First Cruise Question :)

[decemberbride]

My fiance and I are going on our first cruise to the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Antigua. Since this is our honeymoon, we really don't want to book any excursions. We want to come and go as we please. Do any of you know if shopping and sight seeing is close to where the ships dock. Thank you so much :).

[Nitemare]

If you go to the Ports of Call Boards here at Cruise Critic you'll find lots of tips for the ports you will be visiting.

 

Good luck and congrats!

[CaptData]

St Thomas there is shopping right at the dock. As for excursions, you get get off the ship and fin several companies right at the dock. Just ensure that you agree to the price first and that they guantee that you will be back at least an hour before the sail time.

[kitty9]

There's nothing near the dock in San Juan. It's fairly close in Antiqua, and right off the ship in St. Thomas. They also have shuttles in St. Thomas that take you right into town.

[celbercrz333]

Never been there, but I wanted to say congratulations and can I come???? lol. Hope you have a great time, great weather and lots of fun. Take your camera and don't be shy about asking other cruisers to take your picture. Let us know when you come back how it went. And most of all, enjoy yourself. Oh, and we found cabin beds to be lower than ours at home. I won't go into why I'm telling you this---you are on your honeymoon! (you know what I mean).

[Host Walt]

You will be getting more info than you can imagine once you're on board, and, if you decide that you might like a particular shore excursion, the folks at the Shore Excursion Office will take care of you. For sure.

 

Basic rules of thumb:

 

1. A shore excursion booked on board (or in advance) is seldom less expensive than doing the same thing on your own.

2. All cruise lines make sure that all of their shore excursions are completed before the ship sails. No such guarantee exists for folks who go off on their own.

3. A shore excursion on a Caribbean cruise is seldom, if ever, sold out before sailing. But if it is, you can always make your own arrangements once you arrive at an island.

[jcanino]

There's nothing near the dock in San Juan. It's fairly close in Antiqua, and right off the ship in St. Thomas. They also have shuttles in St. Thomas that take you right into town.

 

That is not entirely true. It all depends on what cruise line and what pier you are at. Carnival, for one, docks right in Old San Juan where you can walk around and shop quite freely. It is also a fairly easy walk to the fort, El Morro.