palmettogirl

We just go back in January and took the water taxi for $8 pp round trip. Once we got to the dock at the beach, we went left on the beach and we paid $20 for 2 chairs and an umbrella. We also got the guy to deliver our bucket of beer. Also for lunch we paid $10 for a great meal brought to you which included chicken, rice, potato salad, spinach and a salad. Perfect relaxing day.

We went to St. John on our own. The taxi to the ferry at Red Hook is $10.00 per person. The ferry runs on the hour and is $14.00 pp. The taxis on St. John run according to how close the beach is you want to go to - so the closest one is $5 pp - Trunk Bay is $6 pp (I heard there is also a fee to get into Trunk Bay).

However, we were adventurous and took the local bus to and from the ferry on St. Thomas which was $2.00 pp. If you leave the port and walk left down the main street past all the taxis about 4 blocks, you will come to a main intersection with flashing lights near Wendy's. Go past Wendy's not quite a block and you will see a shelter that looks like a taxi stand. Going this way will take you into town for $2 pp or Emerald Beach near the airport. CROSS the street and wave once you see an open air bus that has the locals on it - they will stop and you will pay $2 pp once you get off. (make sure it is the one with the locals on it or ask if it is going to the ferry). You push the button above your head to get off before your stop, but there will be a lot of people getting of at the ferry. (we had a map which definitely helped). You catch the local bus back from the same place you got off.

Once we got off the ferry, we walked to the right up the hill, past the shops/ cemetery and beared right down the hill. We went down the steps to the right, walked over a little bit of rocks and had the whole bay to ourselves to swim - it was gorgeous - of course, no chairs or drinks - but no fee either.

Came back to the restaurant on the beach and had our drinks! Perfect! (PS do not swim in the water next to the ferry - the boats empty their sewage in that bay - yuck!)

We took the 1:00 p.m. ferry, then the local bus and were back by 2:30 to the ship. So, for 2 people, it was $36.00 to go to and from St. John and swim in a gorgeous bay!

If you see someone with Rose and Jim's Taxi Service - get them - they are great!! You can also email them before http://www.roseandjimstaxi.com

In port from 8-5 does any one think we can do the fort and still get beach time in (first choice is south Friars).

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

You should be able to do both - seeing the fort only takes about 30-45 minutes and is not far from port.

You have to walk up a LOT of stairs to get to the fortress from the parking area. But if you take your time I think you will be able to do ok. Like most forts you have to be somewhat mobile to really see everything. It is well worth the visit in my opinion and the views from the fort are amazing.

Agree, there are a lot of steps - my boyfriend had a bad knee and could not get up the steps. However, the parking lot has excellent views with no walking hardly at all.

We chose Rose and Jim's Taxi Service and cannot say enough great things about Rose! We met onboard and walked out a half hour early and she was already there waiting on us. She took us to all the sights, was a great driver and then when we didn't want to go to the beach, took us to see other sites. Her English accent was a plus and a great personality! Her van was spacious, clean and air conditioned. You can reach her at http://www.roseandjimstaxi.com For a 4 hour tour, it was $30 plus $10 to Brimstone Fortress. Have fun - St. Kitts is awesome!

Agree with Ocean Boy. Also, your tour may take longer too. Phillipsburg has a lot of shops if that is what you are interested in doing.

For a tour to Marigot and around was $25 per person for 4 in Jan 2014.

A local also told us to go to Morningstar (Marriott's beach) if you were short on time since it is only about 5 minutes from the ships. We were not able to go. But she did say you could take a taxi (there is a bus stop when you walk out of the gate, go straight to the taxis on your left). Tell them Morningstar Beach (do not say Marriott because they will take you to the top of a long stairway. The chairs are free there, but you need to bring your own towel.

She did say that the prettiest beach was St. John's but you must take the water taxi there. There is a local bus that will take you to the St. John's ferry for $2 per person. You go past the taxis, turn left at road and taxi stand is down about 2 blocks. We took the bus all around the right side of the island with the locals and felt safe.

