Frommer's Caribbean Ports of Call (Frommer's Complete)

323 Pages·2006·4.1 MB·English

by  Tamar Schreibman

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Caribbean
Ports of Call
6th Edition
by Tamar Schreibman & Christina Colón
Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:
“Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.”
—Booklist
“Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”
—Glamour Magazine
“Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.”
—Des Moines Sunday Register
“Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.”
—Knight Ridder Newspapers
01_944904 ffirs.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page ii
01_944904 ffirs.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page i
Caribbean
Ports of Call
6th Edition
by Tamar Schreibman & Christina Colón
Here’s what the critics say about Frommer’s:
“Amazingly easy to use.Very portable,very complete.”
—Booklist
“Detailed,accurate,and easy-to-read information for all price ranges.”
—Glamour Magazine
“Hotel information is close to encyclopedic.”
—Des Moines Sunday Register
“Frommer’s Guides have a way of giving you a real feel for a place.”
—Knight Ridder Newspapers
01_944904 ffirs.qxp 7/25/06 7:31 PM Page ii
Published by:
Wiley Publishing,Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
Copyright © 2006 Wiley Publishing, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No
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Wiley and the Wiley Publishing logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of John
Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Frommer’s is a trademark or registered trademark
of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their
respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor
mentioned in this book.
ISBN-13: 978-0-471-94490-4
ISBN-10: 0-471-94490-4
Editor: Leslie Shen
Production Editor: Heather Wilcox
Cartographer: Tim Lohnes
Photo Editor:Richard Fox
Production by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services
Front cover photo: Cozumel, Mexico: Couple snorkeling in clear shallow water, cruise
ship in distance.
Back cover photo: Grand Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman, Rum Point: Colorful beach
hut beneath palm trees.
For information on our other products and services or to obtain technical support, please
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5 4 3 2 1
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Contents
List of Maps v
1 Introduction:Cruising to the Ports of Call 1
1 Choosing the Itinerary & Shore Days at Sea vs. Days in Port . . . . . . . .4
Excursions That Are Best for You . . . . .1 2 When to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
2 The Cruise Lines in Brief 9
1 The Mainstream Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 3 Small Ships,Sailing Ships &
2 The Ultraluxury Lines . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Adventure Cruises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
3 Things to Know Before You Go 27
1 Passports & Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 3 Money Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Safety at Sea: More Security, 4 Keeping in Touch While at Sea . . . . .32
Fewer Germs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 5 What to Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
2 Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
4 The Ports of Embarkation 36
1 Miami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 4 Tampa & St.Petersburg . . . . . . . . . .58
2 Fort Lauderdale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 5 New Orleans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
3 Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach . . . .50 6 Alternative Home Ports . . . . . . . . . . .71
5 The Ports of Call 76
1 Port Strategies & Tips . . . . . . . . . . . .76 6 Bahamas:Nassau & Freeport . . . . .100
2 A Brief History of the Caribbean . . . .80 Frommer’s Favorite Nassau
3 The Cruise Lines’ Private Islands . . . .85 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
4 Antigua . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Frommer’s Favorite Freeport/
Lucaya Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Frommer’s Favorite Antigua
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 7 Barbados . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
5 Aruba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Frommer’s Favorite Barbados
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Frommer’s Favorite Aruba
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96 8 Belize . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
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iv CONTENTS
Frommer’s Favorite Belize 18 Guadeloupe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Frommer’s Favorite Guadeloupe
9 Bequia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Frommer’s Favorite Bequia 19 Jamaica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130 Frommer’s Favorite Ocho Rios
A Quiet Day on Union Island . . . . .132 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
10 Bonaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Frommer’s Favorite Montego Bay
Frommer’s Favorite Bonaire Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137 20 Key West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208
11 British Virgin Islands:Tortola & Frommer’s Favorite Key West
Virgin Gorda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .211
Frommer’s Favorite Tortola 21 Les Saintes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145 Frommer’s Favorite Les Saintes
Frommer’s Favorite Virgin Gorda Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148 22 Martinique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221
A Slice of Paradise: Frommer’s Favorite Martinique
