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Southern Caribbean Cruise
LEAVING FROM: San Juan, Puerto Rico.
VISITING: San Juan, Puerto Rico | Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas | Cruising | Willemstad,Curacao | Oranjestad, Aruba | Cruising | Philipsburg, St. Maarten | San Juan,Puerto Rico
1) Saint Thomas – US Virgin Islands Island in the Caribbean Sea
St. Thomas is the gateway isle of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It's known for its beaches and snorkeling spots. Territorial capital Charlotte Amalie, founded by the Danish in the 1600s, is a busy cruise-ship port. Historic buildings include a 1679 watchtower called Blackbeard’s Castle, in reference to the area’s pirate history. On the harbor, 17th-century Fort Christian is now a local-history museum.
St Thomas Shore Excursion: Shopping, Sightseeing and Beach Tour
• Location: St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
• Duration: 3 hours (approx.)
When your cruise ship docks, disembark and meet your enthusiastic tour guide at the entrance to the port. Follow your guide into the heart of downtown Charlotte Amalie, a bustling area packed with duty-free shops, cafés, galleries and restaurants. Amble down Main Street and the waterfront to find unique local goods and great deals on jewelry, clothing and electronics. Choose to spend anywhere from 1 to 3 hours filling your shopping bags and emptying your purse. 9am departures allow 3 hours, 10am departures allow two and 11am departures allow 1 hour of shopping. Head out on your safari taxi for some St Thomas sightseeing. Be ready to sing along to lively music as you make your way to your first destination.
The safari taxi will ferry you to the 1,547-foot (471-meter) summit of Mountain Top, the highest point on the island. Make several stops at scenic viewpoints on the way up, listening to engaging commentary about the history and culture of St Thomas on the way. Be sure to bring your camera for stunning photos of the lush green vegetation and turquoise water splayed out below. From this vantage point, you'll see some of the neighboring islands, Blackbeard's Castle and the famous Magens Bay.
Upgrade your tour to include time at one of the island's legendary beaches. Choose Magens Bay, Coki Point Beach or Sapphire Beach, where you can swim, snorkel, scuba dive or simply relax in the powdery sand
2) Curaçao
Island country
Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean Island, is known for its beaches tucked into coves and its expansive coral reefs rich with marine life. The capital, Willemstad, has pastel-colored colonial architecture, floating Queen Emma Bridge and the sand-floored, 17th-century Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue. It’s also a gateway to western beaches like Blue Bay, a popular diving site.
Curacao TukTuk City Tour
• Location: Curacao
• Duration: 60 minutes (approx.)
Ride a Tuk Tuk through Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed city, during this 1-hour sightseeing tour. Learn about the culture and history of the capital of Curacao from your local guide, who will be on hand to take photos of you throughout your journey. See impressive colonial mansions in Scharloo, the Floating Market, Fort Amsterdam, the governor's palace and visit each of the city's landmark bridges.
Receive information of the Queen Emma Bridge (Pontoon bridge or "Swinging Old Lady"), Queen Juliana Bridge (arched over the bay) and the Queen Wilhelmina Bridge (Draw bridge).
Visit the Floating Market and the impressive colonial mansions in the neighborhood of Scharloo (including the famous "Wedding Cake" building), the Cathedral of Pietermaai, the new (round), and old market, the court house and the old Jewish Temple of "Emanu-El", Fort Amsterdam and the Governor's Palace.
Enjoy the blend of Spanish and Dutch colonial style architecture reflected on most of these buildings combined with the story of the vast history of this unique city.
3) Aruba
Island Country
Enjoy the blend of Spanish and Dutch colonial style architecture reflected on most of these buildings combined with the story of the vast history of this unique city.
