Suggestions for off-ship refreshment in St. Thomas & San Juan close to ship

[bernnj]

Hello...

 

I will be with my parents (mother will be in wheelchair)on the Explorer in a few weeks and would appreciate any suggestions as to a place in St. Thomas and San Juan that is close to ship for our outing off the ship. We enjoy beer/wine and would like to enjoy the island culture without having too much walking.:)

 

Bernadette

[morgan1312]

We went to St Thomas in July and took the sky lift up where they had some small shops and a bar/restaurant. It was pretty close to the ship (we could see if from where we were docked) and the view from up there was beautiful... You didn't need to book a specific tour, you just went there and paid when you wanted to go and stayed up there as long as you wanted. It is listed under the shore excursions on the web site though. Sorry, I don't know if it was wheelchair accessible or not.

[bernnj]

We went to St Thomas in July and took the sky lift up where they had some small shops and a bar/restaurant. It was pretty close to the ship (we could see if from where we were docked) and the view from up there was beautiful... You didn't need to book a specific tour, you just went there and paid when you wanted to go and stayed up there as long as you wanted. It is listed under the shore excursions on the web site though. Sorry, I don't know if it was wheelchair accessible or not.

 

Thank you Janet...perhaps they will have specific information listed on the shore excursions. I believe the wheelchair folds so I don't think that will be a problem to tote in on the sky lift.

 

Bernadette

[cb at sea]

Old San Juan is pretty "hilly"--unless it's an electric wheelchair, you may have some trouble pushing it! I'm fairly fit, but the combination of heat,humidity and hills really took its toll on me! Right inside the actual port at SJ is a convenience shop...if you just wanted to get off the ship and get a few snack items.

[Darkwolfe]

St Thomas really seems (to me at least) to be something of an American port that's just out in the Caribbean. That's NOT an insult, I quite like the place in truth.

 

That being said, the Havensight Mall is right by the docks and has a number of shops and restaurants. Combined with the idea that morgan1312 suggested, that might make for a pretty good day. Here's a link to the website so you can peruse for yourself. The Skyride is in the mall as well.

 

http://www.havensightmall.com/

[ERICnLISA]

Heard that this was a good tour in St Thomas. We have it booked in November when we go there. Lots of good reviews from other cruise critic members. www.sunnylistontours.net

[beachfanatic]

In St. Thomas, walk thru Havensight to a small bar across the street in a small mini mall...The Shipwrecked bar, believe it or not, there is a plastic burger on the roof but the beer is really cold and it is very airconditioned..

[63galaxie]

We took my in-laws to San Juan and we've been twice pre/post cruise.

Here's what I'd do.

I'd catch a cab to the Caribe Hilton (about a 10 minute cab ride), purchase a day pass (@$150 for all of you). Everything is wheelchair accessible). The place is huge. There's indoor shops of all sorts, several indoor and outdoor restaurants, a swim up bar, jacuzzis, a private beach, lounge chairs, hammocks under palm trees, a concrete sidewalk along the outside perimeter next to the ocean, and on and on.

There's lots of sofas inside and a large bar inside too with terrific ocean views. It's very breezy.

If you can get access to the concierge lounge, there's a nice lounge upstairs with free internet access, a nice buffet, beautiful views, comfortable seating, and a balcony overlooking the ocean.

There's a Starbucks in the lobby which carries local pastries/treats. The concierge is very helpful and the rest of the staff was top-notch. It's a relaxing way to spend the day, avoid the heat, have some locally flavored food, have a great view and access to the spectacular ocean and beach, it's uncrowded and safe. They even have a small fort on-site.

 

Another option is to take a cab to the Mall of America. It's air conditioned, very large, and it has a lot of shops.

[skibyrd]

Paradise Point is the bar you take the tram to and it is just outside most dockings of ships. It is the perfect place to sit and have a drink as you enjoy looking at your ship. We go there everytime we are in St. Thomas - best time is at sunset, but usually not able when on a cruise. Enjoy your time whatever you end up doing!!

[sleepless]

While I like Paradise Point, I really don't know if it is wheel chair accessible. You may be able to take the wheel chair into a cable car; however, I don't know if you will be able to use it once you get off. Most of the shops are on a level below the entrance/exit area of the tram. The stairs going down to the lower level are wooden deck type stairs. I am not sure if there is an elevator available for your mom to use to get down to the lower level. If there is an elevator, then it would be a fun trip. I would check first.

[bernnj]

Thank you all for your recommendations. The idea of being at a high vantage point to see some of the island sounds wonderful but certainly will check into wheelchair accessibility.

 

Thank you all again.

 

Bernadette

[cheaptravel]

Shipwreck Tavern is a straight walk from the pier to the back of Havensight Mall. We ate there before getting back on the ship. A good selection of drinks and eats. Lots of tv's and it's clean and friendly.

[KandCsailing]

Our ship docked at the very end of the pier last time, the first time we were closer to the shopping area. The first building at the end of the pier was called something like the Paradise Grill and had bar, food, pool, gym, arcade, western union, internet and phones listed on the sign. We walked through on the way to the shopping area and there were a few people at the bar but there are no scenic views.

 

The butterfly building is right behind it. It was small, but priced right and has it`s own giftshop in the entrance.

 

[bernnj]

Thank you KandCsailing for the visual of St. Thomas Havensight Pier..hopefully we (Explorer of the Seas) will be the first ship docked at the pier and won't have too long of a walk.

 

Cheaptravel, I believe my dad will like the Shipwreck Tavern...cold beer and lots of TV's:D

[Mark_K]

There's a shore excursion in St. Thomas called "Accessible Scenic Island Drive to Mountain Top", you might want to look into that.

[Morecruisesplz]

We went to St Thomas in July and took the sky lift up where they had some small shops and a bar/restaurant. It was pretty close to the ship (we could see if from where we were docked) and the view from up there was beautiful... You didn't need to book a specific tour, you just went there and paid when you wanted to go and stayed up there as long as you wanted. It is listed under the shore excursions on the web site though. Sorry, I don't know if it was wheelchair accessible or not.

 

My wife and I did the same. Very nice and got some great photos up there. I'm sure you can find if it is accessible on the St Thomas website. We also stopped a great coffee bar with A/C but an open air front right on the main street. It had a great view of the water and our ship. Plus it had really good, strong frozen coffee drinks - ala Starbucks, but better. (Or maybe it was the view?) I think they also served beer. I can't remember the name but it should be easy to find.