On our own excursions

[mbenz106]

Hi all!!!

 

The family and I are leaving in a few week to the SC. The islands are:

 

St Maarten

St Kitts

Antigua

St Lucia

Barbados

 

As of now in St Maarten we just want to go to Princess Juliana International Airport to watch the planes and hang out on the beach all day. RCCL doesn't have an excursion for that. I know we are able to plan/book excursions not through RCCL but don't really know how to go about it. I'm thinking for St Maarten we could just hail a taxi...I'm assuming they are at the pier? For the other islands, any suggestions on what to do and the best excursions you have been on? TIA!!!!!!!!!!

[Clarea]

Last time we went to St. Maarten on Adventure, there was a cruise line excursion that included some time at Maho Beach, to watch the planes land.

 

I would also look at the Ports of Call forums here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=587

[nbsjcruiser]

Hi all!!!

 

The family and I are leaving in a few week to the SC. The islands are:

 

St Maarten

St Kitts

Antigua

St Lucia

Barbados

 

As of now in St Maarten we just want to go to Princess Juliana International Airport to watch the planes and hang out on the beach all day. RCCL doesn't have an excursion for that. I know we are able to plan/book excursions not through RCCL but don't really know how to go about it. I'm thinking for St Maarten we could just hail a taxi...I'm assuming they are at the pier? For the other islands, any suggestions on what to do and the best excursions you have been on? TIA!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yep - cab ride it to the airport in St Maarten, we did that before.

 

Antigua - Dickinson Beach. Simply the best beach I have ever been to.

 

St Kitts - we went to shipwreck beach twice and had a great time.

[Paul65]

One of the easiest ways to start is just to Google it. For instance, you could do a search for "Antigua Cruise Excursions." You'll likely get some websites for tour companies, as well as for certain travel websites, where you can read reviews of different tour companies and/or excursions.

Edited April 19, 2016 by Paul65

[Clarea]

Yep - cab ride it to the airport in St Maarten, we did that before....

There's also a bus that goes to Maho for $2pp, one-way.

[renza]

We are doing an ATV excursion and will stop there on the way back to see a few planes land.

[iahawkfan21]

We went to Maho a couple trips back. Cabs are readily available right outside the port. Unfortunately, I can't remember what we paid. I do remember 2 chairs and an umbrella at the beach being $20-$25 for the day. If you do get chairs, I recommend getting ones in the back row, or at least don't leave stuff under your chair when away. Many in front of us left bags, towels, shoes underneath and when the tide rolled up their stuff was soaked, to include money, passports, and clothes! Great day and a lot of fun though.

[Clarea]

We went to Maho a couple trips back. Cabs are readily available right outside the port. Unfortunately, I can't remember what we paid....

This is from a couple of years ago, so it might be more now:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=43475739&postcount=10

[mbenz106]

thank you for all of the info bob!!

[Clarea]

thank you for all of the info bob!!

You're welcome.

[mbenz106]

thank you and we will keep that in mind!

[firerecruit71295]

Walk to the bus station in Antigua (approx 5 block walk). Take the bus to Darkwood Beach. It was 25 cents each way and we were literally the only people on the beach. It has been our favorite excursion to date.

[firerecruit71295]

Sorry should have done this all in one reply. St Kitts we found a kid from California who moved there while his girlfriend went to veterinary school and he did private paddleboard trips. I don't know if he is still there but I'll see if I can find the details for you. It was literally just my wife and I and this kid drove us around the island to a couple different beaches so we could paddleboard. It was amazing.

 

Barbados we did a group catamaran tour to snorkel with sea turtles. Again, these guys were super cool and it was a ton of fun.

 

Let me see if I can find the links and I'll get back to you.

[firerecruit71295]

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147242-d151567-Reviews-Darkwood_Beach-Antigua_Antigua_and_Barbuda.html

 

This the the Darkwood beach one. Read the reviews and you'll find the details about the bus stop.

 

I was unable to find the stand up paddleboard private tour. I'm thinking the kid went back to the US since we did it in 2013.

 

I'll have my wife look up the catamaran sea turtle excursion name when she gets home from work.

[mbenz106]

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147242-d151567-Reviews-Darkwood_Beach-Antigua_Antigua_and_Barbuda.html

 

This the the Darkwood beach one. Read the reviews and you'll find the details about the bus stop.

 

I was unable to find the stand up paddleboard private tour. I'm thinking the kid went back to the US since we did it in 2013.

 

I'll have my wife look up the catamaran sea turtle excursion name when she gets home from work.

 

thank you so much! Darkwood beach sounds like it will be a plan!

[firerecruit71295]

Yo won't be disappointed! And when we got on the bus it was all kids in their school uniforms and they all got dropped off along the way. My wife and I were the only adults on the bus. Don't be nervous when they drop you off because buses do come back through to get you. They tell you to just stand by this small wooden sign and they will pick you up. Sure enough after 10 minutes a bus came by and we hopped on. Took about 30-45 minutes to get there but it was fun to see the island along the way. Enjoy!!!