what should first timers do in grenada?

[baileyimpact]

this is our first time here and we are wondering what is the best thing to do

[thatbloominplace]

while on a cruise you will encounter several different types of islands. some are best known for their beaches, while others offer spectacular geography. grenada is an absolutely gorgeous island to view. it also has a lot of history. in my opinion, you can do no better than joining mandoo on a tour. mandoo, himself, is worth the price of the tour. he is very involved in the future of his country and the role of tourism and is highly artiuculate and opinionated. fascinating individual. in additioin, he brings you around the island to see a huge array of sights and culture. he offers a few different tours, we took the northern route. it was the least 'commercial' of the tours and went to places most other tours did not go to. most of the time, we were the only tourists in the places we stopped. and also, the lunch stop was a spectacular view with wonderful local food. the cost was 70.00 p/p and included lunch. his website is grenadatours.com. perhaps the best guided tour on a caribbean island we have taken.

 

steve

[barneysail]

went with Mandoo as well, they know their island, can only recommend it. People in Grenada were overall very friendly and helpful, it is a beautiful island.

[David (and Julie)]

Ditto on Mandoo. My wife and I did the Spice Tour with him last week. He is AWESOME! We will definitely tour with him again on our next visit to Grenada.

[eandmburke]

Unless you plan to do a tour I would stay on the ship. Yes the people are very friendly but you really cannot just venture out on your own or go to the beach. We just returned from a cruise which included this port. We went to the beach but returned to the ship after a few hours. We were overwhelmed with vendors. The first few just played music...silly songs but they would not leave until you gave them money...In addition, we were approached by over 40-50 people selling things.a polite no early into their speech sent them along (though we did buy severral things)with the exception of one man. He was significantlly handicapped and we would have given him money had his behavior been more appropriate but he wanted to massage our feet and we were not interested so we continued to read our books but he started yelling at us saying that we did not like blind people..which of course is not true..he then tripped and fell on a woman laying on the sand...we decided to leave the beach and just return to the ship..It is such a shame as it is a lush and beatiful island and we were certaining mindful of the poverty but it was just a little too overwhelming

[calgarygary]

We also found the vendors overwhelming at Grand Anse. My suggestions would be either to do an organized tour, visit a resort beach or stay on the ship. Although the vendors we encountered were always polite, the numbers prevented any rest on the beach.

[kendon]

Get out of the port area! Arrange a tour of this lush island...there is so much to see. After all, that's why many of us get off the ship, isn't it? To miss the cultural experience would be a shame.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We will be visiting Grenada for the first time next year. It is a tender port and we will be there for a half day, albeit a long half day. We are currently scheduled there from 12 noon to 7PM. I'm not too crazy about the listed ship tours. However, since we tender I am inclined to go with one of them. I would like to visit both a spice plantation and see the natural beauty of the island. I am not inclined to go to the beach that day at all. Advice as to what to do, please!:D

[cdnguy]

We will be visiting Grenada for the first time next year. It is a tender port and we will be there for a half day, albeit a long half day.

Unless there's more than three ships in port the day your there this is not a tender port. Check this out:

http://www.grenadagrenadines.com/cruise_facts.html

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Unless there's more than three ships in port the day your there this is not a tender port. Check this out:

http://www.grenadagrenadines.com/cruise_facts.html

It is listed in our itinerary as "tender required". Since we don't arrive until noon we must be stuck "out in the harbor". I'll have to check CruiseCal to see how many ships will be in port that day!:eek:

 

I just logged onto CruiseCal and found that it is now a 'Paid subscription service'. Since I'm too cheap (I don't use it that often anyway) I will just have to assume that there will be several ships in port that day!;)

[Midnight Rain]

Like others have suggested I would do an organized tour. We did one of the Spice Island Tours that the cruiseline offered and had a great time! Our tour guide was awesome, and the country is gorgeous.. I wouldn't pass this port up. It was one of our favourites. :)

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Like others have suggested I would do an organized tour. We did one of the Spice Island Tours that the cruiseline offered and had a great time! Our tour guide was awesome, and the country is gorgeous.. I wouldn't pass this port up. It was one of our favourites. :)

I'd love to see a review of one of the 'Spice Islands Tours'!:)

[Debathome]

I too am interested in doing a Spice tour. Did anyone pick up any of the local spices? Which ones? What was involved in the tour? Thanks in advance.

