West Indies Explorer cruise

[Texanniew]

Good morning! We just booked this cruse for October 2024, but as I am searching here for posts on this cruise, I am seeing real mixed opinions. Any feedback on this trip? This would be our first Viking cruise and a 40th wedding anniversary trip. We have been on two RC cruises years ago. 

Thanks so much!

[Jim Avery]

We were on this one last December.  From the Viking side all went well and the trip was a lot of fun.  Getting to and especially from San Juan was a cluster you know what... Not Viking's fault.  All the crappy airlines.  I would stress how important it is down there to arrive at least a day early.  Other than that, enjoy.

[Texanniew]

Thank you, Jim! Sorry the air part was such a mess. I read part of your saga. What excursions did you do? I am trying to get a feel for how much the paid excursions cost.

[Breckski]

American flies direct to San Juan.  Obviously, you may view American as a crappy airline.

 

A very good friend of mine is a pilot that flies for American to San Juan frequently.  He's not delusional in thinking that American is perfect, but he says it's rare to have issues on that flight unless weather related.  

[CCWineLover]

14 minutes ago, Texanniew said:

Good morning! We just booked this cruse for October 2024, but as I am searching here for posts on this cruise, I am seeing real mixed opinions. Any feedback on this trip? This would be our first Viking cruise and a 40th wedding anniversary trip. We have been on two RC cruises years ago. 

Thanks so much!

We've been on this cruise.  I would stress that you should relax, enjoy the ship and the cruising!  Don't fret over the ports or excursions.  Not Viking's fault, but after COVID, the amount and quality of viable tour operators in the Caribbean has been quite noticeable.  Thus - approach any excursions with the right expectations.  Some we had were quite good and some not so good.  It also depends on how mobile you are and how much you want to be active and do some of the more interesting, fun optional excursions.

If you are at all interested in photography, I'd highly recommend the Photography Optional tour in Barbados.   As well as the snorkeling tour in St. Martin.

[Texanniew]

1 minute ago, CCWineLover said:

We've been on this cruise.  I would stress that you should relax, enjoy the ship and the cruising!  Don't fret over the ports or excursions.  Not Viking's fault, but after COVID, the amount and quality of viable tour operators in the Caribbean has been quite noticeable.  Thus - approach any excursions with the right expectations.  Some we had were quite good and some not so good.  It also depends on how mobile you are and how much you want to be active and do some of the more interesting, fun optional excursions.

If you are at all interested in photography, I'd highly recommend the Photography Optional tour in Barbados.   As well as the snorkeling tour in St. Martin.

Fingers crossed…we are fairly active. 🙂 We honeymooned in St. Martin’s. The chairlift tour looked really fun and does the snorkeling. Thanks.

[longterm]

22 minutes ago, Texanniew said:

Good morning! We just booked this cruse for October 2024, but as I am searching here for posts on this cruise, I am seeing real mixed opinions. Any feedback on this trip? This would be our first Viking cruise and a 40th wedding anniversary trip. We have been on two RC cruises years ago. 

Thanks so much!

We took that cruise in December 2021, just as cruises were resuming after Covid. At this point, everyone on the ship had to be masked, as well as masking on the buses too. Handwashing stations were outside every ship, as they were on our last cruise as well. Having just had Covid 2 weeks ago and feeling awful for more than a week, my wife and hope that we see handwashing stations on our river cruise a month from now.

 

It was an excellent trip in every respect; we had no trouble in the airport in San Juan at all--Viking reps were there to shepherd us to buses and transfer our luggage to the ship. 

 

We enjoy lounging on beaches, so we booked 5 excursions where we could enjoy the beaches; all of them were fun, although we wished we'd had longer on some of them. 

 

The snorkeling excursion was really great, one of my favorite excursions.

 

Some of the islands don't have a lot on them to see, so I do remember having the local electric company pointed out to us. 🙂

 

I will say that the batik excursion was a bit of a disappointment, and a few of the free drive-around excursions were a bit lackluster, but even with that, we had a great time--but then, we always enjoy every trip we take. If you enjoy great sunrises and sunsets, you're in for a treat.

 

One of our favorite days was when we were walking into St. Croix from the ship, met a one-legged taxi driver named Tony who was so friendly that we hired him for a day's drive all over the island. He took us to the sulphur pits where volcanic activity bubbles to the surface--one of the highlights of the trip. In fact, our day driving around with Tony was probably our favorite day of the whole trip.

