What do you like about St. Thomas

I'm having difficulty choosing an itinerary for our cruise next June, 2017, for our son's 21st birthday. We are a family of three and love the typical white sand, blue water beaches. Shopping is a plus and we love just being in a beautiful place! Here are my choices:

All leaving from San Juan...

Itinerary One: St. Thomas / Curacao / Aruba / St. Kitts

Itinerary Two: St. Maarten / St. Kitts / Antigua / St. Lucia / Barbados

Itinerary Three: Bonaire / Curacao / Aruba / St. Maarten

So what do you like about St. Thomas? What sets it apart from the options above, and which Itinerary would you choose?

Thanks for your opinion! :D

For us definitely option two - St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia, and Barbados. Flying into SJ gives you the opportunity to see these islands. St Thomas and St Maarten both offer the shopping and nice beaches, but you can visit these islands from any Florida port. But you do hit St Maarten and have the shopping there. Aruba has nice beaches and is nice for a day visit. But if taking the time to fly into SJU definitely look at option two and research those islands for beaches and other ideas.

On St Kitts an independent tour and a beach, Barbados definitely a beach or turtle snorkel, Antigua a private island tour with a beach stop with Lawrence of Antigua, or a nice day on the Excellence, a luxury two-tiered cat (See Antigua by Sea option through the ship), and St Lucia an ATV jungle tour followed by a cat sail. Many great options that include a nice beach.

And consider spending a few days on PR after your cruise and experience that!:)

I would go with option 2, too. Aruba and Curacao too much alike to be on same itinerary.

#2 Love St. Kitts and St. Maarten plus an additional port. Would also consider the ship and cost.

For us definitely option two - St Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia, and Barbados. Flying into SJ gives you the opportunity to see these islands. St Thomas and St Maarten both offer the shopping and nice beaches, but you can visit these islands from any Florida port. But you do hit St Maarten and have the shopping there. Aruba has nice beaches and is nice for a day visit. But if taking the time to fly into SJU definitely look at option two and research those islands for beaches and other ideas.

 

On St Kitts an independent tour and a beach, Barbados definitely a beach or turtle snorkel, Antigua a private island tour with a beach stop with Lawrence of Antigua, or a nice day on the Excellence, a luxury two-tiered cat (See Antigua by Sea option through the ship), and St Lucia an ATV jungle tour followed by a cat sail. Many great options that include a nice beach.

 

And consider spending a few days on PR after your cruise and experience that!:)

Thank you! Once we get the chance to look at airfare prices, if it works out to fly in the day before we will definitely be taking advantage of everything San Juan has to offer.

I would go with option 2, too. Aruba and Curacao too much alike to be on same itinerary.

That's what I've been seeing. However, I'm being told if I have to chance to go to Bonaire, to take it! Such a hard decision. Thanks for your input!

#2 Love St. Kitts and St. Maarten plus an additional port. Would also consider the ship and cost.

I've been looking at St. Kitts and struggling to find a good beach area. Timothy hill is on my list, but that won't take all day. Any suggestions for a beach that offers a bar, chairs, and umbrellas. I've heard of one beach club but it didn't look too appealing. I'm assuming St. Kitts does not have good beaches? Another factor that makes this a difficult decision is that as of now there is only a $100 difference between itinerary 2 and 3, both on RCIs Adventure of the Seas. Thanks for your input!

Bonaire is a limited opportunity port, but imo, you have to assume that you'll be taking other cruises, and look at itineraries to see which islands you can visit on future cruises.

How long is your ship in Bonaire? One itinerary I was looking at had a very short day, so I took that off consideration. I want a full day in port.

I'm having difficulty choosing an itinerary for our cruise next June, 2017, for our son's 21st birthday. We are a family of three and love the typical white sand, blue water beaches. Shopping is a plus and we love just being in a beautiful place! Here are my choices:

 

All leaving from San Juan...

 

Itinerary One: St. Thomas / Curacao / Aruba / St. Kitts

 

Itinerary Two: St. Maarten / St. Kitts / Antigua / St. Lucia / Barbados

 

Itinerary Three: Bonaire / Curacao / Aruba / St. Maarten

 

So what do you like about St. Thomas? What sets it apart from the options above, and which Itinerary would you choose?

 

 

Thanks for your opinion! :D

We did the "itinerary 2" you mentioned but out of Barbados in June ... I would do the same cruise, same ship without even thinking twice!

The beach we went to in St. Thomas was heaven on earth! It was so good! So quiet! So serene ... I really loved St. Thomas ...

Here's the St. Thomas part from my cruise review:

"St. Thomas > And, this was the destination I wanted to see the most and my reason to go on this cruise! They saved the best for the last. It’s like a little town in the Mediterranean, be it Italy, or Turkey, or France.. it’s like out of the movies … the cobblestone old streets with steep hills … and the most beautiful views from those street tops. It’s like the history is bursting out of each and every corner.

But as every other destination we have been to, our plan was to go to a beach. We chose the beach that was by the airport (I know! Please don’t think we’re crazy!). As per our cab driver it was called the Emerald Beach!… It was so beautiful, so peaceful it should have been called the Zen Beach.

We took the cab again from the port. Apparently, the cab prices are dictated by the government, so no negotiating was possible. And, it was a bit expensive for the drive (USD7 per person), perhaps for a no more than 10 minute ride. He also told us he’s been living there for the last 30+ years, and absolutely loving it. Also, he mentioned there are “only” 32 beaches in St. Thomas, and he doesn’t have one favorite one, as that changes as per his mood of the day.

After our beach morning, we took a cab from the beach area to the downtown area where I wanted to stay for at least a month or even forever ☺

In one of the little streets we found a cool place to sit down and have some drinks (Greengos Cantina)… It was nice, good food, refreshing drinks (more expensive than the ship!), and awesome ambiance"

We did the "itinerary 2" you mentioned but out of Barbados in June ... I would do the same cruise, same ship without even thinking twice!

 

The beach we went to in St. Thomas was heaven on earth! It was so good! So quiet! So serene ... I really loved St. Thomas ...

 

Here's the St. Thomas part from my cruise review:

 

"St. Thomas > And, this was the destination I wanted to see the most and my reason to go on this cruise! They saved the best for the last. It’s like a little town in the Mediterranean, be it Italy, or Turkey, or France.. it’s like out of the movies … the cobblestone old streets with steep hills … and the most beautiful views from those street tops. It’s like the history is bursting out of each and every corner.

 

But as every other destination we have been to, our plan was to go to a beach. We chose the beach that was by the airport (I know! Please don’t think we’re crazy!). As per our cab driver it was called the Emerald Beach!… It was so beautiful, so peaceful it should have been called the Zen Beach.

 

We took the cab again from the port. Apparently, the cab prices are dictated by the government, so no negotiating was possible. And, it was a bit expensive for the drive (USD7 per person), perhaps for a no more than 10 minute ride. He also told us he’s been living there for the last 30+ years, and absolutely loving it. Also, he mentioned there are “only” 32 beaches in St. Thomas, and he doesn’t have one favorite one, as that changes as per his mood of the day.

 

After our beach morning, we took a cab from the beach area to the downtown area where I wanted to stay for at least a month or even forever ☺

 

In one of the little streets we found a cool place to sit down and have some drinks (Greengos Cantina)… It was nice, good food, refreshing drinks (more expensive than the ship!), and awesome ambiance"

I just saw Antigua in itinerary 2 ... hmmm... my mistake .. instead ours had St. Thomas :D