Hi Everyone 
Finally land!! As much planning as I had done for the trip I felt unprepaired for our excursions on land, I guess because I didn't make any reservations with DCL for formal excursions. I had read that you experience a lot of "herding" and I didn't want to waste any valuable beach time. I just had hoped I made the right decision, I did. We took a cab to Orient Bay beach and it is beautiful!! The cabs are right at the end of the dock, DCL directed us when we got off the ship, they are there if you have any last minute quesions. It was a van, we had one other stop on the way, took less than 2 minutes, and bingo...we were there. As soon as you get there you are asked to rent chairs for $5, walk on! Not just bacause of a better deal but for location. Think of it like a horseshoe, don't stay at one end, go to at least near the middle. As we walked on, not too far, the chairs were $5 for a lounge chair, umbrella, and a drink! Not a bad deal. Now here's the part I want you to read twice. WEAR LOTS OF WATERPROOF SUNSCREEN AND REAPPLY IT OFTEN. (remember I said twice!!) Thinking I had it down, I had applied 30 SPF to myself and my kids, had plenty of extra lotion, and T-shirts to put on in the afternoon just in case, and hey we even had an unbrella!! Guess what....we fried to a crisp! We were having SO much fun in the water swimming ( at last) that I didn't apply that often ( I think only twice) and have you ever seen a ripe summer tomato???? My sons back and ears, my daughters face and shoulders, my husbands back and sholders, and my arms and tops of my feet (ouch)!!! Boy were we red!! Lesson learned, thought I had it covered but I guess not. We were so burned that going to the beach in St. Thomas was not even a consideration. We were all looking forward to another beach day but there was just NO WAY!! So I can't speak for every destination but for Orient Beach a taxi workes just fine, the way back to the ship was a little hairy only due to a parade in town. We were in a van with another family and the roads were really crowded. Oh did I also mention that we arrived at Orient Beach at about 10:00 and left at 4:00 (think we overdid it??) We got half way into town when our driver said ...oh man, our *** is grass!!! No way I gonna be able to take you to the boat!!! It's about a 20 minute walk from here (NOT)! Thank God the other family on the van suggested the water taxi because my the tops of my feet were really starting to throb and I don't think I could have worn my sandles!! Water taxi worked out fine and that 20 minute walk....at least 45 minutes on a good day!! We did have to make our way thru town and literally cut thru the parade route I had a death grip on my son, but all worked out fine in the end. SO, if you go don't plan on staying all day and lots of sunscreen lots of times!!! Oh yea, Orient Bay Beach is on the French side so get ready to see many sights you wish you didn't see!!Didn't tell the kids before hand and as soon as we got there "Grandma and Grandpa" were there walking on the beach, holding hands and "swinging low" to greet us! LOL!! After the snickering and funny remarks my kids just seemed to get used to it. It was in no way sexual, just made sure my kids knew when certain people walked by that not all men or women looked like THAT!! LOL!!
We had planned on going to Saphirre beach, guess I'll never know...oh yea...lots of people who did wear lots of sunscreen and t-shirts and didn't stay all day told us it was BEAUTIFUL. Hope to see it one day. We did end up going into town on our own with a taxi. Really hot day, and with our sunburnt bodies we didn't last long. But it was fun to see what some of St. Thomas looked like. My advise is don't follow the DCL shopping guide too much. We did and saw the EXACT SAME t-shirts for half the price on a side street. Not nice to say but I think the "shopping girl" on the DCL had lot of nice jewlery to show for her "recommendations." Also I was told that the shops pay DCL for their ads. My husband was approached by a man on the streets who was directed people into the side shops ( not shady or dangerous looking) saying that the rent on the main street is SO high and on the side streets it is half the price so do the math their prices will be less!! He may have been right but I found a diamond and tanzanite pendent I just loved on the main street. Happy Mothers day to me! Thanks Honey!! Once again talked to people who did many things without the formal excursions and they made out fine, along with others who did the formal excursions and they had a wonderful time too. I have to say the kids held up great here while mom was shopping, thanks Kids!!
