Southern Caribbean 2014. . . Let's Start the Planning!

[poohj80]

I spoke to another family of 4 (2 kids ages 12 and 10) who did the zip lining in St. Lucia (can't remember which company, as I believe there are 3 or 4) and they can't say enough good things about it! Sort of wish we had booked zip lining there instead of St. Kitts

The gathering and meet and greet went smoothly. The embarkation day Navigator stated you had to get tickets between 12-3 at the Port Adventures deck for both events. We got there around 2:50 pm and got tickets to both. The A&E meet and greet was offered on the sea day (not sure about St. Kitts morning). My kids got 9 am.

The princess one was offered on sea day and on St. Kitts morning. The sea day times left didn't work for us so she looked up St. Kitts to see if they were there and they were. We got 9 am again.

I hate the idea of having to get tickets to everything but I will admit it went smoothly and the lines were great and orderly.

I have navigators but haven't scanned them yet. I did take photos of them for the first couple days so if you pm me your email, I can send some of them over to anyone who wants them

It was a wonderful cruise, full of great memories! I know you all will have a fabulous time!

I highly recommend the Barbados private Catamaran trips for 12 people. We were given first class attention, the Cat was beautiful and uncrowded, lunch was superb and swimming with the turtles was the highlight for our group of 2 adults and 2 kids (12 & 9). We had so much fun and it was our absolute favorite. Originally we booked Calabaza but it was for the wrong date!!!! So we had to go with Silver Moon and we loved it! I think any of the Cat companies will be good if you want a small, intimate experience.

The drinks were plentiful and it was just an all-around good time.

Thanks so much! Sent you a PM.

We are currently signed up to zip in both St Lucia and St Kitts.

 

[ACDSNY]

It's great to see the nice reviews of Spencers and Silver Moon. I can't wait for our cruise.

 

[holula]

Excursion review:

Antigua - Eli's Eco tour (non DCL). Great tour! Very informative. Good lunch. Would recommend.

St Lucia - Snorkel Beneath the Pitons. Eh. The snorkeling was good... The rest was not as described. The beach you could relax on was literally 15' x 15' for 40 people... No snacks on board... Snorkeling was 90 minutes not 2 hours. Disappointed in the experience. DCL said they had a lot of complaints when I spoke to them about it.

Grenada - High Time Deluxe Sail and Snorkel. Amazing! Great snorkeling, loved the underwater park, good lunch and the alcohol kept coming. The staff on the boat were AWESOME. Grenada is a beautiful island. This is pricey but worth it.

Barbados - Don't remember the exact name but it includes turtle snorkeling and lunch. Port adventure B03. This was only ok. There were way too many people on this port adventure. There were probably 60-70 people and it was so crowded. Friends did Tiami Sail and Snorkel (B16) and it had half the amount of people and was $40 less and the only different thing was the lunch.

St Kitts - We rented a car and drove around the island. The car rental was around $100. It was a great day!

 

[belle07]

Excursion review:

Antigua - Eli's Eco tour (non DCL). Great tour! Very informative. Good lunch. Would recommend.

St Lucia - Snorkel Beneath the Pitons. Eh. The snorkeling was good... The rest was not as described. The beach you could relax on was literally 15' x 15' for 40 people... No snacks on board... Snorkeling was 90 minutes not 2 hours. Disappointed in the experience. DCL said they had a lot of complaints when I spoke to them about it.

Grenada - High Time Deluxe Sail and Snorkel. Amazing! Great snorkeling, loved the underwater park, good lunch and the alcohol kept coming. The staff on the boat were AWESOME. Grenada is a beautiful island. This is pricey but worth it.

Barbados - Don't remember the exact name but it includes turtle snorkeling and lunch. Port adventure B03. This was only ok. There were way too many people on this port adventure. There were probably 60-70 people and it was so crowded. Friends did Tiami Sail and Snorkel (B16) and it had half the amount of people and was $40 less and the only different thing was the lunch.

St Kitts - We rented a car and drove around the island. The car rental was around $100. It was a great day!

On the high time deluxe sail, if there is a non swimmer could they just stay on the boat while the others snorkel? Also, to get to the beach was the water deep or could you walk to it when getting of/on the boat? We have a non swimmer going with us and want to make sure they are comfortable. TIA!

 

[Moby]

Can those who finished their cruise provide advice on what to pack? What do you wish you brought? What could've been left at home? Do we need just a light jacket at night? What about umbrellas?

 

[bonnielynn]

We're sailing Oct 4th so thanks for your report! Would be interested in hearing more about ziplining in St Lucia as we have that booked as well. Were there many kids on your excursion? If so, how did they do?

How did the Princess gathering and A&E meet go? Were they offered on more than the at sea day? If so, what time?

Would love to see any copies of navigators you might be able to share.

Thanks so much!

Poohj80 - the ziplining was pretty cool. We went in a group of 5 and 2 guides. We did the tram first and then the zip lines. My son is 17 and loved it. I didn't see many young children, but I think they would love it. It wasn't very scary - or as scary as I thought it would be. It is the first one we have done, so I can't really compare it to any other.

