First time to Tortola. What to do? Baths?

We will be going to Tortola for a stop on the Epic in November. Our stop is from 8-6pm. This will be the first time there, so I have no idea what there is to do here.

Anyone who knows me, you know I like the beach and water. "Sightseeing" does not thrill me. "Great places to eat"-not bothered either.

It will be my extended family on this cruise: Me, hubby, 8 year old daughter, 28 year old daughter, her bf, 8 year old grandson, 22 year old son and his gf. So a "semi-big" group going and not an easy task (read any of my reviews with this group and it gets hectic to get us all together and on time for anything :p)

I had no idea what to do...then remember several years ago I read a review on going to the baths that had some pictures and it looked fabulous. However, I don't remember any of the details.

So...tell me about the baths. Why does this place interest people? Snorkeling here or just the cave and rocks? How do you get there? Cost? Time involved? Any other details about it I should know.

Is this something that is best done with the cruise line or on our own? Everyone knows I do most things on our own, but new ports and "traveling" (especially with a group) sometimes stressed me out on our first visit.

If there are any reviews out there (and especially with pictures because I'm a picture person), then please share with me and give links.

Thanks in advance. :)

Hi mitsugirly- I feel like I should know you on a first name basis by now!;) You know I just post reports on TA and elsewhere but others here may share photos and reports with you...

If you look at YouTube videos and Google some of the BVI excursion sites you'll get a feel for the experience at the Baths. Definitely a visit I would recommend to anyone their first cruise in the BVI. You are also in port a nice long 10 hours and that is great as many on NCL are there just 6.

You want to go to the Baths on your own, no need to take the ship excursion, I assume it costs more, and you'll have the inevitable queue waiting on others departing the ship and getting a taxi on VG. Round trip ferry is $30pp, taxi to the Top of the Baths is $4pp and $4 back for a total of $38pp. You can buy a ferry/taxi pass through Speedy's for the same price. They also offer a pass with a sandwich and a drink at the Baths & Turtle in STown, I would recommend that if it interests you as you can shop Spanishtown or at least see it.

Speedy's has a ferry departing Road Town at 9AM, you can walk to the ferry terminal and make that no problem. You'll arrive at the Virgin Gorda Marina/ferry dock at Spanishtown and find taxis waiting. Taxi to the Top of the Baths is just 10 min, the driver will let you know when to expect him back. They have a return ferry leaving VG at 3:30PM which would give you 5.5 hrs to enjoy VG. The 5PM return would be pushing it with a 5:30 return to Road Town.

We've only gone to the Baths when staying on Tortola and on a day with no ships in port as it is obviously less crowded. One option if you are interested, you can walk to nearby Spring Bay from the taxi drop off at the Top of the Baths. SB has somewhat similar topography, is a much flatter walk if that is a concern, and will be much less crowded. Good snorkeling and a nice beach, but no amenities for day visitors (there are villas for rent there). You could then walk back to the Top of the Baths and walk down the path to the Baths. Or work with a driver to give you a mini tour of Savannah Bay, and drop you at the Baths. You may avoid most of the crowd that way. But just ask the driver for his recommendation, they are the experts. You can just maximize your enjoyment by monitoring the activity when you get there, that's all. Do note that although the natural paths down to the Baths are not difficult, it can be a challenge for someone mobility-impaired.

Having said all that (phew!:p), if you want a nice snorkeling beach with a beach bar and lounges for a more relaxing day right on Tortola, just hop a taxi heading to Brewers Bay. Nice beach and good snorkeling off to the left. Taxi is $8pp each way. Many of your fellow cruisers will stick around the port area because they don't research their options. Very unfortunate that, as Tortola is a gorgeous, lush island with beautiful beaches. Many will head to Cane Garden Bay which is home to several beach bars and so gets quite crowded. But even there you can walk to the east of Myett's and find a quieter spot.

