Carnival Fun Times - April 21, 2020

[Host Carolyn]

It's a beautiful day in St Thomas and we are docked at the Havensight Mall. What are you going to do today? Do you have a favorite beach or bar here?

[lagienomai]

Going to Coki Beach. Going to try diving for the first time there at the dive shop. Then spend the rest of the day lounging on the beach before heading back to the ship.

[HxFx]

13 minutes ago, lagienomai said:

Going to Coki Beach. Going to try diving for the first time there at the dive shop. Then spend the rest of the day lounging on the beach before heading back to the ship.

My first thought was Coki Beach! We dived there in 2018. The dive shop is great there and the dive is really amazing for a shore dive. That would be a great first dive, shore dives are definitely more relaxing if you are new to it. 

[PhillyFan33579]

10 hours ago, Host Carolyn said:

It's a beautiful day in St Thomas and we are docked at the Havensight Mall. What are you going to do today? Do you have a favorite beach or bar here?

Paradise Point is our favorite bar there.  

[lagienomai]

17 minutes ago, HxFx said:

My first thought was Coki Beach! We dived there in 2018. The dive shop is great there and the dive is really amazing for a shore dive. That would be a great first dive, shore dives are definitely more relaxing if you are new to it. 

Thanks. We have been to Coki before and I love snorkeling. I have been on the fence of taking up diving so thought I would give it a try. Sadly we were suppose to be docked there in 2 weeks. Now have to wait till the end of January. 

[HxFx]

4 minutes ago, lagienomai said:

Thanks. We have been to Coki before and I love snorkeling. I have been on the fence of taking up diving so thought I would give it a try. Sadly we were suppose to be docked there in 2 weeks. Now have to wait till the end of January. 

We really liked our Dive Master. He was very practical and the pics they provided were a pretty good price (that pic was downsized for posting). You could get about 5 pics for around $10 if I remember correctly. Either way. it was better than anything else I've found.

[Organized Chaos]

Wouldn't mind going back to Sapphire Beach, but only if that old man in a "Security" T-shirt and blowing his whistle non-stop is gone. Yelling at everyone to get away from the coral. If we can't snorkel near the coral, there's not much left but empty beds of sea grass & baron sand.

 

Question for anyone who's been to Coki in recent years. Before we chose to go to Sapphire back in 2018, we looked into Coki first. But I had read multiple reviews (both on CC and other sites) that Coki is often used by beach goers to partake in a certain activity that involves a certain plant. I read that it was given the nickname, "Smoky Beach," if you catch my drift. We'd like to experience the beach because I've read good things about it, but we have no interest in being around that kind of thing. Is it really like that?

[pghsteelerfan]

Next time we get back to St. Thomas I would love to get back over to St. John and go to Trunk Bay or one of the other beaches there, but do it on our own to allow time to really enjoy it.  We've been to St. Thomas 4 times, first was in 1992 when we went to Magen's Bay.  In 2010 we did Carnival's snorkeling excursion to Trunk Bay, St. John.  I loved it but it was too rushed, only 90 minutes to enjoy at Trunk Bay and I'd like at least 2 - 3 hours.  In 2013, we went to Sapphire Beach, loved it (beautiful views).  In 2015 we did the Skyride to Paradise Point first thing and then took a cab to Sapphire Beach.  So glad that the guy in the "Security" T-shirt was not there blowing a whistle non-stop - that would have driven me nuts. 

[katstoy]

My Fun Times for today says I'm in Mazatlan (or at least should be).  I'd be sitting on a lounge chair in Havana enjoying a cold cocktail and probably reading a good book!

[HxFx]

48 minutes ago, Organized Chaos said:

Wouldn't mind going back to Sapphire Beach, but only if that old man in a "Security" T-shirt and blowing his whistle non-stop is gone. Yelling at everyone to get away from the coral. If we can't snorkel near the coral, there's not much left but empty beds of sea grass & baron sand.

 

Question for anyone who's been to Coki in recent years. Before we chose to go to Sapphire back in 2018, we looked into Coki first. But I had read multiple reviews (both on CC and other sites) that Coki is often used by beach goers to partake in a certain activity that involves a certain plant. I read that it was given the nickname, "Smoky Beach," if you catch my drift. We'd like to experience the beach because I've read good things about it, but we have no interest in being around that kind of thing. Is it really like that?

I was there December 2018. I didn't notice any but we were in the water almost the whole time and didn't lay out any. Some of that time was snorkeling vs. diving so did get above water! We did get there kinda early and it was a single tank dive so it's possible it was too early for that. Many of the restaurant/bars were just starting to open up. Not sure that was much help!

[tigereye]

Wherever I go while in St Thomas, I like to close it out with a trip to Paradise Point and a great Bushwacker!

[HxFx]

3 minutes ago, tigereye said:

Wherever I go while in St Thomas, I like to close it out with a trip to Paradise Point and a great Bushwacker!

 

2 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Paradise Point is our favorite bar there.  

 

I looked that up, looks like fun! We might have to try that next time if we dive at another port. We usually only have one dive day per vacation. This looks like it would be easy to do on our own (which we did for Coki Beach too).

[ninjacat123]

When my family cruised to St Thomas, we did the Turtle Cove Sail & Snorkel through Carnival.  Went out on a catamaran near Buck Island.  My DH and I got to swim near a turtle.  It was great! Next time I would like to check out Sapphire Beach and finish up at Paradise Point😃 

[ninjacat123]

Thank you Host Carolyn for starting these theme of threads!  

[dmet0225]

9 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

Wouldn't mind going back to Sapphire Beach, but only if that old man in a "Security" T-shirt and blowing his whistle non-stop is gone. Yelling at everyone to get away from the coral. If we can't snorkel near the coral, there's not much left but empty beds of sea grass & baron sand.

 

Question for anyone who's been to Coki in recent years. Before we chose to go to Sapphire back in 2018, we looked into Coki first. But I had read multiple reviews (both on CC and other sites) that Coki is often used by beach goers to partake in a certain activity that involves a certain plant. I read that it was given the nickname, "Smoky Beach," if you catch my drift. We'd like to experience the beach because I've read good things about it, but we have no interest in being around that kind of thing. Is it really like that?

We went to Coki Beach in June 2018 and back in May 2013.  We didn't see or smell any and of what you're reefer-ing to on either occasion.   IF anyone was partaking, then it wasn't obvious to us.  We will go to Coki again if we ever make it back to St. Thomas.  

Edited April 22, 2020 by dmet0225

[l2f]

We are heading to Sapphire Beach for the better part of the day.  Then head up to Paradise Point on way back to ship.