Has anyone taken a Holland america eastern Carabean cruise?

Question

What excursions were the best and what should I do myself

Answer 1

Best site to research the cruise is cruisecritic.com

We are going on the cruise March 31  to Eastern Caribbeans.  All info you need is there. Go to the Board and you can place questions there or read others. Great site.

Answer 2

You don't look that old.  Holland America is generally geared towards those 60 and up.  The shore excusions won't have any that are high activity level.  Mostly sitting tours and shopping tours.  Perhaps only one hiking or kayaking or anything.

If you are being dragged on Holland by parents or grandparents and aren't given a choice, I'd try to do stuff on your own.

Depending on where you go, St Thomas I would either wander around and go shopping (TONS of shopping in St Thomas and nearly 99% of shore excusions there are shopping based) or take a cab over to Meghan's Bay.  It's a gorgeous beach with nice snorkeling.

St Martin is a very small island--and has a lot of rougher areas so I'd definitely take a shore excursion there.

Turks and Caicos I have not been to yet but it is a newer port and I've heard rather quiet.  I'd either do a diving/snorkeling trip or lounge on the beach.

Private islands you usually don't have a choice.  Just lay out on the beach.  I actually recommend that day to stay onboard the ship.  You have the whole place to yourself--that means your OWN personal waiter at the pool.  And the spa is vacant.

The dophin encounters are always popular--very expensive but if you've never done one before really cool to do.

But like I said--if you have any choice in the matter I'd go for a cruise line marketed towards a younger audience--so that you could dance, listen to music, have a late night comedian and do some real activities (I love to kayak, hike, river raft, or parasail) and those aren't offered on Holland.

Answer 3

I am not sure what stops you are going to.  HAL has about 4 different Eastern Caribbean cruises so I will just select the top ones.

Grand Turk & Caicos

1. Dune Buggy Safari.  I love racing and riding around and it's so much fun on the beautiful beaches there

2. Grans Turk by Horse-Drawn Carriage - Very tourist, but a nice little tour in the open air.  Great for not so active people or people with children

Half Moon Cay (HAL's Private Island)

1. Rent a Cabana - just relax and swim

2. Aqua Trax Adventure - ride on watercrafts on a 30-minute water ride.  Pretty cool.  You have to be 16 with a drivers license, but it is fun.

Tortola

1. Snorkeling by boat.  Cool little 30-minute adventure where you take a boat out and then snorkel to see the beautiful fish and coral.

2. Dolphin Encounter.  Swimming with Dolphins what could be better than that?

These are just suggestions.  I have not been on them, but they are very popular.