Prickly Pear Island - Highly Recommended

[jamscckmc]

How much are they charging you? If you are there all day and paying close to$100, my guess is you get drinks and lunch. I assume Carnival has the little icons on their excursion page that tell you how intense the activity is and there are icons for food/snacks. I have never been on Carnival but every other cruise ship has had a long explanation page with these icons.

[coco6]

I don't know the price yet but there is no icon for food and drinks on that excursion, the intensity is only a two. Do you know if there are any places on prickly pear island that you can get something to eat or drink at?

[jamscckmc]

Hopefully, someone who's been there can answer that ? From what I understand it is a tiny island run now by Terrence, Miquel's son and that only a small group are allowed per day and food and drink are included. If you go to the actual booking page it should give you the price before you book. What I don't know and hopefully someone who has been there can answer is were there more than one group there? Was there someone else on another side of the island with another group?

[jamscckmc]

I just looked up shore excusions on the carnival site and it looks like your tour only has 2hrs on the island and includes one drink and states you can purchase more. Since your whole tour is less than 3hrs, I would eat a big breakfast and then eat lunch when you get back on the ship.We have bought snacks from the ship shops like pringles with us to the beach. The tour through RC is longer, more$$$ and includes lunch and open bar. If you want to go for the whole day try and email Terrence again. Good luck!

[suznf]

We spent New Years Eve (day) on Prickly Pear Island and it was really very nice (despite the weather).

 

First, getting them to answer an email didnt work. The email I posted earlier on the thread was it. Once we were on our cruise we ended up w/a group of about 14 wanting to go...and it was sold out at that point through RCCL (we had reservations through RCCL as our plan B). After desperate emails to no avail, and leaving a phone message, I was finally able to get through on a phone line.....with only one hour left to cancel through RCCL! We were told "no problem" bring cash or travelers checks and they would have lobster for our group.

 

Doing it privately did not include transportation to the pick up point. But we were told "no problem, tell the taxi driver you want to go to Miguels Pick up spot. He will take you to the beach and point out the pick up spot." Sigh. We found a taxi without any problem, actually a very nice bus. But the money we "saved" by doing it privately was used up w/the taxi ride! (i forget how much it was...maybe $10 pp rt)

 

Well that is when the adventure started. It was pouring rain, and the cab driver (did I mention we were in a very nice bus?) hadnt been to Miguels in a long time. The Pick up spot was destroyed in the last hurricane. So we drove around for quite a while and even stopped at private homes as he asked for directions. Eventually we found it 45 minutes later...By the time we got to the beach the group from RCCL was already there and they were transporting the first group across to the island on a small boat. we waited and were the last group across.

 

We were greeted with a spread of ham, butter and french bread as well as a variety of beverages.

 

Miguel kept our glasses full of his special rum punch. There was beer and vodka and juices as well. Lunch was wonderful and the lobster was mixed in a salad, but was very tender and delicious.

 

It rained on and off throughout the day, but everyone had a chance to snorkle. DH fished. DS caught a lizard, a crab and a very large cricket. :D

 

We had a really wonderful time and would go back in a heart beat!!!

[coco6]

jamscckmc, thanks for taking the time to look up my excursion. The only reason why I was thinking of taking this excursion thru carnival is because as soon as we dock there for the day, my husband and I are booked to do the helicopter tour to monserrat volcano. That will take at least 3 hrs. and from what I understand if I call Terrance and book this excursion thru him, that it basicly was an all day afair and I would have to book him first thing in the morning to get him to take us to the island. It didn't seem like he would be picking up people throughout the day to go to and from prickly pear island. so I settled on the carnival excursion so I can get to prickly pear after my helicopter tour. Do you think that would work?

 

Thanks

[jamscckmc]

coco6 check the times on both tours, I would try and leave at least 2 hours between tours to allow for traffic or other problems.

suznf, It sounds like doing this through RC is safer, I don't like lobster anyway. My ? for you is, did you see the RC group? How did they keep them separate and keep the cruise ship people away from the lobster. How many people were on the island, and were there enough chairs/umbrellas for everyone? Thanks

[WahooNKS]

Any updates to the comments posted here? Prickly Pear or Creole Cruises? We just booked with Prickly Pear for April 1. Very much looking forward to it!

