Advice needed: Must Sees on Eastern Caribbean Ports

[CanWeGoYet?]

In the early planning stages for our next cruise, 1st time to Eastern Caribbean. We are stopping at Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, San Juan PR, and Grand Turk.

 

More interested in historical sites / local culture than snorkeling. Any hints on what should not be missed or what do avoid?

[cb at sea]

I have no interest in the historical significance of any of the Caribbean ports....I like the beaches!

HMC is a "private" beach...nothing "historical" there. SJ has a couple of forts...interesting, if you're into that, and Old San Juan is quite picturesque....

You should probably go to the library and check out a good guidebook on your ports...then you'll have all the info you need to get the most from your trip! Libraries are free, but you can buy guidebooks at any bookstore!

[CanWeGoYet?]

Definitely plan on just enjoying the beach at HMC. Considering a cabana but only if I can find a couple other to join in & split costs. Thanks for the input CB at sea.

[olemissreb]

If you are in to historical things, then a Segway tour of Old San Juan may be for you. I was looking into this, but my youngest child will not weigh enough to participate (90 pound minimum weight limit). The tour includes El Morro and San Cristobal if I remember right. I can't remember the website - check out the San Juan board here on CC. You can also tour the Bacardi Rum factory also. They make really good (and strong) drinks at the end of the tour! There are some historical aspects to the tour that you might find interesting - personally I just liked the drinks! ;):D

 

I've also thought about the zipline tours in El Yunque rainforest and there is another one in Guaynabo. Still researching those, so I'm sorry I can't be of more help.

 

As for St. Thomas, I always liked the shopping. I've read here on CC that the storekeepers have sometimes gotten pretty agressive in trying to get you to shop in their store. I didn't experience that 4 years ago, but that doesn't mean things haven't changed. The first time DH and I were in St. Thomas we took a tour of the island thru the cruiseline - saw Megan's Bay, Blackbeards something or other (hey it's been 18 years since I took this tour!). The last 2 times we were there, we just shopped. This next cruise, we are thinking of taking the ferry over to St. John (we may opt for a tour thru the cruiseline and hope they don't cancel on us like they did on our last cruise - different line than the next cruise). Again - check out the St. Thomas board here on CC - you may get some other ideas.

 

Have a great cruise! The Eastern was our first cruise and I'm thinking we may need to do it again!

[fann1sh]

Old San Juan, whether by Segway or not, is the place for you!

 

You can do self-guided walking tours of the old city's many historic buildings, along with fortress El Morro. I like having a guide much better. I've booked through my ship, something I don't often do. For non-ship tours, Legends of PR dot com offers both day trips, and evening ones. Their Night Tales in Old San Juan used to be recommended on the CC San Juan port page, but that reference has been deleted.

 

Sadly, San Juan stops are usually brief. I've been told that's so the ship pays only half day port fees (no idea if that's true). But, check your times in port very carefully before booking. Some ships arrive so late in the afternoon, it makes it difficult or impossible to visit El Morro before closing at 6 p.m.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Thanks so much oldmissreb and fann1sh, old San Juan sounds beautiful. Do they stop by the bacardi factory on the segway tour? I'm hoping I won't drive myself into a wall afterwards! :p Maybe simply walking is safer!

 

The port day is from 7 to 3pm, short but at least we are there early in the day. I am really looking forward to all of these ports. I've wanted to see St. Thomas since the 80s when the soap I was watching (another world) had Rachel honeymooning with Mitch there. Thanks for the heads up on the aggressive shop owners. After being pulled into what must have been hands down the worst restaurant in Victoria BC that way - if someone tries to pull me into their business I head the other direction. :)

[dfb]

For your expressed interests, I agree that San Juan will best fit the bill. The Bacardi Factory is across the bay from Old San Juan and the tour there is not terribly interesting since it is not an actual factory tour. Given your short day, you might want to save it for another day. Focus on Old San Juan and the forts! Below are some links to our time in the ports, you can click on newer links at the bottom of each entry to page forward. Debbie

San Juan

http://rsscdiamondsanjuanrt22005.blogspot.com/2005/02/good-start.html

http://rsscdiamondsanjuanrt22005.blogspot.com/2005/02/leave-diamond-and-last-day-in-san-juan.html

http://circle-south-america-2008-aboard.blogspot.com/2008/03/day-58-march-1-2008-san-juan-puerto.html

St. Thomas

http://rsscdiamondsanjuanrt22005.blogspot.com/2005/02/st-thomas-morning.html

Grand Turk

http://circle-south-america-2008-aboard.blogspot.com/2008/03/day-59-february-2-2008-grand-turk-turks.html

[vatr1]

Hello, We just got back on the 4th from St. Thomas and San Juan on the Explorer of the Seas. San Juan has two old forts San Cristobol and Del Moro. Both have very good tours or you can walk through on your own. The tickets to get in is $3 per person for each fort or you can buy a combined ticket for $5 per person. There is a trolly just across from the ship ports that are free that will take you to both forts and through old San Juan. You can get off and on the trolley as often as you like. If it is going to be hot when you cruise you may want to try the Segway tour. This was about $100 each, but looked like fun.

 

StThomas has Blackbeard's Castle in Charlotte Amalie which is a good stop. The majority of our time in St Thomas is spent at Megan's Bay for the beach.

 

St. John offers Trunk Bay which is listed as one of the top 10 beaches in the world. A lot of post stated the beach was easy to get to without using the ship excursion, and it was, but the cost were very clost . Using RCCL the excursion would cost about $67 each, on our own it was $5o. On your own you have to take a taxi to Red Hook($10 pp each way), then take the ferry to Cruze Bay ($10 pp each way), then take a taxi to the beach ($6 pp each way), then pay $4 pp to get on the beach. Although this seams like a lot of hassle to save $17 pp, the ships excursion is for 1 hour of snorkeling and 1 hour of beach time. On your own you can stay as long as you can.

 

St Thomas is also good for liquor and cigar purchases. I made some very good deals at AH Rise downtown on The Glenlivet 21 year scotch for $65 per 750, and Fuentes OpusX cigars at $14 ea.

 

Hope this helps

[CanWeGoYet?]

Debbie thanks so much for posting links to your blogs, great info & pictures. I bet you had the time of your life on that cruise! Fort San Cristobal defnitely looks of interest. What is this about the roof dogs? I ask because my dog was a beach stray / rescued dog from Puerto Rico.

 

vatr1 thanks for the specific advice on how to tour those forts. It sounds like we could easily tour them on our own. Did you tour Blackbeard's Castle? If so, what did you think of it? I have seen pictures online, it doesn't look like much of a castle from the pictures I saw but maybe it is worthwhile.

[dfb]

What is this about the roof dogs? I ask because my dog was a beach stray / rescued dog from Puerto Rico.

 

I have no idea what that was about. Those dogs were up there alternately barking at people in the street and snoozing. I suppose it is because they didn't have a yard and they were using that roof in its place. For whatever reason, we saw a lot of dogs on roofs going around South America too. It just really struck us as very funny! Debbie

[CanWeGoYet?]

I have no idea what that was about. Those dogs were up there alternately barking at people in the street and snoozing. I suppose it is because they didn't have a yard and they were using that roof in its place. For whatever reason, we saw a lot of dogs on roofs going around South America too. It just really struck us as very funny! Debbie

 

I'll have to look for them. The people who ran the shelter I got my dog from said there is not even a dog pound in puerto rico. So many strays.