I didn't do anything with the princess gathering - but walked by and it looked like a big hit. I can't remember when it was but I'm sure someone else can tell you.. sorry about that. My Prince is too old to do those things and so therefore its not on our radar any longer.

 

[bonnielynn]

We are sailing on October 11th and we have also booked a private tour with Sunsations. Have you enjoyed yours? What did you see?

Thanks for your report and the embarkation info!

OMG it was so worth it. We booked it on Grenada. The guide was so informative and kind. We centered our tour around culinary because we have a child who is so into it.

We first went to the market (you can walk here and don't need a tour for this) but we did it and he learned so many things about spices. We then drove to Dougladston Spice Estate and our tour guide actually gave us the run down of the spices.. a disney tour showed up and one of the people on the tour commented on how informative ours was. We tasted chocolate, he taught us that cloves are naturally numbing and used for dental problems, we learned about nutmeg and how each part is used.. the list goes on. He drove around the island and stopped at trees to show us chocolate/cloves/nutmeg etc., grew around the island. We stopped to watch people fishing with nets and a guy walk his goats.. We met a older gentleman who was getting cinnamon off a bark and he showed us how its done and also how he used bamboo to make brooms.. he bought us bananas.. had us taste bread fruit (taste just like french fries), the list goes on. We wanted our 17 yr old to learn about the spice on a one on one basis.. he tasted his way around the island and we ended the 4 hour tour at a local restaurant to taste it all cooked. It costs us $124..

The only down side was the vehicle did't smell good.. it didn't take too much away from the tour but it was noticeable. Also, hold on because

The best part about this is that you plan what you want to see and do. I loved it. My one warning is to hold on because my goodness its all hill and curves...

 

[Moby]

We are sailing on October 11th and we have also booked a private tour with Sunsations. Have you enjoyed yours? What did you see?

Today I booked with Sunsations for a private tour on Oct 4th sailing since our original tour person has not emailed us to confirm, and we leave on Oct 1 (pre-cruise in San Juan), so I have little time to plan our itinerary. May I ask what you are planning to see? We aren't interested in spice plantation or rum distillery, but prefer to do scenic highlights, waterfalls, etc.., but I'm open to ideas! Thanks!

 

[bonnielynn]

Can those who finished their cruise provide advice on what to pack? What do you wish you brought? What could have been left at home? Do we need just a light jacket at night? What about umbrellas?

I bring too much every sing time and I keep saying that I have learned my lesson - Never Do.

I brought a jacket and only used it on my way home from the airport in MD.

What should I have brought? More Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc wine because it was hard to find at any of the bars.. And the dinning room wanted me to buy a bottle.. I did and it was $48 for the same bottle that costs me $15 at home.. I do say stop at the duty free in the port terminal and stock up before you get on the ship - if you enjoy a drink and want to save a bit of $$ They had really decent prices, but no Kim Crawford

I wish I wouldn't have brought the spray on sunscreen because I missed a few spots and ouch; one pair of black heels that would go with most outfits,and not so many shoes; absolutely think you need bug spray for the islands -chikungunya is a real thing and better safe than sorry I did bring an umbrella but disney provided ponchos for excursions through them - so the umbrella was never used (it rained in St. Kitts in the morning). Some excursions require closed toed shoes.. just a thought.

Disney provides a blowdryer, shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion. You can leave those things at home.

I think you should bring pieces of clothing that can be used with multiple outfits, shorts, comfortable shoes, some dress outfits and just have a good time.

Oh and extra room for all the souvenirs you will bring home.

 

[tinkerbelx]

Did anyone do the Aquarium Beach club in Grenada, either with DCL or on their own via Taxi?

 

[bobvb22]

Did anyone do the beach at harbor lights? Question is there any ocean breeze or is it just hot even with a beach umbrella?

 

[poohj80]

Poohj80 - the ziplining was pretty cool. We went in a group of 5 and 2 guides. We did the tram first and then the zip lines. My son is 17 and loved it. I didn't see many young children, but I think they would love it. It wasn't very scary - or as scary as I thought it would be. It is the first one we have done, so I can't really compare it to any other.

Thanks so much! We're really getting excited!

 

[Tinked]

Did anyone do the beach at harbor lights? Question is there any ocean breeze or is it just hot even with a beach umbrella?

Yes, did the Harbor Lights tour and it was absolutely FANTASTIC! Could not have been a more perfect beach. Absolutely loved it! It was called Barbados Beach Break and we did it in the morning, 8:15-11:45. The cost for the 5 of us was only $119, 3 adults, 2 children. We were taken by a very nice bus to Harbor Lights were we received a drink each on our way in either alcoholic or nonalcoholic. the beach was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen, topped only by a black sand beach in Tahiti. Very fine sand. The beach was lined with loungers and umbrellas. Plenty for all. The water was crystal clear. It is on the Caribbean side. There were outside showers to rinse the sand off and dressing rooms to change in. There was a strip on seaweed along the beach but otherwise it was spotless. The only down side was the people trying to sell you trips to swim with the turtles, snorkel and banana boat rides. They did bring the boats right up on the beach. Very minor problem.

