Guadeloupe?

[chris209]

We will be visiting Guadeloupe on the Costa Atlantica in March and don't really have an interest in any of the ship's excursions. Any thoughts on what to do while there and what is not to be missed? Are there readily available cabs/vans waiting at the dock that we can arrange a tour with? We are in port from early afternoon until midnight. Any thoughts/experiences will be appreciated as this island as a cruise port is a bit difficult to find info about .

Thanks

[xeena]

we will be in guadeloupe in december and i am finding there is a lack of info on this port too ! i would be interested in an island tour and/or snorkeling...we have our own equipment

 

maybe the island is not visited frequently by cruise ships?

[ChristieDawn]

we will be in guadeloupe in december and i am finding there is a lack of info on this port too ! i would be interested in an island tour and/or snorkeling...we have our own equipment

 

maybe the island is not visited frequently by cruise ships?

 

 

I was there back in 97 and I really did not enjoy myself. :( I would have much rather gone back to St Thomas or Barbados. It might have been different if I had booked an excursion but we didn't. My mom and I just walk around in the market. Many of the people in the shops were very rude and acted like they didn't even want us there. I tried to buy a skirt in one shop and the sales lady said something in French and shooed me out like I was some kind of animal that had just walk off the street.

I think you will be happy if you book an excursion. That's my two cents!!:p

[Zeno]

We stopped at Guadeloupe on a cruise a few years ago and it is one of my favorite islands. It is very beautiful and has some lovely beaches and wonderful scenery - we spent the day at Plage Ste. Anne. It really helps to speak some French. Do not hang around Point a Pitre. Rent a car or go on an excursion.

Check out this website:

http://www.antilles-info-tourisme.com/guadeloupe/p2-in-gb.htm

[chris209]

Thanks for the info. The excursions offered by the ship are quite limited and also very expensive (over 60 euros to go to a beach!). Does anyone know if it is possible (and safe) to just get a cab neart the dock and arrange an island tour or trip to a beach?

Thanks

[lka1012]

Xeena, are you on the "race you to the top-less deck cruise? So Will I. I am actually looking at the tour that you walk along the tree tops. I think NNN is trying to put together non-ship trips. Check the roll call out. She will have something posted when she finds things out.

[Zeno]

Thanks for the info. The excursions offered by the ship are quite limited and also very expensive (over 60 euros to go to a beach!). Does anyone know if it is possible (and safe) to just get a cab neart the dock and arrange an island tour or trip to a beach?

Thanks

 

It is possible and quite safe to get a taxi at the dock but like on most of the French islands, it won't be cheap. Sorry I don't know the fares.

[xeena]

yes, kathy, we are on the dec 11 Amsterdam......I was looking thru the tours and trying to figure out what to do where. ST T and Barbados wont do much as we have been there a few times...but ST L, and both G's are new to us ! Mandoo looked interesting in Grenada and the ship tour....Cousteau trip.... in Guadeloupe. we have a while to think on it though...fun to plan....

 

glad to hear from another "race to the topless"....

 

last dec we were on the amsterdam going thru the canal and met with fellow cc'ers.....what a hoot....nice to meet those who chatted for months preceeding the cruise !

[Kathyh1313]

DH and I stopped at Guadeloupe in January while cruising on the Amsterdam. It was a Saturday. The shops in town were closed in the morning. We had read that most shops were open in the morning, then would close for lunch and "sieste", reopening in the afternoon. That is not what we found on a Saturday. The shops open mid-day. When we did shop, we also go the "cold-shoulder" from many, but not all, of the shop keepers. I speak "un peu francais" but I don't think it helped. We were there shortly after the New Year so wishing people "bon anne'" did help.

 

The best part of our day was the taxi we hired for an independent tour. It was expensive, $120 US, for the 2 of us for about 2 hours, actually it was closer to 3 hours. Our driver spoke English fluently, so he was worth the money. We enjoyed speaking with him and learning about the culture. He took us to the other side, there is Grande Terre and Basse Terre, the mountains and greenery are lush and gorgeous. We hiked to a waterfall and purchased some souvenirs at that shop. The owner was extremely pleasant and cordial. DH and I are so glad we took the tour otherwise we would have been sorely disappointed.

 

Our plan for the day had been to shop in the morning, have lunch in a fabulous french restaurant and then go the aquarium in the afternoon. None of that happened but we enjoyed our day none the less.

 

If I had to do it all over, I would have taken an excursion from the ship. I also would have liked to go to a beach, I have heard the beaches are lovely.

 

One of the reasons we chose this ship was for the itinerary as we had never been to Guadeloupe. I would not go out of my way to choose another itinerary that included Guadeloupe, I really have no desire to return. However, should we find ourselves on a ship with an itinerary that included Guadeloupe, we would certainly not stay on the ship, but strategize and find something to do, something new to see.

 

Life is an adventure, enjoy!

Kathy

[YoPhilly]

We stopped in Guadeloupe several years ago and spent the day at St. Anne's beach: one of the whitest, most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. Enjoy.

[aldaoust]

Hi all,

 

My wife and I stopped in Guadeloupe about 7 years ago. Like some have said, book an excursion because there really isn`t that much in the market. Although they do have some beautiful stuff in some of the shops, there really isn`t much to do. When my wife decided to go to the washroom, she met a lady sitting down selling toilet paper by the square. She was so embarrassed she left and went back to the ship! LOL! In the meantime I found a taxi that brought us to a beautiful beach but it was quite expensive!

