Which tour to do on St. John Antigua - Celebrity Excursions Required as of now

[MamaChach]

2 hours ago, 1620rock said:

I did the Stingray and Snorkel in 2020 and really enjoyed it.  It was about a 45-minute ride on a bus to the location for the swim with Stingrays but it was on an AC bus with a very good guide.  Once you arrived at the Stingray location there was a briefing and then you were given snorkel equipments and vests and taken by lauch to the stingray "island" platfrom.  There were stairs from the platform to a shallow sandy area where you could stand and guides that help you to touch and hold the stingrays for photos.  There were many stingrays swimming around and also a shallow reef for snorkeling.  I enjoyed the tour and it seemed that it was maybe a different road than the road to Valley Church beach and definitely not as bumpy but it was two years ago.  I enjoyed the tour and spent about half the water time snorkeling.  After your time at stingray island the launch took you back to the base for a rum punch to pick up photos "not included" and you had time to change before the bus ride to the port.  I enjoyed the tour but it was a one and done for me.  Our guide was great though on the bus and and the team at the stingray operation were also very nice and friendly.  Just be aware that most of the tour time is travel and preperation time and I think maybe an hour in the water.

 

I like you prefer beach time and really just wanted to take a taxi to Jolly Beach but we had to take a Celebrity tour on this cruise.   If I had to choose again would probably do the boat ride to the beach from the port.   I saw a video on youtube and it looked pretty good but we didn't want to be in a group tour all day as did the power cat in St. Lucia to the Pitons and had catamaran Snorkel and  Nevis planned.

Which tour includes boat ride to the beach from the port?

[sakigemcam]

This is such a bummer. We are so excited to go to Antigua but it feels like the options are most limited. The Day Resort Pass is ridiculously expensive for what you get. Hopefully restrictions will loosen when we arrive.

[Jacob Cavalier]

Iola did they have restrooms on the beach where you went horse riding? 

[lola2013]

13 hours ago, Jacob Cavalier said:

Iola did they have restrooms on the beach where you went horse riding? 

They did not have a public restroom.  There were three women working at the starting point so you have to think there were facilities closeby, but not for the tourists!   One gentleman was guided to the field across the street to do his thing!!!  

[Jacob Cavalier]

Oh my goodness! I could see my husband in the field! 
I was thinking I don’t like hanging around in wet clothes .

 

[lola2013]

50 minutes ago, Jacob Cavalier said:

Oh my goodness! I could see my husband in the field! 
I was thinking I don’t like hanging around in wet clothes .

 

We mainly walked the beach rather than swimming.  Our suits got a bit wet when we were on the horses, but had dried enough to throw on a pair of shorts to get back to the ship.

[Guest]

Just checked the Celebrity site and it looks like Antigua is back on the explore on your own list!

 

[scrapcreator]

On 2/6/2022 at 10:26 PM, Turtles06 said:

 

I hope you have a good excursion!  Please let us know.

Thanks to your information, we went in with our eyes wide open. At the time, we had to take a ship excursion and we wanted to see Nelson’s Dockyard and enjoy the view from Shirley’s Point. Unfortunately, they are a long way from the ship. 
 

Our tour guide was very good and we all had to deal with an insufferably rude fellow passenger on our mini bus (refused to wear a mask properly, coughed, didn’t like the tour guide talking, was rude to the driver, peed behind the bus, demanded a special seat, etc.) which made the drive even longer.

Edited February 13, 2022 by scrapcreator

[Turtles06]

2 hours ago, scrapcreator said:

Thanks to your information, we went in with our eyes wide open. At the time, we had to take a ship excursion and we wanted to see Nelson’s Dockyard and enjoy the view from Shirley’s Point. Unfortunately, they are a long way from the ship. 
 

Our tour guide was very good and we all had to deal with an insufferably rude fellow passenger on our mini bus (refused to wear a mask properly, coughed, didn’t like the tour guide talking, was rude to the driver, peed behind the bus, demanded a special seat, etc.) which made the drive even longer.

