Sandcastle or Rainbow: which one do you prefer?

Hi after reading many reviews on this topic Rainbow beach looks best. Loungers newer, umbrellas available (I think) but it's not very big. Sandcastle seems to be closer (20 min walk really?) but is maybe not as "nice" according to OP.

Do you agree? We've never been to St Croix, prefer to stroll boardwalk to Beach if it's easy for in laws. Have I correctly summarized the advantages of one over the other In my conclusion "Rainbow is a better choice even though it's small"? Thanks much for letting me know what you think. Cheers

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I don't have the answer for you, but from what I have read I think you have summed up correctly. Our plan is to walk to rainbow after we do Cruzan rum tour and then walk back to ship. I would love to hear a response. We will be there two weeks from Sunday if you are going after that, I will let you know when we return.

darbs7 - I would be very interested to hear what you did there. We will be there on a Sunday in September and would love to know what is open, etc.

I haven't been to either, so this may not be worth much. But others in our roll call went to Rainbow and said it was small and very crowded. I mentioned this in my Trip Review, and someone posted back and said that Sandcastle is bigger and doesn't have that problem. If you go to Rainbow, might want to get there earlier in the day.

darbs7 - I would be very interested to hear what you did there. We will be there on a Sunday in September and would love to know what is open, etc.

Ok I will report back, we sail Feb 15. Thank you for your response. Cheers

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I haven't been to either, so this may not be worth much. But others in our roll call went to Rainbow and said it was small and very crowded. I mentioned this in my Trip Review, and someone posted back and said that Sandcastle is bigger and doesn't have that problem. If you go to Rainbow, might want to get there earlier in the day.

Thanks Carol, I remember seeing that comment in your review. Great review incidentally, really enjoyed reading it. We will be early arrivals at the beach, we're morning people so maybe it'll be ok. Cheers

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Thanks Carol, I remember seeing that comment in your review. Great review incidentally, really enjoyed reading it. We will be early arrivals at the beach, we're morning people so maybe it'll be ok. Cheers

 

 

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Aw..thanks! We're morning people too. We usually get there and have the pick of chairs and they are just cleaning the beach and setting up.

I've been to Sandcastle on my last trip to St. Croix. We took a shuttle which was $6 round trip. We rented chairs and an umbrella. I think it was about $25. We're going back to St. Croix in March and will be going to Rainbow beach. We've heard it has a better beach bar that often has entertainment. The food and bar was geared towards guests of the resort at Sandcastle. We went early and got a great spot. It really fills up later in the AM so whichever one you go to I'd try to go early.

Thank you for all the replies, I've now completely changed my mind (again) and reserved a spot for 4 at Sandcastle on the beach. The images that I found on Tripadvisor sold me on Sandcastle over Rainbow, more beach. :)

Cheers

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We're just off the Celebrity Summit and bought the day pass to Sandcastle on the Beach for $25 which included 2 chairs - an umbrella and 2 rum punches. We got there fairly early - I would say 9:30-10:00 and there were others there but not crowded by any means so we had a front row view of the ocean. When we left between 1:00 and 2:00 - there were several rows of beach chairs behind us. We had a good time looking for sea glass - there was a lot but mostly green......the drinks were good - we didn't eat there but the food smelled good. It was very enjoyable and would book it again. Someone above mentioned a 20 minute walk - maybe it's that close but it didn't seem that way when riding in the taxi. It was $6/person round trip but be aware that we arranged for the taxi to pick us up at an appointed time but they never showed back up so we grabbed another taxi that was dropping people off. I'm sure they would have called a taxi for us if we would have needed so didn't feel like we were stranded but if you pay the $6 up front for the return - be sure to get a receipt so you don't have to pay again if you end up with a different driver.

Does Sandcastle have a pool and can cruise guest use it?

Pay It Forward. Be kind.

Does Sandcastle have a pool and can cruise guest use it?

 

 

Pay It Forward. Be kind.

Per their website, yes.

Located ½ mile from the town of Frederiksted and the cruise ship pier, situated on a stretch of white sandy beach, you will find crystal clear, turquoise-emerald green water to

swim, snorkel, scuba-dive or simply relax…

Reserve early for umbrellas, lounge chairs, use of the hotel's facilities, pools and enjoy the convenience of the on-site beach front restaurant with delicious food, tropical and local drinks.

Lunch served on the beach, at the pool or in the Beach Side Café!

$5 Per Person

The Day Pass Includes:

Hotel Facilities Located On The Best Swimming Beach On St. Croix

Outdoor Shower

1 Lounge Chair Per Person

Restrooms

Restaurant & Bar on Premises

Fresh Water Sea Side Pool

Umbrellas are Available for $10 Each with purchase of 2 Beach Passes

** Special Beach Package **

2 Lounge Chairs, 1 Umbrella & 2 Rum Punch for $25

Can the beach package at Sandcastle be booked in advance? If so, how is that done?

I am hoping for a speedy reply as we leave tomorrow :D

Can the beach package at Sandcastle be booked in advance? If so, how is that done?

 

I am hoping for a speedy reply as we leave tomorrow :D

you can check their website but they did respond to me and said this:

Thanks for your inquiry to Sand Castle on the Beach, you can purchase this package upon arrival.

Irma

Staff

I would just go to Sand Castle and purchase it that day. Especially with such short notice.

