Should I do the Baths on my own?

Has anyone done this? The ferry schedule seems tight from Tortola. What say you?

Generally going on your own is much better but please provide the weekday and times you arrive and leave port.

Generally going on your own is much better but please provide the weekday and times you arrive and leave port.

Worth doing if you can make the time fit

Generally going on your own is much better but please provide the weekday and times you arrive and leave port.

Hi Blue, thursday 12/4/14 from 9-5 Pearl

THere are 2 ferry services with different schedules. It's a 30 min ride each way, and $30pp roundtrip. You can buy one-way tickets for $20pp (see option 3 below).

Option 1:

Speedy's departs Road Town 10:30 AM and departs Virgin Gorda 3:30 PM. So you have an hour or so free before leaving, and return at 4PM with plenty of time to spare. You'd have about 4.5 hrs on VG.

OPtion 2:

Smith's departs RT at 10 AM and departs VG at 2:15 PM or 4 PM. SO the 10 AM departure is better, but the 4 PM return is risky, especially if there's a delay. The ferries are very reliable, but it's not a good idea to cut it that close. So with the 2:15 return you'd have about 4.25 hrs on VG.

Option 3:

Take the 10 AM Smith's ferry over and the Speedy's 3:30 PM back to maximize your time there, giving you about 5.5 hrs on VG. But you have to buy one-way tickets and it's $10 more pp.

Going on your own gives you a little more flexibility when you arrive on VG, and we like to hook up with a driver to return for us to head over to the Mine Shaft Cafe (see other threads).

Going with the ship excursion is OK too, but it can get pretty crowded when the group arrives at the Baths. If time allows you may want to have a driver give you a mini-tour of the Valley area including Savannah Bay and drop you at Spring Bay which has a similar topography and is a short walk from the Top of the Baths. Perhaps by then the Baths will have cleared out a bit...

Hi Blue, thanks for the tips. I do like that option 3. I couldn't find that ferry schedule when I was looking earlier, How do I find that? Where is the ferry terminal located? Near the ship pier? I Want to explore the baths and enjoy anything I should there so, your suggestions are much appreciated. There is a snack bar there, correct?

The ferry is a short walk to the left, you can ask at the pier for directions.

bviferries.com

bviferryservices.com

There's a good restaurant at the Top of the Baths, and a small shack on the beach with beer, snacks, & lockers.

We are only going to be in port from 7-1. Is it better to go with a ship excursion for such a short time, or is doing it on our own still a good option? Or is that even a enough time at all and should we do a different excursion all together?

what day? The ferry schedule may work well for a self excursion or the ship option may be the best option.

It will be on Sunday (in January, if that makes a difference).

It will be on Sunday (in January, if that makes a difference).

Definitely does. Unfortunately the ferry schedules on Sunday don't work for your time in port. I'd consider going to Brewers Bay or for a livelier vibe Cane Garden Bay, both nice beaches.

Definitely does. Unfortunately the ferry schedules on Sunday don't work for your time in port. I'd consider going to Brewers Bay or for a livelier vibe Cane Garden Bay, both nice beaches.

I din't think there's a "special" ferry to VG for the cruise line but check that out. Sunday is just a tough day for the normal ferry schedule with a short day in port.

If not an option, one of the Tortola beaches mentioned is a good option, or if not interested in a beach drivers at the pier offer great island tours at very reasonable group prices.

Hey Blue, I ended up booking the excursion. After looking at the cost of the ferry and the timing, the excursion does work well for me. Shore ex told me we get back to the ship around 1:30, so that will leave me a couple hours to explore Tortola. Thoughts on how I should spend that?

You can take a 1 hr island tour if you want to see some of the beauty of Tortola. There are some shops near the port and Pusser's Pub is a fun spot if you'd rather relax there.

I am up for both! Pussers pub sounds fun, how would I do the Island tour?

Taxi drivers are parked near the dock and offer different tours at very reasonable group rates, check there. You will pay more for a private tour, but even later in the day there should be drivers looking for folks wanting a tour before leaving.

Thank you! I will try it. Anything I should see in particular. This may be my last cruise to the carib till 2016.

The highlights are seeing the bays and other islands from the mountain tops, you'll stop for a photo op or 2, and if time stop in CGB to see the distillery or have a quick bite at Tony's. Just a nice way to see Tortola, and between that and your time on VG maybe just enough to lure you back for a land vacation in 2016!

blue_water, you seem to know a lot so I would love your advice. It's our first time cruising, first time to BVI. Stopping in Tortola from 8am-4pm on Tuesday Feb. 10, and we would prefer to explore The Baths on our own--not be tied to a shore excursion group. What would you recommend?

With 8 hrs in port you can experience the Baths, and going on your own is the best way, at least in our opinion. You'd get off the ship as soon as possible and walk to the ferry and take the first one out. With luck you'll beat the larger group, but even if you don't you have more flexibility not being tied to the group.

Note that there are 2 ferry companies, Speedy's and Smith's. You can buy roundtrip tickets from either company for $30pp, but if you take one ferry over and the other back (to get more time on Virgin Gorda) you'll pay $20pp each way, or $10 more pp.

For example, Speedy's has a 9AM ferry that you will want to take over, no question.

For the return, you have 2 safe options:

1) Speedy's leaves VG at 12:40PM giving you 3 hrs on VG.

2) But if you take the Smith's return at 2:15 you'll have 4.5 hrs on VG. So for another $10pp you get another 1.5 hrs.

We like to hit either the bath & Turtle in Spanishtown for a drink or the Mineshaft Cafe which has an amazing view, and the more time we have the better. Taxi drivers will take you to different spots and the fares are very cheap. Just a thought!

blue_water, you seem to know a lot so I would love your advice. It's our first time cruising, first time to BVI. Stopping in Tortola from 8am-4pm on Tuesday Feb. 10, and we would prefer to explore The Baths on our own--not be tied to a shore excursion group. What would you recommend?

Don't mean to hijack your post, but sounds like you might be on the Pearl? as I am. I too have done a lot of research on going over to the Baths on my own - and blue water is a fantastic wealth of info- but I decided to go with the ships excursion because of the reconstruction of the cruise dock at Tortola and the probable tendering process. A friend of the family who has a home there advised me that it doesn't appear to be anywhere near completion. I almost never do a ship's excursion but changed my mind for this one due to possible delays tendering etc. I am following blue waters suggestions for St Thomas and going to Sapphire Beach by taxi. If you're on the Pearl, come on over to our roll call. Haven't been to the Caribbean for a loooong time and really looking forward to this trip.

nw you are absolutely welcome and I think correct in your analysis. If the dock is not available the 9AM ferry may not be achievable and that would certainly change the plans. Thank you for bringing that up!

You will have to plan your day based on your ability to make the ferry

Hi everyone. Happy New Year!

How about getting in on a Monday, (Feb.9) at 12:30, having to be back on the ship by 6PM. I did check the ferry's and it looks like we can get about 3 hours at the Baths, if we take the last ferry coming back to Tortola. Is this a smart idea? If something happens to delay the ferry, or it has a break down, we have no back up. This is my only temptation to do the ships tour, which considerably adds to the cost of doing it by yourself.

So I guess my question, for those of you who seem to know, is it a good idea to do it all on your own if you want to see the Baths and are only in port for 5-6 hours.

As an alternative, are their tours available on the pier, last minute. I know the possiblity of missing the ship still exist if there is a problem with the ferries, but they know where to go, what to do, most likely at a more reasonable cost, and I wonder if that is a feasible option.

Appreciate any insight!