Disney Cruise Eastern Caribbean: Travel Notes

Below are the travel notes that I took with me to my Eastern Carribbean Disney Cruise. It includes a lot of the info I collected about Tortola, St. Thomas, and St. John on what shops to see and where to eat. It also includes some DCL tips as well.

Day 1 – Port Canaveral – Saturday, April 25, 2009

12 -3:30 pm – Make Palo reservations @ Rockin’ Bar D. You will enter of Deck 3 and there will be elevators on your right. Go around and behind those and straight back, it will be on your right hand side. If the walkway on Deck 3 from the atrium forward to the nightclubs is blocked off because the reservation desk hasn’t opened yet. Go to another deck and take the forward lifts down to Deck 3.

Guest Services:

• Pick up Gallery tour & beer tasting tickets (2:30 pm on Monday or 4 pm on Thursday)
• Drop off autograph item & fill out form
• Apply Disney Reward dollars to onboard account
• Let them know it’s our anniversary

 12-2:15 pm – Lunch @ Parrot Cay (Deck 3 aft) or Topsiders (Deck 9 aft until 3:30 pm). Both are buffets but servers bring drinks to your table at Parrot Cay. It’s also less rushed and crowded than Topsiders.

 1-1:30 pm – Stateroom ready 

3 pm – DIS meetup @ Promenade Lounge 

3:30 – 4:15 pm – Mandatory Safety Drill 

4:30-5:15 pm – Sail Away Party

As soon as the lifeboat drill ends, go up to deck 10 starboard side and grab a table overlooking the dance floor on Deck 9 for the Sail Away party. Get Bon Voyage cocktails. It will get crowded so being at the balcony will give you an unobstructed view. Before it’s over, we run down to the front of the Basketball Courts on Deck 10 and get a spot up front to watch us sail out of Port Canaveral! Watch for dolphins swimming in front of the ship as she pulls away from the dock. Bring bubbles!

Day 2 – At Sea – Sunday, April 26, 2009

2:30- 4:40 pm – Couples Choice @ Vista Spa

Formal night

Day 3 – At Sea – Monday, April 27, 2009

None

Day 4 – Tortola – Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Road Town Shopping

Crafts Alive Marketplace: A collection of gaily colored tents, on the Waterfront; while it sells some of the same batiks and tourist trinkets of marketplaces on other Caribbean islands, there are a handful of genuinely interesting stalls. Don’t miss Sophia Dawles, a talented West Indian artist who displays her oils, watercolors and acrylics on a card table. Altruists may want to check out the BVI Community Craft Shop, whose handmade items — ranging from Christmas ornaments to rag rugs and fish-scale ornaments — are locally made.

Colombian Emeralds: The one conventional cruise port merchandise outlet can be found on Waterfront Drive midway between the cruise pier and the ferry docks.

Pusser’s: Take a left off of the ship, heading directly to the main road (Blackburn Highway/Waterfront drive). You’ll see Pusser’s across from the parking area. Take home a bottle of Pusser’s Rum or a piece of Pusser’s signature logo merchandise. Their duffels and outdoor-wear are high quality.

Sunny Caribbee: From Pusser’s, continue thru and out the back, you’ll be on Main St. Turn right, the street make a sharp left turn, Sunny Caribbee is just beyond that turn on the right. It’s chock-a-block with great, gift-packaged spices, hot sauces, soaps, lotions, herbs, teas, coffees, etc. Two (relatively cheap) world-famous specialties Arawak Love Potion and Hangover Cure. The shop also has some more-elegant-than-elsewhere Caribbean-oriented crafts. Next door, Sunny Caribbee has a high-end art gallery that’s worth a browse.

Dorothy’s Superette (on Main Street past The Plaza, 494-3757) has cold drinks, beers, bottled water and local Callwood rum as well as basic groceries. Try a “ting,” a Jamacian citrus soda.

Serendipity (on Main Street near its Top, 494-5865), has wonderful island sundresses, glass, shirts and other local handicrafts.

Latitude 18 (on Main Street at The Corner 494-4807) has island and sportswear, gifts and accessories.

Little Denmark (on Main Street near its Top, 494-2455) has a wide variety of gift items such as darts, baskets, souvenir key chains, BVI flags, earrings, hats, mugs and jewelry. Famous for Cuban cigars & room-sized humidor.

Ooh La La (on Main Street past The Plaza, 494-2433) is cramped but popular and always has the unexpected from games to potholders.

