Freedom 2/13/14 like to see the Soggy Dollar bar:bubbly pool. Any suggestions

Coming in on the Carnival Freedom to tortola from 7am to 230pm on 2/13/14. We would like to go to Jost van dyke and see the bubbly pool and soggy dollar bar. We are not finding any tours that offer this. Any help would be great.

See my post a few down on this board - Aristocat has charters over to JVD, they require a minimum of 10.

#1 rated on TripAdvisor, but I guess you (we) are out of luck if there are not 10.

RC has a shore excursion over there, does Carnival not have one?

Not as fun, for sure, but if you really want to go, there is a way, go with the masses from the ship.

PS - I just re-read and see that you are only there for a short time - I guess a ship tour would be your only hope.

You won't have time for both unless you hire a private charter and a fast boat and spend just a short time at each. I would prefer to see Sandy Spit over the Pool but still your time is limited.

As Eaton said you'll most likely have to take the Jost Van Dyke Beach Escape with Lunch excursion through the ship for $109. That only gives you 2 hrs on WB though and I'd rather spend more time at a nice beach on Tortola.

But if you're interested only in White Bay there are older posts with operators who will take you out for a price, and Joe at Patouche may have an option with a smaller boat if you can afford it.

I could skip the bubbly pool I'd really like to go to the soggy dollar bar. Do you know if that's possible with the ships excursion.

Yes the Carnival excursion I mentioned will drop you right at the Soggy $ Bar and they say you will have 2 hrs there. The good thing about that excursion is you leave right from the cruise dock rather than having to taxi to West End and take the ferry. Pricey but that will get you there. But book early as it sells out early.

One last question for you blue water. Your profile says your from New York. I've seen you on multiple threads with great info. How do you know so much about each island.

We just love traveling the Carib and Mexico and we spend more time in these destinations now. Started out just "fixing" misinformation so people didn't rely on bad advice and have a day in port and now I just spend too much time here :rolleyes: Need to take another vacation I guess -

Have a great time in White Bay. Beautiful beach, and just down from Soggy $ is Seddy's One Love and he will show you some great card and magic tricks. We also like his Bushwacker better than the Soggy Painkiller. :)

I found a tour with viator for 89.99 a little cheaper than the 109.99 offered through the cruise. It does not include lunch.

That option includes a taxi to West End to meet the boat so a little different but the reviews are mostly positive.

I agree on not being able to do both. In fact I wouldn't even go over to JVD unless I had a car and a full day to explore.

Soggy Dollar is just another beach bar in the Caribbean.

So much to see in the BVI's

We did make it over to the bubbly pool on our OI (on island) vacation.

Maybe I should ask it this way what should I do with a 7-2 day in tortola. I've heard about soggy dollar and the bubbly pool but that's it. We don't mind going on our own without a tour. Suggestions?

Here is my current cruise itinerary line up

St Thomas. Beach day hit the bars in St John maybe hot coral world and do snuba

Antigua. Safari and Stingray city

Tortola. ??? Wanted to check out soggy dollar but don't want to waste $

Nassau. Blue lagoon and sea lion encounter.

Ft Lauderdale. Holiday park (alligators) with airport transfer.

8 day eastern Carribean starting Feb 8 on the Freedom.

I wouldn't need a car to enjoy Josts, land and water taxis work well too. But staying there a car would be nice.

Here is my current cruise itinerary line up

 

St Thomas. Beach day hit the bars in St John maybe hot coral world and do snuba

St John is an island off the East End of St Thomas, Coral World is at Coki Beach on the East End of STT.

 

Antigua. Safari and Stingray city

Would recommend the Excellence cat sail or an island tour with Lawrence of Antigua.

 

Tortola. ??? Wanted to check out soggy dollar but don't want to waste $

What do you want to do????? There are tons of helpful threads on the Tortola forum (and all of these for that matter).

 

Nassau. Blue lagoon and sea lion encounter.

 

Ft Lauderdale. Holiday park (alligators) with airport transfer.

 

8 day eastern Carribean starting Feb 8 on the Freedom.

Pres, I think you'd be better off if you did some serious research and learned a little about these destinations. It's not hard - in fact it's fun reading up on them. Then you'll have a better idea of what questions to ask later.

