Barbados or Dominica?

[newcruiser30]

I have also posted in the respective ports-of-call forums...We are looking at a December '09 cruise to the Southern Caribbean on AOS, with RCI. One itinerary includes Barbados, one includes Dominica. For those that have visited both, which do you think is better? Which island did you like more and why? We love lush tropical scenary, hiking, wildlife and beaches. Thanks for your opinions!

[thinfool]

One itinerary includes Barbados, one includes Dominica. For those that have visited both, which do you think is better? Which island did you like more and why? We love lush tropical scenary, hiking, wildlife

Dominica....It is a UN World Heritage site for rainforests, etc

and beaches

Barbados has very nice beaches whereas Dominica tends to be rocky and rather rugged.

[paul929207]

I agree with Thinfool. the scenery and wildlife are better on Dominca, but Barbados has nicer beaches and I think was generally cleaner.

[ab0si]

Dominica is geologically young (the most recently formed island in the Lesser Antilles and still boiling away). It is my favorite island in the area. Lovely nature treks, good diving, not overrun by hordes of tourists (only by semi-hordes .. hordettes?)

 

I certainly do agree with the prior posts that if your interest is beaches, Barbados is a much better choice.

[mszula]

Dominica is amazing. Tourism is fairly new there.....no huge hotels and you can see real life in Caribbean, not just a tourist version.

If you can do the river tubing. One of the best experiences of my life. I LOVE Dominica and it's people.

[mr green]

Dominica has better scenery, BUT, it does not have the Harrison caves, as in Barbados, where you see the stalagmites in the caves from a small electric train.

Its a tough choice.

 

john

[neverpar]

Dominica may not have the Harrison caves, but it does have Trafaglar Falls! What a beautiful site!!

[Tabatha307]

Never been to Barbados but were in Dominica Febuary last year on a Southern Caribbean trip. Did the mountain bike trek with a stop to swim in the river whilst it poured with rain! Fantastic! This was my favourite island, the vegetation is amazing and our guides were the friendliest, most helpful guys. One was a keen supporter of Arsenal (UK)football team complete with Fabrigas Shirt!

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would choose Dominica over Barbados.

For one thing only a couple of ships at the most can dock there.

So besides being lush and green, Dominica is also less crowded.

[cruiseapril]

As others have said, Dominica for lush wilderness and Barbados for beaches.

 

Dominica is quite undeveloped with vast tracts of Rain Forest. The roads are narrow and winding. Do lots of research before signing up for excursions.

[ab0si]

Never been to Barbados but were in Dominica Febuary last year on a Southern Caribbean trip. Did the mountain bike trek with a stop to swim in the river whilst it poured with rain! Fantastic! This was my favourite island, the vegetation is amazing and our guides were the friendliest, most helpful guys. One was a keen supporter of Arsenal (UK)football team complete with Fabrigas Shirt!

 

I am doing this only because it is a first for me: An American correcting a Brit on football... I can't resist. It is Fabregas, e not i, methinks.

[bluesea777]

DOMINICA !!!

 

I had a look at the itineraries ... perhaps you can visit beaches in other ports of call.

 

I have been to Barbados numerous times since the 1970's and have watched it become so commercialized with American eatery chains, dual lane highways, etc. I also visited Grenada twice in the 70's (as well as 3 times to St. Vincent but I have not been back since). Our Dec 2006 NCL Spirit cruise saw us in Barbados, Grenada and Dominica.

 

Grenada - wow!! it was like going back to old times (for me) - a little had changed but mostly it was like what I remembered back in 1975-6 - little towns, roads, St. Georges, market, stores. The only thing modern was the new shopping mall cum cruise ship terminal but we found it very nice and what the locals need to keep up with the times.

 

Dominica - another wow!! Typical Caribbean isle - lush, non-modern, fantastic places to visit and drive thru. They grow PLENTY of veg and fruits - exotic - and we had buffet lunch in a hotel resturant between 2 tours and it was superb and inexpensive. The locals there live very well - plenty of local fruits and veg plus all the seafood from the sea. The morning tour we took was the whale watching on boat - successful as we saw *several* whales! They have resident whales there.

 

I haven't been back to St. Vincent but would go on a cruise if it visits there (would be a tender port still).

 

I'm very sorry NCL has somewhat pulled both Grenada and Dominica out of their itineraries.

[preschool teacher]

i also vote for dominica.....we did the areil tram thru the rainforest.. it was awesome.. also snorkled in the champane reef.. not alot of sealife but the bubbles were cool.....much to see and so pretty....

[alcpa1]

I've been to both and if you want "lush" it's Dominica. You can get wet at the Falls and Sulphur Springs and if you want to have one foot in the Atlantic and the other in the Caribbean at the same time then venture from Sulphur Springs to the south promitory.

The best part of Barbados is the Atlantic coast and there are strong tidal issues and no swimming. The beaches are great along the Caribbean coast.

Take the Dominica itinerary. The citizens of Dominica truly appreciate your visit.

[Aplmac]

Nice to see the huge amount of Dominica nature fans

 

 

 

but how come none of you guys are posting those Dominica pics you took, on this thread

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=991087

- specially made for that purpose??

 

 

.

[newcruiser30]

Wow! Dominica sounds sensational and right up our alley! The less developed the better - my husband and I actually liked Jamaica becuase of that fact (and the tropical feel of it). You could actually expereince the culture of the Jamaicans. THANK YOU for all your responses so far! Any personally taken pics of Barbados/Dominica would be great!

[Tabatha307]

Maybe so, I stand corrected, but not being a football fan I really don't have a clue about who he is or whether he even still plays for the same team! I was too interested in the wild time we had on the trip!

[michmike]

Dominica definitely.. and check out the reports about a guide named Beno on the Dominica ports of call boards . He is top notch!

[Aplmac]

Any personally taken pics of Barbados/Dominica would be great!

The Cruisecritic PHOTO GALLERY has a ports-of-Call section.

 

http://pictures.cruisecritic.com/showgallery.php?cat=510

 

Try starting there.

You might also click on the link I provided, a few posts above?

 

 

.

[bluesea777]

I've been to both and if you want "lush" it's Dominica. You can get wet at the Falls and Sulphur Springs and if you want to have one foot in the Atlantic and the other in the Caribbean at the same time then venture from Sulphur Springs to the south promitory.

The best part of Barbados is the Atlantic coast and there are strong tidal issues and no swimming. The beaches are great along the Caribbean coast.

Take the Dominica itinerary. The citizens of Dominica truly appreciate your visit.

 

I think the Sulphur Springs is in St. Lucia.

 

St. Lucia is another great island to visit - better than Barbados.

[tiyana4]

I think the Sulphur Springs is in St. Lucia.

 

St. Lucia is another great island to visit - better than Barbados.

 

 

We have been to both islands and one will find Sulphur Springs in Dominica. The smoldering volcano and Twin Pitons are in St. Lucia. However, I do agree that St. Lucia is an equally beautiful Island and both are better than Barbados - hands down.

 

IMHO, Barbados was a bit overrated and very commercialized (much like Grand Cayman).

 

Here are some pics of Barbados: If you just want to do a beach day it's a great stop (provided it doesn't rain).

 

 

 

Pics of Dominica: Very tropical and so much to see (excursions were very inexpensive here as well)