Trinidad Tobago

I have not seen any of the major cruise lines that go to Trinidad Tobago. Does anyone no why. I have seen a few post with people talking about travelling there how every I don't think it was on a cruise.

Any ideas why?

ideas

Princess has a cruise that does to Trinidad, and I think some of the ships that reposition to South America stop there, but it is rare. I think it is for 2 reasons. First, it is a days sail farther than anything the next closest island, so it would be difficult to get there on a 7 day crruise from San Juan without skipping a closer in island. Second, Port of Spain in Trinidad is very built up as a city, with a significant crime problem, and is not close to nice beaches. Myself, I would go on a cruise there since I've never been there, but I don't think it is most peoples idea of a perfect island.

Thanks for the info. I have read a lot about it but understood it was close to Aruba, maybe not. Someone had also told me the Government does not need or push tourism as much as other Islands as it is fairly well developed.

My husband is from Trinidad and I have been quite a few times for fun as well as for my job. It's very industrialized, and there are pretty spots, but they are far out of town. Tobago, which is a separate island, is the "tropical island" of the two. Lots of British tourists, unspoiled beaches, really nice. I will say, it's a shame the ships don't go just for the food...it's by far the yummiest food in the Caribbean...Indian and Creole influenced, haven't had a bad meal there yet!

I have several friends from there and have yet had the chance to visit. With cruise lines looking for new ports I think it would be a natural. As one post said about the crime, I can not imagine it would be any worse than Jamaica or any other USA city.

I have several friends from there and have yet had the chance to visit. With cruise lines looking for new ports I think it would be a natural. As one post said about the crime, I can not imagine it would be any worse than Jamaica or any other USA city.

I lived in Port of Spain for years, and I can assure you that crime is terrible. While most Trinidadians are simply lovely, hospitable, and law-abiding folks, the criminal element is very, very ruthless. Kidnappings continue to be on the rise, and I would imagine that cruise passengers would be a conspicuous target.

I lived in Port of Spain for years, and I can assure you that crime is terrible. While most Trinidadians are simply lovely, hospitable, and law-abiding folks, the criminal element is very, very ruthless. Kidnappings continue to be on the rise, and I would imagine that cruise passengers would be a conspicuous target.

Hi all. Yes Trinidad does have a crime problem pretty much like Jamaica. The Government does recognise this and is working hard to try and turn things around. Some results are being seen. As a cruise ship tourist you have no worries of being kidnapped as if they did kidnapp you they would not know who to phone for the ransom. The kidnapp rings target mostly buisness owners which they study their movements over a period of time. Trinidad is really popular for it's Carnival which brings many many tourist. As all seasoned travellers would know you always look out for the petty crime, pick pockets snatch and grab bags etc.

Trinidad is a 'cool' place, even if it does get hot as hell sometimes!!

Not quite a Caribbean island, I've always thought of it as being

a bit of South America - just offshore!

the Trini vibe simply is not Caribbean...don't try to force it.

It's a big exciting island, and you need a week to do it properly.

Tobago IS Caribbean and as for WHY cruise ships don't include Tobago

...that's beyond me: it's quite suitable for North American-type tourists!

and significantly different,sociologically, from it's big brother,Trinidad, some forty miles away.

My wife's a Trini. We live in Barbados, and we go over to Trinidad any chance we get.

The food is amazing, as a poster mentioned above!

The first time you eat 'doubles' at de roadside in Curepe,

with the sauce dripping from yuh mouth and don't even care how yuh lookin,

you'll understand what I'm talkin about, right GoneClear?

The Trinidadian society is a huge melting pot of Indian, French Creole, Venezuelan,

White British, Spanish, Portuguese, Negro, Chinese, Arab...

(did I leave anyone out? - sorry)

with all those food-cultures combined in their culinary skills.

Listen.. you go to Trinidad for FOOD, good deals, and to find a pretty WIFE!!

GoneClear will back me up on DAT, I'm sure.

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I have been to trinidad and tobago one time each. it was on a now defunct cruise line that sailed out of aruba. i loved both islands. i would go again if i could find another cruise that included it. i hope you find something.:)

Azamara Quest, which is owned by Celebrity (which is owned by Royal Caribbean), begins visiting Tobago in November.

thank you, i'm going to have to get one of their brochures.

We went to Trinidad last year on the Sea Princess and went to see the Botanical Gardens and a cultural show at City Hall and just loved it. The cultural there is amazing. The city itself is very crowded but we enjoyed it and will return on another cruise. The Grand Princess is going there on it's 14 day itinerary in 2008-2009.

