Starboard Side 9- Toonjie's Mariner Farewell Cruise Review

[ken_nyc]

Thanks! Wow that sounds great getting to drive the boat! I just wished the ship spent more time in GC so we could of had around 3 hours at Rum Point and then come back for some shopping. How are your AOS cruise plans coming?

Trying to get my wife to discuss the excursions, at this point she is not interested. She wants to save money by hardly going on any. I told her that we have to take some kind of excursion, even if it is a tour of the island to see the sights. She doesn't think we will be able to swing it but I know we can. We are definitely going to do our own walking tour of OSJ after the resort and Cosol in St. Lucia. That is it for now...Toonjie, have any suggestions?

[toonjie]

Trying to get my wife to discuss the excursions, at this point she is not interested. She wants to save money by hardly going on any. I told her that we have to take some kind of excursion, even if it is a tour of the island to see the sights. She doesn't think we will be able to swing it but I know we can. We are definitely going to do our own walking tour of OSJ after the resort and Cosol in St. Lucia. That is it for now...Toonjie, have any suggestions?

 

I've heard the same complaint a lot! I just always say, how many times are we down in the Caribbean? We have to do some exploring! In Barbados, I would go out of the pier area and get a taxi, (they are cheaper out there), then go to Harrison's cave, Welchman's Gulley and Bathsheba and then to a beach for the remainder. St. Maarten, I would go to Orient Beach, then Marigot for lunch and shopping and over to Maho Beach to watch the big planes land in the afternoon or the zipline at Loterie farm, then end up with shopping in Phillipsburg. Does your cruise go to St. Thomas or St. Croix? If St. Croix, I haven't been there since I was a kid, so I can't help there, but I can give loads of suggestions if you are going to St. Thomas.

[ken_nyc]

I've heard the same complaint a lot! I just always say, how many times are we down in the Caribbean? We have to do some exploring! In Barbados, I would go out of the pier area and get a taxi, (they are cheaper out there), then go to Harrison's cave, Welchman's Gulley and Bathsheba and then to a beach for the remainder. St. Maarten, I would go to Orient Beach, then Marigot for lunch and shopping and over to Maho Beach to watch the big planes land in the afternoon or the zipline at Loterie farm, then end up with shopping in Phillipsburg. Does your cruise go to St. Thomas or St. Croix? If St. Croix, I haven't been there since I was a kid, so I can't help there, but I can give loads of suggestions if you are going to St. Thomas.

Hi Toonjie, We are going to Barbados, St. Croix, St. Lucia, St. Maartin and Antigua. Thanks for the suggestions. Every bit of help is appreciated!

[toonjie]

Hi Toonjie, We are going to Barbados, St. Croix, St. Lucia, St. Maartin and Antigua. Thanks for the suggestions. Every bit of help is appreciated!

 

In Antigua, I would recommend Eli's Eco or Extreme tours, see which one appeals to you more, (http://www.adventureantigua.com) or take a cab to Nelson's Dockyard, you'll get to see a little of the island that way and then hit a beach, Antigua is famous for them. Then, end the day shopping, the shopping is literally right in front of the ship, so you can stay until the very last minute.

See Coquishideaway's site http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com for some ideas on touring around Old San Juan and great restaurants. Cafe Amapola is a great place for lunch, it's the only terrace restaurant overlooking the ocean. http://www.cafeamapola.com. For dinner, try my favorite, The Parrot Club or Raices for unforgettable food. Did you get your hotel yet in San Juan?

[ken_nyc]

Thank you for the recommendations Toonjie! On Priceline I bid and won the Marriott San Juan Resort and Stellaris Casino for $125.00 for the night, with taxes $158.36.

[hcat]

Another great review--thanks for sharing!!! As soon as I saw you had posted I clicked right on! Hope the little one & wife can go with you next time!!!

[toonjie]

Thank you for the recommendations Toonjie! On Priceline I bid and won the Marriott San Juan Resort and Stellaris Casino for $125.00 for the night, with taxes $158.36.

 

Great! You will love the Marriott! That's a great price as well! Keep us posted on the plans.

 

Another great review--thanks for sharing!!! As soon as I saw you had posted I clicked right on! Hope the little one & wife can go with you next time!!!

 

Thanks! Yes, I was just telling DW today that I wished so much that she and Josiah had gone, it stinks when you can't share the memories. There were tons of small babies on this cruise that reminded me of Josiah, so from now on they are coming!

[MilliesMom]

Enjoyed your photos very much. Looking forward to sailing on the Mariner in April.

[MilliesMom]

Any chance you have additional photos of the ship that we can see?

[toonjie]

For those of you interested, here's a link to CC member Critterchick's pictures of the Mariner arriving in LA this morning:http://community.webshots.com/album/570173496telAoT

[ken_nyc]

I've heard the same complaint a lot! I just always say, how many times are we down in the Caribbean? We have to do some exploring! In Barbados, I would go out of the pier area and get a taxi, (they are cheaper out there), then go to Harrison's cave, Welchman's Gulley and Bathsheba and then to a beach for the remainder. St. Maarten, I would go to Orient Beach, then Marigot for lunch and shopping and over to Maho Beach to watch the big planes land in the afternoon or the zipline at Loterie farm, then end up with shopping in Phillipsburg. Does your cruise go to St. Thomas or St. Croix? If St. Croix, I haven't been there since I was a kid, so I can't help there, but I can give loads of suggestions if you are going to St. Thomas.

Hi Toonjie, in St. Maartin would you do those you recommended on your own our take a tour such as Bernard's Tour? If on your own how do you get from place to place? I will try and talk my DW & DD into Eli's Eco-Tour in Antigua. Still trying to figure out what to do St. Croix.

[toonjie]

Hi Toonjie, in St. Maartin would you do those you recommended on your own our take a tour such as Bernard's Tour? If on your own how do you get from place to place? I will try and talk my DW & DD into Eli's Eco-Tour in Antigua. Still trying to figure out what to do St. Croix.

 

Hi. People love Bernard's tours so that is an option, but St. Maarten is one of the easiest islands to get around on, there are rental car agencies right at the pier and there is basically one road that circles the entire island, it's super-easy to get around, so if you want to explore on your own, St. Maarten is a good place. Shopping is among the best in the Caribbean, so you will want to end up in Phillipsburg for some shopping before the ship leaves, shopping is around a 5 min. drive from the pier. I think you will love the eco-tour you get to see a lot of Antigua from the water and it is a very scenic day with good snorkeling and hiking options.

[ken_nyc]

Hi. People love Bernard's tours so that is an option, but St. Maarten is one of the easiest islands to get around on, there are rental car agencies right at the pier and there is basically one road that circles the entire island, it's super-easy to get around, so if you want to explore on your own, St. Maarten is a good place. Shopping is among the best in the Caribbean, so you will want to end up in Phillipsburg for some shopping before the ship leaves, shopping is around a 5 min. drive from the pier. I think you will love the eco-tour you get to see a lot of Antigua from the water and it is a very scenic day with good snorkeling and hiking options.

Thanks Toonjie! Just checked the Delta site and the airfare that I paid $304 from JFK to SJU is now $584...WOW, I cannot believe if it goes up $20 it will be almost double of what I paid.