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Montserrat


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Do Cruise Ships goes there?:confused:
I don't think so!

With an active volcano that does it's thing every few months

and the Southern half of the island laid waste

Cruise lines are not about to call.

 

I suspect there's not a lot to see or do there -if you're not a geologist or vulcanologist!

 

 

 

The once-capital Plymouth now lies half-buried under the remnants of multiple pyroclastic flows (it's an eerie sight!)

and those who opted to remain on the island are now all crowded up on the Northern tip of the island.

 

Putting pax ashore would almost certainly be by tender

(another reason cruise lines may stay away for now)

due to the fact the island has no real port facilities.

 

Fire up Google Earth and go take a look!

 

 

..................................................

 

 

If Facebook will let you in, I have a small photo album of shots taken by a friend of mine...

click on this URL..

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=30838&id=682113168&l=3e19e7aac5

and have a look at what conditions 'on the ground' are like.

 

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

We took a cruise on the royal caribbean's serenade of the seas (see my signature for itinerary) and on the way back north from Barbados, the captain brought the ship very close and slowly by monserrat. It was amazing. You could see the top of the church tower still sticking above the lava flows where the town was covered. The dock where the ships used to dock is now under the lava flows.

 

If you want to see monserrat, you may consider this cruise, although you only get to see it for about 15-20 minutes. The other islands around that area are very cool too. interesting rock formations and tiny inhabited islands that make you wonder why there are roads and a couple vehicles.

 

This was one of my all time favorite cruises.

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We took a cruise on the royal caribbean's Serenade of the Seas

and on the way back north from Barbados,

the Captain brought the ship very close and slowly by Montserrat.

It was amazing.

Did he take you guys past SABA too?

Similar-sized island.

 

SABA.jpg

 

.

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If your cruise stops in Antigua there are helicopter tours to Montserrat.
Yes there are, but they're kinda pricey...I believe about US$220 per seat,last I heard

-much of that paying for fuel costs as thet transit open water for 20 mins. getting there

--only 5 quick mins. around the island-volcano itself--

and then another 20 mins transit time back.

 

In my estimation, just not worth it, but then I'm just plain cheap! :D

 

.

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Yes there are, but they're kinda pricey...I believe about US$220 per seat,last I heard

-much of that paying for fuel costs as thet transit open water for 20 mins. getting there

--only 5 quick mins. around the island-volcano itself--

and then another 20 mins transit time back.

 

In my estimation, just not worth it, but then I'm just plain cheap! :D

 

.

 

It would be worth it if they landed on the volcano and allowed you to step out. Then I could put another pin in my map. :-)

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Yes there are, but they're kinda pricey...I believe about US$220 per seat,last I heard

-much of that paying for fuel costs as thet transit open water for 20 mins. getting there

--only 5 quick mins. around the island-volcano itself--

and then another 20 mins transit time back.

 

In my estimation, just not worth it, but then I'm just plain cheap! :D

 

.

 

 

You are right as it is pricey but it was an amazing tour. 1st the experience of being in a helicopter and 2nd seeing the island, the unfortunate devastation and the smoke venting out from an active volcano made it a very memorable tour. The tour of the island was 20-25 minutes around the island if my memory does not fail me.

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  • 5 months later...

There is a ferry from Antigua that will take you there too. It's still pricey for a ferry, I think about $135. I would also love to go to Monteserrat. We love Volcano's. We've been to Kilauea in HI and Arenal in Costa Rica. When our cruise stops in Guadeloupe we plan to hike there too. Volcanoes are awesome to experience...from a distance of course. :)

 

http://www.travelpulse.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=49285

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We love Volcano's. We've been to Kilauea in HI and Arenal in Costa Rica.

When our cruise stops in Guadeloupe we plan to hike there too.

Volcanoes are awesome to experience...from a distance of course. :)

Back in 1966 -as a young lad of 16- I climbed La Soufriere on Basseterre,Guadeloupe

with an American geologist named K. J. Mesolella

-after swimming at Chutes du Carbet waterfall on the way up there

 

As I recall there are hiking trails, so unless you're not fit it is doable

...both at Guadeloupe and at Martinique(Mont Pelee)-which I also climbed(1970).

 

 

The volcano in St.Vincent is also accessible,

but I'm fairly sure you have to approach it from the Eastern flank,

which is quite a drive away from where the ship docks, so you'd better get going early.

.

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You are right as it is pricey but it was an amazing tour. 1st the experience of being in a helicopter and 2nd seeing the island, the unfortunate devastation and the smoke venting out from an active volcano made it a very memorable tour. The tour of the island was 20-25 minutes around the island if my memory does not fail me.

 

 

I agree - We did this tour several years ago & it was very well worth it. It is something you just won't forget. When I think about how many island tours we've been on & I can't even remember the island, no less the tour but I can tell you all about this one. It was great. Would have loved it if it were longer but it still was well worth going.

Millie

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  • 5 weeks later...

I went to Monserret with Caribbean Helicopters earlier this month. It was the best £160/ $220 I have ever spent !

 

Yes you do get the 15-20 over open water, but we spent about 20 mins flying over all of the island, the devistation that the volcano has caused is out of this world.

 

This was the best trip I took all week

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I went to Monserret with Caribbean Helicopters earlier this month. It was the best £160/ $220 I have ever spent !

 

Yes you do get the 15-20 over open water, but we spent about 20 mins flying over all of the island, the devistation that the volcano has caused is out of this world.

 

This was the best trip I took all week

It sounds like you got a great price. We took the tour two years ago through Royal Caribbean and paid about $260 dollars each. You could not make private reservations when the ship was in port because they were all reserved through RCCL. It was by far the most memorable tour I have ever done and well worth the expense to me. However, we are sailing the Serenade again next month and I noticed the price has gone way up- well over $300. i'm so glad I was able to go before. Did you book directly with Caribbean Helicopters to get the lower price?

 

We spent about 45 minutes flying over the island plus the time flying back and forth. The scenes were both beautiful and sad at the same time. I'd love to see what the island looks like now with the new eruptions, but will have to pass at the current ship tour pricing

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been wanting to go there and see the destruction that volcano has done to the island. The RCCL excurision looks cool, catamaran ride around the island and a visit to the volcano observatory, some sightseeing on the northern part of the island, and a local lunch, this is something that I would be willing to pay to see and do!

 

Any other cruise ship besides Royal Caribbean offer shore excursions to visit Montserrat?

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I've been wanting to go there and see the destruction that volcano has done to the island. The RCCL excurision looks cool, catamaran ride around the island and a visit to the volcano observatory, some sightseeing on the northern part of the island, and a local lunch, this is something that I would be willing to pay to see and do!

 

Any other cruise ship besides Royal Caribbean offer shore excursions to visit Montserrat?

Does Royal Caribbean currently offer this tour? I haven't seen it advertised on our upcoming Serenade cruise. I think it would be a long trip for a catamaran, but sounds like a cool tour. Our helicopter ride was a very memorable trip- beautiful scenery, pyroplastic flows, and towns buried in ash. I'd love to do some hiking there, but I know the area is off limits. With the current activity, I'm sure there must be a pretty wide perimeter around the volcano zone.

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cool- thanks. We'll probably do an Antigua beach day since we flew there two years ago- but this is a nice alternative if the Serenade offers it.

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