how to get from place to place and return

Hi,

We'll be in Tortola from 8:00AM - 4:00PM and we want to visit the Bath's. So we'll take one of the ferries over. What I'm not sure about is how we would get to CGB from the Bath's? Then CGB back to ship. What are the best options and do you think this is feasible in our time frame?

Any advice would be extremely helpful. I did not see a thread with this specific info, please feel free to point me to it. Thanks so much.

You might want to make a choice of going either to The Baths of Virgin Gorda which actually takes a while or to CGB (not very close to the ship).

By trying to do both ... you might not fully enjoy either. ;)

LuLu

I agree with LuLu, the Baths are on Virgin Gorda which is at least a 1 hr round trip, and CGB is on the other side of Tortola and a 50 - 60 min taxi. So doable with a linger day in port but would you enjoy it? Really depends on what you like to do.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2183467

Thank you both for replying and for the link. I did not realize how far apart these places are. My group really wants the Baths, so we'll try to fit in a beach in another port so we can enjoy our time there without the pressure of time constraints.

The Baths are worth the time to enjoy, and there is a beach when you walk down to the shore, and a nicer beach (Devils Bay) on the other side of the boulders. You can also visit nearby Spring Bay, or have a driver show you Savannah Bay and drop you at the Mineshaft Cafe for lunch with a panoramic view and a "Cave In". Taxi fares are quite reasonable and there is lots to spend your time with on VG! :)

Here's one of the maps that shows the various locations on the islands -

http://dukeofearl.biz/pictures/maps/BVI%20huge.jpg

The Baths are worth the time to enjoy, and there is a beach when you walk down to the shore, and a nicer beach (Devils Bay) on the other side of the boulders. You can also visit nearby Spring Bay, or have a driver show you Savannah Bay and drop you at the Mineshaft Cafe for lunch with a panoramic view and a "Cave In". Taxi fares are quite reasonable and there is lots to spend your time with on VG! :)

 

Here's one of the maps that shows the various locations on the islands -

http://dukeofearl.biz/pictures/maps/BVI%20huge.jpg

Sounds like a plan. Thank you once again, this is very helpful to us.

Sounds like a plan. Thank you once again, this is very helpful to us.

[You can TOTALLY trust any information from Blue Waters who is always very accurate and very especially helpful when people wish to take the ferry on their own to The Baths to have a longer time than offered by the ship's excursions.

Happily ... There's a beach at The Baths (we really liked the beach there) so all in your group will be happy. :)

Look forward to having a wonderful time! :D

LuLu

[You can TOTALLY trust any information from Blue Waters who is always very accurate and very especially helpful when people wish to take the ferry on their own to The Baths to have a longer time than offered by the ship's excursions.

Happily ... There's a beach at The Baths (we really liked the beach there) so all in your group will be happy. :)

 

Look forward to having a wonderful time! :D

 

LuLu

Yes, blue_water is an invaluable asset to this community for sure. I sure am looking forward to this trip and feeling confident about the information and advice I have received here which will only enhance our experiences on our trip. Thank you Lulu

We too will be in Tortola from 8a-4pm. It looks like you did your research.

How does the timing and prices breakdown to do the Baths? We have another sail/snorkel excursion booked but it doesn't go to the Baths. I'm just wondering if we would do well on our own. There will be 5 of us. (mom, dad, 3 young adults)

It looks like you are on the Getaway a week before us. We sail on May 9th. Our kids are 17, 21, 23. It gets expensive when mom and dad have to pay for everything!! :)

[You can TOTALLY trust any information from Blue Waters who is always very accurate and very especially helpful when people wish to take the ferry on their own to The Baths to have a longer time than offered by the ship's excursions.

Happily ... There's a beach at The Baths (we really liked the beach there) so all in your group will be happy. :)

 

Look forward to having a wonderful time! :D

 

LuLu

Thank you LuLu, you are too kind! :o I do love Tortola and sharing our experiences there...

You are very helpful in sharing your experiences on many forums, and many folks have had great experiences as a result! You're a real asset to these forums! ;) :)

We too will be in Tortola from 8a-4pm. It looks like you did your research.

 

How does the timing and prices breakdown to do the Baths? We have another sail/snorkel excursion booked but it doesn't go to the Baths. I'm just wondering if we would do well on our own. There will be 5 of us. (mom, dad, 3 young adults)

 

It looks like you are on the Getaway a week before us. We sail on May 9th. Our kids are 17, 21, 23. It gets expensive when mom and dad have to pay for everything!! :)

Our two kids are the same ages of yours and they are really looking forward to the Baths. There are 10 of us traveling.

We are going to VG on our own. Our plan is to take Speedy's ferry from Road Town, Tortola to VG at 9:00AM (30 min ride) The only departure from VG back to Road Town that would get us back on time with Speedy's would depart at 12:40PM.

Returning, Smith's ferry offers a departure time at 2:15PM if you'd like to stay on VG longer. I think that's what we'll do. So that would be $40 p/p if we decide to use both ferry companies (2 one way fares vs round trip)

Both offer one way or round trip fares ($20/$30)

http://www.bviferries.com

http://www.bestofbvi.com

Hope this helps. Have a wonderful trip!