Glad you had a good guide!  What was the beach like?

 

As for that selfish passenger, wow.  The guide on the bus should have reported him to Celebrity before the bus returned to the ship, and his passport and luggage should have been waiting for him on the pier.

 

 

[scrapcreator]

39 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Glad you had a good guide!  What was the beach like?

 

As for that selfish passenger, wow.  The guide on the bus should have reported him to Celebrity before the bus returned to the ship, and his passport and luggage should have been waiting for him on the pier.

 

 

He was reported. Decided to wear a mask for the ride to the beach after he was reported. Unfortunately, he remained onboard.

 

The beach was Valley Church - very crowded and steep but a beautiful location.

[MamaChach]

Now that port is open to on your own...has anyone taken a taxi to a beach?  Which beach would you recommend?

[SonuvaBeach]

16 minutes ago, MamaChach said:

Now that port is open to on your own...has anyone taken a taxi to a beach?  Which beach would you recommend?

I would recommend going to Beach Limerz.   Beach Limerz is an old school  Caribbean beach bar with great food, great staff, great beach with no drop off when entering the water, and it is only a ten minute taxi ride from the cruise port. Here is our youtube video  from the last time we were there in 2019.  You can email Gail at info@beachlimerz.com.  She can arrange taxi transportation from and back to the cruise port.

 

 

[raudacruise]

Beach Limerz looks like such fun! Definitely on my bucket list.🍸🌴😎

[SonuvaBeach]

10 minutes ago, raudacruise said:

Beach Limerz looks like such fun! Definitely on my bucket list.🍸🌴😎

We used to go to Valley Church and Darkwood beach...until we found Beach Limerz. It is so close to the cruise port ( almost within walking distance) and the entry into the water is very easy...unlike at Valley Church and Darkwood where the drop off is very steep.

[Turtles06]

3 minutes ago, SonuvaBeach said:

We used to go to Valley Church and Darkwood beach...until we found Beach Limerz. It is so close to the cruise port ( almost within walking distance) and the entry into the water is very easy...unlike at Valley Church and Darkwood where the drop off is very steep.

 

Unfortunately, on our visit to Antigua in December aboard the Silhouette, ship's tours were required.  As I mentioned above, whatever beach they brought us to had SUCH a steep drop off that I could not get out of the water on my own.   I was knocked over repeatedly (I wasn't the only one) and found the entire experience pretty frightening.  Judging from comments above about the same tour that we took, we must have been on some part of Valley Church.

 

3 hours ago, scrapcreator said:

He was reported. Decided to wear a mask for the ride to the beach after he was reported. Unfortunately, he remained onboard.

 

The beach was Valley Church - very crowded and steep but a beautiful location.

 

Celebrity needs to do something about guests like that.

 

Sounds like our tour must have been to the same beach.  Yes, it was beautiful, though not crowded.  But it was far too steep for me (and we were totally blindsided by this).

 

I hope you had a great cruise!

[Kik35]

2 hours ago, SonuvaBeach said:

I would recommend going to Beach Limerz.   Beach Limerz is an old school  Caribbean beach bar with great food, great staff, great beach with no drop off when entering the water, and it is only a ten minute taxi ride from the cruise port. Here is our youtube video  from the last time we were there in 2019.  You can email Gail at info@beachlimerz.com.  She can arrange taxi transportation from and back to the cruise port.

 

 

Great video, @SonuvaBeach !!  Heading there next week and even more excited after watching it.  We love the beach there, Gail & staff and “vibe” of Beachlimerz.😎🍹

 

[JBSteelerfan]

2 hours ago, SonuvaBeach said:

I would recommend going to Beach Limerz.   Beach Limerz is an old school  Caribbean beach bar with great food, great staff, great beach with no drop off when entering the water, and it is only a ten minute taxi ride from the cruise port. Here is our youtube video  from the last time we were there in 2019.  You can email Gail at info@beachlimerz.com.  She can arrange taxi transportation from and back to the cruise port.