Our favorite beach is Smuggler's Cove, one portapotty, and Nigel sells food and drinks, and a gorgeous less crowded beach. But your driver must return for you as taxis do not stop there. Finally, Long Bay (West End) is a nice, long picture postcard beach with food/drink/restrooms and is also rarely visited by day visitors.

Probably THE best snorkeling is on a daysail to the Indians, Norman Island, and that area. Aristocat, Kuralu, and Patouche are all top-notch outfits.

And if you want a nice beach with great beach bars, White Bay on Jost Van Dyke is it. The Soggy $ Bar, Ivan's, and Seddy's One Love Bar are all fun spots, and the Painkillers are infamous. Rebel Yell is an option through the ship, or you taxi 1/2 HR to the West End ferry and get dropped in Great Harbor by Foxy's and taxi to White Bay, cost is about $35pp.

Hope something interests you? Tortola is really a beautiful island if you don't want to manage a larger group going to the Baths, but you will get some great pics at the Baths too. Tough decision!

PHEW!

[EDIT] For the 8 yr olds ferry is $20 roundtrip to VG, taxi is 1/2 fare.

Sorry, to answer your questions on the Baths yes, exploring the grottos and making your way through the boulders and enjoying Devils Bay is the main thing, and with your time in port stopping at Spring or Savannah Bay or the Mineshaft Cafe is a bonus (the Mineshaft is a great spot for lunch with panoramic views and their signature drink, the Cave In). We've not snorkeled at the Baths but friends have out further and saw lots of fish. One friend swam around to Spring Bay and enjoyed the snorkeling there more. So there are better snorkel spots on VG and I'm sure you'll find reports on TA from folks who have stayed on VG if you look. But the Baths are an interesting day, especially for a group looking for a more active day than just a taxi to a beach. And I'm sure someone else can give you more on the snorkeling there.

Hi Misty. We went to Tortola last year and booked an excursion with someone that was recommended on CC. Unfortunately right now I can't think of his name and I'm not sure I would recommend him to be honest. We thought it would be like other cruises where a group of people booked with the company since he was mentioned several times on here but we were the only one's. He was drumming up business the whole time while people were getting off the ship and then he "sold" it to another couple. We were a little nervous if we would make it in their boat & back to the ship but we did. Met some nice people from the cruise and enjoyed the ride over there. We really enjoyed the Baths. As Bluewater suggested, Youtube videos really convinced us to do this. I will say we went in June and it was VERY crowded. If you decide to go, hopefully it's slower in November. We mainly explored the boulders, etc. Some of that can be difficult even for adults. There was a couple of swimming areas (one where boats pull up to, etc.) and one near a little food hut. I believe we paid maybe $25/30 pp for boat ride, transportation to the baths, etc. and I forget what we paid to enter the Baths. Water shoes (no flip flops) are best in my opinion. We shared a hamburger and one or two drinks and I think that ran around $12 or so. I am going to be making a cruise binder where I keep all these tidbits of information so I can remember next time!! It was a great, exhausting day.

I actually just booked a cruise that leaves in 10 days that goes back to Tortola and trying to research other possibilities. Good luck with your research. If we find something else that is exciting that we enjoy this time around, I'll let you know!

You can search the forum for tons of details on the Baths and other options. there are a coup e private operators I would not recommend in this case.

The paths to the beach (one is easier) are not that bad nor is the walk through the boulders IMHO but everyone is different and on a hot day it can be rigorous, you will need to help the 8 yr olds in some spots in the boulders. Ferry is $30pp roundtrip, taxi $8pp roundtrip unless you decide to make a couple of other stops. And as I mentioned Speedy's offer AI packages, or you can just go through the ship too. There's not a big advantage going on your own to the Baths over the cruise option except possibly the price (unless you make an effort to avoid the biggest crowd which you can do...)

But with a larger family it may not be the ticket. Brewers is a great option for Tortola, come back for a longer visit and enjoy the Baths with no ships in port! But search this forum and TA if you don't want to be surprised as much.

