St. Kitts Scenic Railroad tour

[Another Cruise]

We booked the St. Kitts train through Carnival for our April 1 cruise on the Legend. Did it over a month ago. Just checked and it was still coming up on the Carnival home page under "Shore Excursions".

[cathyoo]

We booked the St. Kitts train through Carnival for our April 1 cruise on the Legend. Did it over a month ago. Just checked and it was still coming up on the Carnival home page under "Shore Excursions".

 

For our March 16th cruise this excursion is not showing up. I finally got through to Carnival and they said "unfortunately they are having on again off again problems with the vendor" at this time they have cancelled all tours up to the end of March. I was advised to keep check back in late January or early Feb. So now I have to keep my fingers crossed. I hope your tour doesn't end up cancelled also.

[judyzoo]

I don't know anything about Thenford Grey, but I'd be very surprised if he could top the scenic railway tour, which was one of the best ever IMHO.

[Rail Traveler]

My experience is that there is time in St. Kitts for both the train and other activities or tours. The railway gives a good overview of the island from a completely unique perspective that is unavailable any other way. You are perched up on their observation deck 13 feet above the ground, and can see 360 degrees. On our taxi trip (in a 10-passenger van), we had a great driver, and had a nice tour, but the road is at ground level, often surrounded on both sides by tall sugar cane, and you are at the bottom of a green canyon with no view beyond the cane. This is not the case on the train because you are above the tops of the fields, with a good view of everything. The tour on the train was very informative.

 

The train tour dock to dock is only 3 hours. If you take the first moring tour, you have time to go exploring or even take a 2nd tour (there is one that goes to old abandoned plantations in a safari vehicle, etc.). Or you can hire a taxi to go down to the beach. Anyway, there are lots of things to do in St. Kitts, all enjoyable, and I would not rate a taxi trip above the railway. They are two entirely different experiences.

 

It's like the Old Banana Route Jungle Train in Costa Rica being different that the Canopy Tour. Both are fun for different reasons.

 

Rail Traveler

[Suzy B]

cathyyoo,

 

I have a contact name for you concerning getting Carnival to reinstate the “St. Kitts Scenic Rail Tour”. Her name is Gillian Mills & she can be contacted at: gillianmills@caribsurf.com

 

We went through a similar situation when RCCL rearranged our December 2005 So. Carib. itinerary & we were due to arrive in St. Kitts one day early. RCCL removed the excursion from their Web Site claiming that they are in the process of "adjusting to the itinerary changes with their tour counts." They said they would be contacting the tour operators for new inventory counts. Come to find out, that was never done. :mad:

 

So I contacted the Rail Tour Company to see if someone could look into what was being done to offer their Tour to passengers on our ship.

 

Gillian contacted me the next day & in less than 48 hours, RCCL reinstated the St. Kitts Scenic Rail Tour. :D I am confident that Gillian will be of great help to you & anyone else who find themselves in a similar situation.

 

This is a wonderful Tour & would hate to hear of someone missing out on this opportunity because the ball was dropped again!

 

Wishing you a fantastic cruise. :)

 

Take care,

Suzy B

[Rail Traveler]

cathyoo,

 

I called the Land Programs Department at Carnival, and spoke with a senior manager there about the comments that the St. Kitts Scenic Railway tour was not available, and that "they were having on again off again trouble with the vendor".

 

Robert Blythman (the Manager in their office at Carnival) said this was NOT the case. There have been no problems with the Railway as a vendor. He did go on line while I was on the phone with him, and he did have trouble getting the March 16th sailing to show any space available (he said they have two 140-passenger blocks of seats), and he admitted that was odd, and would check into it.

 

I know Carnival is selling the Rail Tour (he said they had sold train seats already on the dates before and after the March 16th sailing). So...I don't know what to tell you other than to contact the Railway (the earlier post for Gillian Mills is a good one) and keep checking with Carnival on-line.

 

Good luck, and good riding.

 

Rail Traveler

 

 

[cathyoo]

Rail traveler, whatever you did it was GREAT... I have been checking everyday and today the excursion was listed. I booked it. You guys are the best. I am guessing that the person I spoke with couldn't figure out what the problem was and the on again off again vendor was a convenient response.

 

Thanks again

[cathyoo]

Suzy B, thank you so much for the information and the recommendation. I am thrilled that the tour is back. Since I am dragging my Dh, mother, sisters and brother in law on this tour it eases my mind to get such great feedback. thanks again.

[KroozFoolz]

Rail traveler, whatever you did it was GREAT... I have been checking everyday and today the excursion was listed. I booked it.

 

Thanks again

Glad you were finally able to book this!