I'm coming back to the Caribbean in Feb...this time on a cruise boat <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/thumbsdown.gif" alt="" />.

The wife and I have done JVD for the last 3 years and love it...but we don't have the funds this year, so we're forced to go with Royal Caribbean. I hate the tourist trap beaches, and feel a little guilty that I'll be one of those attributing to the chaos that a huge cruise boat brings. I'm hoping people here can steer me in the direction of a more authentic Caribbean experience away from the madness of the overpriced cruise excursions and super crowded beaches right near the pier.

What are the best places to go for more adventure/less touristy experience on the following islands, keeping in mind I only get a few hours at each place:

Barbados - Been there once to Blue Monkey Beach...kind of liked it there.
St Lucia
Antigua
St Maarten - Been there a bunch...feels like an amusement park and not authentic.
St Croix

Any help would be appreciated...especially St Maarten. I've been there half a dozen times, and I'm looking for more than just the beach at Phillipsburg.

O-H!

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