experience it for themselves. I'm sure people have taken that tour and loved it, we just had a bad experience and now I hate the island and cannot say anything nice about it. I'm sure there are islands that you are not crazy about and would not recommend people to go to....RIGHT?
Aug 15th, 2002, 10:14 PM
#13
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Hi Deedles,<BR><BR>Well you certainly did have a bad experience. But as explained above, you always take your chances when you hire a driver on your own and not take the ship's tours. Any island, any country. Any strange island may get you into strange trouble going off on your own.<BR><BR>FYI. Did you know that if you see a lady or two with a basket of fruit on her head and you take a picture be ready to pay or get chased by the males just waiting to pounce. Also, if you stray off the beaten path because you wish to get a better picture of your ship and you see a bunch of natives milling around with their goats and chickens .... do not take any pictures..... slowly turn around and walk back.<BR><BR>Paul<BR><BR>
Aug 16th, 2002, 06:44 PM
#15
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I am sorry that you had that experience, deedles, but this can happen anywhere. <BR><BR>Your experience sounds like you may have hired an uncertified taxi driver. I have always checked with the island tourist bureaus to know which drivers are reputable and which ones are not. I have used registered taxi drivers on all of my trips to St. Lucia and have never had a negative incident. "Free lance" drivers are on all of the Caribbean islands and they do not have the wisdom to know how to avoid trouble. Sometimes the drivers themselves are trouble.<BR><BR>I love doing excursions on my own, but if you do an excursion on your own, you must do your homework. I recently went to Europe and had a wonderful time - no problems whatsoever, while my sister, who has traveled the world, had her purse stolen. I excercised the proper amount of caution because I had researched Europe throughly, while my sister let her guard down and did not heed my warnings about Barcelona.<BR><BR> Sometimes when you travel, you will have bad luck. Unfortunate things happen because we live in an imperfect world with imperfect people. The poverty is sad in the Caribbean. But I have been blessed to get to know many islanders who, in spite of their lack of material wealth, are some of the warmest, and most generous people. I am sorry you had to meet some of the "bad apples", deedle.
