Baths excursion on E. Caribbean cruise

[westerfiek]

I have seen mixed reviews on the Baths excursion in Tortola, BVI.

 

Is it better to book the excursion with HAL or on our own?

 

We are booked on an E. Caribbean in Nov 06. The port time is 2 pm to 10 pm.

 

Does anyone have any opinions/suggestions on the HAL excursion vs. doing it on your own?

[Oceanwench]

We did it on our own last year.

Just got off the ship, walked over to the ferry, bought tickets ... it was easy!

[Tricia724]

It is easy to just get on the ferry and do it on your own most of the time, but what's going to kill you is your port time....2-10 pm. The ferries run back and forth all day long, but I think the last ones back from Virgin Gorda (the Baths) are somewhere between 5-6 pm. So it's probably doable on your own, but you wouldn't have much time to spend at the Baths.

 

Go into the search engine and call up Speedy's Ferry and Smith's Ferry, and look over their schedules for Tortola-Virgin Gorda and return. If I remember correctly, the ferry ride is a good half hour or so and another 10-15 minutes to get to the Baths by taxi van....plus about a 10 minute walk from where we docked.

 

I don't know what the going rate is now, but when we went a year or so ago I think we paid $25/pp round trip for the ferry tickets and transportation to the Baths.....which was less expensive than the ship's excursion.

[Sheebah]

Very easy to do on your own, and very pretty...well worth your time. Follow the instructions and leave a little cushion time to catch the shuttle back from the Baths to the boat and you'll be fine. Even the ferry ride is beautiful.

 

We actually missed our sailing tour through Patouche and did the Baths on our own. It was one of the best days of our life. Be sure to take the trail to the distant beach if you are up to it...it is isolated, and heavenly. Photos and more info in my signature if you are interested.

[SarahQ]

I'm curious about this excursion too - would love some feedback from those who have taken it.

 

I've looked into the ferries (we are also in port 2-10pm) and on the day that we're there it would be nearly impossible to get to VG and back with any real amount of time to spend at The Baths.

 

So, our choice now is the HAL shorex or missing The Baths.

 

The question is, if HAL is our only choice, is it worth taking this excursion?

[1drifter]

We took the HAL tour and loved it. Probably more expensive than doing it on your own, but otherwise about the same experience:

- you will be taken over to VG on a ferry (takes 30-45 minutes)

- you will be met at the docks by buses for a 5 minute drive to the Top of the Baths where there is a parking lot, restaurant and some shops.

- you climb down the marked trail to The Baths. It takes about 10 minutes downhill walking to get to the little beach. The Baths are to your left as you face the ocean. After climbing through The Baths you will be at a 2nd larger beach where most people stay--this is Devil's Bay and has good snorkeling. Beyond Devil's Bay there is a little path to a rocky beach where we spent our time alone & undisturbed. Beyond the rocky beach is another path to another secluded beach.

To return to the parking lot, you have two choices,

you can go back through the Baths or you can take the trail that goes uphill from Devil's Bay (longer but easier.)

Basically the tour is your transportation there & back & you're on your own to explore the baths. I wouldn't miss it.

[CCCM]

We did the excursion last year and loved it. One of the main reasons we booked this cruise was to go back and bring DD. I have never been on a beach where I have been so comfortable. We are there 2-10. Excursion says it leaves at 2:15 and lasts 4 hours I think. It was a nice easy ride out on the ferry and a short ride to the beach. The walk through the boulders was great. A cup of rum punch before you get back on the bus for the ride back to the ferry. We had enough time to explore and the guide made sure to let us know it was time to head back. They were very nice. All excited thinking about Tortola and Virgin Gorda.

 

We are hoping to be able to get back from the excursion and go to Sunny Caribbee for some spices and some other things. Really need to get some more Pirates Gold. I just emailed them to see what hours they will be open.

[cool change]

Should we not bring too much stuff with us on this excursion? Its looks like a backpack would be fine. Not much else.

