tjschwalm

Dw and I were also apprehensive to drop the $300 a few years ago but figured you only live once . Sooo worth the money to us !! We did ours on the Grand (with Skywalkers) and also paid $150 pp . We saw the theatre backstage , the engine control room , anchor system , water system, the theatre control booth , the entire kitchen , laundry, printing department (all paperwork is printed right there) , photo department ,infirmary , morgue , ship jail and of course the bridge with Captain . Not only did we see these places but the information and the way it was presented left us feeling really impressed . Not to mention huge appreciation for the portion of the crew you never see , yet they make your cruise so great . Hope we never lose that ! All our fellow tourers were also very into ships , and attentive so all in all , my opinion is it's a must do !

When we did it on Princess , several years ago , we kept the same stateroom for both cruises .

They just grouped us up in a theatre and we all just walked down to customs

and did a quick turnaround and right back on . They waited until the previous

cruise had cleared the ship , so it was just us . We did receive new S&S cards , I remember cause I had to repurchase my drink package and get a new sticker. Couldn't have been easier or less inconveniant . For a little while the ship was all ours , very nice .Have fun !

Thanks Mitsugirly , Looks like I am totally confusing two places , I was definitely thinking about the Paradise Point tram ride . Sorry for the bad info Lisa .

I now remember years ago going to Mountain Top at the end of an island tour

and it was ok but more importantly pretty far from port to where you need a cab , maybe someone will come along with more specific info on ways to get there , again sorry ! Ted

Lisa , I believe your docking at Havensight pier , if so you can just walk across the street to Mountaintop , assuming everyone is ok to walk a few hundred yards . From there it's a couple hundred yards furthur to the $2 bus stop . We find the bus a conveniant way to get around (and cheap) . If the bus isn't your style a taxi is $20 pp rt from port to Sapphire ( $10 each way ) . I believe it's around $20 to go up Mountain top and drinks are high $15 or so for a daquiri , but I have never been but walk by it on my way to the bus stop . Entrance to Sapphire is free entrance . Hope this helps ! Good luck ! Ted

Karysa ,

Going with Capt Alan in Feb . His emails were very proffesional and top notch ,

if they weren't I was gonna try from the shore again . I'll be sure to review

somehow to let yall know on the St Martaan thread . Ted

Amarea & Peter,

I have never heard of or seen (I've tried from shore in Le Gallion ) great snorkeling in St Maarten but we are gonna try it again in Feb with Capt Alan .

I have had good snorkeling everywhere I've tried in St Thomas or St Johns .

If your just gonna try it I would go to Sapphire Beach or Secret Harbor where you can just walk in and snorkel right off the beach without making a huge financial commitment , just rent equipment there rather than buy before you know it's for you . Warning you will get hooked ! lol Good Luck ! Ted

dst , That is too funny . I have been outta town and even in my exhaustion I am lol . Any how , About 1/4 mile before Playa Porto Marie there are Flamingos just hangin out by the side of the road , we thought it was very cool . Our driver pulled over so we could take pics . Just icing on the cake for a perfect day . Take care ! Ted

Gypsy ,

Thanks for the awesome review ! We were just there for the first time in Jan as well . We feel the same way , why would we ever go somewhere else ? The

food and service in the dining area is very good and reasonably priced . They even sell cigarettes , I know , I know . We also stopped at the flamingos , to us it was just the perfect day and we're going back Feb 2012 on cb , can't wait .

Sometimes we say let's try something different , not here , we are going straight back to Playa Porto Marie , just wonderful .

Thanks again ! Ted

Thank you so much for your wonderful review . It made my day as I have read so many conflicting reports on Sapphire Beach . It will be our first stop when we are there in January . Thanks again ! Ted

Hey Debbie , I would contact Capt Heinz and tell him that the rt from the pier is less and ask him why his taxi is so much more . I don't know your departure place or time , maybe that has something to do with his fare . But it's been puzzling me since I read that post but I would ask the tour operator about it before I cancel anything . IMHO . Great Day !!! Ted

Hey yall , I don't know why a taxi to Christiansted would be any more than $15 RT . When you come down the pier there is a taxi tent on the pier . They take US money and hand each person two tickets one is for the return trip and is honored by all the taxis . When we were there the taxis were 15 passenger vans . Rates our regulated at the pier . When we arrived at Christiansted we arranged for our driver to come back . He was waiting at the pier when our Catamaran sailed up . The drivers know all the tour companies routines .

It was so easy a kid could do this trip the people there are so friendly and helpful . Never once felt lost or unsafe , just sad we had to leave !

Hey Pat ,

Sorry I have been sick and fighting a cold all week . Have read many good things about Capt. Hienz and nothing negative . When we went with Big Beard's tour it was $92 pp all inclusive . We also had to take the taxi/van to Big Beard's at a cost of $12-$15 each rt . I just can't remember but it was an all day tour and when we were back on ship our friends from another tour paid $76 each for the half day RCI cruise with no lunch and many more people .

Yes we are neighbors , more so after Labor Day . My father lives in Ocean Pines and we don't even fight traffic to see him in the summer , crazy huh?

