First Cruise To The Eastern Caribben

[ballykid]

My Husband And I Are Taking Our First Cruise On March 3, 2006 To The Eastern Caribbean On The Navigator Of The Sea. We Are Going To San Juan, St Marten, St Thomas And Nassau. Any Good Suggestions For What To Do On Our Shore Excursions, Where To Swim Wit The Dolphins, And Who Should We Book With, Should We Do It Online Or On The Ship? I Also Hear The Bob Underwater Scooter Is A Blast, Anyone Ever Try It? If Anyone Else Has Any Suggestions We Would Greatly Appreciate It.

 

Kathy & George:)

[suzeyQ]

We're cruising March 5 2006 on Explorer and doing the same route as you. We're doing the dolphin swim in Nassau and are booked with Dolphinencounters.com. If you want to do the actual swim, you'll need to book directly with the company - the ship only offers the dolphin encounter.

 

A lot of people seem to recommend the America's Cup race in St. Maarten.

[dexter]

When you go to St Thomas I suggest you take a water ferry over to St John and then take a taxi from Cruz Bay to one of the great beaches. We usually go to Cinnamon Beach or Trunk Bay, both the most beautiful places on earth.

From what I've read, nightlife is the excursion in San Juan. You'll love the Eastern excursion. Rise early to watch your arrival and marvel at the mountains. In St Martin, visit Orient Beach if you are into au naturel sun bathing.

[Nliedel]

Nassau for the dolphin swim for sure.

 

In St. Thomas you can go to St. John (lovely but the first time do it with a ships excursion so they mind the time for you) or go to Magan's Bay Beach, which is on St. Thomas and gorgeous. You also get to go over the hills to get there (other side of the island) and it's a glorious drive.

 

In St. Martaan there are two things. Orient Beach, partial nudity so be aware, it's on the French Side and in Phillipsburg there is a chocolate shop. When you take the water taxi to town make a right as you get to the main street. It's on Old Street about 4 blocks down. Make a left on Old Street (only way you can go) and it's on the left, follow your nose, you cannot miss it. Makes Godiva look like Hershey's.

[ckrobyn]

If you don't want nudity - no offense to anyone - you can go to Mullet Bay which is located next door to the airport, a really beautiful beach that also offers amazing views of planes landing!

[Nliedel]

But nudity is so great! Especially when it's the guy who is sitting at the next table and he seems to have no clue someone is going to see him from the ship!

 

Cruise to St. Martaan $3,000

Cab to Orient Beach, $33.00

Look on your nekkid table mates face? Priceless.

[ckrobyn]

But nudity is so great! Especially when it's the guy who is sitting at the next table and he seems to have no clue someone is going to see him from the ship!

 

Cruise to St. Martaan $3,000

Cab to Orient Beach, $33.00

Look on your nekkid table mates face? Priceless.

 

LMAO - THAT was hysterical! Thanks for the laugh :D

[sailor05]

If you book the dolphins swim yourself (in Nassau), just make sure at the end you board the ferry going directly to the cruise ships. They don't ask any questions. If you take the ferry back to their terminal, you won't make it back to the ship in time. But it is a great time and would highly recommend doing it.

In San Juan, we just got off the ship and found a one of many tour companies offering a tour of the area for $20.00 p.p. and that worked out great. At the end they gave us the option of getting off the bus in Old San Juan for some good shopping there, and then was a short walk back to the ship.

St. Thomas is the place to do some sort of underwater activity, being either the BOB or Sea-Trekking (helmet dive) at Coral World Marine park, or even SNUBA, everyone I've talked to love any of these. The only bad thing is if the waters are too rough, they cancel all or most of the water excursions, which is what happened to us. So keep an open mind.

In St. Maarten we just took a cab over to Orient Beach which was absolutely beautiful. You can rent jet-ski's or go para sailing there for reasonable rates.

We were on the Navigator, and I'm telling you that you're going to love it. If you'd like to read my review here it is. Have a great time!! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=4819362#post4819362

[windjamming]

I second nliedel's suggestion about taking the ship's excursion to St. John- we did the St. John Island Tour, and it was magnificant. We also did the Old San Juan Walking Tour- interesting especially if you're into historical sites.

 

Happy cruising!

