Best/Worst Caribbean Ports of Call

[Tribefans]

Favorites: St. John: we took the taxi to Red Hook and then the ferry and taxi all on our own, no tour. We went to Trunk Bay and arrived before the cruise ship tours and it was beautiful. Not to be missed. We want to go back to see more of those beautiful beaches.

St. Maarten was terrific too, 12 Metre Challenge and the PM at Divi Little Bay made for a perfect day.

We also had great fun on a charter with Captain Marvin to Stingray City and a bit of snorkeling on Grand Cayman.

We have not been to a port we wouldn't want to visit again, so I can't list a non favorite.

[DG2004]

Cozumel was our favorite so far

[Cruisin Dave]

We have not found a port that we did not like.

 

We love Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize and Caymens.

 

We will return to Progreso, only because it's a great jumping -off stop for the Mayan ruins.

 

We have not been to Jamaica and cannot respnd to that.

 

Dave

[nothomeonacruise]

Least favorite Labadee (on RCCL cruise). There just wasn't much to do.

Most favorite St. Thomas.

[IKE]

My Favorite Ports of Call are St.Thomas, St. Maarten, Curacao and Aruba. Will never take a cruise to Jamaica or Cozumel again. Were there several times and found people very pushy & Unfriendly overall. Felt very uncomfortable and intimidated in Jamaica everytime We were there in either Montego Bay or Ocho Rios.

[michpadams]

I would have to say my favorite island is Barbados....beaches with sand like sugar, clean, clean, clean. Least favorite was probably Jamaica (dangerous etc) and I think it was Saint Kitts (nothing to do)

[heymom32000]

Our first cruise had quite a bit of rain.

Grand Caymans was fun but the water was murky so we didn't get to enjoy the snorkeling or stingrays as much as we could have. I'd like to go back sometime when the weather is perfect so we can really see what my parents loved about this island.

Costa Maya: We did the pyramid tour with a private guide who was recommended on here. He did a great job and made us feel very welcomed. I did not think their beaches were very pretty but this was after all the huricanes had destroyed cozumel and everything. Not really interested in going back here.

Grand Turks: Not a lot to do but it is a growing port. The Margaritaville was lots of fun and we enjoyed the pool there. I would like to go again in a few years after more things are set up.

Nassau: Unless you want to shop there is not much here. Hubby did surprise m with a diamond upgrade. I guess if you go over to where Atlantis is things are prettier but I am not interested in going back to nassau.

 

Our favorite port was: Half Moon Cay! We did a cabana here that was down from everyone else. Water was so crystal clear that hubby could see and pick up sand dollars from the bottom. We spotted a few fish swimming and a baby stingray. It was so peaceful, beautiful sand, interesting lizards that came to visit our cabana, etc. We would love to go back here and take friends/family. I wish our Freedom cruise stopped here that we are taking in Jan.

[jennbill]

Best:

 

Barbados, Grenada, Isla Margarita, San Juan, St. Maarten

 

Worst:

 

Martinique, Grand Turk

[caribbean dreams]

I have something good to say about every port i have ever been to.

Favorite ports:

Dominica

Roatan

Aruba

St John

 

The beaches in Montego bay are beautiful with crystal clear water, I have seen bad things happen but it won't stop me from visiting again, I have been 3 times and have never run into anyone rude..

Belize, cave tubing is great! venders outside the gate were very RUDE, The Cayes are very nice.

[seafun]

I absolutely loved Dominica (very innocent and unspoiled) and Curacao with it's Dutch influence and lots of fun shopping.

Aruba had great beaches and a Jolly Roger Pirate snorkel excursion that was a hoot (and great snorkeling as well).

I did Snuba on St. Thomas at Coki Beach (freaking fantastic!) and loved their Coral World Aquarium (but thought the shopping was only so-so in St. Thomas).

This November I'm booked to see Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize, Nassau, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten. I look forward to it with great anticipation, and think about it every day, thanks to these darned addictive message boards :eek: .

Each new port teaches us a little more about the world, and about ourselves :rolleyes: Happy cruising!

[98Charlie]

Favorite ports: Roatan, Cozumel and most any port in Southern Caribbean.

 

Least favorite ports: Jamaica, Nassau and Casa de Campo (Domincan Republic).

 

Dianne

[Lisa NJ]

I have something good to say about every port i have ever been to.

Favorite ports:

Dominica

Roatan

Aruba

St John

 

The beaches in Montego bay are beautiful with crystal clear water, I have seen bad things happen but it won't stop me from visiting again, I have been 3 times and have never run into anyone rude..

