Georgina1505

My dad got me one a few months ago for my Azura trip next week. I can't wait to try and use it!! Still learning.

Check out the Fit for Travel NHS site for advice, it does say that the mosquitos that carry Zika are the ones active in the day (if I remember rightly).

I will be taking Incognito Spray and Handy Roll-on one to carry in the day, but will also get some of the wipes from Boots with DEET in as the incognito doesn't have it. I've also seen the wrist bands - I've rather go over the top than take the risk of being bitten. But having never been to the Caribbean I don't know what to expect!

I hate flying but we are going for it, see the world whilst we still can. We've booked PE to hopefully make it a bit nicer. In-laws are collecting us from the airport so we don't have to drive home after the night flight as we have no idea if we will sleep having not done one before. I've booked a hotel at Gatwick the night before and that's when our holiday will begin! I'm so excited, I then come home and go back to work for 4 days before we break up for Xmas so hopefully it will help the holiday blues.

I have booked the Consol Tour for St Lucia :-)

Thanks all :) I will get on google and look at your suggestions.

Hi All,

I'm doing my first Caribbean Cruise in December with Hubby on Azura and I'm looking for recommendations for the best beach & things to do in the following. Can anyone help?

Tortola

Martinique

St Vincent

St Lucia

Any help/ advice will be much appreciated :)

We did our first P&O Cruise to Norway in May, we have done a couple of cruises and mainly go for insides but for this I wanted to see the views. If I was to go to Norway again I'd probably book a balcony again as it was so nice to be able to look out of the window or go onto the balcony at 5am in a dressing gown and watch the sail up the Fjord, was beautiful and peaceful.

Thanks for the fab review, were a young(ish) couple 29/34 and are sailing Azura for our first Caribbean cruise in December. We did out first cruise with P&O in May to Norway, and due to the great prices it enabled us to afford a second cruise this year. We only have a few sea days and plan to make the most of the islands we are visiting. The only things we missed with P&O was the unlimited soda drinks package but P&O do have a card 20 drinks for £35 so we just get one of those each and the buffet didn't see to have as many choices as RCI/Princess.

The Waterfall and Coast excursion was a ship trip looking at our current cruise personaliser it is now call Waterfall and Coast and is £76 each. It is a 7 hour trip does include lunch, going to a waterfall where you can get in the water if you want to, seeing what is left of the film set from Pirates of the Caribbean. When we did this we went from the port by bus then returned to the ship by catamaran after lunch.

Personally I loved sailing across to Bequia, and visiting Princess Margaret's beach but my husband found it a little rough going across from St Vincent :o.

I've seen it on the cruise planner but was wondering how you found it, did you enjoy it and would you recommend it? Is it worth the money? :)

I'm still between the two, apparently an excursion is a must in St. Vincent.

Hi all,

 

Can I ask why the front 2 rows are better? I always prefer to be in the middle of the plane and I too am a nervous flyer so also get a little anxious about sitting with my family. We are flying in February also and did look at upgrading to premium economy but it looks like it's £299 pp so that would amount to another £900 for us and I'm not sure it it's worth the extra cost? Do you get to book your seats early? Any help is appreciated.

 

Many thanks,

Bikermouse

Is isn't the front 2 rows in the AB seats in any row.

Overall we see our Caribbean cruise as a time for total relaxation so although the ship will offer you many tours don't feel you ahem to do them. We're all mainly going to the caribbean for the weather and we also like to get a feel for the local towns.

 

Of the islands listed I cannot emphasise enough the need to do a tour in Dominica. It is the most stunning, unspoilt island but before we went we'd read lots of negatives about it. Like others we used Bumpiing Tours and we were absolutely delighted with them. Our friend was having difficulty walking so they totally customised our tour and we ended up in van with just the four of us. They couldn't do enough for us and we saw far, far more of this beautiful island than any of the P&O tours.

 

i would also highly recommend Cosol Tours in St Lucia like so many others and for your first visit to Antigua Nelson's Dockyard and English Harbour are well worth a visit. I would recommend getting a taxi from the port and spending a couple of hours at the dockyard etc then stoping off at Valley Church beach on the way back. There's a great little beach bar there and you don't get pestered by lots of vendors. Someone from the ship will tell you where the desk is in town where you organise a price for your taxi and you get a very good deal.

 

There's not much to see in Aruba so second time we were there we caught local bus for $1 to the beach and it was lovely. Any of the locals will point out the bus station to you and you're looking for a bus going to the Hotel Zone.

 

There is an hotel called Holland House Hotel on the sea front in St Maarten with a private beach and lovely loungers. It's worth going to that as it's not so busy as the public beach and just next door to it.

 

Before we did our first cruise I used the Ports of call boards on cruise critic and I found them very very useful if a bit time-consuming.

Thanks for all the info, we have a few things planned.

Antigua - Going on a 1.5hr beach ride and swim (Bucket list!)

Amber Cove - Ocean World Day Pass

St Maarten - Possibly Tall Ship Excursion

Barbados - Submarine Excursion

Grenada - Rhum Runner Trip

For St Lucia were looking at Rendezvous Day Pass and St Kitts the Carambola Beach Club

At the moment still looking for ideas on - Tortola, Martinique, St Vincent so will take a look at the port info as suggested.

I'm flying in December and also book PE, waiting for seats to be released and I'm also worried. I HATE flying and its my first long haul flight which is why we upgraded, I was also advised to wait up until Midnight and book seats in AB rows. Fingers crossed.

Here is some info I wrote a couple of years ago so the prices are probably a bit out now.