Samarkand Jewelers (on Main Street past The Plaza, 495-6415) specializes in Caribbean gemstones. Real local shells are  burnt out and the piece filled with gold and silver.

Jewelry Box (on Main Street past The Plaza, 494-7278) carries gold and silver jewelry and crafts items out of local materials such as the sandbox plant.

Road Town Dining

Pusser’s Road Town: (open from 11 a.m. daily) is a classic experience. Burgers, fish & chips, etc. Pizza is popular. Don’t miss the national drink of the BVI, the Painkiller.

Capriccio di Mare (lunch from 11 a.m. Monday – Saturday): Near Pusser’s on Waterfront Street, is an authentic Italian outdoor cafe, good for a cappuccino break from shopping.

Road Town Bakery: Tasty baked goods

Roti Palace: Before the corner on Main Street above Samarkand Jewelers. Curried filled flatbread

Crandalls: Meat patties in flaky cruse 284-494-5156

Midtown Restaurant (on Main Street at the head of Chalwell Street), open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, has “local local” food, including “souse” pig feet stew, sandwiches, fish soup, burgers, Johnny cake, boiled fish, conch fritters, salt fish, coconut ice cream, oxtail and items cooked to order. Local drinks include peanut punch and mauby. Try the pea soup (beans with pigtail).

Virgin Queen: Upstairs over TICO on Fleming Street near the roundabout near the Top of Main Street, has the excellent Queen’s Pizza, West Indian and English fare. Considered by many as having the best local food, the Virgin Queen has five daily specials, including spare ribs, stewed mutton, “doved” pork, salt fish, shepard’s pie, and stewed (fried and cooked in a gravy) chicken.

12:30-4:30 pm – Tour to Virgin Gorda Shore Excursion

Tip: Bring snorkel gear and swim/snorkel around boulders on The Baths beach.

Lunching near The Baths

The Bath & Turtle: Casual dining in small courtyard. Burgers, pizzas, seafood, wraps, rotis, salads and totally top-notch fish & chips. Entrees run from about $7.00 through $15.00. Don’t miss the national drink of the BVI, the Painkiller. Open from 11:30 a.m. daily.

Top of the Baths: Casual lunch fare. Scenic setting, excellent Painkillers and free use of their swimming pool. Open from 11 a.m. daily.

Little Dix Bay: The Pavilion Restaurant at this famous resort, reachable in ten minutes by Taxi from the Yacht Harbour (Less than $10 per person round trip) serves a nice buffet spread at $25.00 per person between 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

5:30 pm – Onboard

Pirate Night

Day 5 – St. Thomas/St. John – Wednesday, April 29, 2009

7:15 am – 1:10 pm – St. John Island Tour Excursion

St. Thomas 

Havensight Pier

Right at the dock at Havensight, there are more than 50 shops: Gourmet Gallery (grocer w/Caribbean beer), post office, Chase ATM’s, and Havensight Pharmacy.

Yacht Haven Grande Marina: When you exit your ship, turn left and follow the dock around the harbor. First upscale shopping and dining area in St. Thomas and has a couple of restaurants and shops like Coach. Not duty-free. W!kked (open daily from 11 a.m.) is one of St. Thomas’ few outdoor eateries. Try the elegantly presented French fries. The Fat Turtle also has waterfront seating and has more casual fare.

Pueblo Supermarket: (Walk up Long Bay Blvd.) In the parking lot, look for a green canvas umbrella where Martha Jolly sells gorgeous wicker stuff. Highlights include a coconut-shell-shaped handbag ($15) and laundry hampers ($50 to $100 depending on size). She also sells gorgeous tropical flowers, from birds of paradise to ginger lily. You can also buy cases of water at Pueblo Supermarket.

Paradise Point Tramway

10-15 minute walk from pier. $21/person for tram or $30/person for tram & Bailey’s Bushwacker (save $1.50). For a great island view and excellent photo opportunity, take the Paradise Point Tramway, across from Havensight. It climbs 700 ft. to Paradise Point. There’s a little shopping area with the obvious tourist trinkets at the top.

Beaches

Maagens Bay

St. Thomas’ (and possibly world’s) most gorgeous beach. The open air safari style taxis pick you up right in front of the ship and drop you off in the parking lot of Maagens Bay. Taxi ride is 20-minutes and about $6-10/person for the ride. Admission is $3 per person. The lounge chairs rent for about $10 each at the gift shop. (Deposit required.) The facility includes a bar, a cafeteria-style eatery, and one of the island’s best shops for casualwear and bathing suits.

