Port of Call Change

[Teibban]

48 minutes ago, TNMIMI6 said:

We just returned March 1 from a Journeys cruise that included Antigua and Tortola. In Antigua, we went to Turners Beach. It was a nice beach but the surf was very strong. My husband is a strong swimmer but he even struggled there. In Tortola, we went to Cane Garden Bay and loved it! It is a great beach for families with lots of diving pelicans, a gentle surf, and beautiful views both at the beach and on the way there and back. We have been all over the Caribbean and it is in our top 5 beaches.

 

Our current favorite beach is Meghan's Bay in US Virgin Island. Water was so calm and clear. Some people even saw a turtle once.

[TNMIMI6]

36 minutes ago, Teibban said:

Our current favorite beach is Meghan's Bay in US Virgin Island. Water was so calm and clear. Some people even saw a turtle once.

Magen’s Bay is on our top 5 beaches. Came Garden Bay is very similar.

[Brooklyn Boy]

This is not just a one sailing event. My wife and I are booked on the Breeze sailing from Port Canaveral onJan 11, 2020. We just received an e-mail from Carnival informing us that our Antigua stop has been deleted, and a stop in Tortola has been added. They also made adjustments to times and port visits. Not upset at all as this is still a 14 day Caribbean cruise.

[CoasterJoe]

I'm on the November 3rd 2019 Pride Journeys cruise a got a letter today saying that we were changing from Antigua to St Kitts.

[evandbob]

There have been a few cruisers mugged and stabbed recently in Antigua, and that may have something to do with Carnival's decision to switch ports.

 

We've stayed on Antigua twice, in Galley Bay and Cocobay Resorts, never had an issue and we went everywhere on the isle, but those trips were 10 and almost 25 years ago.  3 or 4 years ago I had to fly into Antigua and stay overnight to catch the Glory 5 days into a 21 day Journey B2B, and no problems then either.

 

Every isle has it's own beauty, there are indeed beautiful beaches almost everywhere you look in Antigua, but Tortola's beaches, while fewer, are fine, and the snorkeling is much better and then there are the Baths.

 

OP, enjoy your cruise!

Edited March 11, 2019 by evandbob

[CoolOne56]

6 hours ago, Teibban said:

Hi everyone,

Received a letter from Carnival this morning saying that the stop at Antigua is now being replaced by Tortola on our cruise on the Carnival Magic starting February 29, 2020. 

 

Anyone knows the reason why? Antigua was one of the reason we selected this itinerary (never been) and please tell me the beaches in Tortola are as nice (never been too) 🙂

 

Thanks

Jonathan

 

I'm on that cruise - have not received anything yet.  I too, have not been to either.  As long as Tortola has a beach, I'm fine, I'm on a cruise! 🙂

[CoolOne56]

Although I have not gotten an email yet, the change is on my Carnival itinerary.

 

Thanks everyone for your input to the OP questions.  I will look into the other beaches.

[jomama4646@msn.com]

I am on the Feb. 29th cruise too and received an email about this this morning. I was disappointed at first because we chose this cruise specifically because of Antigua. I'm happy to hear that Tortola sounds like it's a good port.

[CoolOne56]

6 hours ago, imridingdolphins said:

I can second JVD as an amazing place to hang out on a beautiful beach (White Bay Beach) to enjoy multiple beach bars and drink painkillers.  Do some research first because JVD and Tortola were destroyed by hurricanes in 2017.  The beach bars in JVD were literally wiped away.  I know that some like Soggy Dollar are back up and running, so best to check ahead.  On Tortola, there is a beautiful beach called Cane Garden Bay.  It was hit hard as well.   CGB will be overrun with cruisers, so if you are ok with that, then you'll be fine.  Enjoy!

 

Can you get to either of these beaches by cab/bus or only via Carnival's excursions?

[Lottacruises]

Antigua was on our itinerary on the breeze in January of 2020, I got the letter this morning and ours was changed to tortuga.... I need to double check that now to make sure I read it right.

[Lottacruises]

Lol, tortola it is!

 

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by Lottacruises

[mpdog42]

Try Pusser's Rum while you are there...The Rum of the British Navy!!

 

 

[mets123]

Does the Pussers rum store have a distillery tout and does it sell rum there?

[mafiadon]

16 hours ago, Teibban said:

Hi everyone,

Received a letter from Carnival this morning saying that the stop at Antigua is now being replaced by Tortola on our cruise on the Carnival Magic starting February 29, 2020. 

 

Anyone knows the reason why? Antigua was one of the reason we selected this itinerary (never been) and please tell me the beaches in Tortola are as nice (never been too) 🙂

 

Thanks

Jonathan

I am on this cruise also and just noticed this and also the reason I booked this cruise was because of Antigua. We 8 of us had the champagne lobster buffet catamaran tour booked. Can't find anywhere what they did to my money and we never were notified of this change. Typical of Carnival

[Aplmac]

9 hours ago, Lottacruises said:

Lol, tortola it is!

