Thread: Tours? Dominica + Eastern Caribbean islands

This is our first cruise and I am overwhelmed trying to plan for shore excursions...
Do we booked with our cruise ship (some of what we want to do they do not seem to offer? or can someone help with other tour operators. Also, are we picking the best things to see? I checked for custom tour prices and they are just too high for 2 people so we have to go with or match group tour prices.
We are visting the following:
Tortola 3-9pm not sure what this means; I assume we don't have 6 full hrs
I want to see the Baths at Virgin Gorda so I think that is all we can do; so we do not really see Tortola. Also, we are on the Noordam so I am not sure whether to book one of their tours or an independent tour operator - I do not know any and I am concerned if there are problems - timing etc, that we do not have the cruise line to fall back on.
Dominica 11-6pm
There is so much we'd like to do but we cannot find a tour that does it all so have to choose the 'must sees' and need help on this. Tubing Layou...sounds wonderful but that would eliminate seeing Emerlad Pools, Trafalgar Falls, Moren Trois Pitons which we really do want to see. If we could do these and drive by the river?
Puerto Rico 7-1pm
As best I can figure out ...Yunque Forest and, hopefully, some of the old city.
St Martin 11-8pm Two Flags plus Beach Tour
St. Thomas 8-5pm BOB (not sure who offers this)
Barbados 8-5pm Really don't care as I have been here so best beach to hang out and relax?
We sail the 5th of Jan out of NYC so time is slipping by. If you can help please do

Originally Posted by nsbirdie

This is our first cruise and I am overwhelmed trying to plan for shore excursions...
Do we booked with our cruise ship (some of what we want to do they do not seem to offer? or can someone help with other tour operators. Also, are we picking the best things to see? I checked for custom tour prices and they are just too high for 2 people so we have to go with or match group tour prices.
We are visting the following:
Tortola 3-9pm not sure what this means; I assume we don't have 6 full hrs
I want to see the Baths at Virgin Gorda so I think that is all we can do; so we do not really see Tortola. Also, we are on the Noordam so I am not sure whether to book one of their tours or an independent tour operator - I do not know any and I am concerned if there are problems - timing etc, that we do not have the cruise line to fall back on.
Dominica 11-6pm
There is so much we'd like to do but we cannot find a tour that does it all so have to choose the 'must sees' and need help on this. Tubing Layou...sounds wonderful but that would eliminate seeing Emerlad Pools, Trafalgar Falls, Moren Trois Pitons which we really do want to see. If we could do these and drive by the river?
Puerto Rico 7-1pm
As best I can figure out ...Yunque Forest and, hopefully, some of the old city.
St Martin 11-8pm Two Flags plus Beach Tour
St. Thomas 8-5pm BOB (not sure who offers this)
Barbados 8-5pm Really don't care as I have been here so best beach to hang out and relax?
We sail the 5th of Jan out of NYC so time is slipping by. If you can help please do

Hi nsbirdie,

If you want to see the Baths, youwill have to take a ferry across to Virgin Gorda. Be sure that you go "through" the rocks to the other side. There you will find a gorgeous beach where you can swim and snorkel for a while before heading back.
Also once you get to Virgin Gorda, you have to take a txi/open air shuttle to the Baths. There are several of them but ask what their schedule is to go back to the ferry to get back to Tortola. We used Speedys, it is about a 5 min walk frm the from the ship was docked. There are some excursions that take you right to the Baths, but you have to swim to shore, think it is Patouche's or something like that.

In Barbados, we did a catamaran excursion. We had two snorkeling stops and swam with the grren sea turtles. That was really fun. Then we went to a b each where we could swim or just lay out on the beachand a a nice lunch prepared by the crew on the catamaran.

In Dominica, we did the riber tubing and really enjoyed it. We had so much fun that we were wishing we had booked the same excursion for the afternoon.

Have a great time .

Annieeee

Something general to be aware of is this:
If you are in a port for a short time, or are considering a tour that lasts most of the time you are scheduled in port, it may be best to book through the ship rather than through a private operator.

If you are on a ship's tour, and there is a problem that causes you to be late returning to the dock, the ship will most likely wait for you.

On the other hand, if you are on a tour NOT booked through the ship, and something happens that causes you to return late to the pier, you may WATCH the ship leave without you. Should you find yourself in that situation, it will be up to you to make arrangements to transport yourself and your party to the next port of call - at your own expense.

Does this happen a lot? No, not a lot. But, it can and DOES happen.

nsbirdie ....First of all, welcome to CLF!

It's your FIRST cruise and it won't be your last! Keep your stress level down by finding something you think you'll like in each of your ports of call offered by your cruise line.

On the shore excursions offered by the ship: They pick you up from the ship ... take you to have fun ... and return you to the ship ... and ... you'll never "Miss the Boat"!

Have fun planning!

[quote=LuLu;981784]nsbirdie ....First of all, welcome to CLF!

It's your FIRST cruise and it won't be your last! On the shore excursions offered by the ship: They pick you up from the ship ... take you to have fun ... and return you to the ship ... and ... you'll never "Miss the Boat"!

Hi and Thanks for the Welcome!

I guess our query on top of picking the best as we do not know if we will ever get back to any of these isalnds again is that we are not people that like to be (at least regularly) packed with a huge crowd and carted around like a herd of cows thus the interest in non ship excursions or doing it alone.

Thanks again,
nsbirdie

Hey nsbirdie

Welcome to our friendly and helpful cruise forum.

Many islands are represented here in Cruise Places.

In this section we also have San Juan and are fortunate enough to have a member who is a tour guide in San Juan and has answered many questions about that port. Be sure to check this out--> San Juan

I know you want to see it all, but if you try to do too much in each port you will end up exhausted!

Have fun planning and don't stress out--be cool and relaxed

I've been to the Emerald Pool and the Falls. Lovely! I would want to see those again. Plus something we didn't know the first time. The Emerald Pool has said to have healing powers in it. If you take a swim you might feel some relief.

We were looking for ideas on Dominica, Barbados, St T., St M., San Juan and Tortola and had some suggestions.

This is our first cruise and we will be enroute on the Noordam for 2 days and 2 days coming back. We do not want to over do yet do not want to miss out on special moments.

We have an idea of our itinerary and have booked a few things:
Baths at V.G from Tortola
Tubing Layou RIver in Dominica
BOSS (underwater adventure )Tour in St Thomas
Bardados - we hope to take a ZR minibus to the east coast beaches
St Martin is still?? as we wanted to see Grand Case, Marigot and Orient Beach which does not seem feasible in any single tour (we are there 11-8pm)
San Juan - we wanted to somehow get to Luquillo Beach which might not be doable in our 7-1 pm time frame. (I posted to the San Juan forum as you suggested.)

Thanks again,
nsbirdie