Any recommendations for Antigua, Barbados, or St. Lucia?
We are taking a southern caribbean cruise in two weeks. We have already booked our excursions for St. Thomas (Beach Tour and Trunk Bay) and St. Martin (Golden Eagle), but we don't have a clue with what to plan in Antigua, Barbados, or St. Lucia. Any recommendations? Is there anything that we shouldn't miss at these ports? Thanks
My suggestion for Barbados would be going on the Jolly Roger boat. It's alot of fun. There's music, a buffet and unlimited Rum Punch. Also, Harrison's Cave is very interesting.
I'll be going to Antigua myself at Thanksgiving, so I'll be interested in some tips as well.
For Antigua, I recommend a taxi tour with Lawrence of Antigua - very professional, spotless van, can suggest tours geared to your interests. We found his prices very reasonable. His website is: www.lawrenceofantigua.com
I recommend a tour that includes the National Historic Park (English Harbour, Nelson's Dockyard, Shirley Heights, Dows Hill Interpretation Centre etc). The $5 admission to the park covers all the mentioned sites and Lawrence makes sure you get your money's worth. He can also drop you off at a beach after your tour and pick you up later.
Re: Any recommendations for Antigua, Barbados, or St. Lucia?
I was in Antiqua several years ago (resort not a cruise) and did a catamaran trip with Wadali Cats. It cruised around the island. As I recall it was about $75/pp for 7 hours and it included lunch and rum punch. I would highly recommend it.
Re: Any recommendations for Antigua, Barbados, or St. Lucia?
We took the southern Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean a few years back. On Antigua, we bought a catamaran snorkel trip, booked through the ship by another couple who were too sunburned to take it. The trip was a little disappointing because the water was rough and you are far from shore with no way to stand up unless you get back on the catamaran. The crew were very entertaining and the one beach stop allowed us to rent a jet ski which was a lot of fun. On the return trip to the ship, we were allowed unlimited rum punch. Lot's of fun.
On St. Lucia, we rented a car (drive on left side of road) and drove down to the Grand Pitons at the southern end of the island. Two towering twin peaks that make great photos. You can see them from the ship when you pull into harbor if you look to the south. There we took a water taxi to a wonderful snorkeling site about a 1/2 mile north of town. Although the water taxi driver was high on pot, (and tried to sell us some) we still had a really great time.
On Barbados, we booked a scuba dive on line (before cruise) with Hightide Watersports. The proprietor's name is Willie (Australian I think). Email: hightide@sunbeach.net. They picked us up at the pier and took us to their little dive shack on the property of the Coral Reef Club. Great property. Great beach. Great snorkeling. OK scuba dive (our first). Absolutely our best snokeling of the five island trip just steps from the shore of the Coral Reef Club. Hightides website is: http://www.divehightide.com/
Re: Re: Any recommendations for Antigua, Barbados, or St. Lu
We just returned from the same cruise last week. Here is a rundown of our excursions and how we rated them:
Barbados - Catamaran to snorkel with turtles on Tiami(we were actually on sister ship) A+ excursion, great crew!, great rum punch, great turtles. Very efficient excursion, no waiting. I think it was the five star catamaran excursion, but not certain.
St. Lucia - Catamaran to Pitons and botanical garden - Just didn't go over as well, it is almost as if the staff was trying too hard and nothing was quite working, - music wrong kind for crowd, drinks too strong, hike too long, boat trip too long. The lunch however, was unusual and good - that was a highlight and they should not change that part. We would not do this excursion again. Grade C
Antigua - Did a non-ship very, very good excursion with Antigua Paddles. Some kayaking, some good snorkeling, a short hike with great views, and punch upon return. Loved it! A+. They have a web site. Be careful if you book through Shoretrips to get the right time. One person missed this excursion because they were given the wrong time. Also, the crew is extremely friendly and bends over backwards to please every level of physical ability. Very concerned about safety as well, but not obtrusive.
St. Maarten - The 12 meter yacht race. We were on Stars and Stripes. My older son, 16 had a blast helping as a grinder and he rated this as the absolute best excursion. They did not give my 13 year old any job so he felt left out and gives it an F. I put the excursion as a B as I have sailed before and it didn't seem much different.
St. Thomas - Atlantis submarine - take a boat ride to Buck Island and board the sub, travel in a valley of the reef - two sharks, baracuda, wonderful reef fish, schools of yellow tail snapper, and divers. Great excursion - warning! if the sea is rough, take dramamine. I lost my breakfast on the boat to Buck Island along with another. As we were leaving, one person on the next boat was loosing theirs. Don't hold it against the excursion, I think it was a very rough sea day. Grade A
Afternoon ST.John Eco Hike - Loved this as a great change of pace. I love St. John and learned a lot about the island from our great guide. Includes a swim at honeymoon beach and a walk through Caneel Bay. A
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Any recommendations for Antigua, Barbados, or St. Lucia?
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