 

 

.

Here's a few pics

from the last two times Breeze called at Barbados

Sept. and November, last year.

.

[keywest1]

We're also on the 2-29-20 Magic sailing.  I booked the cruise specifically for Antigua, since it's a port we haven't visited yet.  But I also booked knowing that ports can change for any number of reasons.

We've never been to Tortola, either, so no big disappointment for us.  Magic is a great ship and the current itinerary is guaranteed to beat being at work in  Kentucky the first week in March 

Edited March 12, 2019 by keywest1
correct typo

[Teibban]

17 minutes ago, keywest1 said:

We're also on the 2-29-20 Magic sailing.  I booked the cruise specifically for Antigua, since it's a port we haven't visited yet.  But I also booked knowing that ports can change for any number of reasons.

We've never been to Tortola, either, so no big disappointment for us.  Magic is a great ship and the current itinerary is guaranteed to beat being at work in  Kentucky the first week in March 

Does not beat missing the Montreal, Canada winter 🙂 On top it is spring break for us so we will swarm you all with kids lol

[keywest1]

6 minutes ago, Teibban said:

Does not beat missing the Montreal, Canada winter 🙂 On top it is spring break for us so we will swarm you all with kids lol

LOL  Bring em on!!  I'm one of those folks who is immune to kids on cruise ships (except for the older ones who push all the elevator buttons and run through the halls).

[Teibban]

Just now, keywest1 said:

LOL  Bring em on!!  I'm one of those folks who is immune to kids on cruise ships (except for the older ones who push all the elevator buttons and run through the halls).

good mine usually well behave as long as they do not have to sit through a 2hr long dinner... will be 8 and 11 at time of cruise so no wandering alone for them yet.

[grammymarcia]

23 hours ago, Teibban said:

Hi everyone,

Received a letter from Carnival this morning saying that the stop at Antigua is now being replaced by Tortola on our cruise on the Carnival Magic starting February 29, 2020. 

 

Anyone knows the reason why? Antigua was one of the reason we selected this itinerary (never been) and please tell me the beaches in Tortola are as nice (never been too) :)

 

Thanks

Jonathan

The port of Antigua on our Legend TA in October 2020 has been replaced with St. Marteen. Just seems pretty far out to change, but just so happy to be cruising.

 

[Aplmac]

Over the last decade or so, Antigua gets kicked out every so often

usually for 'problems between locals and visitors'.

Looks like this time the problem also includes Port improvement

and cruise ship overload beyond Antigua's capacity to handle them all.

 

Dominica is another marginal port of call

that gets kicked out/in, every so often. Just saying!

[declansdad]

8 hours ago, mafiadon said:

I am on this cruise also and just noticed this and also the reason I booked this cruise was because of Antigua. We 8 of us had the champagne lobster buffet catamaran tour booked. Can't find anywhere what they did to my money and we never were notified of this change. Typical of Carnival

 

 

Geez they just started notifying people yesterday, give them some time.

[richbum]

I just read an article online saying that Carnival is cancelling all stops to Antiqua.  The other lines owned by Carnival haven't cancelled yet, but will probably follow according to the article.

 

https://cruisefever.net/carnival-cancels-all-stops-at-southern-caribbean-cruise-port/?fbclid=IwAR07soyEC5dOFFS2yTbehfD9pio0K47YH2-ztJ90T0hvKw5FVF6w1vRCHZk

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by richbum

[shof515]

36 minutes ago, richbum said:

I just read an article online saying that Carnival is cancelling all stops to Antiqua.  The other lines owned by Carnival haven't cancelled yet, but will probably follow according to the article.

 

from reading other sources, it seems to be a political issue with Antigua and some kind of global port agreement.

 

https://antiguanewsroom.com/news/breaking-caribbean-cruise-lines-pulls-out-of-antigua-more-cancellations-expected/

https://antiguaobserver.com/pm-blasts-dundas-over-global-ports-comments/?fbclid=IwAR1pns-0RPNBphjWMC0Z8P71X9yiDp1cTrrZYmMiFvXK4CbdgTl5VEmF1_w

[OCruisers]

54 minutes ago, richbum said:

I just read an article online saying that Carnival is cancelling all stops to Antiqua.  The other lines owned by Carnival haven't cancelled yet, but will probably follow according to the article.

 

https://cruisefever.net/carnival-cancels-all-stops-at-southern-caribbean-cruise-port/?fbclid=IwAR07soyEC5dOFFS2yTbehfD9pio0K47YH2-ztJ90T0hvKw5FVF6w1vRCHZk

 

 

Thanks for posting this.

We have an upcoming Princess cruise with a port stop in Anigua so will be following to see what happens.