What are the best places to visit in the Southern Caribbean?

[eaglescout77]

My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary aboard the Summit in the Southern Caribbeans this November. Our stops include: St. Croix, St. Kitts, Roseau, Grenada and Tobago. Since this is our first time in this region visiting these islands, I'd like to get your opinion as to what you thought was the most enjoyable for you. We like the beach, horseback riding and walking/hiking tours. We're looking forward to a nice relaxing (and overdue) trip! ;)

[lcmslady]

Having been to all these islands except Tobago, I can tell you what I've done or others in my party have done.

 

I'm not sure these will be to your taste - you might also want to go to the boards for the individual lslands.

 

St. Croix -took a taxi to Chrisiansted, did a little shopping, walked around the fort, and then hung out at Rum Runners (great bar/restaurant on the water)

St. Kitts - I took the narrow gauge railroad trip but others in my party went on a cat/snorkel trip. You might want to look at speedy4charters.com It's not a cat - more of a fishing type boat but he can get you from snorkel spot to the next place quicker.

Dominica - I would suggest Beno's Nature Tours. He's a great guide and ambassador for his island - this is one of my fav places in the Caribbean.

Grenada - made this a beach day, so I can't say much

 

Have fun planning your trip and actually going!

[We're The Groupnors]

My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary aboard the Summit in the Southern Caribbeans this November. Our stops include: St. Croix, St. Kitts, Roseau, Grenada and Tobago. Since this is our first time in this region visiting these islands, I'd like to get your opinion as to what you thought was the most enjoyable for you. We like the beach, horseback riding and walking/hiking tours. We're looking forward to a nice relaxing (and overdue) trip! ;)

 

We found St. Croix a little sleepy to just wander around, so we would recommend booking an excursion.

St. Kitts has a lively downtown if you just want to take in the sites. Otherwise, they have great beaches if you want to do a beach day, as well as good horseback riding.

Dominica (Roseau) is a very interesting island. We did a full island tour as last Feb (on the Summit) was our first time there. Lots of history and natural beauty, and several tours include some hiking (it's a very hilly island). It's not as touristy or developed as some of the other islands in your itinerary, so you might be hard pressed to find a beach with really good facilities or horseback riding.

In Grenada you can hike up to the old fort right from where the ship docks. There's also lots of spice shopping in the town, so a tour isn't really required unless you want to see more of the island.

Tobago was great for a beach day. We went to Club Pigeon Point Beach, which has clean facilities, chair rental, a bar and take-out spot, and lots of options for both sun and shade. They also do parasailing right off the beach.

[vickykay]

Dotto for Pigeon Point Beach - one of the nicest beaches we have ever been to.

[Lsimon]

My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary aboard the Summit in the Southern Caribbeans this November. Our stops include: St. Croix, St. Kitts, Roseau, Grenada and Tobago. Since this is our first time in this region visiting these islands, I'd like to get your opinion as to what you thought was the most enjoyable for you. We like the beach, horseback riding and walking/hiking tours. We're looking forward to a nice relaxing (and overdue) trip! ;)

 

I strongly recommend you look into the port of call forum and do a little research on these islands. We tend to do mostly snorkeling day sails and other water activities. On our last cruise we did all except Tobago and in Dominica we didn't do much as we more or less took the day off. I have a brief review with photos for each location on my photo site if you're interested at: The trips we did at St. Croix, St. Kitts and Grenada were all great sailing/snorkeling excursions with different features at each.

[eaglescout77]

Thanks for the reply! I've been reviewing the excursions listed and have found several that were very interesting. Are there other beaches in addition to Club Pigeon Point Beach that are recommended? Parasailing right off the beach sounds like a great idea! Is it better to book the excursion through Celebrity or to find a guide native to the island?

[kitkat9438]

Thanks for the reply! I've been reviewing the excursions listed and have found several that were very interesting. Are there other beaches in addition to Club Pigeon Point Beach that are recommended? Parasailing right off the beach sounds like a great idea! Is it better to book the excursion through Celebrity or to find a guide native to the island?

 

Most definitely it is better to book through a local tour guide than through Celebrity. As long as you stick with the recommendations of others on this site who have used them, you know you will be in good hands, save money and have more fun.

 

Dominica is a very beautiful island, but more rain forest type than beaches. We used Levi Baron who is an outstanding tour guide. For $40 he will show you around his beautiful island and take you to the highlights such as Trafalgar Falls, Titou Gorge (where the filmed Pirates of the Caribbean), etc. At the end you can snorkel at Champagne Reef. Yes it looks like champagne bubbles coming up from the floor of the ocean. Pretty cool. The best part about his excursions and why I recommend him is that he is so conciencous when it comes to making sure everyone is safe and can swim through the water, even pulling you along in the water against the current or giving you a helping hand if you need it. Here's my review, Levi's website and some pictures:

 

