Cottage
We are sailing the 12/3 route this year and have been to most of the places on the 11/26 itinerary. St. Maarten is of course known for its dual personality Dutch and French. Downtown St. Maarten is a bustling place with lots of shops and shoreside cafes and restaurants. Check out the stone beach sofas and easy chairs! More comfortable than they appear at first glance. If you have enough time in port you can shop for part of the day and take a snorkel excursion for the rest.You can walk from the ship into town--its' not far. The waters and beaches are very pretty. It's been a while since I've been to the French side; I recall it as quiet and somewhat reserved.
St. Lucia--In my view, THE tropical island. It's lush and mysterious with those twin volcanos (the Pitons) rising from the end of the island. If you want to visit the volcanos, its a full day with much of it spent getting to and returning. Most tours feature a bus ride one way and a sail ride the other way. Try for a tour that takes you by sail both ways--it's a little shorter and easier on the system --no winding roads to deal with. And there's a majestic sefafaring feel to sailing up the coast with the Pitons looming just ahead. If you like to shop you'll find pleasant shopping just steps from where your ship docks at Pointe Seraphine. Visit www.pinnaclestlucia.com for more info about this shopping center.
Margarita Island is another port where excursions take a long time. The ship docks near an open-air market selling a variety of items--jewelry, tee shirts, carvings, etc. A short walk takes you to a beach where for a small fee you can purchase a chair, umbrella, and even a massage! Not too great for swimming--the water is only knee dip quite a ways out from shore. And you'll want to wear your beach shoes--the beach area is quite natural with all sorts of stuff in the sand further up the beach. The port area is not picturesque. It looks a bit flat and dessert like. The local market adds a much-need splash of color, music, and scenery. You might want to consider an excursion here, just be aware that most involve a long bus ride and the view of the mountains--very pretty--can wear a little thin. This area is relatively new to the tourism industry and they are trying hard. No real pushiness from the merchants, at dockside though if you do show interest expect to be waited on with enthusiasm! Prices are reasonable and there's enough variety to keep you browsing from one stall to the next. You may encounter more aggressive sales techniques further inland.
Aruba - a desert-like island, very dry, but quite beautiful. Look for the windblown divi-divi trees near the shore. Oranjested is very developed with a busy downton and lots of shops--a short walk from the ship. The Renaissance Aruba Resort and Casino has developed its immediate area with more shops and even a movie theatre.The shopping area near the resort is a good spot to stop for ice cream. Because you've got a late departure, you may want to consider having dinner in town. We opted to have dinner on the ship as we were getting to the end of our budgeted entertainment dollars, but saw several places that looked like fun. It's really hot here, so no matter what you choose to do, bring water. We did not and had to stop at a seaside cafe for icy cold beers--oh well, you have to keep up your liquid intake and oh did they taste good! Check out cruiseopinion. com for other traveler's reactions to this and other ports of call.
What can you tell us about Caso de Campo, Dominican Republic?
