You’ll be taken to a beautiful white-sand beach to enjoy a rum or fruit cocktail before being escorted to your complimentary lounge chair, reserved for you on the beach. Once rested and enjoying your special day at the beach, savour a delicious buffet style lunch: chicken or fish, rice, baked potato, vegetables, salad - including a refreshing beverage (rum and/or fruit punch drink). A pasta dish will also be available for vegetarians. A pasta dish will also be available for vegetarians. Relax on the beach, take a leisurely walk or swim in the sea. Changing facilities, restrooms, water sports (at additional cost supplied by outside vendors), freshwater showers as well as a beach bar and restaurant are available.

Discover the natural beauty of Antigua and catch glimpses of island life on this scenic drive across the enchanting island. You will board your air conditioned motor coach and begin your drive through the heart of the city as you head out of St. John’s. Drive through colorful tranquil villages with charming churches and rolling hills, passing tropical plants and trees along the way. Continuing on to the North Sound region, you will pass the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium and drive through the villages of All Saints, Liberta and Falmouth.

Make a quick stop for refreshments before continuing through the lush green foliage of Fig Tree Drive, the island’s most picturesque drive and home of Antigua’s tropical forest. Fig is the Antiguan word for banana and you will drive through groves of wild mango, guava, coconut and of course, bananas at every turn. Along this scenic southwest coast to Old Road, Fig Tree Drive climbs up and down hillsides affording breathtaking views. As your island drive takes you back to the ship, you will pass the pineapple fields at Cades Bay and beautiful Darkwood Beach. This island drive will give you a taste of Antigua and will have you wanting to come back for more.

Travel through Antigua's rolling countryside on an air-conditioned bus to historic Nelson's Dockyard. Built in 1725, the dockyard was the base for the English naval squadron. Take a short, informative walking tour through the dockyard with its restored buildings. You'll also have free time to explore the museum, art gallery, gift shop, and boutiques. Enjoy a complimentary beverage before continuing on to Blockhouse Ruins. View the remains of the powder magazine, gun platforms, cisterns and officer's barracks atop this sheer cliff. Your final stop is Shirley Heights overlooking English Harbor and Nelson's Dockyard.

You'll be greeted by the staff at the Stingray City dive shop and given a safety briefing before a fun interaction with the rays. Protected by the fringing reef, the calm crystal-clear waters are home to many southern stingrays. You'll be assisted and supervised by the qualified staff into the stingray habitat where you'll be able to play with, pet, and perhaps even feed the stingrays. Entry into the 3-8-foot deep water is an easy step from the large swim platform. Even non-swimmers can enjoy the rays. These amazing animals will surprise you with their gentleness and with the informative briefing you receive, these once-feared ‘beasts’ will find a special new place in your heart and provide you with an unforgettable memory.

As your catamaran slips away from the mainland, enjoy the thrill of sailing on the Caribbean Sea. Feel the sun on your skin and the wind in your hair as you sail along the reef-protected northwest coast of Antigua. Anchor and snorkel in crystal-clear waters among the colorful fish and living coral of this impressive barrier reef. Next, sail to one of Antigua's beautiful beaches and enjoy a West Indian-style buffet lunch served on board and an open bar with rum mixed drinks, beer and sodas. After lunch, disembark to explore, swim or just soak up some rays on the lovely beach. Enjoy more of Antigua's picturesque coastline on the return sail back to your ship.

OVERVIEW

Gain a historical perspective of Antigua at a meticulously restored 18th-century naval base and then relax on one of the island’s most gorgeous beaches. As you will discover, Nelson’s Dockyard is so historically important that UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site. After an enlightening tour of its Georgian-style buildings enclosed by defensive walls, you can independently browse the dockyard’s museum and shops. For the ultimate view of Antigua’s southern shore and English Harbour, you will pause at Shirley Heights, a former military garrison, signal station and lookout that was first used during the American Revolutionary War. Free time follows on a white sand beach, an inspiring stretch of sand on the island’s western shore. You might ease into a lounge chair and bask in the sun, enjoy a Caribbean lunch of chicken, vegetables and rice & peas, swim in the typically calm waters and stroll along the coast. Keep an eye out for dolphins, which are often seen breaching the water’s surface just offshore.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore Nelson’s Dockyard, an 18th-century British naval base.
• Recognize the dockyard’s historical importance and browse its contemporary shops.
• Gaze out over English Harbour from Shirley Height’s, the island’s southernmost point.
• Enjoy a welcome drink and a Caribbean lunch and the idyllic setting at one of Antigua’s most beautiful beaches.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