[firstcruise05]

When we docked in St. Thomas we took the ferry to St. John and then a taxi to Trunk Bay. Very pretty. St. John is a very quiet, easy going island. We loved it there and were very sad to take the water taxi back. When we got back to Charlotte Amalie we went to our cabin, took showers, changed and went shopping in downtown.

 

In St. Maarten we went to Orient Bay. When Nliedel says watch out for the partial nudity...she means that half of the beach is nude and the other half is not (although you may see the occasional topless woman walking by). So when you get to Orient Beach...take a left if you are worried about the nudity. Because to the right is the nude side of the beach and many of those people are fully nude....men and women. We had a fabulous time there, the water was spectacular!!!! I didn't think water could get any better than St. Thomas but then we got to St. Maarten....WOW! It started to rain while we were at Orient Beach so we took a taxi back to port got changed into dry clothes and went shopping again. (It had dried up by this time...fast shower passed through, but it was a soaker). We went shopping, my DH bought me a beautiful ring (that I have yet to get appraised) and we ate lunch at Tullulah Mangos.

 

In Nassau, we took the water taxi over to Paradise Island and then walked to Atlantis. We toured the property and then the Dig (for a fee) and we stopped for pina coladas. Wow, can you say RUM!!! They were good but they pour the rum on top and you stir it in with your straw. I failed to mention that to my DH who was saving our spot to get back to the water taxi and he took a big swig right off the top. :p Very funny. We didn't have much time in Nassau so that is pretty much all we did...walked quickly around Nassau just to see it and went back to the ship.

[Sheffie]

In St. Maarten, I suggest you do the America's Cup Regatta. It is the top rated excursion in the Caribbean, and deserves it! You race other cruise passengers in boats that were used in the REAL America's Cup Regatta. Each person on the boat has a job that is as strenuous as you want. Some were grinders, I was a winch wench, there was a time keeper and a bar keeper! We were lucky enough to draw Dennis Connor's Stars and Stripes for our race. We raced the True North and beat them! When we were done racing another man asked if he could steer the boat and they let him. After a while I asked if I could, too, and I got to steer her back into the harbor. It was a thrill of a life time!

 

You can only book this through the ship.

 

Here are pictures from that wonderful excursion: http://community.webshots.com/album/528943965HpvFnj

 

Have a great cruise!

[imatarb]

Michelle, that sounds awesome!! We'll have our 7-yr. old with us, so we'll have to remember that excursion for another time.

[lojill]

Which is better the Western or Eastern. We just came back from Key West-Cozumel-Belize. Weather and Seas and excursions.

[elleluv]

The BOB is our favorite excursion so far! :D

 

 

We went in St. Thomas and booked through RCCL... What a blast!! :D

[beachchick]

Please let me clarify. It's not that "half of" Orient Beach is nude and the other half isn't. Club Orient (a fully clothing optional resort) is at one end of Orient Beach. You will encounter more full nudity at that end of the beach. There are usually at least a few fully nude people who walk the length of the beach. We've never heard of anyone being asked to put on any clothing, so I think that full nudity is tolerated along the beach, just not encouraged.

 

The entire length of Orient beach and all of the beaches on the French side allow topless female sunbathing. This is a normal and accepted European (and other places) custom. There will almost certainly be topless women (and no, there's no rule as to how young or sexy they have to be; this isn't Playboy, it's a beach). Also, others have mentioned that there is a fair amount of toplessness on some of the beaches on the Dutch side; specifically, Maho where the Sunset Beach Bar has a motto of "topless women drink for free" and Cupecoy (sp?) where there is at least some full nudity.

 

It is true that the further you go away from Club Orient, the less you will see of full nudity.

 

One last thing, I would have no problem with anyone on our cruise ship seeing me topless. If I'm on a topless beach, I'm going to be topless. Not a problem for me or my DH. Just follow beach etiquette: no laughing, pointing, staring, or making rude comments. No big deal.

 

We loved Orient. On St. Thomas, we took the ferry to St. John. I would love to spend more time on St. John; it's beautiful.

 

beachchick

[Mike&Nancy]

We, also, are taking our first Eastern next year, albeit on the Jewel. Ours is an 8-dayer, versus a 7-dayer on Navigator. When we booked ours, it seems about 3 years ago, I don't think the Navigator was even offered, which is why we picked the Jewel. I've also booked an aft Suite this time, versus just an aft cabin. So, looking forward to this. However, my question is.......I've noticed a lot of people saying to take a ferry from St. Martin to St. John's. Our extra day is IN St John's, and it looks like it's quite a little distance between the 2. Am I not distinguishing between the 2 or am I confusing St John's with another St John's closer in???

