Princess excursion "the baths at virgin gorda?

[blueridgemama]

I have already looked at the St Thomas ports threads and there is no information on this Princess excursion. Has anyone done this excursion to the Baths at Virgin Gorda from St Thomas? If so, please share any information pros and cons. We will be in St Thomas from 8AM to 5PM on the Emerald in April. Thank you for any info.:)

[chrysalis]

I have not done this excursion from St Thomas (seems to me that it is something new)...but I have been the the Baths of Virgin Gorda and it is a very neat place. I think that it would be a fun trip for the day, even though you need to go thru customs a couple of times.

 

The price does not seem to bad for something that basically lasts the entire day.

[runnerodb83]

I have already looked at the St Thomas ports threads and there is no information on this Princess excursion. Has anyone done this excursion to the Baths at Virgin Gorda from St Thomas? If so, please share any information pros and cons. We will be in St Thomas from 8AM to 5PM on the Emerald in April. Thank you for any info.:)

 

I wasn't aware, and would be surprised if princess offered the Baths at Virgin Gorda excursion from St. Thomas. If thats actually the case, I wouldn't do it, it would be a several hour ferry ride both ways. If what you meant was that you could take the tour when the ship is docked in Tortola thats a different story (I did this tour in 1996 and 2010). The site itself is spectactular but if there are other ships in the British Virgin Islands then you will find it not as special. The "baths" are several small pools within voids between large boulders. The water never gets deeper than about knee deep. There are rocks to climb over and are done with the use of either handrails or ropes. The issue we had was that we found the tour too short 4-5hrs and when you take 3 hrs off for transportation to/from the site, it really leaves very little time to enjoy it.

 

The baths themselves are really just a path to go from one beach to another. They are very interesting but when crowded, you will get a traffic jam with people coming the other way and only very limited space to "wait" for them to pass. They almost need a stoplight if there are other ships in town. If you really want to go (and it is beautiful at either beach, though the one accessed from the baths is better) my advice is when you get to the hotel above the baths, ask the guide to point you toward the trail to "Devils Beach" which is where the baths end. Take that trail, enjoy your beach time for 20 or 30 mins while you wait for everyone else who is stuck in the "baths" trying to get to devils beach.

 

Note: I would not recommend going through the "Baths" if you are unsteady on your feet or get claustrophobic easy. It's not like you are in confined areas but when you are in a semi rock enclosed area half the size of an interior stateroom with 20 other people, it can get to you.

[howard6933]

I have already looked at the St Thomas ports threads and there is no information on this Princess excursion. Has anyone done this excursion to the Baths at Virgin Gorda from St Thomas? If so, please share any information pros and cons. We will be in St Thomas from 8AM to 5PM on the Emerald in April. Thank you for any info.:)

 

I think you may be a little confused. Virgin Gorda is usually a shore excursion from Tortola, which is the British Virgin Islands. I cannot recall ever hearing about a shore excursion from St Thomas to Virgin Gorda. Are you absolutely sure that it's a shore excursion from St Thomas on a Princess cruiise.:confused:

[chrysalis]

I think you may be a little confused. Virgin Gorda is usually a shore excursion from Tortola, which is the British Virgin Islands. I cannot recall ever hearing about a shore excursion from St Thomas to Virgin Gorda. Are you absolutely sure that it's a shore excursion from St Thomas on a Princess cruiise.:confused:

 

 

It is offered as a shore excursion from St Thomas....people need to get their facts straight before they confuse the OP

[cherylandtk]

Yes, it is now a Princess excursion from St. Thomas

http://www.princess.com/find/excursion/exDetails.page?tourCode=STT-135&t=C&exType=S

[Kmkub]

Are you absolutely sure that it's a shore excursion from St Thomas on a Princess cruiise.:confused:

 

It's definitely one of my available excursions from St Thomas. It lists it as a 6.5 hour trip.