 

A suggestion: you can find lightweight inexpensive beach shoes on Amazon; they're great for walking on the beaches and they're easy to pack. 

 

Bottom line: we'd do that cruise again for sure because we really enjoy Caribbean beaches.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2023 by longterm

[Texanniew]

6 minutes ago, mwike said:

American flies direct to San Juan.  Obviously, you may view American as a crappy airline.

 

A very good friend of mine is a pilot that flies for American to San Juan frequently.  He's not delusional in thinking that American is perfect, but he says it's rare to have issues on that flight unless weather related.  

I like American. I am in Houston so United tends to be the main airline, but it’s been a while since we have traveled.

[Texanniew]

4 minutes ago, longterm said:

We took that cruise in December 2021, just as cruises were resuming after Covid. At this point, everyone on the ship had to be masked, as well as masking on the buses too. Handwashing stations were outside every ship, as they were on our last cruise as well. Having just had Covid 2 weeks ago and feeling awful for more than a week, my wife and hope that we see handwashing stations on our river cruise a month from now.

 

It was an excellent trip in every respect; we had no trouble in the airport in San Juan at all--Viking reps were there to shepherd us to buses and transfer our luggage to the ship. 

 

We enjoy lounging on beaches, so we booked 5 excursions where we could enjoy the beaches; all of them were fun, although we wished we'd had longer on some of them. 

 

The snorkeling excursion was really great, one of my favorite excursions.

 

Some of the islands don't have a lot on them to see, so I do remember having the local electric company pointed out to us. 🙂

 

I will say that the batik excursion was a bit of a disappointment, and a few of the free drive-around excursions were a bit lackluster, but even with that, we had a great time--but then, we always enjoy every trip we take. If you enjoy great sunrises and sunsets, you're in for a treat.

 

One of our favorite days was when we were walking into St. Croix from the ship, met a one-legged taxi driver named Tony who was so friendly that we hired him for a day's drive all over the island. He took us to the sulphur pits where volcanic activity bubbles to the surface--one of the highlights of the trip. In fact, our day driving around with Tony was probably our favorite day of the whole trip.

 

A suggestion: you can find lightweight inexpensive beach shoes on Amazon; they're great for walking on the beaches and they're easy to pack. 

 

Bottom line: we'd do that cruise again for sure because we really enjoy Caribbean beaches.

 

 

Thank you!

[Jim Avery]

Tex we have been to the Caribbean and especially the BVI many times.  Our favorite stop is Jost van Dyke.  A small lovely beachy Island accessible only by boat.  On SeaDream we used to anchor offshore and overnight there.  Off to Foxy's Bar.  In the day the beach at White Bay is near perfection.  Like all places it is beginning to get a bit crowded but still very nice last December.  On Viking you get there from Tortola on a 45 minute power catamaran.  On that trip Viking offered it as an excursion.  About three hours on JVD to soak  sun, have a painkiller at Soggy Dollar Bar or snack on good seafood at Hendos Hideaway.  A new beachy bar built since the last hurricane.  Most places we walk ashore and if we want to go somewhere just grab a cab.  We like the Sunset Bar at Maho Beach in St. Maarten and if you have time in San Juan old SJ is full of picturesque buildings and historical places.  Not to mention food/drink spots.  And if you have never done it, the Bacardi House is a good tour.  Historical facts plus lots about rum.  Accessible with the harbor ferry which docks adjacent to pier 2 across from the Sheraton.  On the other side taxis are easy to get and it's a short ride to Bacardi.  

[Texanniew]

Great info, thanks!

[WanderingBrit]

1 hour ago, mwike said:

American flies direct to San Juan.  Obviously, you may view American as a crappy airline.

 

A very good friend of mine is a pilot that flies for American to San Juan frequently.  He's not delusional in thinking that American is perfect, but he says it's rare to have issues on that flight unless weather related.  

I'm betting on that direct service to San Juan serving us well next February when we fly down to join a cruise.

