caribbean princess

[naiph]

HELP!!!, my fiance and i are going to be sailing on the caribbean princess to set sail on april 15. The ports we are stopping at are st. thomas and st. maarten as well as princess cays of course. I was just wondering if anyone has suggestions on what to do and what is a waste of honeymoon time. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[penny3333]

Congrats on your marriage and welcome to Cruise-Chat. The Caribbean Princess is a beauty and I think you will have a wonderful time. If you like snorkeling and beautiful beaches, take a ferry in St. Thomas to St. John and then a taxi to Trunk Bay. It is a beautiful beach with a self-guided snorkel trail about 50 yards from shore. There are a plethera of posts on this board (probably by me) detailing Trunk Bay. It's a beautiful white sand beach, with shade available, a place to rent snorkel equipment, a snack bar, lockers, a couple of shops (shop in St. Thomas)and beautiful warm crystal clear water. Be sure to bring a camera not only for pictures on the beach, but to/from Trunk Bay. St. Thomas and St. Maarten are good for shopping as well. A lot of people like Orient Beach in St. Maarten. I don't particularly care for it, but it is a nice beach. They charge for chairs and restrooms, unless you buy a beverage package from one of the bars. We did the America's Cup Yacht racing the last time we were there and it was a blast. Princess Cay is their private island, the beach is really nice and they have water toys available for rental. There are plenty of chairs, shade is available, and the crew from the ship tend the bars and the bar-b-que area. You have to tender in, but the tenders run frequently, so the wait is not long. They have two areas for snorkeling as well. We were there in November and the snorkeling was as good as some of the other islands we went to, plenty of fish and even a huge lobster. Hope you have a marvelous and memorable experience. Best wishes!

[tncruiseman]

We took the same itenerary on Caribbean Princess last March. In St. Thomas, you will enjoy a local tour in an open "pick-up-bus." When you get to the port gate, ask the cab-stand guy where "Henry" might be. We have used him twice and his tours of the island are informative and fun! Most all of the tour taxis have similar routes, Henry has just been excellent but others are probably just as good too. In St. Maarten, we've always rented a jeep or car and explored on our own. You will like the Dutch side/Phillipsburg much better than the French side. Their is also a neat restaurant on the frnch side in Oyster Bay names Captain Olivers. Their is a nice swimming pool with transparent sides overlooking the restaurant and you can cool off if you want to. If you haven't seen Orient Beach, go by there just to say you have, so you too can say it is overrated! We did find a great bar to hang at on the far left side of the beach..Bikini beach where a duo plays old time favorites under a gazebo with no charge except for drinks. The closer you get to the "nekkid portion" of the beach, the more charges will apply from what I have seen. They also had no charge for loungers, unless you wanted an umbrella. If you rent your own vehicle, you have ample time to experience the whole island at a fraction of the cost. For Princess Cays, there is not a better cruise ship beach anywhere! it is spotless, well organized and in a lovely setting. Save your beach time for this place for sure!

[kristin3718]

Hello Naiph!

I just booked the same ship leaving on 4/15 and am so excited. We were on Golden Princess for our honeymoon in 2005 and we love Princess. I have heard nothing but great things about Princess Cays so I am looking forward to that. One thing that is alot of fun in St. Thomas is taking the tram way up high and there are great views. Also, if you like frozen drinks you MUST have a Bushwacker!! Happy Sailing!! Kristin

[moonbliss7]

I agree with Kristin3718. The skytram is a definate must. We did that last April. What a view!!!.