Carribean cruise.

Hi, I am on the Ventura cruise departing 18th Jan 2017. Our ports of call are Barbados, St Lucia, Dominica, St Marrten, Tortola, St Kitts and Antigua. I will be travelling with my wife, but want to spend one day doing my own thing, which is photography. I would welcome suggestion as to which of our ports of call are the best for photography. The cruise is still some time away, but I have in mind the idea of having a taxi or private tour company for my day out. Any and all suggestions welcomed.

I should add that my wife will not be missing out as she will be doing her thing for the day.

Regards Tokyo

I would say that Bathsheba on the East Coast of Barbados is worth a visit, has some giant rocks in the Sea with waves crashing, in the same vicinity if you want to photograph an archetypal Caribbean Beach with is almost always nearly empty get the taxi driver to stop off at Bottom Bay for half an hour.

Another good place is the Baths on Virgin Gorda (from Tortola)

You might get some other ideas for the other places from these albums - If you open up a photo and hit the info button it should say where they were taken - hope it helps

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipO-zH5E01HVtsOOs7jCT4gTFpTYa7rIH8glfOSV

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipM4w6JKoJpx49QCwdEO667Mlq25dtmfESAZSUFE

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipPXiNgNATQX8TX9n2DOIF21jkfukxAKJLtjMFY9

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipMoamG032l4Y1F1zNFQuhGRXnL4SUjflXaugmOZ

Hi, thanks for the reply. I can't seem to get the links to work. Will try again later. As I have to go out.

Thanks again

Tokyo.

Hi, thanks for the reply. I can't seem to get the links to work. Will try again later. As I have to go out.

 

Thanks again

 

Tokyo.

Sorry, try these.

https://goo.gl/photos/vB5qLktwddL4FAYk7

https://goo.gl/photos/6gpwbFQwBC3rozAg8

https://goo.gl/photos/gEPt9FjHRUQF9YeF9

https://goo.gl/photos/L9HWBHjjy7dAePAn9

Wow, there are some excellent shots of the islands and birds. I assume you have a 400mm lens or a 100-400 mm lens. The best long lens I have is a 70-300 canon L lens.

After seeing your photo's I can't wait to get there and start taking photo's. The islands look fantastic.

Regards

Tokyo.

Thanks Tokyo, yes I use a 100-400 and a 15-85 walk around, would like to take a tripod but it all a bit too much with luggage allowances so I just use a bean bag for the shots with a low shutter speed. I've also found that the catamaran trips are quire good for photo ops.

Not sure if it interests you, I notice that there is P&O photography excursion from Barbados. I haven't done it so can't comment but it does visit Bathsheba.

Barbados In Focus Photography Tour Ref: BGI_025

Head across the island to the spectacular Scotland District, an area of undulating landscapes overlooking the very scenic east coast. Your route passes acres of waving sugar cane and takes you through quaint rural villages with brightly painted rum shops and chattel houses. The beautiful rugged landscape, intriguing architecture and good-natured country folk, combine to make this a unique experience.

Enjoy the sights of Bathsheba, on the east coast, the most photographed area on the island. Watch the Atlantic breakers pound relentlessly against giant coral boulders and create whirlpools of foaming surf. A photographer’s delight.

If shopping is your wife's thing I would stay with her in St Marrten. We did a private tour there, very good, but near where the ship docked were loads and loads of jewellery stores..

Dominica was our favourite island. Basically because it is a rainforest island , so although it did rain a lot there, it was very very lush. It also seemed the most "natural" of the islands we stopped at. The others all merged into one ,but Dominica still stands out.

I guess you will be going to the airport on St Marrten, for the jets to come in low. I personally found it very hot/dusty and noisy but then we cannot all like the same thing.

Thanks for all the replies.

I have noticed the P&O photography excursion from Barbados. It is what started me thinking what are my other options. I am going to have to do a little research into which is the best thing to do. First I need to choose which island has the most to offer re photography. Once that is decided, I guess my ideal trip would be to select a number of places to visit for photography then find out how much it would cost to arrange transport (taxi).

Re. the airport. I go to air shows 3 or 4 times a year. I am not sailing all the way from Southampton to St Marrten to watch aircraft landing.:D Not when there is so much more to see and photograph. On the subject of St Marrten I have not mentioned the shops to my wife, but I expect she will find out sooner or later. :D

My wife has mobility problems so we are also checking out private tour companies as we have found at times the P&O trips are not convenient for her. All to often it's just a case of sitting on a coach for three hours with just a couple of stops which she then finds difficult to get on and off the coach.

Once again, thanks for the replies and I expect I will be back on this board over the coming months asking for advice.

Regards Tokyo

Dominica was our favourite island. Basically because it is a rainforest island , so although it did rain a lot there, it was very very lush. It also seemed the most "natural" of the islands we stopped at. The others all merged into one ,but Dominica still stands out.

I guess you will be going to the airport on St Marrten, for the jets to come in low. I personally found it very hot/dusty and noisy but then we cannot all like the same thing.

Dominica is our favourite island too, we went snorkelling on Champagne reef followed by an island tour covering some of the places that scenes in Pirates of the Caribbean were filmed, plus a walk down one of the heated mountain streams that runs out of one of the active volcanoes. The island has an extensive rainforest with some great birdlife, as long as they pop out for a photo shoot of course:D

I so want to cruise the Caribbean, I can afford it ok, it's the 8 hours on an plane I just can't get my head round. Arriving at airport 3 hours take off, at least an hour at the other end before you see your cabin. I can never sleep other than in a bed. The return journey is worse not taking off until late evening. Am I destined for the med for ever and ever? Recently read a young mother asking ?'s about taking a toddler, horrified me sitting next to a crying baby for any length of time. My honeymoon entailed a late night flight home from Spain, only short flight but I missed a whole night sleep. 35 years ago, still remember it like yesterday (the lack of dleep) :(

Why don't you fly out and sail back? [emoji4]

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I so want to cruise the Caribbean, I can afford it ok, it's the 8 hours on an plane I just can't get my head round. Arriving at airport 3 hours take off, at least an hour at the other end before you see your cabin. I can never sleep other than in a bed. The return journey is worse not taking off until late evening. Am I destined for the med for ever and ever? Recently read a young mother asking ?'s about taking a toddler, horrified me sitting next to a crying baby for any length of time. My honeymoon entailed a late night flight home from Spain, only short flight but I missed a whole night sleep. 35 years ago, still remember it like yesterday (the lack of dleep) :(

So long as you can spare the time, there are P&O Caribbean cruises that sail from and to Southampton, so there's no need to fly. The shortest seem to be about 24 days.

We booked a 28 day cruise as we don't fancy flying out to the Caribbean. But, I realise that it is not possible for everybody to take 28 days from work.

Hi, I am on the Ventura cruise departing 18th Jan 2017. Our ports of call are Barbados, St Lucia, Dominica, St Marrten, Tortola, St Kitts and Antigua. I will be travelling with my wife, but want to spend one day doing my own thing, which is photography. I would welcome suggestion as to which of our ports of call are the best for photography. The cruise is still some time away, but I have in mind the idea of having a taxi or private tour company for my day out. Any and all suggestions welcomed.

 

I should add that my wife will not be missing out as she will be doing her thing for the day.

 

Regards Tokyo

St.Lucia has the twin pitons to photograph.

St.maarten has the end of the airport runway to photograph as it is very close to the road and the aircraft are so low on approach it always makes for an interesting photo.

Hi, thanks for your reply.

Tokyo.