 

[Tinked]

Didn't need a jacket until I got to the airport as pp said. Didn't even see an insect on any of the islands. Brought an umbrella and ponchos but only used the umbrella for one brief shower on Antigua. We did Amazing Antigua, Views of St. Lucia, and Barbados Beach Break all with DCL and all good, informative tours about the islands. On Grenada we walked off the ship and hired a taxi for $40 for the 5 of us which took us to Fort Frederick with a very informative tour of the island on the way there and back. It only took abut 2 hours and we were very pleased with it. Roomy van great driver.

 

[Pixie Naseweis]

OMG it was so worth it. We booked it on Grenada. The guide was so informative and kind. We centered our tour around culinary because we have a child who is so into it.

We first went to the market (you can walk here and don't need a tour for this) but we did it and he learned so many things about spices. We then drove to Dougladston Spice Estate and our tour guide actually gave us the run down of the spices.. a disney tour showed up and one of the people on the tour commented on how informative ours was. We tasted chocolate, he taught us that cloves are naturally numbing and used for dental problems, we learned about nutmeg and how each part is used.. the list goes on. He drove around the island and stopped at trees to show us chocolate/cloves/nutmeg etc., grew around the island. We stopped to watch people fishing with nets and a guy walk his goats.. We met a older gentleman who was getting cinnamon off a bark and he showed us how its done and also how he used bamboo to make brooms.. he bought us bananas.. had us taste bread fruit (taste just like french fries), the list goes on. We wanted our 17 yr old to learn about the spice on a one on one basis.. he tasted his way around the island and we ended the 4 hour tour at a local restaurant to taste it all cooked. It costs us $124..

The only down side was the vehicle did't smell good.. it didn't take too much away from the tour but it was noticeable. Also, hold on because

The best part about this is that you plan what you want to see and do. I loved it. My one warning is to hold on because my goodness its all hill and curves...

Thanks so much for the report. This is just what we would like to do too. I will pack my sea sick remedies - for the winding roads and a clothes pin for my nose for the smelling car

We got a quote about $ 140 for 4 hours - maybe we will have to pay little bit more for our german speaking guide (even if the owner is from Germany g)

 

[Pixie Naseweis]

Today I booked with Sunsations for a private tour on Oct 4th sailing since our original tour person has not emailed us to confirm, and we leave on Oct 1 (pre-cruise in San Juan), so I have little time to plan our itinerary. May I ask what you are planning to see? We aren't interested in spice plantation or rum distillery, but prefer to do scenic highlights, waterfalls, etc.., but I'm open to ideas! Thanks!

Hi, I am sorry but we are spice people - like bonnielynn. But when I got in touch with Brian from Sunsation I just told him what we would like to do (no rainforest, no waterfalls, just spices and plants) he offered us a possible tour. So just tell them what you like and they will find it on the island pixie dust:. Wish you a wonderful trip!

 

[holula]

On the high time deluxe sail, if there is a non swimmer could they just stay on the boat while the others snorkel? Also, to get to the beach was the water deep or could you walk to it when getting of/on the boat? We have a non swimmer going with us and want to make sure they are comfortable. TIA!

Yes they can stay on the boat. When you get to the beach the water was no more than waist deep. You can definitely walk from the boat to the beach.

 

[mgibson301]

I bring too much every sing time and I keep saying that I have learned my lesson - Never Do. I brought a jacket and only used it on my way home from the airport in MD. What should I have brought? More Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc wine because it was hard to find at any of the bars.. And the dinning room wanted me to buy a bottle.. I did and it was $48 for the same bottle that costs me $15 at home.. I do say stop at the duty free in the port terminal and stock up before you get on the ship - if you enjoy a drink and want to save a bit of $$ They had really decent prices, but no Kim Crawford I wish I wouldn't have brought the spray on sunscreen because I missed a few spots and ouch; one pair of black heels that would go with most outfits,and not so many shoes; absolutely think you need bug spray for the islands -chikungunya is a real thing and better safe than sorry I did bring an umbrella but disney provided ponchos for excursions through them - so the umbrella was never used (it rained in St. Kitts in the morning). Some excursions require closed toed shoes.. just a thought. Disney provides a blowdryer, shampoo, conditioner, soap and lotion. You can leave those things at home. I think you should bring pieces of clothing that can be used with multiple outfits, shorts, comfortable shoes, some dress outfits and just have a good time. Oh and extra room for all the souvenirs you will bring home.

Did they have a good selection of beer and wine at the port? We were going to stop on the way but that would be more convenient for sure! Thanks for all the great info!

 

[LeslieG]

Can anyone tell me if the ship sailed past the Pitons coming into or leaving the port of St. Lucia?

 

[jedijill]

Can anyone tell me if the ship sailed past the Pitons coming into or leaving the port of St. Lucia?

We sailed past them leaving St Lucia but it was getting dark at that time.

Jill in CO