SHORE EXCURSIONS CREDIT

This scenic rail tour runs in a complete circle around the island allowing visitors the opportunity to see the entire country by rail and by road. No trip to this two-island federation is complete without the experience of traveling on the new St. Kitts Scenic Railway, one of the most interesting train rides in the world. This one-of-a-kind narrow gauge railroad was built almost a century ago to deliver sugar cane from the fields to the sugar mills in the capital city of Basseterre. This still operational railway now provides a fascinating way to see the island from the comfort of double-deck railcars built specifically for touring the island of St. Kitts. All guests will have a seat on both levels of the railcar. The upper level features a spacious open-air observation deck with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The lower level provides air conditioned comfort with expansive vaulted windows. Island ambiance is evoked with comfortable rattan furniture, complimentary specialty drinks, island music and a colorful narrative. The railway hugs the northeastern coastline with fields of sugarcane from the shoreline up to the mountains. The volcanic mountain ranges rise nearly 4,000 feet above sea level coated with lush green rainforests. The train rolls across tall steel bridges spanning deep canyons, and winds through small villages and farms. Your conductor will point out old sugar estates, sugar mills and windmills while giving insight in to the island’s unique history. Your experience is complimented by a scenic drive along the southern coast. Enjoy excellent vistas of Brimstone fortress, the British "Gibraltar of the Caribbean", Middle Island where an ancestor of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson’s is buried and the neighboring island of Nevis. A truly unique experience!

OVERVIEW

Join the nonstop party on a panoramic drive around Basseterre that includes a lengthy stop at one of the most popular waterfront bars on the island. The brightly painted party bus will get you in just the right mood for the fun that follows as lively DJ music will be playing and the well-stocked bar will be open. Drinks are unlimited during the ride, which will take you past some of the capital city’s most well-known and historical landmarks. Enlightening commentary will describe the points of interest along the way and prepare you for the good times that await at Vibes Beach Bar. Located on a gorgeous stretch of sand on Frigate Bay, the bar couldn’t be more lively or inviting. You can hang out there the entire time – dining and drinking on your own – or just pop in on occasion while enjoying the beach and sparkling blue sea out front.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a panoramic sightseeing tour of Basseterre on a party bus with an open bar.
• Spend hours relaxing on the spectacularly scenic beach at Frigate Bay.
• Dine and drink on your own at Vibes Beach Bar, a nonstop party spot on Frigate Bay.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Spend hours relaxing however you please at the Carambola Beach Club, an exclusive destination along the island’s southwestern shore. On the drive there, you will pause for photos atop Timothy Hill, whose overlook offers sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean on one side of St. Kitts and the Caribbean Sea on the other. Upon arriving at the beach club, you will be free to relax as you see fit. The tropical setting couldn’t be more inviting as the amenities are abundant. You might stretch out on a padded lounge chair and bask in the sun, stroll along the wide beach without a care in the world and take a refreshing swim in South Friar’s Bay. With no schedule to follow other than your own, you can truly unwind. If you wish to dine on your own or simply order drinks, the attendants will take your order right on the beach.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Relax as you please on a beautiful stretch of sand at the Carambola Beach Club.
• Bask in the sun, swim in the sea and dine on your own if you wish.
• See both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean from Timothy Hill Overlook.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Tour the oldest rum distillery in the Caribbean for an insider’s look at how the spirits are produced in small batches to ensure their artisanal quality. Rum was first distilled at Wingfield Estate in 1681 under the direction of owner Christopher Jefferson, an ancestor of American president Thomas Jefferson. The process has remained much the same since Old Road Rum revitalized the once-buried distillery. No colors, sugars or flavors are added, which ensures the pure expression of the locally sourced ingredients. The newly distilled rum is then aged for 12 years in bourbon casks. As you will discover through a tasting, this top-shelf rum is extraordinarily smooth. Continuing on, you will visit Caribelle Batik at Romney Manor to browse the gift shop for handmade batik clothing and accessories. A stop atop Timothy Hill will offer sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean on one side of St. Kitts and the Caribbean Sea on the other.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Discover how rum is produced in the Caribbean’s oldest intact rum distillery.
• Savor a sampling of Old Road Rum, which is aged for 12 years in bourbon casks.
• Shop for fine batik clothing at a store on the grounds of Romney Estate.
• See both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean from Timothy Hill Overlook.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Travel through the mountainous interior of St. Kitts in a Jeep Wrangler until you reach a spectacular beach where you will be free to relax as you please. You can take the wheel of the four-person Jeep or just ride along. You can also choose between an open-air vehicle or an air-conditioned one. Either way, the thrills will be nonstop as you follow the off-road trails up and down the rainforest-blanketed mountains. You will pause along the way atop Crescent Hill, which offers a sweeping view of Basseterre and your cruise ship, and see the other side of the island after driving a circuitous route around verdant Green Hill and on to Frigate Bay. In time, you will arrive at Vibes Beach Bar, a popular spot known for its laid-back island ambiance. You might order an ice-cold beverage on your own or head straight for the beach for a swim in the sea.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride through St. Kitts’ mountainous interior in a Jeep Wrangler made for adventure.
• Take the wheel of the Jeep or just ride along as a passenger.
• Stop at scenic overlooks that present the island’s natural beauty.
• Relax however you see fit at the lengthy beach that rims Frigate Bay.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Start with a driving tour of the French built and established capital city of Basseterre. The city features many landmarks such as, the Treasury Building, erected in 1894, stands majestically as a landmark being refurbished into a National Museum. The Berkeley Memorial which was erected in honor of the Honorable Thomas Berkeley, a legislator and estate owner of the 18th century, Independence Square, The Court, St. George’s Anglican Church with its impressive massive bell tower and steeple. At Romney Manor, home of the world famous Caribelle Batik, you’ll visit the demonstration room, where the acclaimed artists illustrate the wax and dye process of Batik making.