Following this thread, because I love it when locals (blue_water) are around to share their knowledge and experience.. We'll be in Tortola for the second time a year from September. Nothing like getting an early start. We visited the baths the last time and they're everything everyone says they are. Now ready to see more of Tortola.

Sandy thanks, once you spend time on Tortola you may get hooked as well and return for a longer visit! Tortola is a gorgeous island, and being situated so close to St Thomas it's easy to get to. And the close proximity of the other islands makes the BVI a sailing paradise. I actually wanted to buy a place there but we ended up in Mexico, our other favorite destination. ;) So I'll have to be satisfied with visiting Tortola every couple of years...:(

But I hope you are able to enjoy the beauty of Tortola this trip and maybe include a beach too. There are excellent and inexpensive island tours available at the dock, and the drivers are proud of their island and for good reason! ;)

 

Speedy's has a ferry departing Road Town at 9AM, you can walk to the ferry terminal and make that no problem. You'll arrive at the Virgin Gorda Marina/ferry dock at Spanishtown and find taxis waiting. Taxi to the Top of the Baths is just 10 min, the driver will let you know when to expect him back. They have a return ferry leaving VG at 3:30PM which would give you 5.5 hrs to enjoy VG. The 5PM return would be pushing it with a 5:30 return to Road Town.

 

 

[EDIT] For the 8 yr olds ferry is $20 roundtrip to VG, taxi is 1/2 fare.

Hi, @blue-water! Quick question - do you know how long the ferry ride is? I was trying to gauge time. Our cruise departs at 3:30 the day we're in Tortola, and wasn't sure if I'd be able to find the ferry schedule on-line. Just curious.

thanks!

Angie

Hi Angie,

Yes the ferry is ~30 min each way, and there are 2 ferry companies. If you google speedy's and smith's ferries you'll find their sites and schedules.

I Hated the Baths. We arranged for a private boat to take us and bring us back which you can do once off the ship and make your own schedule. It was not as beautiful as I imagined.The beach area is VERY small. The granite boulders looked like huge rocks, nothing special. The walk from one area to the other was frightening to me. I am claustrophobic and it was a near nightmare for me. Half way through a group came in the other direction so we stepped aside for them to use the rope to pull themselves up and over the slippery rock. After letting many go the area filled up from others coming in on our direction. I could not take it. I yelled for them to all get out of the way telling them I had to get out. I continued through and again the next beach, devils ...., was equally small. The walk to the roadway was about a 15 minute steep walk. The water in the rock areas were like rip currents. I was swimming through and got caught and tossed upside down. Luckily my DH saw me tumbling under the water and lifted me out. I am a strong swimmer and I was like a rag doll. I was cut all over and bleeding. The rocks are jagged and all over. Friends of mine stayed on Tortola and went to a top rated beach via taxi and had a wonderful time. I would recommend Crane Garden Bay. I would never do The Baths again and would not recommend it. The ride out there was a very fast 30 minute speed boat ride of all bumps since they were cranking it up to make it there fast.

I Hated the Baths. We arranged for a private boat to take us and bring us back which you can do once off the ship and make your own schedule. It was not as beautiful as I imagined.The beach area is VERY small. The granite boulders looked like huge rocks, nothing special. The walk from one area to the other was frightening to me. I am claustrophobic and it was a near nightmare for me. Half way through a group came in the other direction so we stepped aside for them to use the rope to pull themselves up and over the slippery rock. After letting many go the area filled up from others coming in on our direction. I could not take it. I yelled for them to all get out of the way telling them I had to get out. I continued through and again the next beach, devils ...., was equally small. The walk to the roadway was about a 15 minute steep walk. The water in the rock areas were like rip currents. I was swimming through and got caught and tossed upside down. Luckily my DH saw me tumbling under the water and lifted me out. I am a strong swimmer and I was like a rag doll. I was cut all over and bleeding. The rocks are jagged and all over. Friends of mine stayed on Tortola and went to a top rated beach via taxi and had a wonderful time. I would recommend Crane Garden Bay. I would never do The Baths again and would not recommend it. The ride out there was a very fast 30 minute speed boat ride of all bumps since they were cranking it up to make it there fast.

