The Baths - Any advantage to using ship excursion?

[SC Traveler]

Hello,

I will be visiting the baths in a few days from the Norwegian Escape. I know it's easy to do (and cheaper) on your own. I'm wondering if there is any advantage/other disadvantages to doing the excursion through NCL? For example, does the excursion ferry leave before the regular ferry, thereby avoiding some of the initial crowds? Any insight you can provide is appreciated. Thanks!

[blue_water]

No not really because you are part of the initial crowd when you arrive. I don't know how many of your fellow cruisers will take the ship excursion, but once that group arrives you will all board safari taxis and arrive at the Top together. At that point everyone is heading down. Unfortunately the only way to really enjoy the Baths without crowds is when staying on a land vacation and going when cruise ships are not in port.

 

Having said that (sorry!) I'm sure you will enjoy the experience, and taking the ship excursion may be slightly better but I doubt it. There is just no way of avoiding some of the initial crowds that you are a part of unless you hire an independent operator to drop you right at the Baths and beat out all of your fellow cruisers. But you'd have to weigh the cost, and I can't help with a reputable outfit that does this. There are day sails that take folks to the Baths, but with your 7 - 3 port time I'm not sure that's an option...

 

So sorry that there isn't a great option for avoiding others with the same idea, but the Baths are a unique experience and worth the effort.

[hannibal54]

I was just there, I walked to the ferry, took it to the Baths area, took a cab for $5.00 one way, then took the walk without an excursion. It was very easy. If there is a crowd paying to enter the Baths, go to the shops nearby until the crowd dies down.

[blue_water]

Yes we like to go on our own just to have a little more flexibility, but for this excursion on a short port day there's no good option. Hanging back while the first crowd goes through can help a bit, just watch for the next waves of people.

 

You could also walk from the Top of the Baths to Spring Bay and hang there for an hour or so, then head back to the Top of the Baths and head down. There are no amenities at SB, but it's something to see with similar topography if you decide to wait for the crowd to get through.

 

On a longer port day you can actually work with a driver to be dropped somewhere else (Savannah Bay, for example) and use his recommendation when to head to the Baths. But on this short day you're pretty much limited...

[SC Traveler]

Thank you so much for all your input. Guess I'll just have to deal with the crowds. It will give me an excuse (as if I needed one, lol) to come back to the islands again and stay a while. Thanks again.

[blue_water]

It will give me an excuse (as if I needed one, lol) to come back to the islands again and stay a while. Thanks again.

 

Exactly! Tortola is a beautiful island and with the other islands so close you can experience several!;)

[hannibal54]

Thank you so much for all your input. Guess I'll just have to deal with the crowds. It will give me an excuse (as if I needed one, lol) to come back to the islands again and stay a while. Thanks again.

 

When I was there last week, there really wasn't a crowd to have to deal with. Not everyone on the ferry are trying to get to the Baths.

[karenpstok]

I had the shore excursion credit so i did the ship excursion and was in the 7am group and were the first ones there. No crowds at all and it was awesome. However you get there it is a pretty amazing place so enjoy!!