[longterm]

1 hour ago, Jim Avery said:

Tex we have been to the Caribbean and especially the BVI many times.  Our favorite stop is Jost van Dyke.  A small lovely beachy Island accessible only by boat.  On SeaDream we used to anchor offshore and overnight there.  Off to Foxy's Bar.  In the day the beach at White Bay is near perfection.  Like all places it is beginning to get a bit crowded but still very nice last December.  On Viking you get there from Tortola on a 45 minute power catamaran.  On that trip Viking offered it as an excursion.  About three hours on JVD to soak  sun, have a painkiller at Soggy Dollar Bar or snack on good seafood at Hendos Hideaway.  A new beachy bar built since the last hurricane.  Most places we walk ashore and if we want to go somewhere just grab a cab.  We like the Sunset Bar at Maho Beach in St. Maarten and if you have time in San Juan old SJ is full of picturesque buildings and historical places.  Not to mention food/drink spots.  And if you have never done it, the Bacardi House is a good tour.  Historical facts plus lots about rum.  Accessible with the harbor ferry which docks adjacent to pier 2 across from the Sheraton.  On the other side taxis are easy to get and it's a short ride to Bacardi.  

I second Jost Van Dyke, which may have been our favorite beach as well, and we did enjoy a few drinks at the Soggy Dollar as well. 

 

[nanabeth]

Our first ever cruise was the West Indies cruise on the Viking Sea in January, 2022. We did the two day pre-cruise extension in San Juan. It was one of the first cruises after COVID and there were few passengers and a full crew so we felt very spoiled. The only down side was we weren't allowed to go out and explore on our own.

 

One of my favorite excursions was the Barbados Photo Adventure. Even if you are not a photographer it was a wonderful tour of Barbados with an excellent guide Ronnie Carrington. Another favorite was the Rain forest and Waterfall by 4x4 in Dominica. It was a little more challenging because we had to walk up stone stairs to view the waterfalls. Another really fun excursion was the St. Martin's by 4x4 to the airport to watch the planes landing. We did two catamaran trips. From Tortola we went snorkeling and from St. Thomas we went to a National Park beach on St. John. We also enjoyed the included tours we took. 

 

We loved it so much we are doing the same cruise again in February. This time we hope to do some exploring on our own.

[JenRonn1104]

We just booked this cruise for November 2024 to celebrate our 20th Anniversary.  I am enjoying everyone’s comments.  Thank you.

[aungrl]

7 hours ago, mwike said:

American flies direct to San Juan.  Obviously, you may view American as a crappy airline.

 

A very good friend of mine is a pilot that flies for American to San Juan frequently.  He's not delusional in thinking that American is perfect, but he says it's rare to have issues on that flight unless weather related.  

I've flown into San Juan several times on the American flight, and have always had good luck with it  - knock wood.  Anything can happen, though, so I'd underscore @Jim Avery's comments about arriving at least one day early.  And we liked the Bacardi tour, as well.

[Breckski]

2 minutes ago, aungrl said:

I've flown into San Juan several times on the American flight, and have always had good luck with it  - knock wood.  Anything can happen, though, so I'd underscore @Jim Avery's comments about arriving at least one day early.  And we liked the Bacardi tour, as well.

 

I looked up that cruise and it stays an extra night in San Juan at the start.  So having that extra night in a hotel wouldn't really be a requirement for me.  The extra night is sort of like insurance, albeit cheap insurance with a night in a hotel in San Juan if you really want another day in San Juan. 

 

I'd imagine that cruise has a bit more budget conscious customer on average so the expense of the extra day may be relevant.

[aungrl]

15 minutes ago, mwike said:

 

I looked up that cruise and it stays an extra night in San Juan at the start.  So having that extra night in a hotel wouldn't really be a requirement for me.  The extra night is sort of like insurance, albeit cheap insurance with a night in a hotel in San Juan if you really want another day in San Juan. 

 

I'd imagine that cruise has a bit more budget conscious customer on average so the expense of the extra day may be relevant.

Excellent point.  We do tend to go in a day ahead even when the ship is in port overnight, as a way to try to maximize the time we'll get on the ship in case something goes wrong.  But that overnight in port does give a margin of safety that accomplishes the same thing.

[photopro2]

I made some notes on our trip in February 2023, so hope these might help you. We obviously paid for our excursions in pounds, but that will give you an idea of the dollar amount.

We had visited Old San Juan and the forts previously, but would recommend taking a look at these on day two if you’ve not seen them before. However, our itinerary was as follows

Day 1 San Juan

Arrival in San Juan evening walk into town.