Here is information I had posted earlier for others -

You can take Speedy's 9AM ferry to VG with the rest of the crowd, but consider this to have a slightly better experience at the Baths -

When dropped at the Top of the Baths, while the others are heading down to the Baths you walk over to Spring Bay which is an adjacent beach with similar topography and enjoy that in relative quiet. Because Spring Bay and the Baths are so close to one another you would probably have time to walk to Spring Bay when dropped at the Top of the Baths, just ask the driver for directions to that side road. And also ask your driver if that makes sense based on how many people he and the other drivers are dropping at that moment. He/she may say just head to the Baths now if it's not that crowded yet, as many may take a later ferry depending on the queue at the ship for the ship excursion. The driver can be very helpful in that regard. If you do go to Spring Bay first then just walk back and go to the Baths and walk through the boulders to Devils Bay and back up. You may have fewer people to deal with.

If time is tight and you want a lunch you can lunch at the Top after visiting the Baths, or in Spanishtown at the Baths & Turtle. The ferry terminal is a 5 - 10 minute flat walk from town. Just get in line a little early for the return. But the 2:15 return will give you enough time to enjoy your day there.

If you have more time have a driver take you to the Mineshaft Cafe for a nice lunch with their signature drink (the "Cave In" - "It's all in the Juice Mon!") and a panoramic view of the islands. The driver will return to take you back to the ferry.

The drivers will work with you personally and fares are very reasonable, just makes for a nicer experience. And most of the others will be taking the earlier ferry back to RT.

Note that another person who is very familiar more with VG also recommends using this company for an island tour and Baths stop as well -

http://www.mahoganycarrentalsbvi.com/taxi-and-tours/

We haven't used them but another option for some folks. But the taxi fares are very reasonable to us.

And one last note - one ferry company (Speedy's maybe) offers a package deal with the round trip ferry, taxi to and from the Baths, and lunch at the Bath & Turtle in Spanishtown. That restricts you to a specific itinerary with others but some folks may prefer that. It may also be an option through the ship, I'm not sure.

Either way a great day and experience! ;)

Hey Blue Water, our ship departs at 4 from Tortola (Getaway), the package deal with Speedys returns at 330. Is that cutting it too close?

Hi Kelly,

If you got back to Road Town by 3:30 I suppose you could be BOB before 4 if you hustle. But that's too close for us, even being the only scheduled ship in port on Wed.

Since we're less daring but also want to maximize our time on VG we would take the Speedy's 9AM to VG and the Smith's 2:15PM return that arrives Road Town at 2:45PM. That adds another $10pp but it's worth it for the extra time there and getting back by 2:45PM to have 1/2 hr to see the port area.

Others may disagree though and it is a matter of comfort level. LuLu, your thoughts? I'm surprised they don't offer a 2:30PM departure from VG for their package option on Wed because you are the only ship in port that day. But this is a personal choice, and if you do choose the last minute return I would have one recommendation - carry your passports in case you do miss the ship and need to fly to fly to Nassau or Miami.

Question for Blue Water -

I really wanted to visit the Baths on our cruise stop in Tortola in Feburary, however, I'm not as young as I used to be, and after reading about them, I honestly don't know if I am physically fit enough to make the trip. I'm 53, but, bad knees, arthritis, and a shoulder injury have taken a toll, plus, I kind of have a stair phobia due to the fall that injured me! Is Spring Bay a better bet for me?

Thank you!

Yes Spring Bay is much easier to access and has a nice beach and somewhat similar topography. I agree that is a good option for you.

So sorry you've had such bad luck. But kudos to you for having the desire to make it work! Have a great cruise!

this is great info!

We will be in Tortola from 7am-3pm. This change in the time (was 8-4) had changed our plans so trying to figure out what to do is between the ship's jost van dyke excursion or going to a beach on our own. If we go on our own, what beach is suggested for good snorkeling and that food/drink available? Its our first time in tortola so open to suggestions!

We'll be in Tortola on the 29th of July, docked 7am-3pm. We want to do Baths on our own. Speedy's has a ferry that leaves at 7:45 and 9, is it realistic to try to make a 7:45 ferry if the ship docks at 7?

If not, 9am going there and 12:40 coming back - is it enough time to get us back for 3pm ship leaving and enough time at the Baths? I was thinking of walking down "against crowds" to Devils Bay first, then making it through the Baths to the other side to go up.

Thanks in advance.

We'll be in Tortola on the 29th of July, docked 7am-3pm. We want to do Baths on our own. Speedy's has a ferry that leaves at 7:45 and 9, is it realistic to try to make a 7:45 ferry if the ship docks at 7?

If not, 9am going there and 12:40 coming back - is it enough time to get us back for 3pm ship leaving and enough time at the Baths? I was thinking of walking down "against crowds" to Devils Bay first, then making it through the Baths to the other side to go up.

Thanks in advance.