We are booked on the Grand Princess 1/3/2011 to S. Carib and the Ocean Princess on 1/7/2012 to Hawaii and Tahiti . Both chosen for the itinerary in HOPES of good snorkeling . You should come ! I hope to see you around the threads . Let me know if you need anymore info ! Take care ! Ted

Debbie ,

We were there last Nov the 14th (sat ) I had to look it up don't even think I am slightly organized . When I return (hopefully ) I would definitely charter with Big Beard's again because at the time they had a mate named Kaitlyn , don't know if she's still there , that kept all our teenagers engaged and entertained . Service from her was above and beyond . Nice kids the captain too .

Last Mango ,

We had 6 pax last time and two couples were already on the boat that were land based . On the way to turtle beach they stopped and picked up three more ladies at a Sandals style resort . We were the only cruise ship people for a total of 13 pax .There was plenty of room and the other pax were a joy to hang out with .

Like I said earlier I am truly confused by some reviews but I guess I would confuse people too if I told them some of these highly rated places for us were just so so . We are doing 6 new islands this Jan and snorkeling at 5 but even if it happens to be a bad day for fish or waves or whatever we still always have fun with our bunch . Oh yeah , I called when I booked Big Beards and they were very nice on the phone , I do believe they would shoot you straight about how it's been there lately . Good luck and sail safe ! Ted

OC PAT ,

I don't know what to think .I really loved snorkeling at Buck Island

and there were almost too many fish . We were forced to swim through the schools , they didn't seem to mind . I am by no means an expert and have only been snorkeling maybe 25 to 30 times in about 20 different locales . I still haven't taken the time to know the species that I am lookin at , guess I just like fish . I thought the coral inside the wall was amazing IMHO . As we approached the outer sea wall it seemed more abused .

I really think it has to do with your day weather and currents . I was so excited for Trunk Bay and my day there it was rough and we saw next to nothing . I know there is a reason for the hype so we chalked it up to weather and just hope to return someday . I think there are places I have been like Jalousie in St Lucia that are more of a sure thing do to the cove . Don't laugh but one of my favorite places is Penecamp in Key Largo right here in the good ol USA . Snorkeling is also my priority on island visits and just think it would be a shame to miss Buck Island if it happens to be a good day . We too went with Big Beard's and they were a joy to sail with .

Like I said , I don't know because I've read such mixed reviews I have to believe it all about timing . Good Luck ! Ted

US dollars at Valley Church .

Hey, That was $50 for a half an hour and I said how much for two machines half an hour and the man charged me $90 . Real fun ! I mean REAL fun there is so much wide open calm blue water with nothing around just great ! Don't know what other people encountered but the day we were there the nest said their credit card machine was down luckily we all (6) of us had some cash .

I believe the coconut shrimp , which was huge and yummy , was about $17

US and I believe it could be split I didn't as It was all I ate that day at the beach , we didn't get around to eating til almost 2pm. Hope that helps . Ted

I believe you could budget for $50US per person unless you drink like a fish,

believe it or not it was so hot I don't think anyone had more than 3 drinks but lots of water and they have a unique non alcohol iced tea I really liked .

Hey Sheryl,

We went by bus to Valley Church Beach on Thursday Nov 12th . It was simple. Getting there you walk straight out of the port to Market street

and make a left go straight past a lot of run down , some good deals ,

stores . About a 1/4 mile or 5 blocks down on the left is the bus station.

The walk in total took us about 15 minutes with an elderly man . My family thought I was crazy and I was like trust me I read about this the whole time I was doubting myself , but bus # 22 was there when we walked up . The driver was very friendly and because our boat left at 5 pm I asked him if we could get a bus back around 3:30 . He said no problem just wait on the side of the road , other side than the U.S. side .The bus is really a 15 passenger van, the fare is $1.50 per person each way. At the end of the day we packed up at 3 pm walked to the road 10 minutes tops . We waited there 10 minutes the whole time cabs pull over to ask you if you want a ride , this is important in case you get cold feet . But we waited and at 3:25 the van or bus pulled up with the #22 on windshield drivers side .

6 of us went there $10 one way total w/ $1 tip he wasn't expecting . Important

note for me , on return trip they were not happy that we had wet bathing suits . He actually asked you don't have wet bathing suits? Do you? We said no but that was a lie and you could see that our suits were wetting seats that school kids use for school travel . Because I lied I felt really bad and gave him $20 , $11 tip to hoping to avoid being scolded . He said nothing but I guess what I am getting at is try to bring a dry change for the ride home. They have changing rooms at the beach . We were back at port by 3:50 pm after doing some store browsing and dawdling and still back on board by 4:20 pm . The beach was beautiful and very uncrowded . We paid

$20 for beach chairs . Elvis was awesome to meet and a fantastic singer .

Food and drink were awesome , have to agree with previous opinions about the coconut shrimp . Lunch for 6 $110 w/ tip . Jet ski son and I $90 1/2 hr 2 machines , real fun . Drinks throughout day another $90 . Total approx for 6

was $250.00 US plus jet ski . about $42 per person worth it to me . Would

absolutely do it again , you have to see this place . Met people that paid cabs $20 apiece for round trip plus cab tip just to get there . Any questions I'm around . Have fun!