Island Tour or Beach?

My husband and I were just in Antigua last month, and we spent a lovely day at the Coconut Beach Club. We'll be returning to Antigua next year and I'm thinking we should do an island tour and see the country on that visit.

What do you all think? Are there enough worthwhile sites in Antigua to warrant an island tour? Or should we head to one of the other 364 beaches? :confused:

Most non ship island tours end with some beach time so you can do both. Antigua is a beautiful island. We used Lawrence of Antigua a few years ago and he was great.

Most non ship island tours end with some beach time so you can do both. Antigua is a beautiful island. We used Lawrence of Antigua a few years ago and he was great.

Basically that is what I was going to say. Why not do both? We are booked with Lawrence of Antigua next month for a tour and he offers optional beach time after the 3 hour tour. We are planning to play it by ear and see how we feel and what the weather is like that day before we decide if we want to go to the beach that day or return to the ship for some hot tub time.

I've been looking into doing that, thanks. Sean, at Antigua V.I.P. Tours, has been wonderful to correspond with but his price is a little high.

Sunny, please let me know how your tour with Lawrence goes. We talked so much about Clay Villa on the St Kitts board, I feel like I know you! :D

I've been looking into doing that, thanks. Sean, at Antigua V.I.P. Tours, has been wonderful to correspond with but his price is a little high.

 

Sunny, please let me know how your tour with Lawrence goes. We talked so much about Clay Villa on the St Kitts board, I feel like I know you! :D

Yes, I will. When are you cruising to Antigua? I know what you mean. I saw your screen name and I had to click back to see what you had to say!:D

Yes, I will. When are you cruising to Antigua? I know what you mean. I saw your screen name and I had to click back to see what you had to say!:D

We loved our 20 days in the Caribbean so much that we booked pretty much the exact same itinerary on a different Princess ship! We'll be back in Antigua early next March. I am a ridiculously early planner! :eek: :)

We loved our 20 days in the Caribbean so much that we booked pretty much the exact same itinerary on a different Princess ship! We'll be back in Antigua early next March. I am a ridiculously early planner! :eek: :)

That is why we talk so much. I am the same way.:D (I am making myself stay away from the California Coastal forum for our Oct 2015 cruise there until I finish this one, LOL)

That is why we talk so much. I am the same way.:D (I am making myself stay away from the California Coastal forum for our Oct 2015 cruise there until I finish this one, LOL)

I can only imagine how crazed I would be if I had TWO cruises to plan for! I would never get off the computer! :o

Off topic, but I hope you love Philip and Clay Villa as much as we did. We were so lucky to be a group of just 4, so we really felt like we got to know him and to really appreciate his completely different home. :cool:

I can only imagine how crazed I would be if I had TWO cruises to plan for! I would never get off the computer! :o

 

Off topic, but I hope you love Philip and Clay Villa as much as we did. We were so lucky to be a group of just 4, so we really felt like we got to know him and to really appreciate his completely different home. :cool:

Oh, if you count this B2B coming up I have 4!:) But when we go on the Oasis in May '15 it is Western with just beach days planned. This one has much more touring, so a little more planning involved. Of course, i love planning.:cool:

We have a group of 13 for Clay Villa, but we're all good friends. So, I know it will be a good day after reading your review.:)

Have a fabulous time and remember to report back about Lawrence and whatever beach you end up at (if you do) in Antigua! :)

I was wondering if anyone toured with Lawrence of Antigua? I checked out the website but not super informative...what is the cost?

Thanks,

Steph

OK, so how do reach Lawrence fo info?

I'm the OP of this thread. We decided to go with Voyages Antigua for our tour next March. They have been wonderful to deal with and I now have a group of 10 from our Roll Call.

Would highly recommend a private tour with Lawrence of Antigua. Excellent day and he is a very courteous and professional guide. Many great sights including Shirley Heights, Nelson's Dockyard, the rainforest and others. You can add a beach/lunch stop, we enjoyed Pigeon Beach.