Best Cocktail: Alcoholic milkshakes at St. Thomas Dairies (Near Magens Bay at Route 35 & Magens Bay Road). Try Rumrunner with rum raisin ice cream and creme de menthe, Jacoco with chocolate and coconut ice cream and Kahlua, or Udder Delite with almond crunch and amaretto.

Sapphire Beach

Sapphire Beach, a resort on the island’s East End, has the most stunning view as it faces St. John and the British Virgin Islands. Water sports equipment is available for rent from kayaks to Sunfish sail boats. Less crowded than Maagens Bay. There’s a place to get a snack/drink! Iguanas running around! No admission fee. Take a taxi to the beach for about $10/person. Arrange for the taxi to pick you up to go back to the ship or go to the taxi stand right at the entrance to Sapphire Resort and they will get a cab for you.

Charlotte Amalie Shopping

Taxi to Charlotte Amalie will be $3-5/per person. Charlotte Amalie is easily walkable and a duty-free shopping mecca. Stores are primarily located on Waterfront Highway and, running parallel behind it, Main Street. Highlights include A.H. Riese (Main Street between Hibiscus & Tolbod), a variety of boutiques selling high-end perfumes, jewelry, antique maps and liquor. Down Island Traders (Waterfront Highway) specializes in Caribbean-made and/or produced foodstuffs, such as spices, out-of-this-world rum cakes, hot sauces and jams; it also sells regional crafts and Del Sol (Waterfront Highway) for T-shirts, hair clips, sunglasses and cosmetics. For a cold beer and brand paraphernalia, stop at the Virgin Islands Brewing Co. company store, makers of the refreshing Blackbeard’s Ale. Fashion finds include Local Color (Waterfront Highway) for great, casual cotton dresses, and the Bambini Arts Gallery (Royal Dane Mall) for hand-painted silk scarves. Look for silver starfish necklace.

So-called “bargain” shops like Royal Caribbean (electronics and jewelry), Diamonds International (jewelry) and Little Switzerland (imported china, crystal and jewelry). At Vendors’ Plaza, locals hawk straw hats, tropical-print sundresses and T-shirts.

International Plaza: Largest shopping mall in Charlotte Amalie. Ice cream shop near Harley Davidson has Johnny cakes

Walking Tour of Charlotte Amalie

Beyond shopping, a walking tour of Charlotte Amalie should include a visit to Fort Christian (on the waterfront, across from Vendor’s Plaza), a national historic landmark that dates back to the 17th century; you can climb the tower for great harbor views. Climb the 99 Steps (Kongens Gade/Government Hill, next to Hotel 1829) to experience historic downtown’s finest neighborhood with lovely 19th-century plantation homes. Adjacent to the steps is a worthy pit stop: Haagensen House, an 1820′s townhouse that’s a museum and garden with a great gift shop selling antiques. The St. Thomas Synagogue (Raadets Gade and Crystal Gade), which is the Western Hemisphere’s second oldest (the oldest is located in Curacao). It was built in 1833 by Sephardic Jews and is open for tours. The floor is covered with sand symbolizing the flight of the Jews out of Egypt and across the desert.

Food in Charlotte Amalie

Casual:

• Cuzzin’s Caribbean Restaurant (7 Back Street, Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.) for regional fare
• Gladys’ (Royal Dane Mall, every day from 11 a.m.) offers West Indian cuisine such as conch and fungi and mutton stew along with more traditional items
• Greenhouse Bar & Restaurant (Veterans Drive, every day from 11 a.m.) for American fare, Jamaican-inspired dishes, and frozen drinks.

Gourmet:

• Virgilio’s (Dronnigen’s Gade, Monday – Saturday from 11:30 a.m.) is a fabulous Italian restaurant with eccentric decor (a large collection of paintings of women, some quite abstract), stone and Pepto Bismol-pink painted walls. If the paprika ravioli on the menu, order it.
• On Government Hill, Herve Restaurant & Wine Bar (Monday through Saturday, from 11:30 a.m.) has excellent views, food and a wine list.

Ferry at Red Hook

Duffy’s Love Shack (parking lot in Red Hook Plaza from 11:30 a.m. daily) is famous for its huge tropical drinks; food is served as well.

