Caribbean Ports of Call: Eastern and Southern Regions, 4th; A Guide for Today's Cruise Passengers

by Kay Showker

• ISBN13: 9780762711772
• ISBN10: 0762711779
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2001-10-01
• Publisher: Globe Pequot

Summary

Subtropical temperatures, gentle trade winds, vibrant colors, luscious foliage, exotic menus, smiling faces -- award-winning writer Kay Showker shares her considerable experience to show how to plan a carefree vacation at sea. Includes attractions, restaurants, sports, shopping, and walking tours, complete with maps of the main towns.

This guide, based on the author's personal experience, shows you how to plan a carefree vacation at sea to the Eastern and Southern regions of the Caribbean.

Author Biography

Kay Showker has won numerous awards for her coverage of the Caribbean. She was the first to receive the Caribbean Tourism Association Award for excellence in journalism. She writes for leading travel magazines and newspapers across the country

Table of Contents

List of Maps	p. x
Eastern and Southern Caribbean Islands	p. x
Eastern and Southern Caribbean Ports of Call	p. xii
Cruising the Caribbean
Islands of New Discovery	p. 1
How to Use This Guide	p. 1
Mapping the Caribbean	p. 2
The Caribbean with a Difference	p. 4
Selecting a Cruise: Tips and Advice	p. 7
Know Before You Go	p. 11
Caribbean Cruise Lines and Their Ships
A Guide	p. 15
Gateways to Points East and South
Puerto Rico
The Complete Island	p. 34
Fast Facts	p. 35
Budget Planning	p. 35
Port Profile: San Juan	p. 36
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 36
Shore Excursions	p. 36
San Juan on Your Own	p. 37
An Old San Juan Walkabout	p. 37
Shopping	p. 42
Dining and Restaurants	p. 43
Sports	p. 44
Entertainment/Cultural Events	p. 45
San Juan's Environs and East	p. 45
West of San Juan	p. 46
Ponce	p. 47
The Virgin Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands: The American Paradise	p. 50
Fast Facts	p. 51
Budget Planning	p. 52
Port Profile: St. Thomas	p. 52
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 54
Shore Excursions	p. 54
St. Thomas on Your Own	p. 54
A Charlotte Amalie Walkabout	p. 54
Driving Tour of St. Thomas	p. 59
Shopping	p. 59
Dining and Nightlife	p. 61
Sports	p. 62
Cultural Events and Festivals	p. 64
St. John: A Gift of Nature	p. 64
Cruz Bay	p. 65
Shopping	p. 66
Dining	p. 66
Sports	p. 66
St. Croix: The Sleeping Virgin	p. 67
Frederiksted	p. 68
Christiansted	p. 69
A Drive around St. Croix	p. 70
Shopping	p. 71
Dining	p. 73
Sports	p. 73
The British Virgin Islands: Yachtsman's Haven	p. 76
Tortola and Its Neighbors	p. 77
Virgin Gorda	p. 78
Anegada	p. 78
St. Maarten/St. Martin and Neighbors
The Dutch Windward Islands and their Neighbors	p. 80
St. Maarten Fast Facts	p. 81
St. Martin Fast Facts	p. 82
Budget Planning	p. 82
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 83
Shore Excursions	p. 83
Port Profile: Philipsburg	p. 83
Marigot: A French Delight	p. 84
St. Maarten on Your Own	p. 85
A Drive around the Island	p. 86
Shopping	p. 88
Dining and Restaurants	p. 89
Sports	p. 90
Entertainment	p. 92
Saba: The Storybook Isle	p. 92
St. Eustatius: A Cruel Twist of Fate	p. 94
Anguilla: Tranquillity Wrapped in Blue	p. 96
The Eastern Caribbean
Antigua
A Beach for Every Day of the Year	p. 102
Fast Facts	p. 103
Budget Planning	p. 103
Port Profile: St. John's	p. 104
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 104
Shore Excursions	p. 104
Antigua on Your Own	p. 105
A St. John's Walkabout	p. 105
A Drive around Antigua	p. 107
Shopping	p. 110
Dining and Restaurants	p. 111
Nightlife	p. 111
Sports	p. 112
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 114
Barbuda	p. 114
St. Barthelemy (St. Barts)
The Darling of the Jet Set	p. 116
Fast Facts	p. 116
Budget Planning	p. 117
Port Profile: Gustavia	p. 117
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 118
Shore Excursions	p. 118
St. Barts on Your Own	p. 118
A Gustavia Walkabout	p. 119
A Drive around the Island	p. 119
Shopping	p. 120
Dining and Restaurants	p. 121
Nightlife	p. 122
Sports	p. 122
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 123
St. Kitts and Nevis
The Secret Caribbean	p. 126
Fast Facts	p. 126
Budget Planning	p. 127
Port Profile	p. 127
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 128
Shore Excursions	p. 128
St. Kitts on Your Own	p. 129
A Basseterre Walkabout	p. 129
A Drive around St. Kitts	p. 130
Shopping	p. 131
Dining and Restaurants	p. 132
Nightlife	p. 133
Sports	p. 133
Nevis	p. 134
Sports	p. 137
Montserrat
A Quiet Corner of the Caribbean	p. 140
Fast Facts	p. 140
Port Profile	p. 141
Shore Excursions	p. 141
Montserrat on Your Own	p. 142
Dining and Restaurants	p. 143
Sports	p. 143
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 143
Guadeloupe
The Caribbean in Miniature	p. 146
Fast Facts	p. 146
Budget Planning	p. 147
Port Profile	p. 148
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 149
Shore Excursions	p. 149