Sorry you didn't enjoy your day cam, definitely not the norm! :rolleyes:

Curious - Why would you recommend CGB when you haven't personally experienced it? That would be our last beach choice...

Wow, maybe that is not the beach they actually went to then. They were told it was that beach. Friends of ours who decided not to go to the baths went to this beautiful beach. They said it is ranked in the top ten beaches in the world, or so they were told.

I just did not like the Baths. As for beautiful beaches, it was not. I found the walk down was easy but the beach was very small. To get to the other part, Devils Bay, you need to go through the rocks which was very scary to me being closed into small places with so many people going in both directions.

Once I got to the other beach, it was again, rather small. Yes it was pretty, but with all the boulders there it made for a bit of hazardous swimming. Getting caught in a current and pulled under while swimming through some of the rocks to the first part of that beach was horrible experience. The walk up to the pick up area from that beach was a long walk. I am a fit person and I found it a hard walk...maybe because my knee was swollen and bleeding, as was my head and elbow!

Please tell me what you know of the beach in tortola? I will have to do some research now and find where they went, since I will be returning to Tortola in February.

A quick search found this:

Tortola's finest beach is Cane Garden Bay, on the aptly named Cane Garden Bay Road, directly west of Road Town. You'll have to navigate some roller-coaster hills to get there, but these fine white sands, with sheltering palm trees and gentle surf, are among the most popular in the B.V.I., and the lovely bay is many a yachtie's favorite. Outfitters here rent Hobie Cats, kayaks, and sailboards. Windsurfing is possible as well. There are seven places to eat along the beach, plus a handful of bars. Be prepared for crowds in the high season.

Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/tortola-bvi/726107#ixzz4Atu1UNhT

I guess my friends were correct in that beach, and that is where I will go. Sounds easy to get to and as they told me, it was beautiful.

Yes I can understand how uncomfortable you would have been in the tighter spots, not a fun situation for someone not fond of confined spaces!

If you read the entire Frommer's guide on Tortola's beaches (and cruise critic and the many threads here on the subject) you'll also see Smuggler's Cove, Long Bay (West End), and Brewers Bay listed. These are all gorgeous beaches, our favorite being SC. CGB is a nice beach (not the finest beach by any definition) and is a larger bay home to several beach bars/restaurants. So it attracts the most day visitors and gets quite crowded. It is generally quite calm, although we've stayed in CGB in the winter and in May and it can be very rough since it's not well protected from sea swells. But if you want a livelier vibe and be with many of your fellow passengers then by all means, CGB is the best choice. You will find Myett's and Tony's serve excellent burgers, fish tacos, and other items, and you can walk to the west end of the bay to get away from the main crowd if you want to. So CGB is the beach most first-timers will go to because of the amenities offered. Taxi is $8pp each way and taxis line up to return you to the port.

For us CGB is a fun spot after the ships leave, great happy hours, dinners, and bands. When ships are in port we usually head to SC or Long Bay for the day. But whatever beach you choose Tortola is a gorgeous island, and I'm sure you will have a much better experience in February - happy cruising!

Here's a thread that describes some of the beaches and and different opinions on them if you are interested...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1877491

Thanks to everyone (and especially Blue) for their input. I'm reading, just haven't responded yet (I've been busy with school work, eye surgery, and now a new tattoo of a cute little sea horse that I'm nursing back to health lol). I will respond a little more later. I'm sure I'm going to have tons of questions once I really dig into it. But, keep the info coming. :)

Blue water: thanks so much for the details. I will keep an open mind when picking which beach. Thanks again.

We didn't do the baths since we had a 2.5 year old with us at the time, but if you decide not to do them and want to do a beach I think you'd love Brewer's Bay. We wanted a quiet beach, not so many touristy things and that's what we got. Not sure about the snorkeling, I did a little of it and saw some fish but I'm not sure really what's out there if you explore more. My 6 year old loved playing with all the snails on the rocks and both girls enjoyed the calm water! If you click the link to my review in my signature, Tortola starts on page 9, post 191.