OVERVIEW

Sail on a catamaran to discover the picturesque coastline of Antigua and experience Antiguan hospitality with sparkling wine and local pineapple! Then spend time on one of Antigua’s famed 365 beaches. You will be met at the ship by your tour guide and escorted a few yards to your awaiting sailing catamaran and expert, courteous and knowledgeable crew. From here, you will embark on an exhilarating enjoyable boat ride where you will hug the north-western coastline and see Fort James, secluded beaches, 5* hotels, exclusive homes and with interesting narration. There will be an open bar where you can enjoy sparkling wine, rum punch, beers, water and soft drinks served with fresh local pineapple and tuna and cheese finger sandwiches. You will then be taken to one of Antigua’s famed 365 beaches for a stop to have a swim, walk the beach or simply relax before we take you back to your ship through the blue Caribbean waters and have another opportunity to soak up the Caribbean sun and see the Antiguan north-west coast line. This is an opportunity to enjoy the Caribbean as it used to be; peaceful and tranquil yet available for as much fun as you want to make. Take a boat ride, enjoy local Antiguan pineapple with sparkling wine, enjoy drinks from the open bar and visit one of Antigua’s famed 365 beaches; enjoy the tour prepared by people who know Antigua and Caribbean the best and simply relax.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

A unique opportunity to experience what the Caribbean is known best for, rum and savory food in our Backyard rum shop.

You will be met on the pier and escorted to your awaiting air-conditioned transportation. Board your taxi and be driven 10 minutes to a lovely Caribbean rum shack in St John’s on Sir Vivian Richards Street, the very street where Antigua’s favorite son was born.

You will be met by one of Antigua’s most respected husband and wife team who own and run the rum shack. They will welcome you with a real Antiguan hospitality. Then the fun and education begins.

A journey and history of how Antiguan and Caribbean rums are made will be explained with stories, anecdotes, and an opportunity to taste and provide your feedback on up to 3 different Antiguan rums. These will be complemented with water to cleanse your pallet.

The rums will be complimented with a choice of numerous delicious Antiguan and Caribbean seasonal specialties! The local recipes will be shared with those who wish to know chef’s secrets!

There is a saying, ‘When in Rome do as the Romans do’. This is a unique and exclusive opportunity to do what the Antiguans do in Antigua, drink and savor the taste of rum whilst enjoying delicious freshly prepared hot savory finger foods!

Of course there will be an opportunity to purchase your favorite bottle of rum to take home with you. Your air-conditioned transportation will then take you back to the pier and your awaiting ship.

Board your sleek catamaran at the pier and set sail along the beautiful coastline of Antigua. View the many scenic white sandy beaches and boutique resorts. Visit picturesque Deep Bay Beach surrounded by calm turquoise waters for a swim or just relax in the sunshine. The crew will serve you refreshments on the beach, fruit juices and sodas of your choice.

Then sail further along the west coast heading to Morris Bay for a second beach stop. Swim in the warm waters or relax under a coconut tree. Meanwhile the crew creates a delicious lobster lunch served on board. Sip on a glass of champagne which will tempt you to relax a bit more. Following lunch, sail back along the coast while you enjoy an open bar and Caribbean music. It really doesn't get any better than this!

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a tasting of Antiguan rums as a prelude to creating your own bottle of flavored rum in an entertaining hands-on class. The venue for this unique immersive experience will be the Academy of Rum, a distillery whose in-house experts will describe the history of rum-making on Antigua and explain how their rums are distilled step by step. After sampling a selection of inspiring rums, which will help you distinguish their characteristics and nuances, you will blend your own flavored rum in a pot still. The exact recipe will up to you and depend upon the flavors that you found most appealing during the tasting. To further personalize your rum, you can create a label and add a wax seal to the bottle. Besides leaving with a one-of-a-kind fifth of rum, you will gain a newfound appreciation for the art of rum-making. Free time on Galleon Beach will follow.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Learn the nuances of Antiguan rums during a class and tasting at the Academy of Rum.
• Blend your own rum using the flavors you found most palatable during the tasting.
• Further personalize your rum by creating a label and wax seal for the bottle.
• Spend free time relaxing on Galleon Beach, which the Academy of Rum overlooks.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

OVERVIEW

Observe the wonders underwater through the completely transparent hull of a boat and then paddle your own transparent kayak through a sheltered lagoon for another perspective of the marine life. Unlike vessels with only see-through bottoms, these two are almost entirely made of clear polycarbonate resin so there is nothing to block your view of life beneath the sea. Even the seating is transparent. While cruising the bay off the eastern coast of Antigua, you can expect to observe an ever-changing parade of colorful fish darting about the coral reefs. Above the surface, you will see Hell’s Gate, a barren rocky island with a natural archway that looks as if it could be an entry to Hades. Although you may see similar marine life while paddling your kayak through a nearby mangrove lagoon, you can also expect to view entirely different species, including birds that nest in the trees’ intricate root systems.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise through the crystal-clear sea in a boat with a hull that is 100% transparent.
• Paddle your own transparent kayak through a lagoon that other marine life inhabits.
• Enjoy an uninterrupted view of the bountiful marine life below the surface.
• Sip on a refreshing rum punch and snack on freshly baked banana bread.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

Step into a custom made open back jeep and prepare to see the most beautiful places on the island. Drive up through the picturesque village of Buckleys, viewing the scenic valley of Body Pond. Travel along Fig Tree Drive, home of Antigua's lush rainforest. As you come to the end of the rainforest, you'll tour along the southwest coast, an area of the island famous for pineapple plantations. Your knowledgeable guide will entertain you with tales of Antigua past and present. Then, it's on to the beach for a cool, refreshing dip.