 

 

 

Agree 1000% with you!!  Did this a few years ago and going again next month!  Glad Antigua is now available again!

[MamaChach]

6 hours ago, SonuvaBeach said:

I would recommend going to Beach Limerz.   Beach Limerz is an old school  Caribbean beach bar with great food, great staff, great beach with no drop off when entering the water, and it is only a ten minute taxi ride from the cruise port. Here is our youtube video  from the last time we were there in 2019.  You can email Gail at info@beachlimerz.com.  She can arrange taxi transportation from and back to the cruise port.

 

 

GREAT video!  That beach looks amazing!  Hopefully Antigua stays open to do this!  THANKS

[Guest]

That video is great. We are on the Silhouette this month and booked the beach trip to Valley Church. Looks like we will cancel and take a taxi here instead! Fab!

[SonuvaBeach]

3 minutes ago, Glitterati said:

That video is great. We are on the Silhouette this month and booked the beach trip to Valley Church. Looks like we will cancel and take a taxi here instead! Fab!

Email Gail...she will arrange the taxi for you..and a bit cheaper. Tell her Jim and Toni recommended Beach Limerz. It will make her smile.

[SonuvaBeach]

9 hours ago, MamaChach said:

GREAT video!  That beach looks amazing!  Hopefully Antigua stays open to do this!  THANKS

I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I forgot to mention...Beach Limerz has some of the best, if not THE best, conch fritters  I have ever had. If you like conch fritters, you have to try them!

[SonuvaBeach]

15 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Unfortunately, on our visit to Antigua in December aboard the Silhouette, ship's tours were required.  As I mentioned above, whatever beach they brought us to had SUCH a steep drop off that I could not get out of the water on my own.   I was knocked over repeatedly (I wasn't the only one) and found the entire experience pretty frightening.  Judging from comments above about the same tour that we took, we must have been on some part of Valley Church.

 

 

Celebrity needs to do something about guests like that.

 

Sounds like our tour must have been to the same beach.  Yes, it was beautiful, though not crowded.  But it was far too steep for me (and we were totally blindsided by this).

 

I hope you had a great cruise!

Yes...that was probably Valley Church Beach. Valley Church would be a great beach choice if it weren't for two things  1. Distance from the cruise port ( 30 to 40 minutes on bad roads) and 2. The wickedly steep drop off...a sudden 3+ foot drop. It is very difficult to get in to the water and EXTREMELY difficult to get OUT, even if you do not have ambulatory issues. Darkwood is not as steep, but still a bit of a drop.

[SonuvaBeach]

14 hours ago, Kik35 said:

Great video, @SonuvaBeach !!  Heading there next week and even more excited after watching it.  We love the beach there, Gail & staff and “vibe” of Beachlimerz.😎🍹

 

ENVIOUS!

Tell Gail and Barry ( her husband and co owner, of course) that Jim and Toni said HELLO! Tell Marvin, the BIG guy,  HELLO! from us as well!

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, SonuvaBeach said:

Yes...that was probably Valley Church Beach. Valley Church would be a great beach choice if it weren't for two things  1. Distance from the cruise port ( 30 to 40 minutes on bad roads) and 2. The wickedly steep drop off...a sudden 3+ foot drop. It is very difficult to get in to the water and EXTREMELY difficult to get OUT, even if you do not have ambulatory issues. Darkwood is not as steep, but still a bit of a drop.

 

Interestingly, as I noted in an earlier comment, I complained to the Shorex Desk about this excursion because it was so bad (for many reasons), something I rarely do.  One of the things I specifically mentioned was the beach and how difficult and dangerous it was.  And that there had been no warning of this in the shorex description.  With so many beaches on Antigua, they either need to use another one, or at least warn guests about this, so we can make an informed judgment about whether to book that excursion.   It sounds like they still are doing neither.   

[awhfy]

We have the Lobster Lunch catamaran booked on Reflection in April. I really hope it isn’t cancelled. We’ve tried to do this everytime we’ve been in Antigua & it’s always been sold out. 🤞🤞🤞