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Tips for doing things OFF THE SHIP

  1. TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING

  2. Unless you're a huge turtle lover, skip the turtles

  3. Skip the excursion to HELL, it's just a couple tiny stores used to draw tourists so they pay a big price to sit under a sign that says, welcome to hell

  4. Don't go to the rum shop. Yes, the have free samples of rum cake and rum in general and you can have as much as you like, however, you aren't there all that long. If you really like rum cake, you can find really good ones in shops closer to the ship and you can buy alcohol in port. You are allowed to bring one bottle of unopened alcohol back into the US per adult. You can find really cheap alcohol prices.

  5. If you bring wine or alcohol on board in your luggage, make sure you drink it all before the end of the trip because you can't take off an opened bottle. If you have some left over, give it to your steward.

  6. YES, haggle with shop owners if you shop in ports. Everything is negotiable! (example.....this tip came from a lady who got a beautiful quilt in island decor for $20......normally $65)

  7. Swimming with stingrays is great. If you do this, remember not to wipe your hands on your suit if you feed the stingrays. They know food by smell and eat by sucking and will smell your suit and be all over you. They won't hurt you but they are big and you'll feel sort of attacked.

  8. Swimming or snorkeling with fish or coral is great! Take them some fruit loops from the ship in a little box unopened or dog biscuits from home. The fish love it!

  9. Buy one thing that is stupid for the fun of it.....not expensive stupid......STUPID STUPID........(if you want an example, ask about the weasel in a sombero)

  10. Cave tubing is great! But be prepared for a bit of a hike and come back wet, muddy and tired........be forewarned!

  11. If you are going into a port and it's a port where the ship has to tender passengers over, be prepared to wait. It's often busy and they move people pretty quickly.

  12. If you are going into port, don't sit in the balcony for the port talk because they give things away and they usually never make it past the first 15 rows.

  13. You can get a massage cheaper at your ports of call, often even on the beach

  14. Don't forget, San Juan speaks lots of Spanish

  15. St. Thomas & Tortolla use US dollar as their main money source

  16. Use credit cards in ports of call to buy things (they can be traced if needed)

  17. The Seablaster excursion is really great in St. Thomas!

  18. Senor Frogs is a must in San Juan.