Tortola excursion with kids

[gnr5]

HI! First time poster and first time sailing on a Disney Cruise. 

 

We are going to make a stop on Tortola for about 8 hours on April, so I want to start planning my day.

 

Can anyone recommend some ideas? We have two young kids, 4 & 6, so I'm reading about The Baths and Jost Van Dyke (but Disney have those excursions sold out at this time). Has anyone booked outside of their cruise line,  some of the reviews offered on Viator were not very good.

 

Thanks!

[blue_water]

Hello, and welcome to the Cruise Critic family!

 

How many cruises have you been on with other cruise lines? Any of those Caribbean? If so I’m just wondering what you’ve enjoyed the most on those - beaches, exploring, sailing, etc? You can enjoy any of the experiences that Tortola and the other islands of the BVI offer on your own, no need to book through the ship or a site like Viator. Gorgeous beaches, inexpensive island tours, excellent daysails, easy ferries to Virgin Gorda - so many options!

 

Are you interested in the Baths versus a day on Tortola? With 8 hours in port you have time to go there, but as you’ve read in the many threads here it can be very crowded. But it is a unique experience, and if your kids can navigate a path down to the shore and make their way through the boulders with your help it is something you won’t experience on your other stops.

 

A daysail is also a unique experience here with tales of pirates and treasure (Treasure Island!) for the kids and exceptional off the boat snorkeling if you are interested. Aristocat, Kuralu, and Patouche are all excellent outfits, your sail date is very close so these may be full...

 

Tortola is a gorgeous island with amazing beaches, and if you want more that that there are other options...

 

 

Edited April 3, 2019 by blue_water

[gnr5]

Hello! Thanks for your reply!

 

I've been to a few cruises but without kids, way different experience, this is our first time with kids. 

 

The Baths sound amazing, I believe our cruise is the only one that docks that day in Tortola, so hopefully is not too crowded. How could I go to The Baths from the port?

 

As option B, how could I book a daysail?

 

Are companies/drivers available on the actual port when you unload?

[blue_water]

10 min walk to the ferry terminal, 30 min ferry to Virgin Gorda, 10 min taxi to the Top of the Baths, where there is a restaurant. You walk down a natural path to the Baths, make your way through the boulders to Devils Bay beach, and return to the top via a path there. Cost is ~$42pp,  taxi on VG may be less for the kids. You can find lots of details including ferry companies and departure times in earlier threads just below yours.

 

For daysails contact the operators directly, I would call rather than email, especially being so close..

 

At the port there will be shared safari taxis transporting other day visitors to beaches and other areas, as well as drivers offering island tours. You won’t need any of these if going to VG...

 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2019 by blue_water

[gnr5]

Thanks for your reponse again, where can I find contacts # for daysails?

[blue_water]

On their websites...these operators often alternate between the eastern islands (VG, Norman (Treasure Island), Cooper, the Indians, etc, for the best snorkeling), or western (Jost, Sandy Spit)...

 

https://aristocatcharters.com/cruise-ship/

 

https://patouche.com/

 

https://kuralu.com/

 

[gnr5]

Thanks, 

Few places I've called are all booked and the ones that arent only offer the rental of the entire boat (so around $1500 for a full day). Are these companies available on port once we arrive so that we can get a group together?

[blue_water]

No, most daysails will be booked up well before your arrival date. 

Post on your Roll Call forum with itinerary details and pricing/person and you may find someone interested.

There are other outfits mentioned in a couple previous threads that you can also try...

 

Most folks book months ahead for that reason, hope you can find others to join you as a daysail is a great option for the BVI...

 

[blue_water]

There may be a smaller operator looking for fares when you arrive but ideally you would secure something before you sail...

[gnr5]

Bummer, 

 

I'll keep looking, there is no roll-call for my sailing. I'll try to create one.

[blue_water]

Did you book the cruise last minute? 

 

It is very unusual a roll call wasn’t started several months ago, be sure to comb through them carefully, and if there is not one definitely start one!

[eva2015]

We sailed with DCL in March and did the Baths on our own.  The Disney excursion has age min of 5yr.  Our kids are also 6yr and 4 yr.  We saved a lot of money going on our own and it was so easy. 

 

We got off the ship just before 8am and walked to the ferry terminal. We went with Sensation Ferries 8:30am ferry. They offer a package that includes round trip taxi in Virgin Gorda.   There was another group of 8 people on the ferry and taxi with us.  The taxi was a large van.  When you pay for admission at the Baths (kids are free), you will be directed to the Devils Bay path.   We spent some time at the beach before making our way through the caves.  There are arrows spray painted on the rocks showing the way to go.  I think people used to be allowed to go either way but there is a sign when you exit on the Baths beach side "Exit only, Do not enter."

 

We met our driver at the top where he dropped us off.  We took the 1:30pm ferry back to Tortola. 

 

https://www.sensationferries.com/