Devil's Island French Guiana- anybody been there???

[cathi]

We are looking to book a Royal Princess holiday cruise and it is strange that the ports they are listing don't show up on their own website. So I'm needing some help!!!!

First - Devil's Island or Isle Royale, French Guiana - I can't find out anything about this even on Tripadvisor or Frommer's. Anyone been there? Is this a first time Princess has been there?

Second - Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands - again doesn't appear in the list of Caribbean ports on the Princess website.

Third - Scarborough, Trinidad - finally found a map of Trinidad & Tobago and it appears that Scarborough is actually on the smaller island of Tobago but the information on Princess's website has the bigger island of Trinidad.

 

really like this cruise because it goes to a lot of the Caribbean that isn't as well travelled as poor St Maarten or St Thomas. The trouble is finding any information is hard!! All suggestions are really needed PLEASE!!!

 

Cathi

[Aplmac]

First - Devil's Island or Isle Royale, French Guiana

- I can't find out anything about this even on Tripadvisor or Frommer's. Anyone been there?

Is this a first time Princess has been there? ===> Looks that way!

 

Second - Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands -

again doesn't appear in the list of Caribbean ports on the Princess website. ===> Tortola...see below..

 

Third - Scarborough, Trinidad - finally found a map of Trinidad & Tobago

and it appears that Scarborough is actually on the smaller island of Tobago

but the information on Princess's website has the bigger island of Trinidad.

 

You'll probably be the first humans to set foot ashore at Devil's Island in a hundred and fifty years...:eek:

Don't trip over the skeletons! :)

 

The place was one of the absolute worst tropical prisons in all of history (you don't wanna know!!) :D

 

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Virgin Gorda is usually accessed(via the cruise ship industry) by docking at nearby TORTOLA

and then catching the ferry over to Virgin Gorda

Most folks do the trek to get to the spectacular "BATHS" with huge boulders on the fabulous beach!

 

Suggest you go over to the TORTOLA discussion board at URL..

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=290

and have a scout-around there.

The Baths is always being discussed...it's only like The most popular destination!

I see several threads waiting...

 

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Tobago: ask questions and get specific answers.

Cruise ships do call at both islands in this twin-island republic of Trinidad&Tobago

but somehow I suspect you'll be doing Tobago

if only because of the news in that Press Release I just posted at URL..

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=820104

[cathi]

Thanks, Alpmac!

[ming]

I haven’t been to Devil’s Island via a cruise, so I can’t comment on how, or what you’ll get to see in a day.

 

My guess is that you’ll tender to Royal Island, the largest of the three. I doubt that you’ll set foot on Isle du Diable. Visits were discouraged when we were there, however you’ll be able to see it from Royal or St. Joseph.

 

My guess is that the “city” of Kourou will be your staging area. If you have time, do not miss the tours of the Guiana Space Center there. Fascinating. All three of the islands must be evacuated whenever there is a launch as the rockets fly directly above them. If you arrive on the day of a launch, you’ll be confined to Kourou and points south.

 

DO NOT DRINK THE WATER ON LAND! Only drink bottled water or beer and be sure that you open it yourself! All water there is rain water collected if absolutely filthy cisterns. Also it may be cheaper to buy water on the ship as a litre of bottled water in Kourou was about $8US.

 

Also don’t forget the mosquito spray. They aren’t too bad on the three islands, but voracious on the mainland.

 

A visit no one can ever forget. It will make you so happy that you live in the free world.

[cathi]

Thanks for that Ming. Bug spray is a must whereever we are. Them darn mosquitoes just love me!!! Also, I believe that this is a yellow fever port. Thank goodness we did the shot a few years ago. Got about 5 years before we have to do them again!

Now see a rocket launch would be terrific!! but I doubt we would see any as it is over the holidays.

Cathi

[Maryandi]

Several times a year Holland America ships go there. You might find more info over there. Check on cruises to the Amazon & Grand Voyage to South America. This is for the Devil Islands stop. And I believe it is a tender port, too.

 

Tobago & Virgin Gorda seem pretty much like beach days.

 

MaryAnn

[cathi]

Thanks I'll try the HAL boards and see if there is any more information but it would appear that Devil's Island is not a bustling metropolis. In fact this holiday cruise on the Royal Princess appears to be a really laid back beach bum cruise!!! Which is just fine with me - looking forward to kicking back and doing nothing.

Cathi