Which Caribbean port to leave out?

[h-sar]

On our New Year's 10 day Princess cruise, we have six ports back to back, and as I value my sea days, I would like to break up those port with at least one sea day. Of the following three ports, which one would you leave out and why?

St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados. Of these, we have been only to Barbados (for an island tour. )

 

The other 3 (St. Thomas, St. Martin, Gr.Turk) are ones we really want to go back to. Grand Turk mainly because it's sort of like a sea day on land and it will replace Princess Cays, the private island, which is not on our itinerary for the first time. :(

 

When I first started cruising back in 2006, I was absolutely floored that anybody would want to stay on the ship on a port day! LOL

Edited July 29, 2016 by h-sar

[cb at sea]

I would read up on ALL the ports...see if anything strikes your fancy...if nothing does...stay on the ship for that day! Or, get off for a bit, and return early! It really depends on what you like to do!

 

I agree that a port day on the ship is lovely....sea days are crowded and not my cup of tea....

[h-sar]

I would read up on ALL the ports...see if anything strikes your fancy...if nothing does...stay on the ship for that day! Or, get off for a bit, and return early! It really depends on what you like to do!

 

I agree that a port day on the ship is lovely....sea days are crowded and not my cup of tea....

 

Exactly! It'll be a great day to enjoy the ship without the crowds. It's unfortunate that January 1 is a port we actually want to be off the ship for, because it would have been nice to have slept in after the festivities of the night before.

[CapeCodCruiser]

Don't miss St Lucia - so beautiful! Check the ports board for the van tour - can't remember his name but it covers the island and then has beach time & a great boat ride back to the ship!

[h-sar]

Don't miss St Lucia - so beautiful! Check the ports board for the van tour - can't remember his name but it covers the island and then has beach time & a great boat ride back to the ship!

 

Thanks for the input :)

[57redbird]

Do a private tour on St. Lucia with Cosol Tours ---- great, affordable tour. Gets super reviews on Trip Advisor & will do whatever you want him to.

[kimmi5207]

Honestly out of all you have listed it would be st Thomas that I would skip (I've been to all except Grand Turk). Perhaps skip Barbados since you've already been there. Maybe St Kitts. Definitely don't skip St Lucia though.

 

 

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[h-sar]

Thank you, Kimmi5207 and 57redbird :). Will definitely do some research on St. Lucia.

 

Kimmi5207, let's pretend I haven't been to Barbados - how would you rank the 3 islands overall, given that you've been to all 3? Thanks

Edited July 30, 2016 by h-sar

[CptSticky]

On our New Year's 10 day Princess cruise, we have six ports back to back, and as I value my sea days, I would like to break up those port with at least one sea day. Of the following three ports, which one would you leave out and why?

St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados. Of these, we have been only to Barbados (for an island tour. )

 

The other 3 (St. Thomas, St. Martin, Gr.Turk) are ones we really want to go back to. Grand Turk mainly because it's sort of like a sea day on land and it will replace Princess Cays, the private island, which is not on our itinerary for the first time. :(

 

When I first started cruising back in 2006, I was absolutely floored that anybody would want to stay on the ship on a port day! LOL

What I have to say might not apply because it looks like they are all pretty new to you and are all pretty old hat to us but..... First, you missed a really good tour in Barbados. They have a cavern tour that is great (almost the whole time is on an electric tram and the caverns are still "alive"). We have also done a rum tour there that turned out hilarious (well after too much rum anyway). St Thomas is where we always grab a gypsy cab for a tour (make sure it stops at Beacon Point!). The one we would skip in a heart beat is St Kitts (been there way too many times, don't like monkeys in diapers and often don't bother getting off the ship). Sorry, can't remember Gr. Turk, might not have been there.

[h-sar]

Thanks, CptSticky - all good info.

[CptSticky]

Thanks, CptSticky - all good info.

No problem. That was from the old gray cells. If you need something more specific about an island I can go back into our journals (the wife journals our cruises and is in book 4 I think) and look.

[57redbird]

On St. Kitts, Thenford Gray (Grey) - don't know which spelling is correct....he does a very comprehensive tour for relatively cheap (don't remember the price)....also great reviews on Trip Advisor. The Brimstone Fort & the Batik factory were pretty interesting.

[Tammyd549]

Personally I would skip St. Thomas...

