Never been to Nevis or St.Lucia

[fishbonz]

First been to St Kitts many times and it's getting old who has been to nevis and is it worth it any recommendation for beach and how much time to get too and from the ship?

 

Looking for a beach close to ship in St.Lucia any recommendation if you been there.

[njkruzer]

Not beach people.  Did a private tour to Nevis last visit, though don't remember who we used.  Problem is the ferry schedule. Not always predictable.  Verify the schedule.  Lovely place.

[Clarea]

43 minutes ago, fishbonz said:

First been to St Kitts many times and it's getting old who has been to nevis and is it worth it any recommendation for beach and how much time to get too and from the ship?

 

Looking for a beach close to ship in St.Lucia any recommendation if you been there.

 

Nevis:  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/329-st-kitts-amp-nevis/

 

St. Lucia: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/138-st-lucia/

[cruisequeen4ever]

DH likes Nevis so much for Pinneys Beach with Sunshine’s and Lime Grill (or something like that) that he wants us to go back again, despite the high price tag! Me, I liked all that, too, but don’t feel it’s necessary to pay the high price to repeat. Since you haven’t been, do it! Book through RC, though, because the ferries aren’t reliable enough IMO.

[davekathy]

20 hours ago, fishbonz said:

First been to St Kitts many times and it's getting old who has been to nevis and is it worth it any recommendation for beach and how much time to get too and from the ship?

 

Looking for a beach close to ship in St.Lucia any recommendation if you been there.

Most cruise ships dock in Castries usually at Pointe Seraphine and on occasion at La Place Carenage. No beaches close by. 

Edited July 17, 2019 by davekathy

[Merion_Mom]

23 minutes ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

DH likes Nevis so much for Pinneys Beach with Sunshine’s and Lime Grill (or something like that) that he wants us to go back again, despite the high price tag! Me, I liked all that, too, but don’t feel it’s necessary to pay the high price to repeat. Since you haven’t been, do it! Book through RC, though, because the ferries aren’t reliable enough IMO.

 

I rarely do RC excursions, but I did the one to Nevis.  We took a fast catamaran and spent a few hours touring the sights and then went to a beachside restaurant for lunch and had free time at the beach.

 

I enjoyed it and felt more comfortable about the timing.

[meadowlander]

21 hours ago, fishbonz said:

First been to St Kitts many times and it's getting old who has been to nevis and is it worth it any recommendation for beach and how much time to get too and from the ship?

 

Looking for a beach close to ship in St.Lucia any recommendation if you been there.

Vigie Beach is about 5 minute drive from the cruise port or you can walk there in 30 minutes.

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, meadowlander said:

Vigie Beach is about 5 minute drive from the cruise port or you can walk there in 30 minutes.

 

fishbonz was asking about beaches on Nevis. 

[Norwich Cruiser]

20 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

fishbonz was asking about beaches on Nevis. 

And St Lucia

Read it again.

[Merion_Mom]

6 minutes ago, Norwich Cruiser said:

And St Lucia

Read it again.

 

Ah, yes, I was thinking "St Kitts".  🙂

 

No public restrooms at Vigie Beach.

[Norwich Cruiser]

21 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Ah, yes, I was thinking "St Kitts".  🙂

 

No public restrooms at Vigie Beach.

As we would a senior moment I get them all the time.

 

No public restrooms would mean no good for us thanks for that much appreciated.

[Merion_Mom]

Just now, Norwich Cruiser said:

As we would a senior moment I get them all the time.

 

No public restrooms would mean no good for us thanks for that much appreciated.

 

My current motto:  I have graduated from CRS.  I now suffer from CRAFT.

 

😄

[Tljcruiser]

2 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

I rarely do RC excursions, but I did the one to Nevis.  We took a fast catamaran and spent a few hours touring the sights and then went to a beachside restaurant for lunch and had free time at the beach.

 

I enjoyed it and felt more comfortable about the timing.

Hi Meron_Mom, I have a few questions about your experience with this excursion if you do not mind.  I rarely do cruise ship excursions also, but I have booked this one due to the reasons you mentioned above.  Do you happen to remember approximately how long you had free time at the beach?  Or where you had lunch?  Were you with a bunch of people on a big bus?  There is a company called bluewater safaris offering basically the same excursion but some of the reviews state they tend to lose reservations and get confused with dates.  Made me a little nervous so I just booked with Royal while there was a small sale but even with the sale price they are significantly higher.  Thanks in advance for any help! 

[meadowlander]

2 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

fishbonz was asking about beaches on Nevis. 

fishbonz wrote " Looking for a beach close to ship in St.Lucia any recommendation if you been there"

 

Sorry to point out your error. If you still don't see it, may I suggest eyeglasses.  😁

[forgotmyCCname]

2 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

My current motto:  I have graduated from CRS.  I now suffer from CRAFT.

 

😄

I am totally stealing this!!! 

