St. Lucia (Castries)
Trip Summary
St. Lucia was one of the ports my husband and I visited over the summer on the Carnival Victory via their Southern Caribbean route, and it was by far my most anticipated stop! Those pitons! In every picture I had seen, those lovely mountains towered over the ocean, the green peaks stretching toward the sky in absolute magnificence.
And the pitons did not disappoint as our ship sailed into the harbor. As the sun peaked over them, the view just grew more and more beautiful–every bit as gorgeous as the pictures I had seen. We were actually here! We were finally in St. Lucia seeing these beauties for real!
Knowing that there was so much to do in St. Lucia, we knew we had to prioritize what we wanted to see as we were only going to be there for a day. There are waterfalls, volcanoes, sulphur springs, and beaches, so we chose to do the Jalousie / Sugar Beach Break with Spencer Ambrose Tours. The snorkeling was supposed to be very good here, and the beach was nestled right at the base of the majestic pitons, so we would be able to see and admire them all day. Also, the beach is a long drive from the cruise port, and this excursion would take us to the beach via a boat, therefore cutting down the transit time.
The tour guide met us right on time at the ship’s pier and once the entire group was ready to go, we set off toward Jalousie Beach. Having watched the pitons approach all morning on the deck of the Carnival ship, I had already glimpsed the beauty of the pitons, but there is nothing like speeding toward them on a speedboat–the pitons getting closer and closer until they are towering over you in their full glory.
The boat dropped everyone off at the dock, and we had the next few hours to swim, snorkel, and just enjoy the beach, so we did! One of the benefits of booking this tour, too, is that we were one of the first ones at the beach, so we had it all to ourselves. The water was clear, the beach was quiet, and those pitons! They towered over us in beautiful silence–totally a scene unlike any other.
The beach is almost like a cove, so the coral and sea life extend all over the sea floor.
We snorkeled all over and saw all sorts of things from fish to sea snakes to coral.
It was so beautiful, and so peaceful, too, because not very many people were in the water.
At midday, the tour operators brought out a lunch with creole plates and drinks for everyone. It was at this point that more tour boats started arriving to the beach, and soon, the atmosphere went from peaceful to wild and chaotic as the bigger, double-decked party boats began anchoring close to the shore. Music started blasting, and there was no hope of snorkeling anymore as the propellors from the big boats churned up the precious coral we were admiring just a short time before. All that made me sad as there was so much beauty to the place, but that beauty wasn’t respected at all by the swarm of people. When our tour guide motioned that it was time to get back on our boat and head back to the cruise ship, I was happy to go.
Little did I know that the day was about to turn as we sped back around the island, watching the pitons slowly fade behind us…then everything got quiet. Our boat’s motor had broken!
At first, we all didn’t think much of it as the tour guide tried to restart it and tried again and again. But it just wasn’t going to come back on. Now, I was starting to get alarmed. Our ship was still quite a ways off, and it was already late in the afternoon. We were not on a cruise-sponsored excursion, so if we weren’t back by the all-aboard time, the ship was going to leave without us. After we all looked at each other with concern, our tour guide said not to worry…we would just float back…the current would take us.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry or just jump in the water and swim. I could actually see our ship in the distance, but it was a long way away. There was no way we could swim.
So we floated…and floated…and floated some more. I would have actually enjoyed it more if I watched the scenery around me, but I kept checking my watch, seeing the time tick away. The sun was really starting to get low now.
By this time, I knew that we would probably not make it, and I started thinking about our next plan. Would we fly home? To the next port and meet the ship? How would we let the ship know? How much would it cost to get a flight last-minute like that? Could we even afford something like that? Were we going to be stuck here? WHY wasn’t our boat going faster?
But amidst all my worrying, our boat was actually traveling, albeit slowly, and soon, our dock was in sight and then within reach. Our ship hadn’t pulled up the gangplanks yet. So we booked it down the dock, running as fast as our feet would carry us, and wouldn’t you guess…we made it!
So…my review of the excursion is a little mixed. I loved it that we could get to the beach early, and this was one the main reasons why we booked the excursion we did. The experience of swimming and enjoying the sea life before it became overrun with people was lovely, and I appreciated the chance to do that. The boat, though! I know that there is not much they can do if equipment breaks, but it was an old run-down boat to begin with, and there was no real strategy on getting back on time if anything broke. I know that it is a risk you take in booking an excursion separate from the ship (if you book something with the ship, they wait for you regardless…however, I have always found ship excursions to be overpriced and to have much bigger group sizes that tend to ruin the experience).
So for its timing in getting to the beach early and the peaceful morning, it gets high marks. However, the boat conditions and the fact that it wasn’t really an excursion, just really a water taxi that dropped you off and picked you up made the excursion a bit lacking for the price. Maybe their other tours are better–the reviews for those are here–but this one was just okay.
Spencer Ambrose Jalousie / Sugar Beach Break: B
However, I did love St. Lucia and while I probably wouldn’t book this particular tour in general again, I would definitely go back to the island if given the chance. It is a gorgeous place, and there is so much more to do and see than what we did. We only saw one tiny part of the island, but I know there are a lot of other options like hiking the pitons, seeing waterfalls, wading in the sulphur springs, and experiencing the culture, so keep those in mind if you visit!
Favorite Experiences
The boat ride to Jalousie Beach was beautiful as you got closer and closer to the pitons. I haven’t seen anything like it anywhere in the world, so Jalousie Beach was the perfect place to spend the day as I could admire them to the fullest.
The snorkeling was also beautiful and we saw so many fish and coral that we hadn’t seen anywhere else. The water was clear enough that you go swim out where it was quite deep and still see down to the bottom and all the sea life there. A beautiful spot!
What I Wish I Knew
Phew…I wish I knew that the boat was eventually going to make it back after the engine quit…it would have saved a lot of worry and anxiety! Without having been on other excursions, I don’t know how the boat conditions stack up against other tours, but it is something to be mindful of when you use boats around the island. Pay attention if the engine has a lot of trouble starting or doesn’t run when it is supposed to, because that will give you a heads-up of trouble down the road!
Also, wear water shoes if you go to the beach as a lot of it is quite rocky. The sea bed is also rough, so be sure to protect your feet. Water shoes that are a snug fit are a must!
Finally, be aware of the sand fleas on the beach! There were quite a few of them, so we didn’t spend too much time on the beach and were in the water instead, but just be careful especially if you want to lay out. We had walked along the beach and stayed on the beach for lunch, but even then, the sand fleas were quite bothersome, so just a heads-up.
All in all, though, it was a beautiful day, and if I have the chance to go back, I will definitely explore more of the island as it has so much to offer. There are some helpful forums here and here if you need some ideas about what to do and see. It is a lovely place and a popular honeymoon destination, and I can see why! A definite beauty of beauties in the Caribbean!
I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:
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Happy travels!