That's what I'm doing here. I've practically lived in St Thomas. Got married on Lindquist beach last May. I have appreciated all of the commentary and none of the condescending overtones.

That's what I'm doing here. I've practically lived in St Thomas. Got married on Lindquist beach last May. I have appreciated all of the commentary and none of the condescending overtones.

Even if you only get a couple of hours at the soggy dollar in jost van dyke, I would go with the ship tour. You will be very limited in your activities with this short time frame. Jost van dyke and soggy dollar bar is a place where you should experience at least once. My hubby and I have yet to find a Caribbean destination better than this! Go and enjoy.

That's what I'm doing here. I've practically lived in St Thomas. Got married on Lindquist beach last May. I have appreciated all of the commentary and none of the condescending overtones.

Pres - let's talk...

You were looking at the bars on STJ, and also considering Coral World on the same day. I am definitely confused with the condescending overtone stuff?????

If you were married in Smith's Bay in May you probably should know that St John is not where Coral World is.

presidentmanley,

When we're in Tortola on such a short day (and an early day) we would head for a nice beach on Tortola and then spend a little time shopping at the port area and maybe a lunch. Tortola has some gorgeous beaches, and you can choose between a very secluded naturally beautiful beach with no amenities and so very quiet (Smuggler's Cove), the most lively and crowded beach with several beach bars and water rentals and a water taxi to Josts (Cane Garden Bay), or in between with one beach bar and restrooms (Brewers Bay).

Many ppl take an island tour with a driver at the port and stop at a beach for lunch as part of the tour. Very reasonable and a great way to experience Tortola.

The Baths on VG would be our first recommendation if you have enough time for that. JVD would be our last recommendation because of your limited time but anything is doable.

Here's a map of Tortola and brief descriptions of the beaches on Tortola and Josts that may help you decide if you want that -

http://www.skyviews.com/bviold/tortola/map.html

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

If you want a beach bar day in White Bay the ship excursion is the way to go for you, that fills up early so check it now if interested.

For St Thomas were you thinking about hitting an East End beach like Sapphire or Coki, then going to some of the bars in Red Hook? Or maybe you were considering Coral World and enjoying Coki Beach right there?

Have a great cruise

Being in St Thomas for 10 hours allows for lots to do. That's why we were considering coral world in the morning and going over to St John after, obviously this will cost us around $60 just In taxi fares but given that I have been there so many times I have started to run out of things to do. Here's my wedding video from lindquist.

https://www.facebook.com/PresidentManley/posts/10202848271470128

The reason I am so interested in tortola and Nassau is that there is no time in these ports 6 hours in both. I hate wasting time or doing something without value. That's the reason for the specifics on tortola because it appears as if the tours are extremely limited.

Gotchya - sry I was confused by your earlier post.

Yes 10 hrs allows for some different options, and spending time on STJ is a great day. Being at Coki you're not far from the RH ferry. The mini island tour on STJ with a drop at a beach is popular as you probably know. And yes there are some fun bars in Cruz.

For Tortola I would either take the excursion to White Bay if that works for your time in port, or grab a ride with a driver giving a tour with a beach stop at CGB or Brewers.

In znassau we've taken the Atlantis tour through the ship, just the harbor cruise and tour package, no waterpark. Then walked up to Graycliff Hotel for a tour or behind Señor Frogs and had cocktails at the British Colonial Hilton.

One thing since you have 10 hrs in STT, have you considered just heading to White Bay from there? I don't know if the ferry from RH works for you, but there are charters, and I can't remember if the Dolphin Shuttle would work? Just a thought but probably a pricier option.

So it looks like I am booking with Gordon in Antigua and will do a tour with Dionne in BVI to the baths. Both I have read are highly recommended.

Be sure to follow up with Dion as you get closer based on the threads here. We used Lawrence on Antigua, is Gordon a tour operator?

We are taking the excursion on the 13th to Jost Van Dyke and hope to go to Soggy Dollar and Foxy's. Is there time to do both? What time do they open?

You should have enough time. The problem is the only tour is through carnival. We decided to do the tour to the baths instead with Dion

El Presidente