Excursions in Tortola & St. Maarten. Suggestions???

[JoshGrrrr]

The cruise we are going on next month stops in these ports. We know nothing about these places. We have searched around but can't find any very good information about this. I've heard the shopping in St. Maarten is great. Should we just stick to the shopping?

 

If any of you have been to these ports, do you have any suggestions? Pictures would be great.

[med510]

We were in Tortola in November and had a wonderful day with Patouche. There should be info about them on the Tortola port site. They were wonderful. Tortola is beautiful...do something on the water.

[Licisca]

In St marteen the shop it's really great but if u 'll stay for a whole day u can go also to a beach. Last year we got a taxi and went to orient beach.

[hiram2b]

Just came back from Costa 2/12/06 cruise. Did not go on tours. Wish I had. The port areas in Nassau,Tortola and St. Marten have been destroyed by many many boat loads of tourists, not to mention hurricanes. Not nice anymore. So, any tour would be better than just geting off ship and walking around. Not like the "old" days. But enjoyed the ship and entertainment.

[JoshGrrrr]

In St marteen the shop it's really great but if u 'll stay for a whole day u can go also to a beach. Last year we got a taxi and went to orient beach.

 

As much as I'd like to go to Orient beach, I don't think the wife would be down with it..lol

[dalibi]

See Jan 25 post--on page 4or5--someone asked the same question.

 

We had awonderful days in St. Maartin and Tortola.

[GOLDENBONNY]

The cruise we are going on next month stops in these ports. We know nothing about these places. We have searched around but can't find any very good information about this. I've heard the shopping in St. Maarten is great. Should we just stick to the shopping?

 

If any of you have been to these ports, do you have any suggestions? Pictures would be great.

 

On Tortola go Vigrin Gorda Baths its the best excurtion we ever had(well Stingray City on Grand Cayman was very good too:D )We just wish we could spend more time there but ship was there only till 1:00pm:mad: St.Marten-we took excurison around the island but I would rather have shoping time,or beach time.All this islands is the same more or less,so not much to see in the city,so take a cab to French side and have fun

[coopeg2]

We just got back from our cruise on the Magica returning Feb 19, we went to Dawn Beach in St Marteen $6 cab ride each way per person, beach was nice, waves were large due to the winds that day, Carib beer was .75, but there are a great deal of vendors who you just have to ignore, also you rent beach chairs and an umbrella, two chairs,umbrella and two rum punch $12.

 

In Tortola, if you are reasonable shape you should take the 10 minute walk into Tortola to the Ferry dock and take the Speedy's $35 package to the Virgin Gorda to the Baths, it includes all transportation, $12 towards your lunch at the Turtles restaurant back at the peer, open safari jeep ride to the baths and back. Great deal and the baths are amazing, just search Virgin Gorda, Baths on the internet and you will see what I am talking about. Any other questions let me know,by the way our ship was charging around $119 for the same thing.

 

Greig

[jennylou]

I have been to Tortola two times... We went to The Baths.....

The Baths is the most beautiful place I have ever been. The size of the rocks are unbeleivable. Clear blue water. Look on internet to see the images. You wont be sorry.:p

[JoshGrrrr]

We just got back from our cruise on the Magica returning Feb 19, we went to Dawn Beach in St Marteen $6 cab ride each way per person, beach was nice, waves were large due to the winds that day, Carib beer was .75, but there are a great deal of vendors who you just have to ignore, also you rent beach chairs and an umbrella, two chairs,umbrella and two rum punch $12.

 

In Tortola, if you are reasonable shape you should take the 10 minute walk into Tortola to the Ferry dock and take the Speedy's $35 package to the Virgin Gorda to the Baths, it includes all transportation, $12 towards your lunch at the Turtles restaurant back at the peer, open safari jeep ride to the baths and back. Great deal and the baths are amazing, just search Virgin Gorda, Baths on the internet and you will see what I am talking about. Any other questions let me know,by the way our ship was charging around $119 for the same thing.

 

Greig

 

I think I will definately be taking the Virgin Gorda/Baths excursion. So, I just walk to the ferry dock and look for "Speedy's"?

 

How long was this excursion?

 

Thank you so much for the info. I had no clue what I wanted to do while in Tortola, you've helped out a lot.

[jeb9860]

http://www.speedysbvi.com

 

This is the websire for Speedy's. Don't do it through the cruise ship we paid around $35, the cruise tour was about $100. It is a 10 minute walk to Speedy's Ferry Terminal.

[GOLDENBONNY]

I think I will definately be taking the Virgin Gorda/Baths excursion. So, I just walk to the ferry dock and look for "Speedy's"?

 

How long was this excursion?

 

Thank you so much for the info. I had no clue what I wanted to do while in Tortola, you've helped out a lot.

 

IF YOU ONLY STAY TILL 1:00 DONT TAKE A CHANCE,BOOK CRUISE EXCURSION,ITS MAY BE MORE MONEY WE PAID 69$ BUT YOU GO ON FERRY TO DIFFERENT ISLAND,THAN BUS RIDE 10 MIN,I WAS AFRAID TO TAKE A CHANCE WITH A PRIVET TOUR IN THIS SITUATION

[EMMDM1]

Shopping is the best in St Maarten. The prices for gold and gemstone's were 1/3 of the price in Naussau and Tortola. AND they were willing to bargain. So buy in St Maarten and do other things on the other islands!

[snipboy]

I would second the suggestion to book the excursion to the Baths through the cruiseline if the ship leaves the port at 1. We took Speedy's to Virgin Gorda a few years ago. They are an awesome service, but they have a limited schedule and the Baths are actually a trek from the main road. I was starting to get nervous at the end of the day we were there that we would be cutting it close to getting back on board ship (HAL Zuiderdam). We got on the ferry to go back and we are thinking we'll have an hour to spare to get back on board once the ferry returns to Tortola. Then a local has a heart attack on the ferry. Oh bloody hell... We had 20 minutes to get back on board by the time we got back to Tortola. We had to run. I'd say it's a 15 minute walk at least from the dock to Speedy's.

 

It was an adventure, for sure! It was a great day at the Baths though. I crawled through the Virgin Gorda caves to Devil's Bay and happened upon a topless photoshoot for some German language magazine! Very surprising and quite illegal on the British Virgin Islands.

snip

[JoshGrrrr]

I think my ship is there from 8am-6pm.

[coopeg2]

If you check out Speedy's website, they have schedules by the day of the week. We were to be there 8 till 6, but then we were advised that we would be leaving at 5 and we had to be on the ship at 4:30. We caught the 3:45 or 3:30 ferry back and still had some time to shop at the flea market set up right at the port. Speedy's lunch is back near the ferry port, so they will ask you what time you would like to be taken back to eat, but remember you do not get a ride back to the Baths again so make it you last stop.

[JoshGrrrr]

Thanks.

 

I will definately be using Speedy to see the Baths. This helped me out a lot.

 

Tortola - The baths via Speedy's

St. Martin - Shopping on both sides of the island

[FrozenOne]

Careful when going to Marigot on the French side. I had a heck of a time to get a cab back to Philipsburg. You can also take a local bus, a van - not your usual North America style bus.(found this out as the cab follow a local bus all the way back)

[itsmlf]

Having been to Tortola lots of times I would say its worthless. Virgin Gorda is certainly worth a look see but thats about it. Tortola is used as a port because St Thomas cannot accomodate all the ships. If you get away from the port there are some pretty places but all in all...its usually dry, unfriendly natives and not very clean. Just my opinion...many of the other BVI's are lovely.