[Merion_Mom]

2 hours ago, Tljcruiser said:

Hi Meron_Mom, I have a few questions about your experience with this excursion if you do not mind.  I rarely do cruise ship excursions also, but I have booked this one due to the reasons you mentioned above.  Do you happen to remember approximately how long you had free time at the beach?  Or where you had lunch?  Were you with a bunch of people on a big bus?  There is a company called bluewater safaris offering basically the same excursion but some of the reviews state they tend to lose reservations and get confused with dates.  Made me a little nervous so I just booked with Royal while there was a small sale but even with the sale price they are significantly higher.  Thanks in advance for any help! 

 

Oh dear.  I just told you that I have CRAFT. There was not a big bus.  Small  van bus transportation. 

 

@Arzeena - this is the excursion that we did together, right?  Help!

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, meadowlander said:

fishbonz wrote " Looking for a beach close to ship in St.Lucia any recommendation if you been there"

 

Sorry to point out your error. If you still don't see it, may I suggest eyeglasses.  😁

 

We moved past this several hours ago.

[meadowlander]

22 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

We moved past this several hours ago.

Just commenting on your mistake, seeing how you were so quick to jump on mine despite the fact I did not make one.😉

[allentownahoy]

5 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Ah, yes, I was thinking "St Kitts".  🙂

 

No public restrooms at Vigie Beach.

No bars/restaurants with restrooms either? I was planning to head too Vigie. Now where do I go?

[meadowlander]

30 minutes ago, allentownahoy said:

No bars/restaurants with restrooms either? I was planning to head too Vigie. Now where do I go?

Don't be mislead by "mom's" posts, she is having a bad day.😁

 

The section of Viggie Beach I entered had a small shack/hut (immediately prior to the sand) which sold cold beverages and food. On the beach itself was a restaurant or a hotel with a restaurant. Though not public, certainly paying customers can use their facilities. It has been years but you may also be able to rent equipment or make arrangements there for water activities.

 

If you go towards the end of the beach closer to the airport, there is another restaurant. 

[mayleeman]

Unsure how helpful this will be, but FWIW:  On the Reflection cruise we took in April, we stopped in both St. Lucia and St. Kitts. In St. Lucia, we took a coastal catamaran to a snorkel area right beneath the larger Piton. Great fish but it was kind of crowded because the snorkel area was just a small roped off part of the bay. You could swim/clamber over the rocks to the shore and sit in some shaded areas, and I think you could go over to the nearby beach. I spent the whole time snorkeling, so I am not sure. This was a morning excursion, no lunch. Great crew, but the boat was a miniature Allure--propulsion issues, so we limped back at half speed to the ship where we saw everyone lined up for the afternoon trip which was cancelled.

 

St. Kitts, we did an excursion to Nevis Beach. The snorkeling was nonexistent, but it was a beautiful beach and they had a nice grilled chicken lunch on the beach wih picnic tables and nice side dishes. Way too much rum and lots of music on the way back!

 

Both were ship-sponsored excursions of @ 50 people, and we walked to the catamarans from the cruise pier. In St. Kitts, that meant the chance to shop in the main plaza outside the security gates.

[PelicanBill]

The closest significant beach in St. Lucia is Reduit.  A large stretch along a tourist stretch of hotels, stores, and food places.  Plenty of services. It's about a 20 minute ride to get there.

 

Be careful of beach transfer excursions with the cruise line.  I took one on Norwegian that was documented to go to Reduit and the operator of the tour chose a different beach on their own.  I was quite unhappy about it but had no recourse.

[Dunfer]

We did Nevis on our own with Blue Water Safaris.  I, too, was hesitant to begin with, but have been to Nevis many times (not on a cruise ship, tho), with the last time being around 10 years ago.  We signed up strictly for the "Beach Day", but got off the catamaran downtown with the other folks that were doing the Island Tour with Beach.  We hailed a Taxi and just drove at our own pace, stopping occasionally for photos and making the circle around the Island.  I have a couple of friends there that I met in the past, and stopped by to visit with them a bit, then our driver took us to a liquor store so I could pick up a couple of bottles of CSR Rum, and ended up at Sunshine's for lunch and Killer Bees while waiting on the boat to come pick us up from the Beach.  We got back in plenty of time to do a little shopping in St. Kitts, as well.  I would do it again!

[davekathy]

33 minutes ago, PelicanBill said:

The closest significant beach in St. Lucia is Reduit.  A large stretch along a tourist stretch of hotels, stores, and food places.  Plenty of services. It's about a 20 minute ride to get there.

 

Be careful of beach transfer excursions with the cruise line.  I took one on Norwegian that was documented to go to Reduit and the operator of the tour chose a different beach on their own.  I was quite unhappy about it but had no recourse.

After returning from the excursion I would have gone to the shore excursion desk and advised them I didn't get what was advertised (by NCL) or paid for and requested a full refund. 

[PelicanBill]

1 hour ago, davekathy said:

After returning from the excursion I would have gone to the shore excursion desk and advised them I didn't get what was advertised (by NCL) or paid for and requested a full refund. 

Oh I did. And they said they'd look into it and admitted they knew the shore excursion had changed its destination and the description was different.  And they did nothing.  That is one different with Norwegian from Royal ...  Norwegian is very stingy about compensation for such things.