Shore trip suggestions for Eastern Carribean

[tigerman]

Crusing with Norwegian out of NY 1/12 to 1/22. Stopping in Port Town, St. Maartens, San Juan and other stops. Need suggestions for shore trips. Better to use ships shore trips or find other ones. First time to Carribean - we are sort of adventurous and wife and I have a 10 year old boy. Would like to snorkel, maybe go to Baths on Virgin Gorda, take in fort in San Juan. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[Karen Knowlton]

The Baths are a unique spot - huge boulders forming a series of cave-like chambers right along the water, so some of the "caves" have water in them - very quiet for floating, not really big enough to swim in, as I recall. (It's been many years since I was there.)

The fort in San Juan is neat. It's part of the National Park Service, so if you happen to have an National Parks "passport" (which they sell at NPS visitors centers) bring it along and get it stamped. You can wander it on your own or take a tour. Real feeling of antiquity there!

[Karen Knowlton]

Forgot to add: I would recommend using the ship's shore excursions for the islands where you have to tender, or visit another island (for example, if your cruise ship doesn't actually stop at Virgin Gorda but offers a shore excursion from Tortola to The Baths). Otherwise you can use theirs - the advantage being that if you are delayed coming back, they will wait for you if you on a ship's excursion, but they won't if you aren't. Or you can book excursions separately. In San Juan, you can even wander on your own - take a cab to Old San Juan (or walk, if you are docking right by it) or to the beach in the Condado area.