Someone HELP Please?!

[JMCDisneyLover]

Ok...this is our first cruise EVER so please excuse me if this question sounds completely ignorant!!

We are taking the 7 day E Caribbean cruise on the Fantasy in October and will be stopping in St. Maarten, StThomas/John and Castaway Cay. My question is this...Do you have to book an excursion to enjoy a beach on these stops or is there one close to port that you just walk onto and return to the ship when you are ready? We have booked an excursion at Castaway Cay but have not for the others but would like to just explore on our own. Could someone please explain to me what it is like when you arrive at a port and what options are available if you don't book an excursion? THANK YOU!

 

[bumbershoot]

Do you have to book an excursion to enjoy a beach on these stops

Absolutely not!


We docked at St Maarten, took the water taxi right into Philipsburg (you can walk it but it's hot there). Got off the boat, went through the shops on the dock and onto the street, and right there to the right is a beach.

Our cruise was on Royal but if you'd like to look at my pictures/report from St Maarten it's linked to in my signature and that day probably starts at page 6 or maybe 7. There are some pictures of that beach.

That's a simple beach, and you can rent loungers and get beer and there are restaurants and bars all along the beach.

We chose to go on a bit of a shopping expedition instead, but the beach was just right there.

You can also take a taxi to one of the other beaches; Maho is a popular one for plane fanatics, because the thin strip of beach there is directly on the flight landing path for the planes going into the airport. Get there at the right time when a huge jumbo jet is landing, and I hear it can be quite exciting.


I highly highly recommend checking out the Ports of Call forum on cruisecritic.com's forums. Very very very helpful info if you give yourself some time to read read and read!

 

[Overflow]

Ok...this is our first cruise EVER so please excuse me if this question sounds completely ignorant!!

Don't worry! We all had these same questions for our first cruise!

Do you have to book an excursion to enjoy a beach on these stops

Nope! We didn't book an excursion when we sailed on the Wonder and we still had a great time on the beach! Just be sure to keep track of time..

 

[gigi1313]

Don't worry! We all had these same questions for our first cruise!



Nope! We didn't book an excursion when we sailed on the Wonder and we still had a great time on the beach! Just be sure to keep track of time..

Regarding time... confirm what ship's time is compared to local time and if you are using a cell phone as your "clock" be sure it's in synch as they often automatically adjust to the local time and the ship may not be on local time (I cannot remember if the ship changes time or stays on one time zone from port to port, if there is even a change in your ports).
(got that?)

 

[scgustafson]

Regarding time... confirm what ship's time is compared to local time and if you are using a cell phone as your "clock" be sure it's in synch as they often automatically adjust to the local time and the ship may not be on local time (I cannot remember if the ship changes time or stays on one time zone from port to port, if there is even a change in your ports).
(got that?)

The ships change to the local time of the port. If it is a change, they usually tell you adjust your clock the appropriate way before you go to bed. There should be a card on your bed reminding you of this.

 

[JMCDisneyLover]

Thank you all so much! This helped ALOT!!

 

[gigi1313]

The ships change to the local time of the port. If it is a change, they usually tell you adjust your clock the appropriate way before you go to bed. There should be a card on your bed reminding you of this.

I knew we had to do something, I just could not remember what! (LOL!)