Day 2 San Juan

Made our own arrangements. Walk past government buildings to Palm lined beach at Balneario del Escambrón

Day 3 Tortola

AM walk round the bay to British governor’s old residence.

PM Tortola Scenic Tour & Beach INCLUDED This was a good included tour with an informational ride across the island, followed by an hour or so at a beach club with loungers, and one included drink as I recall.

Day 4 St Kitts

Historic Basseterre & Fairview Great House INCLUDED Reasonable included tour, Busy in the house at times and we visited the garden first. Then went back into the house once the crowd had gone through.

Day 5 St. Lucia

St. Lucia Panorama INCLUDED mostly a drive-by coach tour but the Stony Hill Estate visit at the end was lovely – wish we had longer there.

Day 6 Barbados

Made our own arrangements. Walked into the old town, and then a couple of hours at Brownes Beach, which was nice.

Day 7 Dominica

Rainforest Waterfalls & Beachside OPTIONAL £69 per person

Nice excursion. Swam in the pool under the waterfall and had a good amount of time (and lunch) on the secluded and picturesque beach. 

Day 8 Antigua

Amazing Antigua INCLUDED Maybe an hour at Nelsons dockyard and a couple of high points for overviews of the island, not a bad included tour overall.

Day 9 St. Thomas 

AM St. John National Park Champagne Catamaran Sail OPTIONAL £84 Per Person. Loved this excursion. We left the ship fairly early in the morning and were the first boat to arrive at the deserted beach, so those of us from Viking had it all to ourselves for the first 20 minutes. Then had time for swimming and sunning ourselves before returning to the ship. 

PM Secret Scenic Island Tour & Mountain Top INCLUDED Stopped at a couple of high points to view the island. The longer stop at the top was at a large touristy shopping area, not to our taste but okay for the view.

Day 10 America’s Cup 12-Meter Regatta OPTIONAL £92 Per Person. This was one of the best excursions we have ever done. Sailing those fast boats across the blue ocean is a completely unique experience and one we will always remember. 

Day 11 leave ship and fly home

 

[Texanniew]

Photopro…thank you! Wonderful info. 

[Texanniew]

3 hours ago, nanabeth said:

Our first ever cruise was the West Indies cruise on the Viking Sea in January, 2022. We did the two day pre-cruise extension in San Juan. It was one of the first cruises after COVID and there were few passengers and a full crew so we felt very spoiled. The only down side was we weren't allowed to go out and explore on our own.

 

One of my favorite excursions was the Barbados Photo Adventure. Even if you are not a photographer it was a wonderful tour of Barbados with an excellent guide Ronnie Carrington. Another favorite was the Rain forest and Waterfall by 4x4 in Dominica. It was a little more challenging because we had to walk up stone stairs to view the waterfalls. Another really fun excursion was the St. Martin's by 4x4 to the airport to watch the planes landing. We did two catamaran trips. From Tortola we went snorkeling and from St. Thomas we went to a National Park beach on St. John. We also enjoyed the included tours we took. 

 

We loved it so much we are doing the same cruise again in February. This time we hope to do some exploring on our own.

Thank you Nanabeth!

[Snowcat1]

In the responses, several people have said that American Airlines flies to San Juan direct. But direct from where?

[photopro2]

8 hours ago, Snowcat1 said:

In the responses, several people have said that American Airlines flies to San Juan direct. But direct from where?

If you are travelling from Calgary, you will most likely have to change planes somewhere. You might like to consider doing as we did to get to San Juan from the UK. Viking allowed us to leave Heathrow on the day before embarkation and overnight at a Miami airport hotel (A Sheraton, which we got to easily using the shuttle train to the rental car facility) at our own expense. We then got a direct flight on AA from Miami to San Juan, leaving about 8:30 and arriving around noon.

We still qualified for Viking's transfer to the ship as we landed in San Juan on embarkation day. We arrived the ship around 1 o'clock and enjoyed the rest of that first day feeling refreshed having had a good previous nights sleep.

[WanderingBrit]

13 hours ago, Snowcat1 said:

In the responses, several people have said that American Airlines flies to San Juan direct. But direct from where?

From Chicago certainly, which is what we care about. Most airlines fly direct to San Juan, but only from Miami 😉

[Snowcat1]

Ok, thanks. I will check to see if I can get a direct flight to Miami and then that AA flight.