[Sheebah]

Should we not bring too much stuff with us on this excursion? Its looks like a backpack would be fine. Not much else.

 

Bottled water, solid walking shoes (not flip flops- you will sprain an ankle) and perhaps a snack. The restaurant at the top of the Bath's is great, but we were STARVED after playing in the water all day, and its a bit of a hike. I'd take a sandwich, sunscreen, and a really good sunhat along with clothes to cover up with and a towel. Sounds like a lot, but its not bad.

[cool change]

Thanks for the info, I really wanted to know the difference between the sail away or the baths Hal excersions. Will I see the baths from Hal's sail away.We want to see the baths, but like our water outings to be just that: on water from start to finish. Any suggestions because we can plan something on our own. Short time in a bus is ok. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[1drifter]

Actually someone had suggested water shoes for the excursion--I ignored the suggestion and wore sturdy hiking sandals. I wish I had not. Going through the baths my feet got very wet and the leather bled. Walking shoes may be OK if you don't mind getting them wet. Flip flops would not be a good idea. Don't forget a camera.

[Dutch48]

My husband and I will be on the November 11th Zuiderdam Eastern Caribbean and have the same concerns about the port time, 2-10pm. The only positive is that maybe it won't be very crowded late in the day.

 

My sister and her husband have been to the Baths several times and she agrees, footwear is VERY important. She got Crocs for the last two cruises and said they are the best water shoes ever. They are very light weight, comfortable for walking and can go in the water. I ordered a pair online and have been wearing them to the beach.

[debjo]

THANKS FOR ALL THESE GREAT TIPS & DETAILS!

I'm really looking forward to seeing and experiencing "THE BATHS". I'm wondering if it will be difficult carrying around a "bag" with these essentials (sunscreen, towel, water, snack, cover-up, personal snorkel gear, etc.) will be difficult when hiking through the grottos? Would a backpack be best or would it be "tight" squeezing through the rocks with it on?

 

I have my own "prescription" lense mask & snorkel, so I'll want to bring them with me, but will there be snorkel equipment available at the beach for the other members of our group? (It will mean less to carry for them)

 

Debjo

[torpeedo]

We did the HAL excursion and it was perfect. Be aware that the ferry lets you off at a dock. There is a significant walk to the baths. Miles I would say. I would never walk it. Bus took us there. Did not notice any cabs or other transportation there but I wasn't looking for it either so it may be there.

[wgeddings]

A bag would be fine but when you reach the bottom of the hill, you have a beach on your right and boulders on the left (that are the boulders you climb through). In the climbing, you will be going over, under and along many rocks and a backpack would likely snag. So would hand carried stuff. At the very least, anything you carry will be a bother requiring extra attention so my advice is to stake out a place on the beach and leave your stuff there (people will probably not bother it unless you do something crazy like leave the camera sitting in the open).

 

The Baths is a wonderful experience and beautiful and you should not miss it but try to be aware of it before you go. First, remember that there will be a lot of sand so do not carry or wear things you to not want to get wet/muddy or dirty. You will not get real dirty, but better to assume you will get a little dirty. Getting wet is necessary and unavoidable because some wading (ankle deep) is necessary. Climbing up, over and between boulders will be required and although things have been built to help you, it is not like an easy walk down a pier. If you can walk up a flight of stairs, you should have no problem but as you consider what to carry, decide if you want to carry it up, over, under and through the rocks. We watched several people bump their heads at one point because their backpacks snagged on an overhang they were going under (crouched). Also, while in the boulders, it is hot so be prepared.

 

The Baths were the highlight of our Eastern Carrib trip. As for getting to the island and needing a taxi, most of the ferries that take you over there include a bus ride to the top of the Baths area and getting back or forth was no problem. Walking it would be a horrid idea and is unnecessary.