Another great day is on the Excellence, a beautiful 2-tiered cat that goes to Green Island then tours the beautiful Antigua coast. Wonderful day that. Usually listed as See Antigua by Sea.

Canadarocks - would you mind briefly describing the sort of facilities etc you enjoyed at the Coconut Beach Club, if you booked in advance, and roughly how much? We're back in Antigua on a cruise in November and think we can do without a tour or renting a car this time. Thanks!

Canadarocks - would you mind briefly describing the sort of facilities etc you enjoyed at the Coconut Beach Club, if you booked in advance, and roughly how much? We're back in Antigua on a cruise in November and think we can do without a tour or renting a car this time. Thanks!

It was $50 per person and I reserved ahead of time, but I'm not sure you have to. I think there was a group that arrived from our ship that had not. There was a beautiful infinity pool that we enjoyed, plus beach loungers that were like beds. Down on the beach were the regular chairs with umbrellas as well. Lovely sandy beach, no watershoes necessary. Drinks and a great buffet lunch were included as well. Free Wifi too. I would very much recommend it for a relaxing day!:cool:

It was $50 per person and I reserved ahead of time, but I'm not sure you have to. I think there was a group that arrived from our ship that had not. There was a beautiful infinity pool that we enjoyed, plus beach loungers that were like beds. Down on the beach were the regular chairs with umbrellas as well. Lovely sandy beach, no watershoes necessary. Drinks and a great buffet lunch were included as well. Free Wifi too. I would very much recommend it for a relaxing day!:cool:

That sounds just the ticket. Thanks a bunch.

Wonder which would be good for our 1st visit?

we'll have our kids with us-ages 15, 12 and 7!

Would highly recommend a private tour with Lawrence of Antigua. Excellent day and he is a very courteous and professional guide. Many great sights including Shirley Heights, Nelson's Dockyard, the rainforest and others. You can add a beach/lunch stop, we enjoyed Pigeon Beach.

 

Another great day is on the Excellence, a beautiful 2-tiered cat that goes to Green Island then tours the beautiful Antigua coast. Wonderful day that. Usually listed as See Antigua by Sea.

Snorkel, I don't know if you are on an RCCL, Jewel of the Sea cruise but just a heads up if you are....... Also another good deal is actually through the ship excursions (usually we don't like to take ship excursions, more $$$) it is in Antigua, its called See Antigua by Sea for $97pp, it is a circumnavigation tour around the island. I had been searching for this on another website for $110pp and emailed the company and they told me that it was the same one offered by our cruise excursion and to just book through RCCL to get the better deal. I thanked them for their honesty. The another website that I inquired on for a highspeed circumnavigation around the island was $170pp. So I'm going to book the ship excursion for $97.

Snorkel, I don't know if you are on an RCCL, Jewel of the Sea cruise but just a heads up if you are....... Also another good deal is actually through the ship excursions (usually we don't like to take ship excursions, more $$$) it is in Antigua, its called See Antigua by Sea for $97pp, it is a circumnavigation tour around the island. I had been searching for this on another website for $110pp and emailed the company and they told me that it was the same one offered by our cruise excursion and to just book through RCCL to get the better deal. I thanked them for their honesty. The another website that I inquired on for a highspeed circumnavigation around the island was $170pp. So I'm going to book the ship excursion for $97.

This is the Excellence cat I mentioned above, you go around the island after visiting Green Island, great coastal tour and blue, blue, water

Hi (just noticed I have posted as a reply rather than a new topic so posted again as a new topic)

Just planning our days in the Caribbean for when we leave on P&O Oceana on 2nd January 2015.

Basically we want beaches and nothing else :-)

I think I have narrowed it down to Dickinson Beach on Antigua.

There will be 4 of us using a taxi (around $10 ?) rather than £100 for the P&O trip.

Any current advice on using the taxis? (Or not using ??)

Any advice on Dickenson Beach?

TIA

J