Do i need to bring Beach Towels? and Swimming with Stingrays?

[su671]

our tickets came today YIPPIE, but do we need to bring beach towels, we will be leaving the ship everyday, we are beach bums, so do we use the towels in our cabin? or do we buy some while we are on holiday?or do we bring some with us from England?

also people keep saying its cheaper to book your trips at the port, we want to do the swimming with stingrays in Antigua, its £44 with Thomson, has anyone done this trip, is it any good? should we book it with Thomson or will there be an independent who we can book it with when we get to port? is it always cheaper to book it in the port or do thomson sometimes do a good deal.

we are well traveled people but like i said are Virgin Cruisers, we dont want to just give our hard earned money away, we want to get the best deal.

And finaly, any little pointers you think us 1st timers might want to know, please feel free to drop us a line, i have been reading this forum for months and it has been very useful, on my return i will DEFFO be leaving a full report about how we found our 1st cruise.

im 46 and my wife is 39 "VERY SOON TO BE 40":D

[cannockfrodo]

We didn't do the Stingray swim but we know a man who did,,,and got stung so be warned !! Easiest way to find if you can do this independantly is to google it. I did for the dolphin swim on Tortola and got it less that half cruise price, all I have to do is get a taxi the short distance to Prospect Reef. By the way Cane Garden Beach on Tortola is NOT to be missed, even if you only get a few hours there.

General island tours are generally easy to pick up on the quay and cheaper than booking on the ship, specialist stuff may not alwaya be cheaper a cruise lines do get discounts on entry prices that we wouldn't.

DO NOT FORGET, IF YOU'RE LATE BACK TO THE SHIP....IT WILL NOT WAIT !!!

Booking with the cruise line is a safe option.

As for other stuff there is a thread on here somewhere (tho may not be on Thomsons) 5 things you wish you knew the 1st time you went on a cruise. Worth reading.

They provide you with towels for the sun loungers on deck that can be used on beaches, but don't lose them. You'll have to pay to replace them.

Put some summer clothes in your hand luggage, then you won't waste sunbathing time waiting for your luggage to be delivered or look a nana walking round the pool deck in jeans !

Any thing else you need to know I'm sure the CC crew will help you with.

Enjoy, you'll be hooked :D

[cannockfrodo]

it is on thomsons.

btw when you going ? and what ship ?

[su671]

yeswe are sailing with Thomson Destiny on 26th December 2010 for a 2 week cruise, cant wait "hope we like it", we are beach bums, so it will be 2 weeks of differant beache's lol

[cannockfrodo]

We'll already be on board, we start on the 19th.

Looking 4ward to a Child-free Xmas.

[su671]

us 2, no kids from Boxing Day till new year "Not Anti-KIds" or anyfink, just when on holiday do enjoy going to adult only hotels, :D, see you on board, i will be wearing a red rose in my button hole NOT, enjoy your cruise WE WILL BE

[capasamari]

We'll be joining on the 26th, too, but unfortunately just for a week.Yes it is a long way to go for a week but from previous trips on Destiny it will be worth it. I would agree that you can book on the internet before you go, we also did the dolphin swim on Tortola and had our own group of just 6, which was brilliant. We have also tried to do a private boat trip on St Lucia when the official one was cancelled due to adverse weather, but it didn't happen because the Captain said there weren't enough people. As previously stated, the ship can't wait if you are late back. I would also suggest taking dollars in singles and fives for tips ashore.

[capasamari]

And make friends with your steward, waiters and wine waiters. They are usually excellent and can help make your cruise a great experience

[su671]

thanks for all the replys, like most places you go at 1st you feel like a fish out of water, but then after a day or 2, you think you could sail the ship lol, done a lot of AI holidays and i always find if your nice to people people are genuraly nice back to you "this includes waiter etc etc", so yeswehave a good supply of small $ notes. have a great week

[capasamari]

The ship's crew won't expect daily tipping as you go, and on Thomson tips are included in your fare, but we still take some envelopes and cash to leave a tip at the end of the cruise for our cabin steward, waiter, asistant waiter and wine waiter.

 

I saw a lady who had been bitten by a stingray on the arm, it was quite large and nasty. This is a trip we haven't yet done so still considering!

 

If you want to do an independent tour or beach transfer, go fairly early and aim to be back in the port area a couple of hours before sailing time to be on the safe side. There are usually some shops or bars to while away the last hour.

 

Carol x

[montytania]

We did the trip swimming with stingrays in Antigua a few years ago. It was fantastic. There was not many on the trip. If I remember correctly only one boat went out to where the stingrays were. You wade out on a sandbank after a safety talk and then hold one for a photo then they give you a squid to feed to one of them. It was awesome and everyone was on a high when they got back.

We heard of one or two getting stung in Grand Cayman but was told that there were a lot of boats and people in the water there.

They say that Stingray only attack when frightened (as the first form of defence is attack)

We really enjoyed the experience and it was one which we will never forget. So I say go on the one at Antigua it is well worth it:D

[cannockfrodo]

If you're going to buy some gear to rub it in for when you get home :p best wait til you get to St Maarten. It's the cheapest place by far for T shirts etc.

It's also a great beach, last year we went over on the ferry rented 2 loungers and a sunshade plus 4 drinks for UD$15 right opposite a bar (with it's own toilets).