[howard6933]

I guess I screwed up when I said I didn't think that there was a shore excursion from St Thomas to Virgin Gorda. I've sailed with Princess 18 times and don't recall such a shore excursion. Forgive me for this boo boo. :rolleyes:

[blueridgemama]

Thank you all for your fast response. Gotta love cruise critic folk for helping with information:) I don't know if it is a new excursion but it is definietely offered from St Thomas. It is a "speed boat" 1 1/2 hours each way. I was hoping someone who has done the excursion could give me input into whether the time spent getting there and back is worth the time at the site and if the ride in the speed boat there and back was scenic. Again thank you for any input:)

[zahav1]

I've taken this excursion, don't do it. As I recall it was a bus, ferry and then another bus. People getting pushed around. Small narrow beach, nothing exciting, on beach there were some caves, that was about it. If you want to have fun, do the catamaran trip from St. Thomas I think to St. John, the one Princess offers. Avoid those trips that included multiple buses and ferries.

[Shogun]

Hi there

 

have been to the Baths, when we were there its was quite, however if a lot of ships in or big tour groups could be an issue,

 

while I was happy to have seen them, had a quite sandy beach , shallow warm water to ourselves, would not go back,

 

big rocks are something to see, but would not be my first choice tour if not been to this part of the world before, but if never been then worth going, once you have been seen done the area.

 

 

yours shogun

[eandj]

We have been there and if there are a handful of ships in Tortola the place gets very busy. And really, altho a beautiful area, most of our pictures have lots of "strangers" in them. Not a lot of pics that have the beauty of the area without groups people posing for their pictures. Know too that some lines like Oceania stop at Virgin Gorda. So those passengers hit the area in thousands. Unlike the fewer who visit from the ships that dock in Tortola and now St. t.

 

You will need to bus it to the area and then walk down the hill to the water. There is a gift shop and a couple stands to buy products.

 

Unless you would apprectiate the long speed boat ride to Virgin Gorda as part of the experience, I wouldn't do it if there's lots of ships there that day.... Unless you have seen and done everything on St Thomas.

[-Lew-]

 

I don't know if it is a new excursion but it is definietely offered from St Thomas. It is a "speed boat" 1 1/2 hours each way. I was hoping someone who has done the excursion could give me input into whether the time spent getting there and back is worth the time at the site and if the ride in the speed boat there and back was scenic.

We spent our day in Virgin Gorda on a port call in Tortola a few years ago while cruising aboard the CB. It was a Princess excursion and it was a fun day.

 

Having said that, IMHO it's not worth traveling three hours to get there and back. As there is plenty to do on St. Thomas and St. John, I would recommend you leave the Baths to a cruise where you call on Tortola.

 

Lew

[Ms411]

One of the lines used to offer this excursion last year, but I heard they stopped because so many people complained about the long ride, the ferry, the limited time at the beach, and no food or time available for food.

 

The Baths are best done if you're in the VI on a land vacation so you can go on a no ship in any port day.

[morecruise4me]

We've been to the Baths twice and it is one of our favorite places to snorkel! We went with a ship tour from Tortola the first time (they never allow enough time to really explore a place), and on our own from Tortola the 2nd time, so I don't know how it will be going all the way from St. Thomas. Climbing through the towering stone maze is a-mazing...pun intended :D And there are two beaches, a shop, a restaurant, and some really good snorkeling out around all those gorgeous boulders. Last time we were there we snorkeled from the main beach, around the boulders, came ashore on the other beach and walked back through the stones. It is a sight to see and a great place to spend a day.

 

All of that said, if you have never been to St. Thomas, or will ever have another opportunity where you will have more time to spend at the Baths, don't go this time. There are plenty of great things to do in St. Thomas and the Baths need time for good exploration and photo ops. We can't wait to go back!

[ceejay_San Angelo]

We stayed on land at St Thomas and ST John last summer, and took a day trip to the Baths on Virgin Gorda, plus a couple of other stops. The Baths were so much fun! Seeing the huge rock, climbing around, walking thru the shallow water, we swam into shore from the boat and back out to it. Beautiful clear water and nice beaches! We were on a fast boat to get there, and the ride itself was nice, you pass by other islands and get to see their beaches, yachts, etc. Yes, there's plenty to do closer to STT, but the Baths experience was cool!!

[blueridgemama]

Again, thank you everyone for your input. Lots to think about. Luckily I have a few more months to decide.:)