 

We went by buying our tickets from the Ferry (and it included a lunch voucher which was nice) and I strongly recommend doing it yourself. Just check Speedy's website for their times and you can coordinate something. Of course, the odd times you are there (2-10) may be designed to discourage passengers from using the local transportation and hopefully increase use of the ship's tour but you can bet the tour companies will adjust too.

 

Oh, and on the walk down, some of the rocks you step on (mini-boulders) as part of the path can be slippery so do not get ahead of yourself.

[cool change]

Thank you, I did not understand that I could leave towels,etc. on the beach. We will just have to carry a camera with us. Is a waterproof one the way to go? sounds like it. Is carrying bottled water a hassle, with the climbing part? Sounds like this is the thing to do at least once.

[GOLDENBONNY]

I'm curious about this excursion too - would love some feedback from those who have taken it.

 

I've looked into the ferries (we are also in port 2-10pm) and on the day that we're there it would be nearly impossible to get to VG and back with any real amount of time to spend at The Baths.

 

So, our choice now is the HAL shorex or missing The Baths.

 

The question is, if HAL is our only choice, is it worth taking this excursion?

 

From many,many excursions we took, Baths is our best(Stigray city on Cayman island second)))))I would never take it by myself because of short time in port.You should take fary for 30-40min from Tortola ,than its 10 min by bath,so I would't take a chance to go without cruise excurcion booked.Book excurcion and you will love it:) (I would not recomend it for older people who have problem to walk:( )

[debjo]

For wgeddings...

Tommy, thanks so much for your picturesque description and advice of the trek through the boulders at "The Baths". After seeing a couple pictures of it on the internet, I decided I have to go there, which is one of the reasons I booked this particular cruise.

 

A couple more questions:

1. Is the pathway through "The Baths" well marked and one directional or do you just wander through it at your leisure with a potental of getting "lost" (not that I'm worried about getting "lost"...sometimes it can be a treat, just as long as you get back to your transportation and the ship in time!)

 

2. About how long do you think it will take to traverse "The Bath's" rock formations? I'm trying to decide if I want to accomplish that AND get some snorkeling in at one of the more secluded beach areas? Given that we'll have about 1 1/2 hours of "transport" time to get to "The Baths", that leaves less than 2 1/2 hours to "enjoy" the rugged places and serene beaches.

 

Thanks again!

 

Debjo

[AlohaPride]

I would like to thank you SOOOOO much for this posting (and pictures) I have decided to change my booked tour from the 4x4 safari to the Baths! It's cheaper, longer, not so hard on the neck, and looks AMAZING!!

[wgeddings]

Thanks. My family and I enjoyed the Baths and it was about the only thing we really liked a lot on the Eastern Carrib. Also, we ranked it right up there with Stingray City from our Western Carrib and Grand Cayman trip. A full review from our time is at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=260574. In that review, further down, I post some links to pictures I took at the Baths and they will answer a lot of your questions. It will really show you what it looks like.

 

I guess I am particularly stupid or something. From looking at the "maps" online, I had this picture of boulders in a nice grassy field or something so I was quite surprised there was a lot of sand (yeah, sand at a beach, imagine such a thing. <g>). The review I mentioned above gives more details.

 

As for leaving things cool-change, I have never had a problem with people stealing our stuff on a beach but some people are very paranoid about it. You are not in an area where there are a lot of locals, except an employee working the bar at the base, so most of the people around will be fellow tourists. Everyone looks at things and risks differently but picture a beach on the right (with a bar over your right shoulder) and BIG rocks on your left and you pretty much have what it will look like when you get to the bottom of the trail down to the Baths.

 

debjo - The path down to the Baths is very clear and the pictures I linked will show it to you so you can see what I mean. If you go into the Baths rocks, the path is also very clear and obvious. It is one path in and out unless you completely exit on the side of the Baths rocks away from where you entered and go back up the other way. Within the rocks, some places will require you to wait on others coming the other way back (or them to wait on you) as it is a narrow path but there are steps built in places, ropes attached to give you things to hold onto and so forth. It is hard to describe better. I do know that it would be almost impossible to get lost unless you tried very very hard and ignored all the other people coming or going. Basically you go at your own speed and can stay at any point as long as you want. There are some "pool" areas where people stayed for a while, others forged ahead quickly to try to get to the snorkeling spots.