There are shops nearby but as it was NYD not many were open, think it's also good for cheap booze.

 

If you want a bit of independant travel fun, when on Barbados catch the bus upto Holetown beach. Bus fare was $3 each return, the station is a short walk from the port but you have to buy tokens from a small window the buses don't take cash or behind the station you can catch one of the local mini buses same price and more regular but more errrr ethnic ! that may suit it may not. Be warned tho if you do use the "PROPER" bus token some mini buses on return say they'll take the tokens to get you on board and then won't.

Two loungers & a shade in front of the bar was US$10. We loved it.:D

[su671]

we have decided to deffo do the Stingray tour, we are going to do it with the ship "i think if your onland you will always make it back to ship" even if you have to RUN!!! lol, but if your out at sea and a storm comes, your KNACKARD, so i will let everyone know about it when we return in January.

 

As for St Marrteen, we rearly fancy going to the Airport "youtube it and you will see why", theres a beach there as well, but just need to find out how far it is from the dock, its only a small place anyway, so should think it cant be to far by taxi.

 

thanks for all the pposts, been a great help ;)

[capasamari]

http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/sm/smmap.shtml

 

The beach in question is Maho beach, south west on the map, by Queen Juliana airport. The ships berth at Bobby's Marina at Philipsburg, south east on the map.

 

Carol x

[smiffy1951]

Is this the beach where the aircraft fly really low over it just before landing?

 

If so I saw a film of this and it's amazing!!!:eek:

[montytania]

Last year in St Martin we had a tour with one of the guys outside and he took us to Maho Beach as well as round the island.

There is not alot at the beach and there were no planes landing or taking off until later that afternoon. So if you go independantly you want to find out the times that they fly so that you will be able to get back to the ship in time.

The trip around the island was very good and got some beautiful photos then time for shopping and relaxing on the beach. St Martin is one of my favourite islands.

[cannockfrodo]

So who's up for a day trip to Maho Beach ? Taxi share ?

How do we find out if there are any plane due to land the day we're there ?

Let me know if you're interested and we'll sort out a meet up.

[capasamari]

http://www.pjiae.com/pdfs/timetable.pdf

 

We are in St. Maarten on Friday 31st December. According to this timetable there should be arrivals as follows:

 

12:15 American Airlines from New York

12:20 Air Transat from Montreal

13:00 Continental Airlines from Newark

14:50 Air France from Paris

14:50 American Airlines from Miami

 

Carol x

[su671]

yes, we would be up for a taxi share, we board on the 26th December, its new years eve when we are at St Marteen, so we will have a few days to be able to meet up and arrange something,my name is Derek & my wife is Sara, nit sure how we can meet, i could always add you on here as a friend and then contact you directly?

[cannockfrodo]

Alas the OH wants to go shopping and we don't know if there's time 2 to both.

I shouldn't grumble as it's my Xmas pressie she'll be buying.

Try asking on here if anyone else is interested.

Have a nice (cold) Xmas lol

[cannockfrodo]

Having just read the flight timetable it does look like we may be able to fit it in.

I'll see if I can talk the OH round

[capasamari]

The following has been posted today by a passenger who has just returned from Oceana:

 

"02/12/2010: St Maarten (sunny 25). A few weeks back we saw a TV programme about the World’s most dangerous airports and St Maarten was something like number 5 as the landing strip backs on to the beach, and we planned our visit accordingly. At the port there were lots of taxis being organised by tourism reps and after a short wait we were loaded into a minibus with 10 others heading the same way. The single fare was $7 per person, pretty good for a 40 minute drive. We arrived at Maho beach which does indeed back straight on the runway and the whole experience is just spectacular. There are bars at both end of the beach selling reasonably priced drinks and food, and although I’m not much of a beach person I could happily have stayed there all day. Seeing the planes land so closely is just amazing. Some even tried standing in the sandstorm created by the planes preparing for take-off which was quite a sight. Our taxi driver had arranged to collect us at 3pm but in reality there was plenty of choice and clearly some of our passengers had left earlier which meant more room for us on the trip back to the ship."

Carol x

[su671]

me and my Mrs are deffo going to the airport, so if you get chance just give us a shout and we will taxi share, or like Carol said there might be a mini-bus going there which we could jump on, my wife & i both want to go shopping in St Marrteen as well, "im a very keen Photographer" and have been told St Marrteen is the place to buy new gear, so hopefully we will find time to do both "didnt realise the airport was 40min away". but hay will play it by ear, as for a COLD XMAS, im a Window Cleaner and i can confirm ITS COLD lol.

[capasamari]

According to the port schedules, Destiny will be the only ship at St. Maarten that day, so we will be berthed at the cruise terminal rather than tendering. From there you can take a water taxi across to the pier at Philipsburg or walk round. The main camera shop is a chain called Boolchands, there are three of them from what we remember. The shopping area is quite small so it won't take you long to find them, they are on Front Street which runs parallel to the beach and restaurants, see map below.

 

http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/sm/pbmap.shtml

 

It is also a good place to buy jewellery.

 

We tendered here on our first cruise and the last tender of the day came back piled high with boxes of every type of electrical good imaginable: tvs, cameras, radios; the crew had done their shopping!

 

Carol x

[su671]

lol, thanks for that info, yes the more i read about this place the more it looks like its going to be an EXPENSIVE place for me to visit, but hay you only live once :-), thanks again