Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Prettiest ports/ best shopping?

SuziQT

By SuziQT,
in Ask a Cruise Question

Recommended Posts

SuziQT

SuziQT

Posted
Posted

Looking for some advise from veteran cruisers....

 

Which itineraries offer the most beautiful ports? We don't like crowds so we will often stay onboard to enjoy the spa, open lounge chairs on deck, and peace and quiet.

 

We have done 3 cruises (all Mexico) on Carnival because they are the only one to offer full kids clubs starting at age 2 (shame on the others).

 

We absolutely love cruising for the great kids clubs which offer the opportunity for this stay at home mom to really get a break. They offer uninterrupted "date nights" with my spouse, entertainment for my children and some much needed pampering for us all.

 

Unfortunately some of the ports were really ugly. Traveling with young children we don't have the luxury of getting off at every port to engage in canopy tours or scuba dives.

 

Please advise as to which cruise itineraries offer the most beautiful ports for those of us who don't debark at every stop. Good kids clubs are of importance to us as well.

 

Thank you

Link to comment
Share on other sites
newmexicoNita

newmexicoNita

Posted
Posted

Bermuda is fine, but that is all you see; 1 island and the only time ships do Bermuda is late spring to mid fall. If you are looking for other times of the year you need to venture to other parts of the Caribbean. The eastern Caribbean offers some very nice ports, but the best are the souther islands: Aruba/Curacao/Dominica/St Kitts and Barbados. St Kitts and St lucia also are on the poorer side so you may see some poverty. this isn't all bad. I didn't mention St Thomas, as most of the itineraries will stop in St Thomas even if they do primarily the southern route. Tobago and Trindad are worth seeing, again only a few ships have either on their agenda. Someone mentioned the Mexican Riv: well, like anything beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and I certianly wouldn't consider the Pacific side of Mexico if beautiful, and quait islands were something near the top of the list.

 

As for kids progarms, I assume your 2 year old is now older, but NCL does offer a pretty good program for 2 year olds as well: mom or dad does have to wear a beeper if the youngster isn't potty trained. NCL gets raving reviews for their kids programs plus freestyle dining is perfect for families.

 

Shopping: If you consentrate on the southern or easter itineraries you will dock at the islands best for shopping: Curacao, Aruba and certainly St Thomas, depending on what you are searching for. St Thomas has great prices on liquor as well as jewelry, but I am not sure the jewelry prices are any better there than in Aruba and Curacao. I do know St Thomas will not make you feel as welcome as the other two.

 

No matter what line you choose, keep in mind the cabins will be a little smaller than on Carnival. the only line that offers cabins with similar sq footage is HAL which I don't recommend for a family. Other will disagree with me on this I am sure.

 

We too, often like to stay on the ship while in port, at least at one stop. I love the feeling of being free from all the people. Just us, the lounge chairs, the wait staff and the discounts in the spa. You mentioned not having the luxury to do excursions all the time with 3 kids. Have you thought about doing one or two on your own; you can read the ports a call section here and get some ideas. It is a less expensive way to get a feeling for the island and much more personalized. Good luck. NMNnita

Link to comment
Share on other sites
motherchic

motherchic

Posted
Posted

There are some beautiful ports but for shopping and pretty i still love St Thomas. Take the kids , to the tram- go up the hillside and enjoy the view, then either walk or take a cab into town. The shopping is so fun and at the end of each street is a beautiful view of the ocean.Sit at one of the outside bars get the children a juice and you and your Dh can enjoy a frozen beverage.

Aruba is also very pretty.

Bermuda is gorgeous but the shopping is very expensive and so are any of the restaurants.

Enjoy your choice

Nadine

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bowbiter

bowbiter

Posted
Posted

Dominica is really great... St Thomas was nice too... I think St. Maarten had the best shopping (espcially for electronics).

 

I love Cozumel and probably will love Belize too :)

 

Ugly ports happen and help keep cruise costs down (well at least that is what I think to make me feel better) so they aren't too bad. I just take it as a challenge and do lots of research to find the pretty spots ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fredr

Fredr

Posted
Posted

hello,

 

I respectfully disagree with one of the respondents who stated that Mexico's Pacific Coast is not beautiful. Having been throughout the Carribbean there is no question that the islands of the Carib are beautiful but I'm sure many visitors to these boards will agree that Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas are beautiful ports as well. And so is Manzanillo, especially the beach areas south of Manzanillo.

 

Hope that this helps.

 

Fred

Link to comment
Share on other sites
newmexicoNita

newmexicoNita

Posted
Posted
Our experience of beautiful ports and good shopping:

 

Curacao, Aruba, and St. Thomas for beauty and shopping.

Bonaire for beauty- undersea.

Dominica for wild, natural beauty.

I think I would rate them very much like you. Some people, for whatever reason don't like Dominca, we loved the island, the beauty and the people. We had a bad experience in St Lucia which somewhat tainted our view of the island period and to Fred, of course we all have our own ideas of what is beautiful: I didn't mean to upset you by mentioning my view of the Mexican Riv: It just isn't one of our favorite cruising grounds. Maybe it is because I was raised in Southern Calif and don't see the various ports in Mexico much different than Santa Monica Beach in the 50s. I personally like the Caribbean because it is so versital. Every island is a little different.

 

NMnita

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Fredr

Fredr

Posted
Posted

hello,

 

Nita, you didn't upset me at all and I appreciate your kindness. I try to answer their questions about cruises, and hopefully to be of help. My point here is that cruises to Mexico's pacific coast have much to offer in terms of very reasonable cost, interesting ports of call, and wonderful scenery.

 

Hope that your next cruise is very soon and that you have a wonderful time.

 

Fred

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jerseyjk

jerseyjk

Posted
Posted

I think the question was which ports are nice looking ... as in the actual port area itself, not the island in general. The OP stated ...

we don't have the luxury of getting off at every port

 

Thus, if you're not getting off the boat and are sitting in port looking at the scenery, what ports look the best. Obviously you wouldn't want to be sitting somewhere like Freeport or Ocho Rios. Both port areas are industrial and not much to look at.

 

Personally, one of the nicest looking ports I've been in was Costa Maya. Not much to do there four or five years ago, but it was pleasant looking out over the jungle and the shore from the ship.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...
cruiseapril

cruiseapril

Posted
Posted

Have not been to a truly ugly port in the Caribbean or Bahamas yet. Have visited 15 ports, in that area, so far and found a vast difference in the ports- but as has been said- beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

Bridgetown, Barbados and Nassau, New Providence are very commercial ports, IMO. Yet they are interesting and both islands offer a variety of excursions and beauty.

 

Isla Margarita has a limited port area in Guamache- but has a nice little beach and vendor area. The island itself has beauty (and poverty)-we went to the Lagoon there which was beautiful.

 

All of the other ports we have visited in the Caribbean and Bahamas, and elsewhere, are scenic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...