 

Actual time in the Baths is hard to answer because it will depend on how long you want to take and if you want to snorkel. Moving at a reasonable pace with ooh and ahh stops, you could easily go through it in 45 minutes from the time you enter the rocks until you are back out the same way. Getting there (ferry and open cab ride) takes much longer but the Baths are definitely worth it. The harbor off of the Baths is beautiful, the rocks themselves are great, the beaches and the water. The rocks just make it seem more of an adventure than just simply walking to a beach.

 

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Glad to answer if I can. I think the pictures may help clear up a lot.

[Joanandjoe]

We're mostly cool weather cruisers, and have only been on one "Caribbean" cruise. The word is in quotes because Grand Cayman was the only small Caribbean island we were on: the other stops were at Cozumel and Central America.

 

(We've also sailed to Alaska, Canada/New England, Bermuda, and the Med. (in November), but our cruise to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras was our only warm weather cruise. We've never had a "land" vacation to the Caribbean or, for that matter, any beach area, even though we live an hour from the Jersey shore.)

 

Is Tortola so terrible, even for Caribbean "virgins", that we should haul ourselves to the Baths, rather than trying to see the Island during our oddly scheduled 3 p.m. (not 2 p.m.) to 10 p.m. visit there, especially considering the fact that we've asked for early dining? Again, unlike most posters here, our Caribbean experience is almost zero, and Tortola will be our first port. Our Noordam cruise will visit far more islands than we've ever been to.

[newmexicoNita]

I have seen mixed reviews on the Baths excursion in Tortola, BVI.

 

Is it better to book the excursion with HAL or on our own?

 

We are booked on an E. Caribbean in Nov 06. The port time is 2 pm to 10 pm.

 

Does anyone have any opinions/suggestions on the HAL excursion vs. doing it on your own?

Because of the time you will be in Tortola, I think I would use the HALs tour. It will be more expensive, but the ferries don't fun all that late, I am wondering period about the timing. You may not have much time when you consider docking, getting over to Virgin Gorda, to the water and then exploring the baths. I will say it is worth the effort. NMNita

[AlohaPride]

We're mostly cool weather cruisers, and have only been on one "Caribbean" cruise. The word is in quotes because Grand Cayman was the only small Caribbean island we were on: the other stops were at Cozumel and Central America.

 

(We've also sailed to Alaska, Canada/New England, Bermuda, and the Med. (in November), but our cruise to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras was our only warm weather cruise. We've never had a "land" vacation to the Caribbean or, for that matter, any beach area, even though we live an hour from the Jersey shore.)

 

Is Tortola so terrible, even for Caribbean "virgins", that we should haul ourselves to the Baths, rather than trying to see the Island during our oddly scheduled 3 p.m. (not 2 p.m.) to 10 p.m. visit there, especially considering the fact that we've asked for early dining? Again, unlike most posters here, our Caribbean experience is almost zero, and Tortola will be our first port. Our Noordam cruise will visit far more islands than we've ever been to.

 

Are you also on the Dec. 16th cruise?

[Joanandjoe]

No, Mary and Keaka, the 11/25. We mentioned that on another thread.

 

BTW, the time in Tortola is 3 p.m. to Midnight, even odder than what we posted in our last response.

[AlohaPride]

No, Mary and Keaka, the 11/25. We mentioned that on another thread.

 

BTW, the time in Tortola is 3 p.m. to Midnight, even odder than what we posted in our last response.

 

We are in Tortola from 3-midnight as well. It should be fun. We plan on spending the day at the baths and then maybe getting a taste of Tortola itself that evening. Have fun on your cruise! And tell us ALL how you like the Noordam and her itinerary!