 

A little about some Caribbean ports of call

 

St Vincent – not a favourite port the town is quite run down and not a great deal to do locally. There is a water taxi on the pier which will take you round to Villa beach a narrow beach with a few bars etc. can become crowded if lots go there.

Have done the Waterfall and Coast excursion which will take you to the film set from pirates of the Caribbean, after about an hour or so in a bus so you see a bit of the island, lunch at a restaurant then a cruise back to the port.

Escape to Bequia – a catamaran across to Bequia where you have some time on the beach and lunch on-board. I loved this as it was very much real sailing as it can be quite gusty and choppy sailing across but those who don’t have very good sea legs did find it a problem as it is quite a long way, (my husband would not do it again).

 

Hope you find this useful.

Hi,

How did you find the Waterfall and Coast Excursion? Trying to plan for a cruise in December and can't find many reviews. It says the excursion is 7hrs long! My hubby would enjoy the Pirates Set as he's a big fan. I'm between this and Bequia. Its our first Caribbean cruise! :)

I love sea days, especially when the sun is shining! Late breakfast, lounge by the pool and read a book / listen to music and relax, possibly a spa treatment in the afternoon. If there are any events that take our interest then we check them out too.

Yes it maybe - I know it was nearly double what it has been previously - a big increase. Couldn't remember exactly it was late last night [emoji15] the place I was looking at on resort for the day is Bay Gardens Beach Resort $95 inc transfers, drinks and lunch

 

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I haven't ever been to the Caribbean so just trawling some threads to get some ideas on what to do and where to go for when we do go in December. :)

We did it in 2009 independently much cheaper it was nice but preferred Rendezvous where we have been going for the past 4 years. However the price has doubled this year to €120 per person so we are looking at somewhere different this year too.

We are looking on resort for the day at a day pass that includes transport to and from resort to the ship. Sorry I can't remember the name of resort at the moment 🙈

 

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I read on another thread that Rendezvous was $105pp? the Windjammer is £118 (on the cruise planner at the moment)

This sounds like a fantastic thing to do! Do you know if you can book this in advance? I tried looking for a website but did not see one. Thanks!

 

Wendy

Groveland, FL

Hi Wendy,

I know this is an old thread! But did you manage to get details or go and ride? I am trying to find some info out for when I go in December.

Thanks :)

Hi,

I know this is an old thread!! But can you walk up and ride on the day?

Thanks,

Hi,

Sorry to jump on the post, I'm flying back in December and we fly at 16:50 what time do you think we will leave the ship? I'm thinking we wont book a cabin but might go for the airport lounge.

Thanks, :)

Hi, I'm sailing on A734A flying from Gatwick with TC :)

It will be our first time on Azura and sailing the Caribbean, so looking forwards to it. We are sailing with P&O for the first time in 2 weeks to the Fjords, hope we enjoy it after reading several negative reviews, but will go with an open mind. Have sailed with RCI, Princess and NCL and really loved them! :cool:

I will add myself to the Roll Call now. Have you sailed Azura before? :D

The £299 figure seems about right. Not sure how 'nautical miss' got pe for £60?

 

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I thinks she may have been referring to the additional costs to select your seat £20 pp each way?!

I'm doing my first long haul fly-cruise in December and decided to give the Premium Economy ago (with Thomas Cook), I don't like flying so hopefully this will make it a little more comfortable for me!

It was £299pp but then we still have to pay £40 pp return to pick our seats to sit next to each other which can be done 13/14 weeks before you go.

I think the 2 higher tiers get to pick seats 2 days before others and that most people login at Midnight when they are released so that they can get the seats they want and to be sat together, which is what I'll have to do sadly!!

Thank you! Sounds like the kind of stuff we like to do as well. I can't handle my late nights either haha. On NCL we kept intending to get 2am chicken wings but never made it that late!

We never made the 2am chicken wings on NCL either I think it was about 1130-1200 when we did (at night!) and that was after we almost drank a whole bottle of Baileys between us! :') We had a free all inclusive package! We loved that :hearteyes:

We paid for the top RCI package last year £1k (with discount) and I don't think we drank that much!! We decided we'd save £1k and then anything spare is a bonus for the 2 week one this year- we're not usually big drinkers anyway. Just a shame they don't do a soda package - £35 for 20 regular drinks is all I think they do for soda.

I'm sailing with P&O for the first time this year and due to the reasonable prices we have decided to do 2 cruises - Fjords & Caribbean we've gone for the larger ships, I'm 28 and hubby is 33 - we've been cruising since 2012 and previous cruises we've always found a mix of nationalities and ages. I've read many reviews but I will be going open minded as everyone has a different opinion and unless you experience it yourself you'll never know.

We enjoy a nice meal in the evening, followed by a few drinks and live music or theatre show, play cards, hit the roulette table or go and chill in the hot tubs. Sometimes we go and sit and read our books some where quiet, do puzzle books and people watch! The cruises we have booked seem to be very port intensive and we like to make the most of the days exploring and I'm getting old and cant handle late nights :')

After my essay, I guess the summary is - book it and go and experience it for yourself! :)

I'm sailing for the first time with P&O on Britannia in May to the Fjords and on Azura in December to the Caribbean but new destinations for us and I was a little apprehensive as I've previously sailed Princess, RCI & NCL and I really love RCI - I didn't know if another line could compare. We're a couple 28 & 33 but I decided unless we go and experience it ourselves we will never know!

The prices were very competitive compared to other lines and the grats & drink prices are good the only thing is they don't do the unlimited drinks packages and they seem to do a lot of formal nights - 4 on a 2 week cruise, but we can always eat in the buffer and chill in the hot-tubs if we don't want to join in.

I always say - a holiday is what you make it. So my advice just book it and find out for yourselves :) Enjoy!