Thanks so much!:cool:

hi please don't think im being rude- but we would love to go to sand castle beach- my only concern is that It is known as a resort for the gay community. now, please understand, I have nothing against that, I was just worried if its too obvious- my mother is in her 80s and will be with her and she clearly doesnt understand about the other community. I guess what im asking is is it very obvious- please I mean no offense for this question

We were there last year, and enjoyed it. Just don't tell your mother-in-law and I really don't think she will know. It was discreet, everyone very nice, having fun, laughing and singing. the bathrooms were very clean and well kept. The food and drinks were good. They have a small pool you can use also. This is not a big time resort, is locally owned and managed and is a little retro, just right for my wife and I, we'll be there again next week.

Thank you for the reply- sounds like a great place and sounds like I was worried for no good reason- thank you :)

Hi everyone, we had a wonderful day at Sandcastle and have some lovely photos of us frolicking in the waves with the Celebrity Summit sitting far off in the horizon. It wasn't overly busy the day we were there but we wished we had arrived earlier because our chairs were located on the far end of the property. The Inn is really lovely, dining area had unique decks with a wide range of guests. We saw other cruisers, clergymen and A variety of Inn guests enjoying their menu. It looked really inviting and was quite separate from the cruiseship crowd. Very friendly staff that extended a warm welcome and the compulsory bracelet for us to wear upon arrival. The pool is small, though some guests seemed to enjoy sitting around it. The beach is really great, hard in places due to coral so we chose our entry into the water carefully. It is very large and long with beautiful vistas of the ship way off in the horizon. My husband is an avid sea glass collector and I enjoyed watching him and my in laws stroll the beach sifting through the sand for hours. It was a great day and we were very happy with our choice. Getting there was very easy with bus taxi service available as soon as you enter the port (inside the gate).

Hi everyone, we had a wonderful day at Sandcastle and have some lovely photos of us frolicking in the waves with the Celebrity Summit sitting far off in the horizon. It wasn't overly busy the day we were there but we wished we had arrived earlier because our chairs were located on the far end of the property. The Inn is really lovely, dining area had unique decks with a wide range of guests. We saw other cruisers, clergymen and A variety of Inn guests enjoying their menu. It looked really inviting and was quite separate from the cruiseship crowd. Very friendly staff that extended a warm welcome and the compulsory bracelet for us to wear upon arrival. The pool is small, though some guests seemed to enjoy sitting around it. The beach is really great, hard in places due to coral so we chose our entry into the water carefully. It is very large and long with beautiful vistas of the ship way off in the horizon. My husband is an avid sea glass collector and I enjoyed watching him and my in laws stroll the beach sifting through the sand for hours. It was a great day and we were very happy with our choice. Getting there was very easy with bus taxi service available as soon as you enter the port (inside the gate).

Thank you so much for your review. You have confirmed our choice. Do you recall what the cost of the taxi was? Did you reserve via e-mail?

Thank you so much for your review. You have confirmed our choice. Do you recall what the cost of the taxi was? Did you reserve via e-mail?

Yes we reserved by email though it wasn't necessary for the Sunday we were there. The taxi was $6 round trip I think. It wasn't recommended to walk due to crime ? and / or some rocky outcrops that would've been difficult to traverse for our parents. Enjoy your day in St Croix, we thought it was a perfect first day choice for our cruise.

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Awesome info, thanks

We loved our day at Sandcastle, it was such a relaxing and perfect day. The beach is beautiful, sea glass hunting is very good, the water is fairly calm and we really enjoyed ourselves. We walked both ways, and it took about 20 minutes or less, much was shaded. :)

We really enjoyed our day at Sandcastle in March 2014. I finally got around to blogging about the details of our stop on St. Croix. Most of the cruisers were heading to Rainbow which cemented our decision to go to Sandcastle and we were not disappointed. It was very quiet and not crowded at all, which is what we were looking for. I would definitely recommend it for a quiet and relaxing day with water that is so crystal clear, you can see right to the sand.

Hi everyone, we had a wonderful day at Sandcastle and have some lovely photos of us frolicking in the waves with the Celebrity Summit sitting far off in the horizon. It wasn't overly busy the day we were there but we wished we had arrived earlier because our chairs were located on the far end of the property. The Inn is really lovely, dining area had unique decks with a wide range of guests. We saw other cruisers, clergymen and A variety of Inn guests enjoying their menu. It looked really inviting and was quite separate from the cruiseship crowd. Very friendly staff that extended a warm welcome and the compulsory bracelet for us to wear upon arrival. The pool is small, though some guests seemed to enjoy sitting around it. The beach is really great, hard in places due to coral so we chose our entry into the water carefully. It is very large and long with beautiful vistas of the ship way off in the horizon. My husband is an avid sea glass collector and I enjoyed watching him and my in laws stroll the beach sifting through the sand for hours. It was a great day and we were very happy with our choice. Getting there was very easy with bus taxi service available as soon as you enter the port (inside the gate).

Thanks for the review of your visit to Sandcastle. Are the taxis and the Inn mobility friendly? I use a mobility scooter, and can ride to the beach, if the roads are wideand safe or there is a sidewalk along the route, otherwise I will require a taxi that can accomade my scooter. It does come apart and can fit in the trunk of a standard size vehicle.

Any advise on either Sandcastle or Rainbow beaches, as to mobility friendly,

would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.