We booked a tour with Levy of bumping tours. We had Levy for our guide and most thought this was the best of the islands we visited and excursions. Levi picked us up a few minutes after the cruise ship docked so we could beat the Cruise excursions going to the same places. First stop was Titou Gorge (where they filmed Pirates of the Caribbean II). There was a short hike back to the Gorge, but not strenuous. Levi warned us that the water was really cold and it was. We were all given swim belts and told the water was around 15 feet deep as we went into the cave. Inside there was a ledge we could climb up on and another waterfall was deeper in the cave if you wanted to climb up another ledge to get to it. When you looked up you saw the opening in the sky. Next, we went to Trafalgar Falls, which means twin water falls. Here you took a short hike up to a platform to see the twin water falls and if you wanted, you went down to the mineral pools, (this was where you climbed over the rocks) to get to the pools, which were like a hot tub, extremely warm and very nice. Levy was very nice and helpful to those of us who needed help climbing over rocks or getting in the water and through it. At the end we went to Champagne Reef for snorkeling. Dominica is a very beautiful island, but the roads were really bad and slow going everywhere. There are not many beaches since it is a volcano island and the water is not clear and blue like most of the Caribbean islands. The beach we went to for snorkeling at the Champagne reef was very rocky. Excellent excursion and can highly recommend. Cost is $47 with snorkeling or $40 without

Titou Gorge:

http://bumpiingtours.com/

On Tobago we went on a catamaran snorkeling excursion on the Island Girl. Sadly the day we were there the seas were really rough and not good for snorkeling. Tobago is a beautiful island though and some of our friends did their own little tour and got some great pictures.

http://www.sailtobago.com/

Grenada:

I did some research trying to find an all inclusive resort, using trip advisor, etc. and found Rex Grenadian Resorts. We had used their sister property, Hawksbill in Antigua last year and loved it, so knew this would be a good place to go. I called the hotel directly and got information on pricing then sent an email to Marcia, who was very helpful in accommodating our party of 11 and arranging for a taxi pickup from the ship. Their phone number is 1-473-444-3333. You can send an email to Marcia at grenguestsvs@spiceisle.com The cost is $50 per person all inclusive, room for the day was $60 (which we split by the group and paid cash); taxi was $20 for first 4 people and $4 pp after that, each way. I believe the beach is called Tamarind Bay. The resort is just a few minutes from the cruise pier and is very beautiful. We hung out a lot at the pool so we could be close to the bar, which made excellent drinks. I think the lunch was around 12 or 12:30 and it was set up buffet style. Be sure to leave yourself plenty of time to return to ship because we arranged for the taxi to pick us up at a certain time and he was late so the hotel had to get someone else to take us back, making us get back later than we wanted.

 

[Lois R]

Hi, Happy Anniversary:)

 

I was in St Croix for the first time back in January and went to

a resort with 6 friends and we all had a really fun time.:)

Its called SandCastle on the Beach and here is a link to their

website.

www.sandcastleonthebeach.com I would go there again should I

stop in St Croix on another cruise and definitely recommend it.

They have a restaurant, bar and pool all right there. Nice folks

run it as well.

 

And Larry is right (as usual;)) a good place to find more information

is the Ports of Call boards.

[LynnMW3]

Haven't been to a lot of your stops, but in Grenada, I whole-heartedly recommend Mandoo Tours. We were in Grenada on Easter Sunday a few years back, and had Mandoo himself show us his beautiful island. They are very informative, reasonable, and will tailor a tour to your wants and desires. We were given a tour of the entire island, and then were left off at a beach (with bar/bathroom) for a few hours of relaxation. He picked us up on time, took us back to the ship, and was probably one of the best tours we've ever taken.

 

Because of Mandoo, Grenada is one of my favorite ports, and I look forward to stopping there whenever we can...and, he will take you to the best spice people, instead of letting you buy off the street.

[JeffCoud]

St. Croix -- not much to do in Fredericksted where you dock, so get to Christiansted. They have minibus vans running back and forth all day for a nominal amount. I did a snorkel tour by boat (ship tour) from Christiansted to Buck Island national park, which was pretty decent. Pictures of that snorkeling start here: http://gallery.mac.com/jeffcoud#100261/PICT0024

 

St. Kitts -- fair amount to explore in the port area, shopping etc. took a nice little walk to go see the cathedral as well. Of course there is Brimstone Hill fortress which is a good visit and various batik places. Also did a snorkel tour here that also went to an obscure beach in the south end, which is rough and rustic to some extent...aka, not developed up. They had a beach barbecue waiting for us, etc. I like St. Kitts quite a bit. Pictures here: http://gallery.mac.com/jeffcoud#100261/PICT0220 and http://gallery.mac.com/jeffcoud#100169/DSC01648

 

Roseau -- I love Dominica! Quickly has become one of my favorite places. I have done the champagne snorkel which was cool, did the swimming in the caves and hot springs thing as well. Lots of nature in this place. Found the Trafalgar falls to be less than interesting though. Swimming in the hot springs and the cold water cave was very fun though! Pictures here: http://gallery.mac.com/jeffcoud#100182/P4130002 and http://gallery.mac.com/jeffcoud#100261/PICT0378

 

Grenada -- I like Grenada, def would go back. Not many americans have discovered. Have only snorkeled here at the underwater sculpture park, which was interesting. The 2nd time I was there spent at a nice beach by the airport (cab can take you there) called Magazine Beach. Had a nice beach bar restaurant there and they rent chairs and umbrellas. Good place to get away from the cruise hoards. Pictures here: http://gallery.mac.com/jeffcoud#100261/DSC02236 and http://gallery.mac.com/jeffcoud#100182/P4140004

 

Tobago -- haven't been there yet!