We almost booked the Epic for Nov 12, but decided on Allure for Nov 13!! Definitely want to try Epic one day.

Couldn't see your pics cama but a very detailed report! :eek: Glad you enjoyed your day at Brewers.

When we stay on Tortola I take videos of folks going past where we stay on the safari taxi and I've gotten some great ones! Most folks are having fun

Is the drive to get to the beaches unsafe? I have seen it called treacherous...

Is the drive to get to the beaches unsafe? I have seen it called treacherous...

We've driven Tortola on land visits and never felt unsafe driving. The roads are in good shape, there are just some areas that are steeper, and switchbacks and turns where you go slow. The nicer beaches are on the north shore, and you must cross the mountain that runs along the spine of the island. The safari taxis make the runs to the beaches everyday.

Having said that, it can be an experience in one of the safari taxis. There was one accident not long ago with one of the newer jitney busses and one tourist was fatally injured and others injured, I don't know the particulars of that event.

If you are concerned about the ride to Brewers or CGB you could have a driver take you to Long Bay (West End) along the coastal road and across Zion Hill Rd which is a mild hill.

Ok, I have to say my head is spinning after reading this. :eek: :p

Hi mitsugirly- I feel like I should know you on a first name basis by now!;) Yes you should! LOL Kim. You know I just post reports on TA and elsewhere but others here may share photos and reports with you...

 

If you look at YouTube videos and Google some of the BVI excursion sites you'll get a feel for the experience at the Baths. Definitely a visit I would recommend to anyone their first cruise in the BVI. You are also in port a nice long 10 hours and that is great as many on NCL are there just 6.

You want to go to the Baths on your own, no need to take the ship excursion, I assume it costs more, and you'll have the inevitable queue waiting on others departing the ship and getting a taxi on VG.

 

Round trip ferry is $30pp, taxi to the Top of the Baths is $4pp and $4 back for a total of $38pp. Ok, so the ferry drops you off at some dock and you catch a cab from there? It goes to the top of a hill and you walk down to the baths I assume?

 

You can buy a ferry/taxi pass through Speedy's for the same price. What is Speedy's?

 

They also offer a pass with a sandwich and a drink at the Baths & Turtle in STown, I would recommend that if it interests you as you can shop Spanishtown or at least see it. Tell me why I would want to see this Spanishtown? (I'm not a big shopper and the only thing I ever buy when in a new port is a tee shirt and my munchkin collects a refrigerator magnet). <---other than that, I could care less about shopping. :p

 

Speedy's has a ferry departing Road Town at 9AM, What is Road Town? Is that the name of a street that it's located on? How far from the port? I'll have my entire extended family in tow...which is always interesting.

 

you can walk to the ferry terminal and make that no problem. You'll arrive at the Virgin Gorda Marina/ferry dock at Spanishtown and find taxis waiting. Ok, this might have answered my question above. LOL

 

So if you catch the 9AM ferry over to the baths, how long does it take to get there by ferry?

Taxi to the Top of the Baths is just 10 min, the driver will let you know when to expect him back. They have a return ferry leaving VG at 3:30PM which would give you 5.5 hrs to enjoy VG. The 5PM return would be pushing it with a 5:30 return to Road Town. I will make sure to catch the 3:30PM ferry. Is there usually a lot of people waiting on this ferry and they run out of room?

 

We've only gone to the Baths when staying on Tortola and on a day with no ships in port as it is obviously less crowded. One option if you are interested, you can walk to nearby Spring Bay from the taxi drop off at the Top of the Baths. SB has somewhat similar topography, is a much flatter walk if that is a concern, and will be much less crowded. Good snorkeling and a nice beach, but no amenities for day visitors (there are villas for rent there). Thanks, I will have to look this place up. There's no way to enter the baths from there without walking back up and over to get there right?

