Southern Caribbean

[mildavis]

My husband and I are going on the Golden Princess to the Southern Caribbean on May 2. Has anyone been on this ship? Best excursions? We will be going to Barbados, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Maarten & St. Thomas. We are in our late 30's and early 40's. Fairly active, big golfers. Any info on this cruise ship or excursions on these islands would be great! We do have a balcony room which is the only thing I was positive I wanted on the ship.

Mildavis

[GottaCruz]

mildavis, Welcome to our CruiseCrazies family. We're so glad to have you as a member and so glad to see you posting. I hope we can get to know you.I've never been on the Golden Princess but some of our very knowledgeable members have been and I'm sure they'll respond soon. Thanks for posting and WELCOME ABOARD!!!

[jbond]

We have sailed princess several times, but not Golden. We have however been to all the islands that you are visiting.

Barbados is a great island, really beautiful and very friendly people. It has two very differnt coast lines, the Caribbean and the Atlantic. The beach at Sam Lords Castle on the Atlantic side is very beautiful, but rough water. We enjoy the Jolly Roger tour and also Harrisons Caves. For the Caves you can get a taxi at the dock and roll it all in with a tour of the island. The down town is also very interesting, with excellent shopping for china and porcelains.

Antigua has awesome beaches, over 300 to choose from. We have also done the Jolly Roger in Antigua. I'm not too impressed by the shopping. Last time there we got a taxi and just told him to take us to a great beach, and he did.

St Lucia. It has been a few years since we have been in St Lucia. The last time we were there, we got a taxi and did a round the island tour. Very interesting, but I wouldn't do it again. The roads are almost non existent once outside Castries. We saw the sulphur baths at the volcano and Marigot Bay, and lots of impressive jungle, but those mud roads scared the daylights out of me.

In St Maarten the last couple of times, we went to Pinel Island. The snorkeling is fairly good and the beach magnificent. The snack shack on the beach makes an awesome hamburger and the Banks beer is ice cold.

Shopping is excellent, great selection and good prices.

St Thomas has so much to offer. Great beaches, beautiful views, great shopping and a trip across to St Johns for even more beautiful beaches.

The Southern Caribbean is a great itinerary.

[Dan]

Mahogany Run in St Thomas is the best golf course in the Caribbean, so I'm told. I'm sure Princess will have offer an opportunity to golf there. They have a golf simulator up on the top deck, and I'm sure they will have info there on golf tours.

[DaCruzNut]

You will be visiting the island that, in my opinion, is the most beautiful, and interesting, of all of the ones I have visited, in the Caribbean.

The cruise ships all dock at the north end of the island, at Castries.

Unfortunately, most of the places of interest are at the south end, a Soufriere. That is where you find the island’s signature attraction, The Pitons. Two long-extinct volcanic mountains, covered in lush tropical foliage.

The Pitons

Soufriere is also where Diamond Watrefall and the “Drive-In†volcano are located.

Diamond waterfall is nestled in the middle of a botanical garden.

The volcano had one side blow-out during an eruption, many years ago. You can drive in through the ‘blown-out’ side and explore the bubbling sulphur pits.

“Drive-in†Volcano

The first time I visited the island, I took the combination land/sea tour. We drove from the ship to Soufriere, stopping at a few points along the way. In Soufriere we visited the sights I’ve mentioned and had lunch. A very nice buffet at an ‘old plantation house.’

Then, we sailed back up the coast, drinking Rum Punches, and stopped at Marigot Bay, where a bunch of us either jumped, or fell, into the water.

jbond is absolutely right about the shopping in St. Maarten. It's the best of all the islands, and puts St. Thomas to shame.

In St. Maaarten, the ship docks on the "Dutch" side. Make sure you take a taxi, or jitney, over the the "French" side. You can catch the jitney on Back Street, and just ask the driver to let you know when you reach Soufrire (a very popular name...)