We did the Western on the Voyager and really loved the size of the ship, hence the reason I wish the Navigator had been offered when we booked. We did Panama on the Brilliance our last time, and I think both of us liked the bigger ships. That's the reason I booked a Suite this time and dropped 2 days on our itenerary.

Anyway, help me out on the placement of the 2 islands. Thanks all!!

 

Mike!!:)

[logan1_2000]

We, also, are taking our first Eastern next year, albeit on the Jewel. Ours is an 8-dayer, versus a 7-dayer on Navigator. When we booked ours, it seems about 3 years ago, I don't think the Navigator was even offered, which is why we picked the Jewel. I've also booked an aft Suite this time, versus just an aft cabin. So, looking forward to this. However, my question is.......I've noticed a lot of people saying to take a ferry from St. Martin to St. John's. Our extra day is IN St John's, and it looks like it's quite a little distance between the 2. Am I not distinguishing between the 2 or am I confusing St John's with another St John's closer in???

We did the Western on the Voyager and really loved the size of the ship, hence the reason I wish the Navigator had been offered when we booked. We did Panama on the Brilliance our last time, and I think both of us liked the bigger ships. That's the reason I booked a Suite this time and dropped 2 days on our itenerary.

Anyway, help me out on the placement of the 2 islands. Thanks all!!

 

Mike!!:)

 

I think you do have some confusion. St. John's is Antigua, which is one of your stops. St. John, (singular, not possessive) is the USVI island near St. Thomas, and is a regular ferry destination for cruise ship visitors to St. Thomas. St. Maarten offers some ferries to Anguila from the french side, but having been to St. Maarten on three cruises and having spent a week at the Divi Little Bay on another occasion, I don't recall daytrip excursions to either St. John or St. John's, Antigua being a major to-do from either the french or the dutch side.

 

I am frankly lusting after the 8 day eastern itinerary, just cant find a decent opportunity when it really fits our school breaks or other available travel slots, so I do wish you a great trip. You state you have sailed both the voyager class and the radiance class, so I'm sure that while you are not booked on your first preference, you are also aware that the radiance-class ships are also a first class atmosphere and that you will have a great trip. Which Aft suite? I have booked 1600 on one occasion and 1100 on another.

[RSS from SF]

Hi Ballykid,

[fyi -- saw you mention on another thread it's actually the 3/11/06 you're taking. (just for anyone else who noticed the date.)]

 

 

For San Juan, I echo the other posts recommending the walking tour.

 

You'll be in Old San Juan for the night tour which is even more magical -- it's called the "Nights Tales in Old San Juan" tour.

 

Highest recommendation.

 

Tour site:

http://www.*****.com/nighttales.htm

 

Some photos from Old San Juan I took from last April, mostly while on the tour:

http://community.webshots.com/album/331532193msVVrJ

[nbsjcruiser]

I think you better check your reservation. We are on the Navigator this week starting Feb 25 and it is on the Eastern. The next cruise will be Saturday MArch 4th on a WESTERN itinerary not an Eastern one.

[Mike&Nancy]

We booked 1100 this time. On the Brilliance we had the cabin directly below this one....9262?? That sound familiar?? It was nice, but I just had expected a bigger balcony than what I found and was a little disappointed. However, it was nice to lay out there and get a little sun and not have to fight for a chair up on deck. We took a little fold-up cooler with us and went down to the bar and ordered up a 6-pak, brought it back to the cabin, and had a fine ole time. And I totally agree with you about the size of the radiance-class ships being much more friendly than the Voyger class. On the Voyager, the kids drove us nuts and the adults were about the rudest I've ever had occasion to run across. Totally the opposite on the Brilliance, and I expect the same will happen on the Jewel. This cruise will also throw us up into the next level, Platinum, so we're wanting to book on-board for b-b's around New Year's Eve. That'll give us 2 quick ones toward our next level, and hopefully with the Platinum will offer us some perks.

Anyway, thanks for the eye-opening on the St. John('s) situation. I certainly hope you get to take this cruise at some point.

 

Mike!!:)

[AngieBaby161]

Mike & Nancy

Saw where you had posted on a roll call thread for the Feb 10 sailing. We directed you to the official thread and hope to see you there. Use the link at the bottom of my post.