 

Jeff

[J & G]

My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary aboard the Summit in the Southern Caribbeans this November. Our stops include: St. Croix, St. Kitts, Roseau, Grenada and Tobago. Since this is our first time in this region visiting these islands, I'd like to get your opinion as to what you thought was the most enjoyable for you. We like the beach, horseback riding and walking/hiking tours. We're looking forward to a nice relaxing (and overdue) trip! ;)

 

Dominica (prounounced Dom in NEEK uh - that surprised us) is my new favorite island. It is spectacularly beautiful and the people are wonderful! We had a great tour guide and a wonderful time! We did the river tubing with Antours, which included a tour of the island. It was fantastic! We're going back next year......

[Senga]

I agree with booking a tour in Dominica with Levi Baron, it was the highlight of our trip. Water shoes with good soles are a must as Levi recommends. There is lots of information, reviews and contact emails, in the Ports of Call board.

 

Grenada: Lovely pier area, internet access close by $1/15 minutes. Cheap postage rates for mailing cards, 50 cents US to Canada and the U.K. They have a postal outlet set up right inside the terminal building. The water taxi is $4. one way per person to Grand Anse Beach. We walked further down past all the lounge chair rentals and found a lovely tree right in front of a hotel with security guards. We hung our beach bag on the tree and it was clearly visible from the water. This is the perfect port for a beach day. If you decide you'd rather see the island there are lots of independent tour operators available at the pier and, again, I'm sure there are lots of recommendations on the Ports of Call board.

 

Tobago is definitely a beach day and doing the trip to Pigeon Point on your own is safe and much more economical than the ship's tour. The cruise shore excursion to Pigeon Point was $42 plus $2 to rent a lounge chair. To do it on your own it was $5. p/p each way for the taxi, $3. admission and $2 to rent a lounge chair and it was very easy to do.

 

St. Kitts: I would recommend an independent tour of the island once you arrive Negotiate the price in advance and make sure you visit Brimstone Hill where the views are spectacular.

 

Enjoy!

[medfordgirl]

St. Kitts has a lively downtown if you just want to take in the sites. Otherwise' date=' they have great beaches if you want to do a beach day, as well as good horseback riding.

[/quote']

 

 

could you tell me a little bit more on the horseback riding on St Kitts. We enjoy it but usually it is just a slow pace in a single file....boring.. What do they do in St Kitts and how much is it. I don't see it offered on the cruise line website.

[lvcruiser]

Another strong recommendation to use Mandoo on Grenada. He is extraordinarily knowledgable about his island, an ambassador for his people, and takes very good care of his clientele. He was the most expensive tour guide we had on our last Southern cruise, but without a doubt, the best.

[We're The Groupnors]

could you tell me a little bit more on the horseback riding on St Kitts. We enjoy it but usually it is just a slow pace in a single file....boring.. What do they do in St Kitts and how much is it. I don't see it offered on the cruise line website.

 

We went hrough Trinity Stables, webite link below.

 

http://www.trinityinnapartments.com/Stables.asp

 

We did the beach ride, and it was wonderful. We weren't going at a gallop, but I don't remember it being single file or boring. It was a number of years ago, though, so I don't remember the pricing; sorry.

[richsea]

Hi, Happy Anniversary:)

 

I was in St Croix for the first time back in January and went to

a resort with 6 friends and we all had a really fun time.:)

Its called SandCastle on the Beach and here is a link to their

website.

www.sandcastleonthebeach.com I would go there again should I

stop in St Croix on another cruise and definitely recommend it.

They have a restaurant, bar and pool all right there. Nice folks

run it as well.

.

 

Hi Lois! Sandcastle looks pretty good! Can you tell me how you got there & how much they charge for the day?

 

............Duh! Never mind, Lois, I finally read the link on their site & got the answers. It sounds great!

[Can'tstopcruising]

We also went to Sandcastle. If I remember correctly we each paid $7.00. The only thing we did not like about it is that there were so many rocks that we couldn't go swimming.

[Pilot70D]

Any relatively small land mass completely surrounded by Caribbean waters is the best place to visit....any one of them.

Why be picky when they are all so nice???

:):rolleyes::)

[Lois R]

Hi Lois! Sandcastle looks pretty good! Can you tell me how you got there & how much they charge for the day?

 

............Duh! Never mind, Lois, I finally read the link on their site & got the answers. It sounds great!

 

Hi Rich, I loved it:)

[eaglescout77]

Thank you all for your kind words of wisdm. We are really looking forward to our trip this November. I'm convinced now (Thanks!) that we will have the best time no mater which island we are at! :cool:

[brighton seagulls]

Thanks to everyone who put details on here. We are visiting the caribbean on the Summit for back to back 9th to 23rd April 2011 and can't wait!!!!!

 

Really useful links on here and some brilliant photos.

 

Regards

 

dave and karen

Brighton

England