St. Kitts Island Highlights

Your St. Kitts Island Highlights Tour is chock full of interesting sites and informative background. It begins in the capital city of Basseterre. Founded in 1627 by the French, it served as capital of the French colony. By 1639, the town had become a large, successful port and was made the capital of the entire French West Indies colony, which included the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

When the British took control of the island in 1727, the city was made capital of the island. On your St. Kitts Highlights tour, you will see the British influence in the Georgian architecture, cobblestone streets, and the squares and monuments.

The city of Basseterre has had a tragic history, having been destroyed repeatedly by colonial wars, fire, earthquakes, floods, riots and hurricanes. Despite this, a considerable number of well-restored buildings still exist in downtown Basseterre.

Next on your St. Kitts excursion, you will visit Caribelle Batik, set on the grounds of Romney Manor. Using ancient Indonesian methods to keep the dye from reaching the material, Caribelle has created many designs for which they have become associated. During your St. Kitts excursion, you will see the artists demonstrating the techniques while you listen to an explanation from one of the experts. Then it's on to Brimstone Hill Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The fort is a monument to the ingenuity of the British military engineers who designed it and to the skill, strength and endurance of the African slaves who built and then maintained it. It is one of the best-preserved historical fortifications in the Americas. At the fort, a video presentation on the fortress is shown. This magnificent fortress, sitting impressively atop 38 acres of limestone and sulfur composites, is the result of 100 years of slave labor and has endured many wars fought between English, French and Spanish troops for its control.

From the fortress, your St. Kitts tour will return to the pier via the Basseterre Caribbean Sea coastal road.

Shopping, Sightseeing & Beach Day Excursion in St. Maarten

Two countries on one island for almost 400 years. Wouldn't you love to know how they do it? Come along on this St. Maarten excursion for an Island Drive and Beach Tour with a twist. You'll visit parts of the island usually not seen by cruise guests.

Departing the cruise terminal, you will drive through part of Philipsburg towards Cole Bay and Belle Vue. Making a photo stop at the Harold Jack lookout point high on a hill overlooking the sea, clouds permitting, you will have fantastic views of the neighboring islands of Saba (the home of Kong in the original King Kong movie) St. Eustatius to the south, and British Anguilla to the north. You will also begin to see Simpson Bay and its lagoon as you crest the hill.

This St. Maarten tour continues on to Marigot, the French capital, which is a quaint French village with a Caribbean twist. Sidewalk cafes serving cappuccino overlook mega-yachts, framed by palm trees. Gourmet restaurants sit in the shadow of a 200-year-old fort, and bold tropical prints in the open-air markets mix with the latest fashions from French boutiques. You will have some free time to experience this wonderful blend.

Then it's on to Orient Bay. This sweeping two-mile long, white-powdered sand beach is protected from the Atlantic waves by a reef, and the bottom has a very gradual slope. It is the island's most popular and busiest beach. On this St. Maarten excursion, you will have approximately 1.5 hours to swim, beach walk, or relax on the white sand.

You will also have the opportunity to purchase lunch or indulge in a tropical drink in paradise at a local restaurant located on the east end of the beach.

Returning to Philipsburg through the center of the island, you will have the option of being dropped off downtown for shopping or taken back to the pier.

Guests departing downtown will need to arrange their own transportation back to the cruise pier at their own expense via taxi, water taxi or walking.

Please Note: The tour will also make photo stops with scenic views of Orient Bay. The clothing-optional beach at Club Orient, the naturist resort, is located at the east end of the beach, approximately 10 to 15 minutes from Bikini Beach, where you will be visiting. Although most guests in the Bikini Beach area will be wearing swim attire, be advised that you may encounter topless and possibly nude sunbathers anywhere. This St. Maarten excursion may operate in a different order due to traffic conditions or crowds at the venues. On Sundays, most shops and restaurants on the French side are closed. All stores are closed on the following national holidays: Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Kings Day, Carnival Day, Labor Day, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, Emancipation Day, Constitution Day, St. Maarten's Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Guests booking on these days will have the option to window shop or spend more time at the beach.