Belize, cave tubing is great! venders outside the gate were very RUDE, The Cayes are very nice.

 

I have to agree...been to Mo Bay, Ocho, and Negril...loved each one. Always had a GREAT! Looking forward to return...especially to do the falls with my kids!:p

[MrPete]

As far as worst, I would say that would ALWAYS be the fault of the traveler.

 

When I first started cruising, I would get off at certain places, look around, and draw an opinion.

 

Over the years, and certainly with the internet and sites like Cruise Critic, I have found that some places I had previously "written off", to be some of the magnificent places I have visited, if not for just venturing out a little.

 

It occurred to me if people rated Manhattan (if it were a stop) by the piers where the ships pull in, they might not actually explore the city.

 

So you GOTTA GET OUT THERE!

 

And as far as favorites, I include any of the Hawaiian Islands, Bermuda, St. John, Grand Cayman, and Aruba.

[okbowler]

favorite shopping port: St Marteen.

Favorite ports: St Lucia, Dominica,Panama, Costa Rica.

Cayman Islands can be to crowded,Jamacia & Nassau ,people unfriendly, found something we liked at every port we have been to.:) Bill

[cruisinlover]

I totally agree. I do tons of research on cruise critic as well as other places now before I go on a cruise and always find something I like to do.

[gtalum]

Cozumel is hands down my favorite, and Costa Maya is a close second. My least favorite so far is Grand Cayman. Even Grand Cayman, though, I enjoy a lot.

[clgcrusier]

Favorite so far-Roatan

 

Least favorite-Freeport. Don't like Costa Maya either, because whatever ship I'm on CAN NEVER SEEM TO GET THERE!!! :(

[CruiseQueen13]

My favorite port ever is Bermuda with Barbados as a close second.

 

Least favorite - Jamaica! Not a huge fan of San Juan either.

[MamaParrotHead]

Favorite/s: St. Martin and Cozumel (beautiful beaches, good shopping, lots to do near pier).

 

Least favorite/s: Nassau (kinda dirty, not a whole lot to do)

 

In between: Ocho Rios (we had a great time doing private tours and shopping within the gated area near the ship, but had zero contact with the rough local element that everyone talks about...never felt as if we were in danger, never offered drugs), Grand Cayman (the island itself isn't much to look at or do, everything is EXPENSIVE, but the water is CRYSTAL clear and I'd love to go back to snorkel), St. Thomas (would love to go to St. John next time).

[wanderingjew]

favorites trondheim norway and hobart tasmania

 

 

avoid jamaica

[tecumsehcruiser]

Hi,

 

We have loved everywhere we have been - St. Thomas, St. John, St. Martin, the Hawaiian Islands, Belize, etc. except for one place, and I don't think it is offered anymore Caracas, Venezuela ! We were told who the bad police and good police were, don't wear fanny packs or jewelry, not a fun place, interesting but not fun.

 

Brenda

[DocF]

My wife is a beach person and I am not. That being said, Half Moon Cay is probably our favorite port of call. Even though it is a tender port, the whole facility is so beautiful and laid back, we had a blast.

 

Least favorite is a matter of degree, not dislike. I would say Nassau. The port is in a gritty area and the town has a bit of a seedy appearance overall. An excursion to one of the beaches or to Atlantis will solve that issue.

 

Doc

[pacerzfan]

Favorites: Cozumel

 

Least Favorites: Jamaica....when offered drugs by a uniformed police officer while with my 2 young daughters...that turned me off and yes I am a former officer

[rklemay]

Favorites: St. Maarten, St. Thomas/St. John, Curacao, Barbados, Antigua

 

Least Favorite: St. Lucia

 

St. Lucia is a very beautiful island and definitely worth seeing, but we found the people to be extremely agressive in St. Lucia - even more so than Jamaica or the Bahamas. We did a land and sea excursion with half of the tour on a catamaran and half on a bus. When we were on the catamaran, locals paddled out in canoes to meet the boat and try to sell coconuts and other items to everyone. On the bus trip, there were aggressive people at every tour stop - to the point that most of the people on the bus would not even get off the bus for the last couple of stops.

[Eliot Ness]

I've enjoyed every port we've been to except Freeport. That was over 10 years ago so it might have a bit more to offer now, but back then it didn't do too much for me.

 

Nassau was OK, at least I liked it better than Freeport, and we haven't been to Jamaica yet so I can't comment on that port which seems to be mentioned a lot as a least favorite. I suspect that we'd do OK in Jamaica as long as we researched it first on the Ports of Call forum here on CC.

 

If I had to pick a favorite it would be either Roatan, Belize, or Costa Maya.

 

John