The Romney Manor Estate encompasses eight acres of historic ruins, ancient Carib Indian Rock drawings and a beautiful botanical garden. The tour then continues along the coastal road through remnants of sugar cane plantations to Brimstone Hill Fortress. This magnificent fortress, sitting impressively atop 38 acres of limestone and sulphur 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 tour returns to the ship via Basseterre’s Caribbean Sea coastal road.

This scenic rail and sail tour runs in a complete circle around the island allowing visitors the opportunity to see the entire country by train and then by catamaran. The St. Kitts Scenic Railway is one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. This one-of-a-kind narrow gauge railroad was built almost a century ago to deliver sugar cane from the fields to the mill in the capital city of Basseterre. The railway now provides a fascinating way to see the island from the comfort of double-deck railcars built specifically for touring the island of St. Kitts. After arriving at La Valle Railway Station, you’ll be transferred the short distance to Pump Bay to board your state-of-the-art catamaran. Sailing along the southwestern coastline of St. Kitts is one of the most spectacular voyages in the Caribbean.

Enjoy excellent vistas of Brimstone Hill Fortress, the British 'Gibraltar of the West Indies' and the many sugar plantations that dot the coast. Small fishing villages nestle among the sugar cane fields at the foot of the lush green slopes of Mount Liamuiga. Pass Old Road, the first British settlement, founded by Sir Thomas Warner in 1624. Sail around Bloody Point, where in 1626 the French and British came together to destroy the power of the Carib Indians. During the cruise back to Basseterre, you can enjoy the open bar for light refreshments.

OVERVIEW

Explore the ruins of a 17th-century sugar plantation before hiking into the rainforest with a naturalist guide that will describe the fascinating flora and fauna. While meandering the grounds of Wingfield Estate, you will see the remains of its aqueduct, mill house, lime kiln and rum distillery, which is the oldest in the Caribbean. It was one of the few distilleries that was water-powered rather than wind-powered. Following this intriguing glimpse into the past, you will hike into the surrounding wilderness, a wonderland of tropical plants that includes palms, bamboo, ferns and poinciana, the island’s national tree. It was named for the first French governor of St. Kitt’s, Monsieur de Poincy, and typically blooms in mid-summer. You may also spot colorful birds such as the bananaquit, purple martin and Antillean crested hummingbird, all of which have been portrayed on postage stamps. The brown pelican is the island’s national bird.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit the ruins of 17th-century Wingfield Estate, home to the Caribbean’s oldest distillery.
• Enjoy a leisurely hike into the mountainous rainforest that surrounds the estate.
• Observe exotic flora and fauna in the rainforest, which the naturalist guide will describe.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Immerse yourself into Kittitian culture as your guide provides a colorful and detailed commentary on St. Kitts and its capital city Basseterre. The tour takes you through the Frigate Bay area located on the Eastern side of the island. The Monkey Bar on Frigate Bay Beach is an airy, sun-flooded restaurant and is one of the most popular beach and lunch stops on the island.