Jost Van Dyke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150 Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .224
12 Cozumel & the Yucatán 23 Nevis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .230
Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Frommer’s Favorite Nevis
Frommer’s Favorite Cozumel Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .232
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
24 Panama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
Frommer’s Favorite Playa del
25 Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Carmen Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . .160
Frommer’s Favorite San Juan
Frommer’s Favorite Costa
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .236
Maya Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
San Juan as a Port of
13 Curaçao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Embarkation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .238
Frommer’s Favorite Curaçao
Walking Tour: Old San Juan . . . . . .243
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166
26 St.Barts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .250
14 Dominica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .170
Frommer’s Favorite St. Barts
Frommer’s Favorite Dominica
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172
27 St.Kitts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .256
15 Grand Cayman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177
Frommer’s Favorite St. Kitts
Frommer’s Favorite Grand Cayman
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .178
28 St.Lucia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261
16 Grand Turk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181
Frommer’s Favorite St. Lucia
Frommer’s Favorite Grand Turk
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .264
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
29 St.Martin/Sint Maarten . . . . . . . . .268
17 Grenada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .186
Frommer’s Favorite St. Martin/
Frommer’s Favorite Grenada
Sint Maarten Experiences . . . . . . . .271
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188
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CONTENTS v
30 Trinidad & Tobago . . . . . . . . . . . . .276 Frommer’s Favorite St. Thomas
Frommer’s Favorite Trinidad Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .279 Frommer’s Favorite St. John
Frommer’s Favorite Tobago Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .282 Frommer’s Favorite St. Croix
31 U.S.Virgin Islands:St.Thomas, Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .298
St.John & St.Croix . . . . . . . . . . . . .284
Index 303
List of Maps
The Gulf of Mexico & the Caribbean 2 Grand Turk 183
The Eastern Caribbean 5 Grenada 187
Miami 39 Guadeloupe 193
Fort Lauderdale 47 Jamaica 201
Cape Canaveral & Cocoa Beach 51 Key West 209
Tampa 59 Les Saintes 217
Greater New Orleans 65 Martinique 223
The French Quarter 67 Nevis 231
Antigua 89 Panama 235
Aruba 95 Puerto Rico 237
Nassau 101 San Juan at a Glance 241
Freeport/Lucaya 111 Old San Juan Walking Tour 245
Barbados 115 St. Barthélemy (St. Barts) 251
Belize 121 St. Kitts 257
Bequia 129 St. Lucia 263
Bonaire 135 St. Martin/Sint Maarten 269
The British Virgin Islands 143 Trinidad 277
The Yucatán’s Upper Caribbean Tobago 283
Coast 151
St. Thomas 285
Curaçao 165
Charlotte Amalie 289
Dominica 171
St. John 293
Grand Cayman 179
St. Croix 299
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About the Authors
Tamar Schreibmanhas traveled to Sedona, Las Vegas, Longboat Key, Scottsdale, the Arizona
wine country, Charleston, Montego Bay, and Budapest to research travel stories for Time Out
New York, Modern Bride, Elle, New Woman, and Mode. Her other articles have appeared in
various publications including Self, Fitness, Marie Claire, Seventeen, Men’s Fitness, Cosmopolitan,
Working Mother, New York Daily News, Star,and Working Woman.This is her third nonfiction
book. She also writes fiction.
Christina Colónhas two great passions in life: nature and travel. She has been everywhere from
Borneo (where she lived for 2 years tracking wild animals) to Belize (where she did her master’s
thesis in a jaguar preserve). With a Ph.D. in ecology, a master’s in environmental education, and
adjunct positions at several universities, she is a scientist and an educator, as well as an author.
When she is not exploring a tropical rainforest or an exotic island, she can be found in the
Bronx, where she loves to seek the wilder side of the borough. In addition to scientific and
academic texts, she has contributed to numerous travel guides, including Frommer’s Portable
Arubaand The New York Times Guide to New York City.
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An Invitation to the Reader
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and
more. We’re sure you’ll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information
with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommenda-
tion, we’d love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommer’s Caribbean Ports of Call, 6th Edition
Wiley Publishing, Inc. • 111 River St. • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
An Additional Note
Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially
true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making
your travel plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experi-
ences of readers while traveling. Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to
stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets,
all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.
Other Great Guides for Your Trip:
Frommer’s Caribbean Cruises & Ports of Call
Frommer’s Caribbean
Cruise Vacations For Dummies
Caribbean For Dummies
The Unofficial Guide to Cruises
Frommer’s Florida
Frommer’s South Florida
Frommer’s Jamaica
Frommer’s Puerto Rico
Frommer’s Virgin Islands