We did the same. Took the water taxi for $6 each to Phillipsburg - it is on your left as you walk out of the ship. Walk straight and on Back Street, the stop was across the street on your right. We took the bus to Marigold for $2. Got out, walked the town, went to the market on the water, and continued on the bus (you have to go back to the bus stop - there is another one in town, but that is not the correct one) for another $2. Changed buses again for $2 and made it back to Phillipsburg. It was a great, inexpensive way to see the island. Most taxis charged $25 per person. Phillipsburg is a great walking town with oceanfront restaurants and bars with a gorgeous beach looking back at your ship. Enjoy!

James all the way!!!! He has worked on a cruise ship, lived in the U.S. and everything is spic and span in his vehicles!!!!!!! His personality is awesome!! He also provides water and spiced rum drinks if you want them. Our group of 25 got there about 10 minutes before he told us to meet him and he was there waiting and he kept us ahead of all the other tour groups :0)

The restaurant he took us to was up on the mountain looking at the Pitons. Other groups were just having snack food - ours was a real meal. Again, I have had tours all over the world and cannot say enough about what a good time all of us had! He definitely got tips from everyone!

It was $65 US for us to go in Jan 2014. It included the van, driver, a narrator, tour around the island, hot lunch which was chicken, rice, salad, vegetable, brownies and a drink, all entry fees to mud bath (a must do!), and the waterfall. We stopped at a banana plantation where we tasted banana mustard, banana bbq sauce, and banana rum. When booking, our group went from 2 to 25 and he was able to accommodate us all at the last minute. He responded quickly to emails and also phoned me. It was one of the best tours I have ever taken - cannot say enough good things about him, his professionalism, and his tour!

Depending on where your ship docks - if it is Pan American Pier you would need to take a taxi to Old San Juan. If it is the other docks, you can get off the ship and walk to Pier 2 and take the trolley at stop #14. It is free and takes you around the town - you can get off and on wherever you like - each enclosed bus comes about every 30 minutes.

There is a 2nd open air trolley that runs also and takes you up top around the fort and it is free also.

You can walk the boardwalk and all the streets but a lot of the streets are cobblestone and uneven so make sure you have on good walking shoes.

San Juan is very safe with police on about every other corner and they are very friendly in giving directions. Enjoy!

We stayed at "Da House Hotel" because we wanted to stay in OSJ and get the flavour of Puerto Rico. Well...we got it and don't care to have it again. The hotel was centrally located and the staff were great. However...we knew there would be noise from the Salsa bar but wow was it loud 12 midnight to 4:00 a.m. and we had a balcony room on the front corner. There was no hair dryer or cups in the bathroom. Our sheets kept pulling off the bed and the floor was not the cleanest. Also, remember there is NO elevator.

That said - if you are young and don't care about those things - it is a great location and when we stayed there, only $100 a night in January 2014.

One more thing...if you do go to Sounion...make sure you get the baklava at the restaurant!

We used Spiros in October and they were good. We started with a van of 8 and ended up on a brand new bus for the 24 of us. Spiros was excellent in returning all the emails. They zipped us around to all of the sites in Athens and then on to Sounion. Some did not want to travel the 1 and 15 minutes to see more ruins; but, we really enjoyed the relaxing ride along the coast and got to see the countryside...and the awesome bakery he took us to - yum! He also took us to lunch in the Plaka that was excellent. You could either pay 20 euros and get wine with lunch or 10 euros without wine. They just kept bringing out plate after plate of their variety of food and we were stuffed when we left. It was a great day! I would recommend that you talk with the group you are going with and Spiros, and make it clear whether you want to do more shopping or sightseeing and how long you want your lunch to be - i.e. pick up and go or sit down for an hour...after those questions are answered, Spiros will take over and you should have a wonderful day.