Souljourner

On 12/5/2019 at 9:58 AM, blue_water said:

Yes tipping is appreciated as long as you enjoyed the service, I’d give $2 each way, most folks would never consider tipping of course. Brewers does offer decent snorkeling, and your driver will probably tell you he/she will return. Otherwise another taxi or two normally stop in.

 

CGB has a much busier vibe as several large safari taxis unload a lot of passengers. I’m told there is some snorkeling along the left (west) shore further out. But Brewers would be the better choice and is a much nicer experience IMHO...

 

Yes I see your location there, looks like a beautiful area to live!

Thank you for the courtesy of your response.  It's always a bit daunting to go somewhere new, and it feels a whole lot less daunting with the guidance of one who knows.

Your two suggestions for beaches are excellent.  One last choice I'm considering is the cruise excursion to Long Bay Beach.  I have an excursion credit, so the transportation through the ship won't cost me much more than a local taxi.  I'd love to hear your thoughts about that beach, so that I can settle in on a choice.

I'm not looking for a party vibe, I can do plenty of drinking on the ship.  I like peacefulness and safety, knowing I have a ride back, and some snorkeling would be a plus.

Thanks again for sharing your wisdom and your time.

On 9/10/2019 at 9:17 PM, beachgirl32931 said:

We were just there last week.  Lounges were $5 each.  We were only there a couple of hours and snorkeled so I didn't ask about umbrellas.  Bar and Restaurant were open.  No more than 20 people on the beach.  

How was the snorkeling on Brewer's?  Did you have any trouble finding transportation back to the port?

On 11/16/2019 at 9:37 AM, blue_water said:

Taxi is just $8/pp each way to both beaches and taxis will be there to return you to your ship.

 

Brewers is one of the most gorgeous beaches in the VI's and has that old Carib feel. Nicole's beach bar serves food and drinks and has a restroom.

 

Cane Garden Bay is also beautiful, just a much larger bay with several restaurants where the majority of your fellow cruisers will go. 

 

So whatever vibe sounds good to you! If you prefer a bit more amenities over natural beauty CGB may be the better choice...

 

Thank you, Blue_Water for the generosity of your responses.  Silly question - is tipping of taxi drivers customary?  Would you expect the same driver to return you to the ship at either of these beaches, or would it be just as easy to take any waiting cab back to the pier?

Also - I see Finger Lakes as part of your location.  Near and dear to my heart! 

It sounds like both Brewers and Cane Garden Bay are easy to get to from the cruise ships.  Do either of these  beaches offer even a bit of a snorkeling experience?

I'm usually one to do my own research, rather than posting a request, but I'm on information overload and uncertain about which beach to visit during my stop at Tortola on NCL in about two weeks.

Here's what I'm looking for, in order of priority -

1. Easy to get to from the cruise port with dependable transportation back to the pier

2. We're on a budget, so cost is a consideration

3. Nice sand and calm water

4. Snorkeling would be a plus

I don't care about bars, shopping, or lounge chairs.  Would prefer less crowds.  Probably of most concern to me will be the dependability of transportation and the cost, as I want to relax during my time at the beach, and don't want to be fretting about getting back to the ship on time.  If I can get to a nice beach, paddle around for a bit with my own snorkeling gear, and get back to the ship without worry - I'll be one happy visitor!

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

On 3/25/2018 at 9:06 PM, WAMarathoner said:

We fly separately. It started when the kids were young and was a "just in case" measure. Now, with baggage fees, I fly the cheapo airline that doesn't let you carry bags. dh flies Southwest and carries my luggage with his. No baggage charges. Sometimes he'll mystery shop the flight and get half his fare refunded in exchange for a one-hour report. More money to spend on the things that matter. Plus, I'm not very fun to fly with (fidgit-er) so it works out.

What does it mean to mystery shop a flight? 

St. Thomas would be my recommendation. I am a Pearl lover and have originals from Japan (my dad was in the Air Force and brought them home from Kyoto). I have bought Black Pearls in St. Thomas. Be sure to shop at home in USA first so you know what quality, size and origination is so you can compare more than cost. Try Beverly's in downtown (my name so it's easy to remember but there is no affiliation) and Trident. Good Luck and happy shopping.

Thank you @nanatravel!

Got back from my cruise and the mudbath on St. Lucia was the hit of my trip! So glad you all encouraged me to go. I would recommend the experience highly, and had a particularly great experience with Spencer Ambrose tours. The entire day was magical!

Thank you so much for those responses. I packed a dark older bathing suit, and I am looking forward to the experience. My husband is not! :-)

Okay... in spite of my nose telling me NOT to dip into sulfur smelling mud - I'm going to do it!

Questions for those of you who have been there before:

* Easy enough to wash off the mud, and the smell, afterwards?

* Would you wear a bathing suit or shirt and shorts? (I'm a woman!)

*If bathing suit - would you suggest bringing a suit I don't care about? In other words, will it get ruined?

Packing for a trip leaving TOMORROW! Last minute questions as I'm deciding what to pack.

Thanks!

Drove into the city today. What a thrill to drive down the West Side Highway and see the Gem tied up at the pier! I'll be traveling on her 12/12 cruise. After following these events avidly, so nice to see her back home! :-)

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My recommendation is to buy the in the USA.

 

Too often people are rushed while on cruises and make decision too quickly that they come to regret.

 

Keith

Thank you so much, Keith. That was my thought as well but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything, especially since people seem to equate cruising with shopping. Not being a shopper I was wondering what all the shopping frenzy was all about! ;-)

Jude

I found the ability to bid on an upgrade when I logged into my NCL account.

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New user to the CC app. Just discovered that the threads I am shown when the app opens come from a variety of boards, not just boards I'm interested in. I thought this was a general discussion about cruising and have enjoyed hearing what others do when they first board. It's been enlightening to discover that different cruise lines do things differently.

They don't have the MDR open on embarkation day, not sure what there were referring to.

 

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The MDR on Norwegian has always been open for lunch immediately after embarkation starts on every NCL cruise I've ever been on, which is my only cruiseline experience. If that's not true on other cruise lines I can understand why it's so delightfully empty and why everyone rushes to the Lido deck.

Shhh..... don't tell anyone. ;-)

The relaxed atmosphere is exactly why I enjoy it first thing. The quiet is just what I need to unplug from a hectic work schedule and transition into being on vacation. I leave my quiet lunch ready to party!

I will be traveling to the following islands next month:

Antigua

Martinique

St. Kitts

St. Lucia

St. Thomas.

I'm in the market for a quality pearl necklace. Wondering if anyone can recommend a store on any of these islands where I might be able to purchase good quality at a good price, or would I be better off purchasing pearls in the US?

Thank you in advance!

Always go directly to the main dining room. Love the relaxed ambiance, white tablecloths, and that first very dirty martini. There's something about having that drink with lunch, (something I don't usually do) while lingering over a beautiful meal, that feels like vacation.

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I wouldn't even consider a flight that early. Even though it might be better than this, I always figure two hours from the time the ship is scheduled to dock, half an hour to the airport, and I want to arrive two hours before the flight is scheduled to leave. The very earliest I would suggest booking would be 11:30, and I personally, I wouldn't book any earlier than noon. Why end a beautiful vacation with all that stress?

9:30 - no way.

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