Plan excursions or not?

[Snowbuddy]

We leave for the AOS southern route (aruba, etc) in just a little over 2 weeks (wooohoooo!!, sorry, that snuck out) and I have a question for you--I still have not booked any planned/organized excursions...should I do so, or just plan on playing by ear for each day? the one thing I think I would really like to do is coral world/coki beach in st thomas. do i need to line this up ahead of time, or can I just get a taxi or something that day? (keep in mind that DD is 18 months old, and, yes, we will have a car seat for her). TIA for your help/advice/suggestions!!

[Kerry's Girls]

I always make sure to have all the information with me and have something planned for each port, while staying flexible for the most part. It's just too difficult once on board to figure things out/get information, so it's much easier to bring it all with me, and I've found so much time can be wasted trying to figure out what to do that we can lose a chunk of our day or find out later that we missed something that would have been great had we known about it. So if I were you, I'd figure out the best thing for your family to do in each port, print out the info/directions, etc. and then you can always decide not to do it depending on your energy level, the weather, etc.

 

Best,

Mia

[crusinmama06]

Mia is correct. You can't OVERplan. :D Make sure you know what you are doing at each port and how you are going to get there.

 

We've done the ship tours to Coral World but from what I understand, it's cheaper and just as easy to hop on a private tour.

 

But no doubt, I would check each port of call board - plan out your activities. And know where you are going in each port.

 

The worst ports we have been to are the ones we haven't planned anything in. Then when we return, we find some of the best places ever because we had a plan, read the boards and found really family friendly activities.

[Keith1010]

I would read through the ships excursions. See if any interest you. If any do, then I would book them. If they don't then I wouldn't worry about it.

 

When our children were very young we didn't sign up for too many excursions. We found it easier to just see the ports on our own.

 

Keith

[cb at sea]

If there's something your REALLY want to do, then go ahead and book it. If there's other stuff that won't disappoint you if you DON'T do, then you can wait....you don't HAVE to book any excursions, ever, if you don't want to!

[ata1976]

I would read up on the ports and have ideas of what you want to do as well. For our next cruise I have 3 out of 4 ports planned so far and none of the excursions require you to pay in advance, so if DS doesn't feel good or we don't make the port we haven't prepayed the excursions. I am thinking about booking Boatswain Beach for Grand Cayman but they require advance payment if I want to save money and book online, so I am hesitant about doing that one yet.

 

I have all the info that I think I need printed out. I punch it with the 3 hole punch and put in a cheap foldable binder that goes into our travel backpack. It has dividers in it and I have sections for each port, precruise hotel reservations, travel insurance, AAA info, etc.

[Mack2]

I was on the AoS almost 3 years ago now with my family... my daughter was 2 at the time.

 

I remember booking the Ostrich Farm/Aloe Farm excursion with the ship at Curacao... that was a good time... there's a picture I've posted here before with my daughter holding a baby ostrich... it was cool.

 

St. Thomas... hired a private tour guide off the ship... Did the normal thing those guys do... drive up to Mountaintop, take a picture with that donkey wearing a Sombrero (somewhere), pass by Drake's seat, and take a scenic picture of the port with all the ships in it.

We have done Coral World on other cruises. It's great.

 

Aruba, we rented a car and drove to see the California Lighthouse (I think we had lunch there) and the Butterfly farm... There are a bunch of rental places right at the end of the pier. Aruba is a small island. I stopped somewhere and got great pictures of some guys kite-surfing... that was cool.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=2

(has good info.. it's Cruise Critic! :cool: )

 

St. Maarten... we stayed in Phillipsburg... had lunch at a local restaurant and lazed around and relaxed... Since we'd been to the Aruba butterfly farm, there was really no reason to see the one in St. Maarten. Been to the french side once before... wasn't a big deal... My wife bought herself a pink sapphire ring... spent a lot of time doing that.

I remember eating lunch, people watching folks on the beach... and decided that one day when the kids are older, we're gonna do a Segway tour... it looked like fun.