4:30 pm – Onboard

St. John

There are two places on St. Thomas to catch the ferry to St. John: Red Hook (a 15-minute ride across the sound from the east end of St. Thomas to Cruz Bay, St. John) and Charlotte Amalie (a longer and usually rougher ferry ride that departs from downtown Charlotte Amalie harbor).

Hercules Pate Delight Cruz Bay – across from Lumberyard (340) 776-6532

The best homemade pates (similar to an empanada) filled with either beef, chicken or salt cod are the specialty of the house of this small local stand across from the bustling Lumberyard Mall. Other local delicacies are served with flair, like johnny cakes, salt cod patties, and bull foot soup. Try them all, but whatever you do, don’t miss the pates.

Best Cocktail: Bushwacker, a potent tropical drink consisting of rum (light and dark), creme de cacao, cream of coconut, Kahlua and Bailey’s Irish Cream, is served everywhere. However, Woody’s Saloon (across from First Bank, from 11 a.m.) is the classic place.

Shopping: Cruz Bay is full of very upscale boutiques, most of which are one of a kind. At the atmospheric, stone-walled Mongoose Junction (to the left of the dock), don’t miss Bougainvillea Boutique for chic bathing suits, linen fashions and straw hats. Bamboula, which sells everything from bed linens to keepsakes from all over the world, is St. John’s most eclectic shop. The Clothing Studio has hand-painted T-shirts, shorts, tank dresses and bathing suits. Check out Donald Schnell Pottery for hand-blown glass, kaleidoscopes and windchimes, and Ocean Leather for belts and accessories made out of fish-skin.

Adjacent to Margaritas (across from the dock) is St. John Editions, which has fabulous fashions including Lilly Pulitzer, Koko and Flax. At Wharfside, Dreams and Dragonflies features percussion instruments, funky jewelry and hand-painted clothing. Verace is an exquisite jewelry boutique with distinctive, hand-made pieces by artists from around the world. Out of the way, but worth the half-block stroll, is Pink Papaya (Lemon Tree Mall, behind Chase Manhattan Bank), an artsy shop specializing in boldly colored Caribbean handicrafts.

Trunk Bay Beach

Trunk Bay is perfect for a few hours of snorkeling (for beginners) and beach-bumming; equipment can be rented there, and there is an underwater trail and on-site snack shop. Admission is $4. Take a taxi to Trunk Bay from Cruz Bay.

Lunching

Casual, in-town joints: In Wharfside Village where you get the best views, there’s Panini Beach Trattoria (great individual pizzas and salads, 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.) and the Balcony on Cruz Bay (excellent seafood, Monday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.). Other good lunch spots include Chilly Billy’s (13 Enighed in the Old Lumberyard, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.), a local’s hangout and a good spot for basic fare. The Lime Inn, behind Pink Papaya in the Lemon Tree Mall, (11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.) has no sea views but wonderful burgers and fresh fish and is another local favorite. Woody’s Seafood Saloon (across from Chase Manhattan Bank) is good for conch fritters and beer. Duffy’s Love Shack, which originated in the alleyways of Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas, has an outpost in town (from 11:30 a.m.).

Gourmet Lunching: Some of the newest and finest restaurants in town — such as French-fusion Tage and Italian ZoZo’s Ristorante — are not open for lunch (but we highly recommend them if you are in town late). The closest thing St. John has to a gourmet lunch is the buffet at the tony Caneel Bay Resort’s Caneel Beach Terrance (11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.), a 15-minute taxi ride from the ferry and tender docks.

Lunch with a view: Dine at the rustic outdoor deck of Chateau Bordeaux. A fine dining restaurant in the evening at the east end of Centerline Road, their outdoor deck serves up burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches and a variety of daiquiris for lunch (the restaurant itself isn’t open at lunch). Pull up a chair at the wooden bar that runs along the outside of the deck and enjoy the spectacular vistas of the British Virgin Islands. Tip: Taxi drivers are happy to stop here on an island tour.

Day 6 – At Sea – Thursday, April 30, 2009

Captain’s Gala – Semi-formal

Day 7 – Castaway Cay – Friday, May 1, 2009

10 – 11 am Castaway Ray’s Stingray Adventure Shore Excursion 

Anytime – Bicycle Rentals

5 pm – Onboard

Day 8 – Port Canaveral – Saturday, May 2, 2009

7:35 am – Ashore

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