Celebrity Summit Southern Caribbean Cruise Excursions
Celebrity Summit Southern Caribbean Cruise Excursions
Cruising the Southern Caribbean on Celebrity Summit
By Jeannette and Dan Dudek
Celebrity Summit Southern Caribbean Cruise Excursions
During our two-week cruise Celebrity Cruises vacation on Celebrity Summit there were well over 100 shore excursions available to us each week! The excursion booklet summarized each excursion, its cost, time required, age and weight restrictions, and level of difficulty. The sheer number of available excursions guarantees everyone can find something of interest – and be as active as ones physical abilities permit.
The Excursion Desk on Deck 3 had detailed information on all the excursions, and the friendly, knowledgeable staff were available to assist in selecting the right activities for us. We chose the sting ray excursion and it was one of the highlights of the entire cruise!
Sting Ray Excursion in Antiqua
One of our cruise highlights involved swimming and snorkeling with sting rays in Antiqua. Celebrity Summits excellent Excursion Team escorted us to waiting vans in the port of St. John, to drive us 18 miles (just over ½ an hour drive) across the island to Half Moon Bay. Our driver provided us with history and interesting facts of the island and nation during the drive. At the bay we were met by a dive leader at a well-organized and well-equipped facility – which included tables, changing areas (with showers), outside showers and of course, a food and souvenir stand.
Dan and Jeannette Swimming with Sting Rays in Antiqua
After reviewing the safety rules, explaining the procedure, and providing each with a snorkeling mask, we boarded several small boats that whisked us out into the bay to a floating pier. When ready each of us entered the crystal clean greenish warm water.
Sting rays were abundant and all around us – and they were large, most 3 to 4 feet wide and 4 to 5 feet long! After a picture by the dive staff of each person holding a ray (one that most people opt to purchase) we were free to roam the area as we pleased – always under the protective eye of one of the dive crew.
The crew provided squid for anyone who wanted to feed the silky feeling rays. You hold the squid in your hand with your thumb tucked inside your fingers, and the ray sucks it up with its mouth located in the center of its white underside as it gently swims over your outstretched arm.
Celebrity Summit Southern Caribbean Cruise Excursions
After about an hour or so the boats returned us to shore, where complimentary fruit and rum punch were available – as were the showers and changing rooms. When the pictures were posted we could purchase them if we chose. Then we boarded our vans for the return to Celebrity Summit.
Barbados Independent Excursion
Anytime you want to do a private tour or want to see specific locations you should consider renting a taxi for a few hours. The cost is about $30 to $50 per hour depending on the location. You can also negotiate a fixed rate stipulating the locations, attractions, sites you want to include in your tour, and how much time you will be allowed to stay at certain places.
Brownes Beach in Barbados
Tip: If time permits you may want to consider renting a taxi in the afternoon. As most cruise passengers have already departed on their ship excursions the taxi drivers are very flexible in their rates – i.e. they would rather do a tour for less money than not book any for the day.
One special independent excursion we took on our Summit cruise involved visiting the Barbados locations, e.g. plantation house, sugar mill, churches, etc., of some of Jeannette’s family ancestors. We negotiated a fixed rate with a local driver familiar with the island and the old plantations. More importantly, he knew a lot of people who made our search for specific locations much easier.
Cruise Ship Excursions – Barbados
At the end of our island tour the driver took us to a white powder beach for us to enjoy a refreshing swim before returning us to the ship. We had stipulated in the original negotiations for the taxi’s fixed fee that we would have up to one hour on a beach before being taken back to Celebrity Summit.
Read More of Jeannette and Dan Dudek’s Celebrity Summit Review:
Overview | Pre-Cruise Documentation | San Juan Airports & Embarkation | Sunset Balcony Staterooms | Dining Options | Normandie Specialty Restaurant | Qsine Specialty Restaurant | Excursions | Production Shows | Bridge & Engine Room Operation | Senior Officer Interviews | General Info | Disembarkation in San Juan |
If You Go:
Bio
Jeannette and Dan Dudek travel extensively domestically and internationally; visited over 30 countries; and have been to most U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Jeannette’s career has included teaching elementary school classes; as well as English classes for middle school students; she also as has been a business manager and accountant for several firms. Jeannette’s passion is gourmet cooking and hosting special gatherings for friends and family.
Dan spent his career as an international consultant; assisting large firms implement computerized project and portfolio management systems. Besides international travel, Jeannette and Dan enjoy traveling North America in their RV, as well as handgun competitions, sailing, hunting, hiking, biking and other outdoor sports.