 

You could then walk back to the Top of the Baths and walk down the path to the Baths. Or work with a driver to give you a mini tour of Savannah Bay, and drop you at the Baths. What is at this place? Is it something that you would spend some time there? Or tour only?

 

You may avoid most of the crowd that way. But just ask the driver for his recommendation, they are the experts. You can just maximize your enjoyment by monitoring the activity when you get there, that's all. Do note that although the natural paths down to the Baths are not difficult, it can be a challenge for someone mobility-impaired. We don't have anyone mobility-impaired in our group.

 

Having said all that (phew!:p), if you want a nice snorkeling beach with a beach bar and lounges for a more relaxing day right on Tortola, just hop a taxi heading to Brewers Bay. Nice beach and good snorkeling off to the left. Taxi is $8pp each way. Many of your fellow cruisers will stick around the port area because they don't research their options. Very unfortunate that, as Tortola is a gorgeous, lush island with beautiful beaches. Many will head to Cane Garden Bay which is home to several beach bars and so gets quite crowded. But even there you can walk to the east of Myett's and find a quieter spot. I have heard a lot of people talk about Cane Garden Bay. But I really think I want to experience the baths for our first time if I can get the rest of the family to do it.

 

Our favorite beach is Smuggler's Cove, one portapotty, and Nigel sells food and drinks, and a gorgeous less crowded beach. But your driver must return for you as taxis do not stop there. Finally, Long Bay (West End) is a nice, long picture postcard beach with food/drink/restrooms and is also rarely visited by day visitors. Man, I think I may have to visit this place quite a bit. It all sounds so lovely.

 

Probably THE best snorkeling is on a daysail to the Indians, Norman Island, and that area. Aristocat, Kuralu, and Patouche are all top-notch outfits.

 

And if you want a nice beach with great beach bars, White Bay on Jost Van Dyke is it. The Soggy $ Bar, Ivan's, and Seddy's One Love Bar are all fun spots, and the Painkillers are infamous. Rebel Yell is an option through the ship, or you taxi 1/2 HR to the West End ferry and get dropped in Great Harbor by Foxy's and taxi to White Bay, cost is about $35pp.

 

Hope something interests you? Tortola is really a beautiful island if you don't want to manage a larger group going to the Baths, but you will get some great pics at the Baths too. Tough decision!

 

PHEW!

 

[EDIT] For the 8 yr olds ferry is $20 roundtrip to VG, taxi is 1/2 fare.

Awesome, glad you added that last part in. :)

Thanks so much for your help (as always).

Sorry, to answer your questions on the Baths yes, exploring the grottos and making your way through the boulders and enjoying Devils Bay is the main thing, and with your time in port stopping at Spring or Savannah Bay or the Mineshaft Cafe is a bonus (the Mineshaft is a great spot for lunch with panoramic views and their signature drink, the Cave In). We've not snorkeled at the Baths but friends have out further and saw lots of fish. One friend swam around to Spring Bay and enjoyed the snorkeling there more. So there are better snorkel spots on VG and I'm sure you'll find reports on TA from folks who have stayed on VG if you look. But the Baths are an interesting day, especially for a group looking for a more active day than just a taxi to a beach. And I'm sure someone else can give you more on the snorkeling there.

I guess if the main attraction is just exploring the grottos and winding around the boulders, I'm not going to worry too much about the snorkeling. I'll probably take at least my snorkel mask (because I always do that no matter what), but I'll probably leave the fins and everything else on the ship (I really don't want to have to carry a bunch of heavy bags when walking through them).

So since you mentioned places to eat around there, are they within walking distance from the baths? Or would you have to taxi there? Are there vendors there on the beach at the baths?

