port excursions

[grannieannie]

Never cruised before wondering on the Victory that stops in st. thomas, dominica, barbados, st. lucia, st. kitts and antigua, of these islands can you just get off the boat and be on a beach or in a shopping area without taking a cab. In st maarten it was great, looking for that type area.

[penny3333]

The simple answer is no. St. Thomas has a few nice beaches to select from, Magen's Bay, Coki Beach, and Sapphire Beach, all of which requires a cab to get to. The best beach is a ferry ride then cab ride away to St. John's Trunk Bay. Dominica is great for snorkeling, you need to take the Champagne Reef snorkel, it's truly fantastic. All beaches require a cab to get to. St. Lucia has 2 different ports, but both require cabs to get to a beach. The last time we were there, we went to Pigeon island. The ship's excursion was much less expensive than going on our own. St. Kitts will require a cab to get to the beach, too. Antigua requires a cab, too. The last time we were in Antigua, we walked through the gates at the terminal and made a deal with some of the local vendors. They took us to Shirley Heights, Nelson Dockyard and then to a nice beach with a restaurant/bar and beautiful white sand for $25/pp. There are supposed to be 365 beaches in Antigua. Hope this helps a bit.

[Maurine]

In St. Thomas, there is a shopping area, lots of stores right where you disembark. I went on a snorkeling trip then back to boat for lunch. Then I went to the Butterfly Farm and Skyride--both of which are within walking distance from the port. I had a little time for a few shops before getting back on board.

If you want to visit the shops that the ship (at least Royal Caribbean) reviews, I think you have to get a taxi. However, I think there are quite a lot of shops right at the port. And there is another shopping center at the end within walking distance.

And if you decide to go to the Butterfly Farm or Skyride, you can purchase tickets when you arrive. You can also get a tattoo to remember your trip by! For some reason, when I suggested matching tattoos to my mother, she declined.

[Maurine]

I loved St. Thomas. Have a good time!

[queenofcruzin]

Grannie,
Penny is spot on again ! But might I say, you have a great itinerary, those are all beautiful islands, not a clunker in the group, ENJOY !