help! Caribbean excursion advice needed!!

[Paula & Matt]

Hello all!
I have won my boyfriend and I a 7 day cruise to the Caribbean from here (the UK) leaving next Sunday (7th). We are going with Airtours on the Sundream, not only have neither of us been on a cruise before, but we have never been to the Caribbean, so you can understand how excited we are! We are looking for general cruise info, including excursions for the islands of Tortola, St Maarten, Catalina Island DR and Santo Domingo. We want ot make it a trip of a lifetime, and both are interested in Diving with dolphins, the best places to snorkel and scuba, and generally we would like to know if anyone has any advice, we dont want to waste our time in the harbour towns, to later find out we missed an amazing cove just the other side of a mountain! any help would be appreciated!

thank you all!
Paula * Matt



Post Edited (02-28-04 12:16)

 

[seamom]

Re: Cruise Competition Winners!

First I'd try the "search" button which you'll find below your post on this forum.........use keywords like dolphins for subject or the specific excursions and click search all forums...that should dig up lots of threads for you.

When you have specific questions, go to the most relevant forums and post them..........and don't forget to post on our Community Message Board where you'll get a variety of answers. The more specific the question the better...we don't know where to begin sometimes if it is so general...LOL..we've got a lot to tell you..LOL...have fun!

 

[Raven]

Congratulations on winning your cruise!! That's exciting in itself! I can only give you a little info on Catalina Island and that is quite outdated as we were there 7 years or more ago. Catalina is a small island near La Romana, Dominican Republic. Last I heard, cruise companies pay the gov't to use it as a private beach. The beach is very nice and there is (if you are standing on the beach facing the ocean) nice coral, sea ferns, etc in the ocean along the point of land that juts out in to the ocean to the left of the beach. Very nice area to snorkle and not too far from the beach or tendering dock. Beware of the current out near the point though. It can be strong and I remember they had warning bouys near the point. There's probably more than a few vendors hawking their wares on Catalina. Swimming and snorkeling are the main features plus I'm sure that fishing and scuba excursions will depart from there as well, along with some excursions that will start at La Romana. If you see a very tall smokestack on the Dominican shore near La Romana, it's at a molasses factory. I don't know if it's still in production now but when we were there it was very stinky sweet when we were downwind from it. Sorry I don't have any other info - hopefully others will jump in and give you some more current info and ideas

 

[goodlife]

Congrats on the cruise... I am certain that you will love it...The island that I can help you with is St Maarten... Not knowing your likes and dislikes... I'll give you my perspectives...

1st... Take the water taxi to Phillipsburg... This is the Dutch side.....The beach at Philipsburg has a lot of nice cafes.. The beach is very nice... Lots of shopping is right there is town.... Plenty of taxis to the "other side" of the island...This is the French side of the island with a town called Marigot... Not as much shopping here... From here its a short drive to Orient Beach... It is very nice with lots of beach related activities. A heads up....It's also a nude beach at one end.. but I didn't venture down there.. Saw a couple of nudes at my end but didn't bother me... Really beautiful beach here though.....

You will not have any issue finding a guide on shore for all of these activities and at lower prices with more freedom than the ships tours....

The Regatta Sailing experience is one that every one raves about at St Maarten.. This would be a ships tour....Having never done it.. I would not know other than hearsay.... if you are an active person.. they say it is a really cool thing to do.. Actual racings yachts....

A side note.....The 24th St Maarten Heineken Regatta will take place in early March 2004 and will have over 200 yachts competing in some of the most exciting and demanding Caribbean racing. This should be cool to see... sounds as if you might be there during the middle of this activity so the island probably will be really alive...

Wow ... after this .....I would love to go back to St Maarten

 

[Rosie]

When you are in Tortola, take the excursion to Virgin Gorda where you can snorkel at The Baths. The Baths is a remarkable rock formation on the beach. There are huge bolders and caves to climb thru to a beautiful beach. There is nothing else like it in the Caribbean.