Same question from me? Is that feesible to do? Would it be easier to do Spring Bay or are we looking at the same time dilemma?

Same question from me? Is that feesible to do? Would it be easier to do Spring Bay or are we looking at the same time dilemma?

Well, I can now report from my experience :) We docked at Tortola shortly before 7 and they were letting people off board at 7 exactly. I had a wake-up call setup for 6:30, so our family of 5 managed to snag a quick breakfast at the Garden Cafe buffet and we were off the ship at 7:20. We walked to the ferry dock (it was a brisk 10 minute walk, not bad at all). There were not a lot of people at the ferry dock at the time. We bought Speedy's ferry/taxi tickets combo and the ferry came in at 7:45. They did some unloading and we were on Virgin Gorda by 8:25 or so. We were loaded in one of the open air taxis with other people and made it to Baths in 10 minutes or so. We went down the path to the Baths and then walked through the Baths to Devil's Bay. We had a 5 year old with us, and at times my husband had to hold her, because the water was deep for her. 3 of us had water shoes, I didn't, was wearing flip flops, but it wasn't too bad. You just have to take your time and be careful as you're going through some narrow spaces. We saw a few people with scraped up backs and bruises, and one lady on the ship the next day had a full arm cast, but we were fine, just taking our time. We spent the rest of the morning swimming at Devil's bay. There were a lot of tour groups coming and going, so at times it would get a little crowded and sometimes it would be pretty empty. We left around 12 to go up to the top and then caught a taxi back in time for the 12:40 ferry. There were a LOT of people waiting for that ferry and not everyone got on it, they gave preference to people with SPEEDY's bracelets (glad we bought taxi tickets from them!). However, as our ferry departed, we saw another Speedy's ferry coming in, so I'm guessing everyone made it on time. In summary, it was a very enjoyable experience, I'm glad we got up early to catch the 7 am ferry. If we took the 9 am ferry, it would work, but we would feel much more rushed and not have much time to swim at Devil's Bay.

Well, I can now report from my experience :) We docked at Tortola shortly before 7 and they were letting people off board at 7 exactly. I had a wake-up call setup for 6:30, so our family of 5 managed to snag a quick breakfast at the Garden Cafe buffet and we were off the ship at 7:20. We walked to the ferry dock (it was a brisk 10 minute walk, not bad at all). There were not a lot of people at the ferry dock at the time. We bought Speedy's ferry/taxi tickets combo and the ferry came in at 7:45. They did some unloading and we were on Virgin Gorda by 8:25 or so. We were loaded in one of the open air taxis with other people and made it to Baths in 10 minutes or so. We went down the path to the Baths and then walked through the Baths to Devil's Bay. We had a 5 year old with us, and at times my husband had to hold her, because the water was deep for her. 3 of us had water shoes, I didn't, was wearing flip flops, but it wasn't too bad. You just have to take your time and be careful as you're going through some narrow spaces. We saw a few people with scraped up backs and bruises, and one lady on the ship the next day had a full arm cast, but we were fine, just taking our time. We spent the rest of the morning swimming at Devil's bay. There were a lot of tour groups coming and going, so at times it would get a little crowded and sometimes it would be pretty empty. We left around 12 to go up to the top and then caught a taxi back in time for the 12:40 ferry. There were a LOT of people waiting for that ferry and not everyone got on it, they gave preference to people with SPEEDY's bracelets (glad we bought taxi tickets from them!). However, as our ferry departed, we saw another Speedy's ferry coming in, so I'm guessing everyone made it on time. In summary, it was a very enjoyable experience, I'm glad we got up early to catch the 7 am ferry. If we took the 9 am ferry, it would work, but we would feel much more rushed and not have much time to swim at Devil's Bay.

This is fantastic!! Thank you so much. So you felt you had plenty of time to see and do everything? Can you tell me did you book ahead or just purchase your tickets at the ferry dock. Also, can you tell me the cost of your combo purchase pp?

Thanks for your report dg, that will be helpful to others in the same situation.

Yes it's a good idea to be in line early for a popular return ferry since everyone has the same idea. But you are right in that another ferry will puck up folks who don't make the first one. The ferries are very good between the VI and BVI.

KS you'll get your passes at the ferry dock. Speedy's also offers a package that includes lunch at the Baths & Turtle in SPanichtown where you can walk back to the ferry dock if that works for you.

This is fantastic!! Thank you so much. So you felt you had plenty of time to see and do everything? Can you tell me did you book ahead or just purchase your tickets at the ferry dock. Also, can you tell me the cost of your combo purchase pp?

We purchased tickets right at the ferry dock, there were very few people there at 7:45. Normally, ferry roundtrip is $30 adults, $20 children 5-11. The cab fare added $8 to each ticket (that's also round trip). I wasn't planning to buy the cab fare, but glad we did, as we didn't have to worry about it on Virgin Gorda.

Thank you so much for your review DgMermaid....just what I was looking for...someone who had success with the port time of 7 to 3. I believe we will do it in similar fashion!

Again - thanks for posting.