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.

Regarding Barbados, St Lucia and Antigua there are a lot of different beaches if you want beaches. But a private island tour with your own taxi would be a good choice.

St Maarten, depends on what you want to do. Beaches, watch the planes, zip lines, etc. Orient will be crowded if there are ships in, that is the way it is. Mullet is a nice beach but can get crowded. There are a couple of options if you want clothing optional.

St Croix, been a long time since we have been there -- but we did a taxi to a hotel and used their beach and had lunch.

Antigua

from st john's jolly harbour is 20 mins away if you like beaches. even cruise ship day it is nothing like sxm. the beach is 1 mile long with a few beach bars/restaurants. the sand is creamy white. nearby is a golf course if this is your thing (enough time?) Taxi fare is the same for 1 as for 4 pple.


english harbour and nelson's dockyard is good BUT NOT IN THE CRUISE SHIP CROWD. i saw it with my own eyes once. what a debacle (who wants to follow a babbling sign on a stick). in english harbour, feast your eyes on mega yachts.. the kind with a tugboat carrying suv, etc. Nelson's dockyard is the oldest working georgian dockyard. from the far end of the dockyard, take a quick boat to additional restaurants for your own special moment.

while in this area, scoot up to shirley heights. though best for sunsets, you will see all the way to africa if you squint really hard. i believe you can eat/drink here most days. on the way up you can stop at a lookout towards eric clapton's rehab.

if you still have time, on your way back check out fig tree drive via taxi. liberia's church circa 1700s i think is still open. on your way down you pass zip lining, pineapple and banana plantations, fruit stands, mt obama, etc.

for a quiet meal on the beach, i like Dennis near jolly harbour. of course most rave about Boxer Shack too- further away from jh.

if you need taxi contacts pm me. i have a couple who have been good to me.

in st johns i have stopped at viv richards bar (only open on weekends) and hemmingways bar. also, a bar near the pier, upstairs overlooking the water/parking lot. very near where you walk off. this place won't be busy either.

ST LUCIA

i can't recall where the cruise ships dock but if at all possible check out the pitons. again, not with the crowd but as long as you are out of sink with them (ha you), you will enjoy the area.

i realllllly enjoyed the rhum factory. it was something like 5 bucks/tasting. imagine a long table holding up 20+ rhum varieties/flavours... once you make it allllll the way to the end, you turn around and work your way back. be warned, they are not all smooth. lololol

SXM

have you tried anse marcel? you will be miles away from the carnival scene. it's a lovely quaint spot to rest your toes.

enjoy your travels.

cheers

The key to staying away from the crowds while on a cruise in the Caribbean is to:
1. Get away from the dock before you get a taxi. There is usually a licensed association that has the rights to pick up the cruise passengers. They typically have bigger vans and will pile people in. If you get past them, you may find an individual driver that will take you where you want to go. The only place this didn't work for us was Barbados. But when we got to the taxi area (it's a long walk from the ship!) we told the dispatcher we wanted a small car for the two of us and she called someone up. Do a little research on transportation. On St Lucia, we thought we were in a taxi when a local got on and told us it was a bus- you can tell the difference by the plates, evidently. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Blush.gif" alt="" />
2. Go someplace different than the cruise ship excursion spots.

Barbados: I asked our driver to take us to see the Barbados that would make us want to come back. We had an island tour including two very old churches and Bathsheba. Bathsheba is just stunning!

St.Lucia: Because all the cool stuff is in the south (IMHO)and it takes a REALLY long time to get there for a day trip, we went to Pigeon Point instead. Great hike, wonderful history. There is a beach there if you need one.

Antigua- Nelson's Dockyard!

St. Croix- I've never been, but I would get someone to take me to the Domino Club...

Okay, I live in an area with great beaches, so those down island don't interest me as much. I'd much rather see the historical sights and learn about some of the great sea battles that occured.

On Sint Maarten see if you can rent a car and hear to Friars Bay. You won't get the cruise ship crowd there. 2 beach bars to choose from. Water is calm. Mullet is a favorite of ours but is now on the cruise excursion schedule of some lines. Same with Maho where everyone goes to Sunset Bar & Grill to watch the planes land and take off.

While at Friars Bay and if you're into a more relaxed dress code you can take the trail to the north and end up at Happy Bay. Gawkers are not welcome there and few want the effort of the hike.

Re: St. Croix..........as you are walking ashore on the pier (Fredericksted), there are 2 or 3 nice beaches with beach bars, volleyball, horses, snorkeling etc. to the left or North. As you walk through the park to your right or South all the way at the end of the street is The Turtle deli. They have huge deli sandwiches that you can take to the beach. If you look to the South from the pier about a mile or 2 you will see a long expanse of white sand. You can take a cab there. It is called Sandy Point beach and is where they filmed the last boat sequence in Shawshank Redemption. If it is turtle hatching season it will be closed. You should probably take one of the shuttle tours to Christianstead and see the fort and old town area. Skip the rum factory, they do not really make it there. They just ferment the sugar cane there and the actual product is made in Puerto Rico. The Whim house and plantation tour is very well done.

Thanks everybody for the replies. These are exactly what I was looking for!