[Midnight Rain]

I'd love to see a review of one of the 'Spice Islands Tours'!:)

 

Sorry took me a while to reply, I don't come on here often..

 

We did the "Grenada Explorer" with Princess. It takes you to the Doulgadston Spice Estate, Grand Etang Lake in Grand Etang National Park and Annandale Falls.

 

You can buy spices at the first two stops. I bought mine at the Grand Etang National Park, they had the spices bottled etc, and there was more to choose from then that the Spice Estate. The spice estate was very neat though..

 

I brought back tons of spices.. they also have this Nutmeg Cream which is supposed to heal sore muscles and joints etc.. after he announced that, it was hard to find the stuff... hah.. I bought Nutmeg (ground and whole), Ginger, Cinnamon etc..

 

We also got to see some Monkeys at Grand Etang, that was pretty cool.

 

I wish I remembered who our tour guide was, he was awesome. He was so knowledgable.. We learned so much from this Island.. and me and my husband said we would visit there again!!

 

I have pictures I can e-mail a few if you would like.. just send me a note..

melanie.brown@shaw.ca

 

Melanie

[Floflegs]

We shared a van when we came off the pier. The driver gave us a good tour. Then we bought spices at the local spice market.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Sorry took me a while to reply, I don't come on here often..

 

We did the "Grenada Explorer" with Princess. It takes you to the Doulgadston Spice Estate, Grand Etang Lake in Grand Etang National Park and Annandale Falls.

 

You can buy spices at the first two stops. I bought mine at the Grand Etang National Park, they had the spices bottled etc, and there was more to choose from then that the Spice Estate. The spice estate was very neat though..

 

I brought back tons of spices.. they also have this Nutmeg Cream which is supposed to heal sore muscles and joints etc.. after he announced that, it was hard to find the stuff... hah.. I bought Nutmeg (ground and whole), Ginger, Cinnamon etc..

 

We also got to see some Monkeys at Grand Etang, that was pretty cool.

 

I wish I remembered who our tour guide was, he was awesome. He was so knowledgable.. We learned so much from this Island.. and me and my husband said we would visit there again!!

 

I have pictures I can e-mail a few if you would like.. just send me a note..

melanie.brown@shaw.ca

 

Melanie

I would be intersested in that tour, but the description says that the transport is non-airconditioned. Would that be a problem in May? Otherwise, the tour sounds perfect!

[Robin G]

We'll be in Grenada in December - sounds like a great place! Can't wait!

[kidder kid]

I too am interested in doing a Spice tour. Did anyone pick up any of the local spices? Which ones? What was involved in the tour? Thanks in advance.

Deb -

 

We met this past March on the Emerald. We are doing the Emerald on 3/10/2009 with Grenada one of the ports. Any chance you are on this cruise? I know they do the same itinerary on 3/30 and some others of our 2008 group are on that one.

 

Carolyn

 

P.S. Sent this and then saw you are on the Emerald in April. Sorry to miss you.

[gometros]

It is listed in our itinerary as "tender required". Since we don't arrive until noon we must be stuck "out in the harbor". I'll have to check CruiseCal to see how many ships will be in port that day!:eek:

 

I just logged onto CruiseCal and found that it is now a 'Paid subscription service'. Since I'm too cheap (I don't use it that often anyway) I will just have to assume that there will be several ships in port that day!;)

 

I know this is a few months later, but there is another source for cruise ship schedules that doesn't charge: http://www.porttime.com/home.cfm

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I know this is a few months later, but there is another source for cruise ship schedules that doesn't charge: http://www.porttime.com/home.cfm

 

Thanks! I found it already. However, I just read on another thread that the site owner is closing it down.:(

 

Here is another one.....

http://www.cruisereport.com/PortsOfCallList.aspx