 

WahooNKS

[jamscckmc]

I am waiting too for answers to my ??? suznf are you out there. Booked through RC. After the long post about transportation to the dock, I decided it was safer to do it through the cruiseline. I did have ??? on how they keep the two groups separate since they don't serve lobster to those booked throgh the cruiseline. No biggie for me, I prefer chicken!

[cloud09]

Everybody that we met on this island was staying on Antigua for weeks, not on cruises. They said we picked the right thing to do if we were here only for 1 day.

 

Just an alternative thought .... if I had only one day to see Antigua, I would rather spend it seeing and getting to know the feel of Antigua instead of isolating my day to a very small island.

[bcs819]

 

First, getting them to answer an email didnt work. The email I posted earlier on the thread was it. !

 

Doesn't sound like they want a whole lot of business then :( Why have it on your website if you're not going to answer them?

[jamscckmc]

Maybe they are getting all the bussiness they need thrugh RC now, but you would think they would answer all emails. We have been to Antiqua before and did the island tour and visited some of the beaches so this time we thought this would be a nice change. We are booking through RC becaause one poster had talked about the difficulty of getting to the dock they leave from. If the total cost ends up being close because you have to pay your own taxi, I will go for the spip's tour. I then know the ship will wait for me. I was looking at Eli, but we are doing Silver Moon in Barbados and one all day boat ride is enough. Does anyone have the answer to my ??? on previous post about if they keep the RC group separate from the privately booked, since the privately booked get lobster?

[rnlmigacz]

Does anyone have the answer to my ??? on previous post about if they keep the RC group separate from the privately booked, since the privately booked get lobster?

 

The island is VERY small, in a wonderful, seculded way. They do not seperate the people booked privately to those booked through the ships. I didn't see any lobster salad...and I didn't ask the other people if they were slipped some on the side, so it's hard to say if they got any.

 

We had a WONDERFUL relaxing day at Prickly Pear Island.

[sunsurf]

The island is VERY small, in a wonderful, seculded way. They do not seperate the people booked privately to those booked through the ships. I didn't see any lobster salad...and I didn't ask the other people if they were slipped some on the side, so it's hard to say if they got any.

 

We had a WONDERFUL relaxing day at Prickly Pear Island.

 

 

Was it crowded at all when you were there? When you say the island is small VERY small...how small? One strech of sand for 100's of people small?

[rnlmigacz]

Small...yes, cowded...no! There were about 25 people on the beach and 6 people working. They have a small boat that gets you to the island, it's about a 5 minute ride. Everyone had plenty of room, chairs & umbrellas. They would move your chairs or umbrellas to make sure you were comfortable.

 

There is a lot of coral, so the snorkeling is great. The coral protects a small area of sandy beach, the rest of the island is very rocky. The "swimming area" is pretty shallow, and not really for swimming, but just hanging out in the water. I'm 5'5" and could always touch the bottom. Water shoes would be a good idea, since there is so much coral.

 

I have pictures, but can't figure out how to post them. :rolleyes:

[sunsurf]

rnlmigacz,

 

Thanks so much for your reply! We were in Antigua on the Crown back in December and went to Dickensons. (we didn't plan on going there...it kind of just happened). We didnn't think it was a great as everyone says it It was nice...but just not what we were looking for.

 

I think Prickly Pear is exactly what we're looking for.. Who did you book the tour with?

[rnlmigacz]

We booked it through the cruise ship, RCI. I did fill out the online form, but it took a week to hear back. We didn't have a lot of time before we left, so I waited a few days then decided to call Terrance (the number is on their website). He told me that it was offered through the ship, which included transportation to and from the drop off point, but not lobster salad (oh well). The difference in price was so minimal, so we booked through the ship.

 

The drop off point is in a very strange place ~ a construction work site. We walked through a construction gate, between buildings (that were recently built, but not completed), and onto a beach where they had a boat waiting. I'm not sure that just any taxi driver would find it, since it's not a well defined pick up spot.

 

If you are looking for a quiet, peaceful day with good snorkeling, than this is a good place. No crowds, no loud music, no problem finding a chair on the water's edge.

[sunsurf]

If you are looking for a quiet, peaceful day with good snorkeling, than this is a good place. No crowds, no loud music, no problem finding a chair on the water's edge.

 

 

Sounds heavenly. Thanks for your help!!

[houlacruiser]

For those who booked through RCI for this excursion - did you dock at Prickly Pear or did you have to swim to the beach. DH won't jump into open water so that will have to be a consideration. Thanks in advance!