[h-sar]

On St. Kitts, Thenford Gray (Grey) - don't know which spelling is correct....he does a very comprehensive tour for relatively cheap (don't remember the price)....also great reviews on Trip Advisor. The Brimstone Fort & the Batik factory were pretty interesting.

 

If you've done both, which do you consider the more beautiful island - St. Kitts or St. Lucia?

[h-sar]

Personally I would skip St. Thomas...

 

You're the second one who's said that. Will definitely take it under advisement.

[OCruisers]

Of the following three ports, which one would you leave out and why?

St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados. Of these, we have been only to Barbados (for an island tour. )

 

St. Lucia because we like Barbados and St. Kitts better. :)

[h-sar]

St. Lucia because we like Barbados and St. Kitts better. :)

 

Your vote is noted :)

[Keith1010]

Sorry to come to the table late but this is another example of how we all have different opinion.

 

I would have left St. Lucia out. I prefer the other two ports.

 

For St. Lucia if your plan is to just stay near the port area I think it is terrible area. If you plan to get away from that area yes there are pretty places to see.

 

Keith

[flamomo]

A catamaran sail along the coast to the Pitons is a lovely relaxing thing to do. I've done it twice, and if I were going to St Lucia again, that's what I would choose to do again, rather than spend the day on the ship.

[geoherb]

Of the three you mention, I'd stay on the ship in Barbados since you've been there before. We enjoyed our island tour in St. Lucia--seeing the Pitons and the drive-through volcano. St. Kitts is another you could miss. I loved it on our first visit more than a dozen years ago. It was quaint and not spoiled by a lot of the shops you see everywhere. Since then, however, it's become more like every other Caribbean port--Diamonds International and other chain stores proliferating.

 

In St. Thomas on our last cruise, we enjoyed our day on Water Island. It's a short passenger ferry ride from the Crown Bay side, which is where I'm assuming your Princess ship will dock. We also enjoy going to Emerald Beach. It's walking distance from Crown Bay (1-1/2 miles). There's a hotel that will rent you chairs. The water is beautiful, and you can watch planes take off and land (from a safe distance--not like the infamous beach in St. Maarten).

[lenquixote66]

On our New Year's 10 day Princess cruise, we have six ports back to back, and as I value my sea days, I would like to break up those port with at least one sea day. Of the following three ports, which one would you leave out and why?

St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados. Of these, we have been only to Barbados (for an island tour. )

 

The other 3 (St. Thomas, St. Martin, Gr.Turk) are ones we really want to go back to. Grand Turk mainly because it's sort of like a sea day on land and it will replace Princess Cays, the private island, which is not on our itinerary for the first time. :(

 

When I first started cruising back in 2006, I was absolutely floored that anybody would want to stay on the ship on a port day! LOL

 

I have been to Barbados twice and St.Kitts once but never to St.Lucia.

I've been to St.Thomas 10 times and St.Martin 10 times but never to Gr.Turk.

I never stay on the ship when in port.

[h-sar]

I have been to Barbados twice and St.Kitts once but never to St.Lucia.

I've been to St.Thomas 10 times and St.Martin 10 times but never to Gr.Turk.

I never stay on the ship when in port.

 

And I am truly shocked at myself that I am considering it! It'll be a first for me. :eek: However, six ports back to back will be a first, too. I just wish the itinerary was scheduled better with a sea day in between.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

We often stay on ship whilst in port. Spas usually have special sales and it's wonderful to enjoy the ship: uncrowded and unhurried.

 

All the ports have something interesting but none are OMG, you can't miss THIS!

 

Decide how you feel in the morning (or night before!) and sleep in. That's what wonderful about holidays - go with the flow and decide at the time. No pre-planning necessary. If you are scheduling every day down to the hour, chill out - you definitely need a few more "sea" days.:)

[57redbird]

I really can't make a choice between them - they're both unique. Check out each of their websites & see if their tours match what you want to do/see --- we aren't beach people, if that makes a difference.

I'd skip St. Thomas & make that an onboard day.

[h-sar]

I really can't make a choice between them - they're both unique. Check out each of their websites & see if their tours match what you want to do/see --- we aren't beach people, if that makes a difference.

I'd skip St. Thomas & make that an onboard day.

 

The irony is that, while St. Thomas is the one we have been to the most of the 6 ports, it is also one we look forward to greatly as well! Sigh... I'm not making this easy for myself...