Aruba Full-Island Tour
• Location: Oranjestad, Aruba
• Duration: 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Go on an island excursion and see some of the most popular spots in Aruba on this 5.5-hour tour taking off from Oranjestad. Travel the whole island, and see the California Lighthouse, the Ayo Rock Formation, and the Casibari Rock Formations. Visit one of the world’s oldest aloe-vera factories, as well as a 75-year-old, family-run bar. Learn about Aruba’s gold-rush era at the Bushiribana gold mill ruins, and swim in a man-made lagoon at Baby Beach.
First you'll stop at the California Lighthouse, constructed at the northwestern tip of Aruba in 1910. The lighthouse is one of Aruba's most scenic trademarks and you will get the opportunity to explore its surroundings and take some breathtaking pictures of the panoramic views. Next it is on to the Ayo or Casibari rock formations, which are clusters of giant rock boulders. Here you can also see some of the rock paintings made by the island's first settlers, the Arawaks. The Casibari rock formation provides visitors with a easy trail on top of its largest boulder where you have a stunning view of Aruba.
Next, visit the Bushiribana gold mill ruins. Constructed during Aruba's gold rush era by the Aruba Gold Concessions company, it operated for 10 years. Now its ruins became an iconic landmark on Aruba's North Coast. You'll get the opportunity to take pictures in one of its large windows overlooking the rough coast of Aruba, or search for any remaining gold. After that you'll visit the Aloë Vera factory. Come visit and take a tour of one of the world's oldest aloë factory. After the factory tour, you have sufficient time to shop for many of the aloë products made in the factory.
Next see how the earlier islanders used to build their houses at a typical Aruban home. The guide will show you through it and tell you all about its construction. On the way to the Baby Beach, we will stop at the famous Charlie's Bar. Sit back, have a drink and just enjoy the unique decorations. Being a family-owned business for over 75 years has made Charlie's Bar a must stop in Aruba. The main stop on the full-island tour is the Baby Beach. Here, you will get the opportunity to swim in a shallow, sheltered, man-made lagoon. On clear days you would be able to see Venezuela from here. After you have seen Aruba's must-see attractions, you will be dropped back off at the location of your choosing.
4) St. Martin/St. Maarten
Island country
Saint Maarten, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is a country on the southern part of a Caribbean Island shared with Saint Martin, a French overseas collectivity. Its natural features span lagoons, beaches and salt pans. The capital, Philipsburg, has cobblestone streets and colorful, colonial-style buildings lining its Front Street shopping area. The port is a popular cruise-ship stop.
St Maarten Shore Excursion: Island Sightseeing Tour from Philipsburg
• Location: Philipsburg, St Maarten
• Duration: 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Explore the quaint towns, sunny beaches and local food of St Martin on this 4.5-hour shore excursion from Philipsburg. Get to know the French side (St-Martin) and the Dutch side (St Maarten) of the island with your local guide. Learn about the European cultural flavor and the divided colonial past of this small tropical island. This outing is covered by the Viator worry-free shore excursion policy.
Meet your local guide after your cruise ship docks at Philipsburg's port for this St Maarten shore excursion. This divided tropical island, only 37 square miles (60 square km) is shared by the French and the Dutch and has a fascinating colonial history.
Head for the island's north end, to Grand Case Beach. Take a walk down the sugar-white sand shore and wade into the calm, warm water. After some time relaxing on one of the French side's most famous beaches, walk into the town of Grand Case, known as the Caribbean's gastronomic capital. Sample a Johnny Cake, a fried cornmeal pancake that's a local specialty (own expense,) or sip some guavaberry punch made from the island's berries (one drink is included in the tour.)
Travel to the capital of St-Martin, Marigot, and stroll the colonial streets to the bazaar. Fevel in the Gallic atmosphere before heading for the Maho Beach on the Dutch side of the island. This beach is famous for its proximity to Princess Juliana International Airport. Hit the beach to watch as jumbo jets go roaring over your head.
Drive past the white sand, blue water and bustling marina of Simpson Bay on your return trip to the cruise port. Request to be dropped off in Philipsburg town if you'd like to spend some more time shopping and exploring.