Hi Misty. We went to Tortola last year and booked an excursion with someone that was recommended on CC. Unfortunately right now I can't think of his name and I'm not sure I would recommend him to be honest. We thought it would be like other cruises where a group of people booked with the company since he was mentioned several times on here but we were the only one's. He was drumming up business the whole time while people were getting off the ship and then he "sold" it to another couple. We were a little nervous if we would make it in their boat & back to the ship but we did. Met some nice people from the cruise and enjoyed the ride over there. We really enjoyed the Baths. As Bluewater suggested, Youtube videos really convinced us to do this. I will say we went in June and it was VERY crowded. If you decide to go, hopefully it's slower in November. We mainly explored the boulders, etc. Some of that can be difficult even for adults. There was a couple of swimming areas (one where boats pull up to, etc.) and one near a little food hut. I believe we paid maybe $25/30 pp for boat ride, transportation to the baths, etc. and I forget what we paid to enter the Baths. Water shoes (no flip flops) are best in my opinion. We shared a hamburger and one or two drinks and I think that ran around $12 or so. I am going to be making a cruise binder where I keep all these tidbits of information so I can remember next time!! It was a great, exhausting day.

 

I actually just booked a cruise that leaves in 10 days that goes back to Tortola and trying to research other possibilities. Good luck with your research. If we find something else that is exciting that we enjoy this time around, I'll let you know!

So this is like a private vendor that you booked with that included a private boat ride (instead of a ferry) over and they also gave you a taxi ride to the baths? Then back? All for around $25-30 pp? I would love to know of a vendor that does this. That would be much better for our group than dealing with a ferry.

I will definitely take my water shoes. We always wear them in port because you never know when you'll need them.

So they do have a vendor on the beach at the baths then right?

You can search the forum for tons of details on the Baths and other options. there are a coup e private operators I would not recommend in this case.

Can you tell me why you would NOT recommend the private operators?

Hi Angie,

Yes the ferry is ~30 min each way, and there are 2 ferry companies. If you google speedy's and smith's ferries you'll find their sites and schedules.

Well that answers one of my questions from above (how long it takes by ferry to get there). Is there a difference between the two companies? Are they both located at the same place? Does it matter which one you take?

I Hated the Baths. We arranged for a private boat to take us and bring us back which you can do once off the ship and make your own schedule.

 

The water in the rock areas were like rip currents. I was swimming through and got caught and tossed upside down.

Can you tell me what vendor you used? Also how much did they charge you?

You mentioned swimming through the rocks and rip currents. Is this inside the area of the boulders or are you talking about out at the beach area?

 

Getting caught in a current and pulled under while swimming through some of the rocks to the first part of that beach was horrible experience.

Once again you mentioned having to swim through some of the rocks...to get to the beach? I'm confused. Is the water deep in the boulder are (that reminds me of caves kinda) and you have to "swim" in it to get out and to the beach? :confused: Like it's really that deep?

We didn't do the baths since we had a 2.5 year old with us at the time, but if you decide not to do them and want to do a beach I think you'd love Brewer's Bay. We wanted a quiet beach, not so many touristy things and that's what we got. Not sure about the snorkeling, I did a little of it and saw some fish but I'm not sure really what's out there if you explore more. My 6 year old loved playing with all the snails on the rocks and both girls enjoyed the calm water! If you click the link to my review in my signature, Tortola starts on page 9, post 191.

 

We almost booked the Epic for Nov 12, but decided on Allure for Nov 13!! Definitely want to try Epic one day.

Thanks for the info on Brewer's Bay. At first I was like "um, nope, that doesn't look like a place I would want to go"...then it got better. :D I'm booking marking so I can come back later to read the entire review. We have the Escape booked and I haven't even bothered to look at anything about the ship yet. (It's not until next year though). :)

Can you tell me why you would NOT recommend the private operators?

for your size group specifically. And we haven't used the private boat op discussed in several older posts here, but I would have concerns just based on what I've read.

 

Well that answers one of my questions from above (how long it takes by ferry to get there). Is there a difference between the two companies? Are they both located at the same place? Does it matter which one you take?

no diff, you just want to take the departure that best fits your schedule, and that is usually Speedy's. Note that you can sometimes get more time on VG by taking one over and the other back, but you must buy one-way passes and you will pay $20 each way or $10 more.