Cruise Diva Goes Ashore in the Caribbean
Sights to see & things to do
St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands
Because fewer cruise ships stop here, this United States Virgin Island has all the advantages of St. Thomas with less crowding. If you area fortunate to find St. Croix on your itinerary, ships dock at Frederiksted, but Christiansted is the more vibrant and interesting town.
Diversions
Getting around by taxi is a simple matter and fares can be negotiated for a tour to simply the 17-mile ride to Christiansted. For underwater enthusiasts, the best tour is by boat to Buck Island national Park, a marine wonderland.
In Christiansted and Frederiksted are Fort Christiansvaern and Fort Frederick respectively. Both are worth at least walking around. Additionally, walking tours of both towns are a simple matter with maps obtained from their visitors’ bureaus.
A highly recommended sightseeing stop is St. George Village Botanical Garden only a few miles from Frederiksted. The site of a 19th-century sugarcane workers’ village, the gardens are a shutterbug’s heaven. Restoration of the village ruins is an ongoing project, but the flowers, trees, and plants are the main attraction.
A tour through the Whim Great House is a walk back in time. The sugar plantation has been lovingly restored to its former glory. Although the mansion contains only three rooms, it’s surprisingly elegant in its depiction of island life in the past century.
Distillers of the famous Virgin Islands rum offer lively guided tours of the Cruzan Rum factory.
Shopping
The main shopping district is located in Christiansted in the King’s Alley Complex. Here is where you’ll find local outlets of some of the same stores in St. Thomas. Scout out the tiny boutiques that sell local handicrafts for unique gifts and jewelry by Cruzan craftsmen.
Shopping is somewhat limited in Frederiksted but vendors and merchants arrive to set up along the main street whenever a ship is in port.
Beaches
St. Croix has some of the most idyllic beaches and best snorkeling in the Caribbean. Close to Frederiksted, Sandy Point’s waters are calm and perfect for swimming. From Christiansted, a short ferry ride across the bay reaches Hotel on the Cay’s palm-shaded beach. Getting to other beaches requires a taxi ride, which can get pricey. This is one place where a sail and snorkel trip booked on your cruise ship might be a wise choice.
Fodor's Caribbean Ports of Call 2013 is all you need to plan your days ashore, PLUS a cruise primer section and cruise line profiles by Cruise Diva, Linda Coffman
Back to Caribbean Ports of Call
More from CruiseDiva.com:
Articles & Advice
Cruise Reviews
Cruise Line Profiles