Sarah

Just returned from Tobago on the Azamara Quest. We arranged to go on a snorkel excursion with Cocomotion and had a great time. It is a cigarette boat and there were about 12 of us. We stopped at one spot to snorkel, at another beach there was too much wave action so we walked on the black and brown sand beach. It was gorgeous. Then we went to the Nylon Pool probably a mile off shore in water not even up to our knees.

Highly recommended.

Bodger

Celebrity Constellation is visiting Tobago at least on her 14 day cruise Feb. 14,2010.

Trinidad & Tobago is a twin-island state, governmentally

but the two islands are quite different.

Trinidad is a pulsing busy-commercially island, not particularly geared to Tourism

whereas Tobago is the laid-back Little Sister,one-twelfth the size

and all about Tourism!

- Chalk and Cheese, if you will.

If Tobago is included in your cruise itinerary

please go ashore without hesitation - you'll enjoy yourself

-and it's no safer or un-safer than any other small Caribbean island you'll stop at.

Many nice little waterfalls along their East Coast.. you gotta hike it a bit up the stream to get there

but if you like the eco-tour thing with parrots overhead, you'll enjoy it.

Trinidad is another matter, since I doubt you'll find many taxis and tour operators looking for your business

like how it is at Antigua or at Port Zante,St.Kitts

....but if you can get out of the city with someone who knows the country like I do

it's a large and amazing island, too big to do in the six hours you're onshore. Pity.

Your best bet(traffic-wise) is to do a quick run over the Northern Range

to MARACAS Beach for a dip and a (yummy!)Shark and Bake at Richard's

(have your taxi wait on you, I should think)

and then get back to Port of Spain where your ship is docked.

The drive to Maracas gets you up in the rain forest for about 20 mins. en route.

_____________________________

If Facebook will let you in

have a look at this album of mine

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=28985&l=f03c9&id=682113168

showing pics of Trinidad (but none of Tobago,sorry)

Celebrity Summit will visit Scarborough, Tobago in its 7-night Southern Caribbean Cruises from San Juan beginning 2009.

Royal Princess is going to Tobago this December. Any suggestions on where to go/what to see. I wish we were going to Trinidad instead. Way back in the Dark Ages when I was a kid I heard about the the Asphalt Lake there and I would love to see it.

If you are looking for a nice beach day, Take a taxi to Pigeon Point. They have bars, food washrooms shaded areas. Great bathing. About $3.00 U.S entry fee.

I live about 45 mins from the asphalt (pitch) lake. Still oozes pitch daily.

goneclear,

How far is Pigeon point from where the cruise ship docks?

Thanks:)

Royal Princess is going to Tobago this December.

I wish we were going to Trinidad instead.

- when I was a kid I heard about the Asphalt Lake there and I would love to see it.

Geologically, it's quite interesting

especially when it's explained to you that the 'lake' has an internal circulation system of its own

and periodically regurgitates bicycles,tractors and other man-made objects it has "devoured"

over the years/decades/centuries!

It's not much to look at,touristically,though...

I once heard it (accurately) described as lookin "like six or eight tennis courts all joined together".

There are soft and firm parts to its surface, as well as cracks and fissures

(all part of the circulatory system) some of which hold surface water.

The whole 'lake' is about 300-400 yds in dia. roughly, if memory serves me well

- wife and I went there in the early 1990's.

It's level has dropped only 2 ft. in the 300 years or so that man has been mining its surface for the raw bitumen

a process that continues(at least up until when we were there).

Simple small-gauge rail tracks are temporarily laid across any firm surface

that'll support the weight of the small trolley cars

which carry lumps of the stuff up to the nearby processing factory.

This is the stuff Sir Walter Raleigh wrote about, when he stopped in at Trinidad briefly

and used the sticky black 'goop' to tar the bottom of his boat!

I think that's about the first recorded historical reference to this amazing tar-pit!

As you drive in its direction,

the surrounding area of La Brea is quite astounding

when you see natural asphalt simply ooozing out of the ground at the side of the road - decidedly weird

...so much so that in parts it deserves the name Elephant Skin.

Yes Elephant Skin(you'll see why, when you get there):)

Lidolounger, Pigeon Point is about 20 to 25 mins from the dock.

Aplmac the lake has a soft section that moves from time to time known as "The Mother of the Lake".

There are big cracks and holes that fill up with rain water and locals beleive it is good for the skin to bath in them. Very high sulfur content. When I was young I had a birthday party on the lake, That use to be popular entertainment for the country folk in those days.

Some pics of Pigeon Point Tobago

goneclear - thanks so much for the info and pics - that's the plan - we'll spend the day at pigeon point - looks wonderful.

Thanks again!