 

:)

[jamesd1967]

Point a Pitre has always been on the pricey side. Guadaloupe is a real nice island; however, it is a French island, and I am pretty sure still a French Colony. I can see where some of the attitude comes into play, lol. On a cruise ship, sure I'd go walk around have a decent time, but also be prepared to pay for it. I don't think that I would book a 7-10 day land tour there. Although, there is a Club Med there, so they get lots of tourists by the week+ for that reason.

[Aplmac]

Guadeloupe is more than just a mere colony.

It's a Department of France, as is Martinique nearby.

 

The Euro is the local currency

- and the local 'Gendarmes' are white guys!!

 

You'll be in tropical Europe!! :)

[ski2cruise]

We will be in Basse-Terre on Sunday January 13, 2008 on the Azamara Quest , and looking for suggestions about any tours we could take off the ship. Especially interesed in La Loufriere volcano and Carbet Falls. If you have any specific information about tour operators and how to contact them, esp. ones that know the English language, that would be most helpful.

[alphakitty]

Shore Trips offers a 6 hour tour for $147 per person.

 

http://www.shoretrips.com/common/search4.asp?rcode=CAR&lcode=PTP&tcode=028996

[ski2cruise]

I would like to hear from folks that have toured on their own out of Basse-Terre port and what kinds of things they were able to do. Is it resonable to assume that the public bus system would be available on a Sunday, and easy enough to use for someone not fluent in French. Is a rental car a necesity? This port and island appears to be very expensive and not focused on servicing day passengers from cruiseships. I am especially interested in English speaking tours that would be available out of Bass-Terre that visit Carbet waterfalls and summit of La Soufriere volcano.

[ikelmay]

hi, we visited Guadaloupe in November, and loved the island. It helps to have a little knowledge of French, and as this is a true french 'Departement', the Euro is the official currency. You may find acceptance of the US Dollar the exception rather than the rule especially in local shops - but to us that's what helps make it more unique.

[ski2cruise]

I am very aware that Guadeloupe is French and that the Euro is the currency. What I was hoping to hear from folks , and haven't so far, is , how did you get around the island, rental car? taxi?, or bus? independent or ship tour? and if you did any traveling on your own, what your experience was in trying to get a rental car, catch a bus, or find a tour online or in the town of Basse-Terre? We are arriving there on a Sunday, and I am afraid that there may not be much available an operating to do any independent touring that day. There is little information in English on this port online, so was hoping to get recommendations from those who have been there recently. I know all the taxis are 40 percent more expensive on Sundays and that businesses follow a siesta/long lunch closedown between noon and 2pm. I would like to know if it is possible to catch a bus in Basse-Terre to go up to a trailhead at La Soufrierre volcano, or Cabret Waterfall. I don't even know if the Bus station is open on Sunday in Basse-Terre, and , if it were open, would we be able to communicate with someone with little French. We will take a French dictionary and use a lot of map pointing in our communications, I would imagine. Anyway, would love any specific experience feedback on Basse-Terre travels.

[Loubuen]

I would like to know as well if anybody did some touring on their own and what they saw.

Thanks

[Snorkel Dawg]

Will be in Guadaloupe in March & wondered if anyone could offer some opinions on Cousteau's Underwater Park? How far is it from the port? What is the cost to get there? And what is the cost to enter the park? Is there food, drink, & changing facilities available?

 

Sorry for all the questions but not finding much info on the net...

[Zbayette]

We will be in Basse-Terre on Sunday January 13, 2008 on the Azamara Quest , and looking for suggestions about any tours we could take off the ship. Especially interesed in La Loufriere volcano and Carbet Falls. If you have any specific information about tour operators and how to contact them, esp. ones that know the English language, that would be most helpful.

Waiting to hear what you did there as I'll be there on a Sunday in March, also on the Quest and am interested in the same thing you are.

[johnh603]

We'll be in Guadeloupe April 6, on the Azamara Quest. I take it you're on the same cruise as we are? I got the following from a man who was there on the Quest in January. Based on this, my wife and I are thinking of hiring a taxi for a tour around the Basse-Terre island, by La Soufriere volcano, through the national park, stop at a couple of the waterfalls that aren't too far from the road (maybe take a dip in the pool under the falls) and snorkel off one of the black sand beaches at the north end of the island. Have no idea how much this will cost, though. Are you interested in joining us?

 

we too were in Guadeloupe on Sunday. Nothing was open. There are quite a few persons who are willing to be hired for tours. The biggest problem is that they do not speak English. There is an agent who will negotiate with you and he speaks excellent English but once the deal is consummated he turns you over to the driver. We were able to pay for the tour in US currency but that is something you should get straight at the time of hire. Make sure your driver can speak English! Our driver did not speak English but one of our group spoke French so we did okay. Also be forewarned that there are beautiful falls that they will take you to, I think the name is Cabrit Falls. The entrance to the park requires Euros and they do not take credit cards. Lots of people hike to the falls. The hike is long and strenuous. I didn't finish it but those in our group who did said it was not worth the effort. The views from the distance are more than sufficient. As an aside, Guadeloupe has the finest roads of any island in the Caribbean.

[Snorkel Dawg]

Anyone been there? Looking for any advice/ tips on snorkeling there???

[airlink diva]

We had a few posters that went to this port last month. Do you have any infomation or suggestions? Thanks!!

[airlink diva]

There were a few posters that ships stopped in Guadeloupe last month. Do anyone have some update info?

Anything would help

Happy sailing!!

Second time around and my 40th birthday cruise on the

MAASDAM!!!

10/24/08-11/07/08