Finally land!! As much planning as I had done for the trip I felt unprepaired for our excursions on land, I guess because I didn't make any reservations with DCL for formal excursions. I had read that you experience a lot of "herding" and I didn't want to waste any valuable beach time. I just had hoped I made the right decision, I did. We took a cab to Orient Bay beach and it is beautiful!! The cabs are right at the end of the dock, DCL directed us when we got off the ship, they are there if you have any last minute quesions. It was a van, we had one other stop on the way, took less than 2 minutes, and bingo...we were there. As soon as you get there you are asked to rent chairs for $5, walk on! Not just bacause of a better deal but for location. Think of it like a horseshoe, don't stay at one end, go to at least near the middle. As we walked on, not too far, the chairs were $5 for a lounge chair, umbrella, and a drink! Not a bad deal. Now here's the part I want you to read twice. WEAR LOTS OF WATERPROOF SUNSCREEN AND REAPPLY IT OFTEN. (remember I said twice!!) Thinking I had it down, I had applied 30 SPF to myself and my kids, had plenty of extra lotion, and T-shirts to put on in the afternoon just in case, and hey we even had an unbrella!! Guess what....we fried to a crisp! We were having SO much fun in the water swimming ( at last) that I didn't apply that often ( I think only twice) and have you ever seen a ripe summer tomato???? My sons back and ears, my daughters face and shoulders, my husbands back and sholders, and my arms and tops of my feet (ouch)!!! Boy were we red!! Lesson learned, thought I had it covered but I guess not. We were so burned that going to the beach in St. Thomas was not even a consideration. We were all looking forward to another beach day but there was just NO WAY!! So I can't speak for every destination but for Orient Beach a taxi workes just fine, the way back to the ship was a little hairy only due to a parade in town. We were in a van with another family and the roads were really crowded. Oh did I also mention that we arrived at Orient Beach at about 10:00 and left at 4:00 (think we overdid it??) We got half way into town when our driver said ...oh man, our *** is grass!!! No way I gonna be able to take you to the boat!!! It's about a 20 minute walk from here (NOT)! Thank God the other family on the van suggested the water taxi because my the tops of my feet were really starting to throb and I don't think I could have worn my sandles!! Water taxi worked out fine and that 20 minute walk....at least 45 minutes on a good day!! We did have to make our way thru town and literally cut thru the parade route I had a death grip on my son, but all worked out fine in the end. SO, if you go don't plan on staying all day and lots of sunscreen lots of times!!! Oh yea, Orient Bay Beach is on the French side so get ready to see many sights you wish you didn't see!!Didn't tell the kids before hand and as soon as we got there "Grandma and Grandpa" were there walking on the beach, holding hands and "swinging low" to greet us! LOL!! After the snickering and funny remarks my kids just seemed to get used to it. It was in no way sexual, just made sure my kids knew when certain people walked by that not all men or women looked like THAT!! LOL!!We had planned on going to Saphirre beach, guess I'll never know...oh yea...lots of people who did wear lots of sunscreen and t-shirts and didn't stay all day told us it was BEAUTIFUL. Hope to see it one day. We did end up going into town on our own with a taxi. Really hot day, and with our sunburnt bodies we didn't last long. But it was fun to see what some of St. Thomas looked like. My advise is don't follow the DCL shopping guide too much. We did and saw the EXACT SAME t-shirts for half the price on a side street. Not nice to say but I think the "shopping girl" on the DCL had lot of nice jewlery to show for her "recommendations." Also I was told that the shops pay DCL for their ads. My husband was approached by a man on the streets who was directed people into the side shops ( not shady or dangerous looking) saying that the rent on the main street is SO high and on the side streets it is half the price so do the math their prices will be less!! He may have been right but I found a diamond and tanzanite pendent I just loved on the main street. Happy Mothers day to me! Thanks Honey!! Once again talked to people who did many things without the formal excursions and they made out fine, along with others who did the formal excursions and they had a wonderful time too. I have to say the kids held up great here while mom was shopping, thanks Kids!!