Guadeloupe on Your Own	p. 149
A Point-a-Pitre Walkabout	p. 149
A Drive around the Island	p. 151
Shopping	p. 155
Dining and Restaurants	p. 156
Nightlife	p. 157
Sports	p. 158
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 159
Dominica
The Gift of Nature	p. 162
Fast Facts	p. 162
Budget Planning	p. 163
Port Profile	p. 163
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 164
Shore Excursions	p. 164
Dominica on Your Own	p. 164
A Roseau Walkabout	p. 165
A Drive around the Island	p. 167
Shopping	p. 170
Dining and Restaurants	p. 171
Sports	p. 171
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 172
Martinique
The Isle of Flowers	p. 174
Fast Facts	p. 174
Budget Planning	p. 175
Port Profile	p. 175
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 176
Shore Excursions	p. 177
Martinique on Your Own	p. 177
A Fort-de-France Walkabout	p. 177
A Drive around Martinique	p. 179
Shopping	p. 183
Dining and Restaurants	p. 184
Nightlife	p. 185
Sports	p. 186
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 187
St. Lucia
The Bali Hai of the Caribbean	p. 190
Fast Facts	p. 190
Budget Planning	p. 191
Port Profile	p. 191
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 192
Shore Excursions	p. 192
St. Lucia on Your Own	p. 193
A Castries Walkabout	p. 193
A Drive around the Island	p. 194
Shopping	p. 199
Dining and Restaurants	p. 201
Nightlife	p. 202
Sports	p. 202
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 203
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Rugged Terrain and Gentle Beauty	p. 206
Fast Facts	p. 206
Budget Planning	p. 207
Port Profile	p. 207
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 208
Shore Excursions	p. 208
St. Vincent on Your Own	p. 209
A Kingstown Walkabout	p. 209
A Drive around the Island	p. 210
Shopping	p. 212
Dining and Restaurants	p. 212
Sports	p. 213
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 214
The Grenadines	p. 214
Grenada
The Spice Island	p. 220
Fast Facts	p. 221
Budget Planning	p. 221
Port Profile	p. 221
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 222
Shore Excursions	p. 222
Grenada on Your Own	p. 223
A St. George's Walkabout	p. 223
A Drive around the Island	p. 226
Shopping	p. 228
Dining and Restaurants	p. 229
Nightlife	p. 230
Sports	p. 230
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 231
Carriacou	p. 232
Barbados
Masterpiece Theatre in the Tropics	p. 236
Fast Facts	p. 236
Budget Planning	p. 237
Port Profile	p. 237
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 238
Shore Excursions	p. 239
Barbados on Your Own	p. 239
A Bridgetown Walkabout	p. 240
A Drive around the Island	p. 242
Shopping	p. 246
Dining and Restaurants	p. 248
Nightlife	p. 249
Sports	p. 249
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 252
The Southern Caribbean
Trinidad and Tobago
The Odd Couple	p. 256
Fast Facts	p. 257
Budget Planning	p. 258
Port Profile: Port of Spain	p. 258
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 259
Shore Excursions	p. 259
Trinidad on Your Own	p. 260
A Port of Spain Walkabout	p. 260
A Drive around Trinidad	p. 264
Shopping	p. 266
Dining and Restaurants	p. 267
Nightlife	p. 268
Sports	p. 268
Tobago on Your Own	p. 269
A Driving Tour of Tobago	p. 269
Dining and Restaurants	p. 272
Sports	p. 272
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 273
Bonaire
Nature's Child	p. 278
Fast Facts	p. 278
Budget Planning	p. 279
Port Profile	p. 279
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 280
Shore Excursions	p. 280
Bonaire on Your Own	p. 280
A Kralendijk Walkabout	p. 280
A Drive around the Island	p. 281
Shopping	p. 284
Dining and Restaurants	p. 285
Nightlife	p. 285
Sports	p. 285
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 287
Curacao
A Dutch Masterpiece in the Tropics	p. 290
Fast Facts	p. 290
Budget Planning	p. 291
Port Profile	p. 291
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 293
Shore Excursions	p. 293
Curacao on Your Own	p. 294
A Willemstad Walkabout	p. 294
A Drive around the Island	p. 299
Shopping	p. 302
Dining and Restaurants	p. 303
Nightlife	p. 304
Sports	p. 304
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 306
Aruba
Island of Surprises	p. 308
Fast Facts	p. 308
Budget Planning	p. 309
Port Profile	p. 310
Author's Favorite Attractions	p. 310
Shore Excursions	p. 310
Aruba on Your Own	p. 311
An Oranjestad Walkabout	p. 311
A Drive around the Island	p. 314
Shopping	p. 315
Dining and Restaurants	p. 316
Nightlife	p. 317
Sports	p. 317
Festivals and Celebrations	p. 319
South America's Caribbean and the Panama Canal
Venezuela	p. 322
La Guaira	p. 322
Caracas	p. 322
Puerto La Cruz	p. 323
Margarita Island	p. 324
Orinoco River	p. 325
Colombia	p. 325
Cartagena	p. 325
Panama	p. 326
Panama Canal: The Vital Link	p. 326
Transiting the Panama Canal	p. 328
The Panama Canal Operation	p. 330
The San Blas Islands	p. 330
Chart of Cruise Ships Sailing the Caribbean	p. 333
Index	p. 345
About the Author	p. 355
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