Caribbean Scenic Railway Tour Basseterre, St. Kitts

[DublinFC]

I was looking at this and wondering if anyone on here has been on this excursion offered by RC?  Any insight to share?

[Skid]

11 minutes ago, DublinFC said:

I was looking at this and wondering if anyone on here has been on this excursion offered by RC?  Any insight to share?

Although I cannot answer that specific question, I think it will be worth your time to check out Thenford Grey Tours for St. Kitts. He owns the family business and he is the best tour guide we have ever had (although anyone you get will be great). He has soooo many great reviews and has several different excursions to choose from. We did the Grand Tour and loved it, as did several other people we know. Details and costs are on his website. 

Hope you enjoy whatever you end up doing.

[twangster]

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/05/23/excursion-focus-caribbean-scenic-railway-tour-st-kitts

I've done it as well.  Enjoyable and unique.  

[MarvinS]

+1 for Thenford Grey Tours!   Did a Grand Tour with him last time we were on St. Kitts, and had a wonderful time.  He is a walking encyclopedia of information on the island.

[DublinFC]

8 minutes ago, Skid said:

Although I cannot answer that specific question, I think it will be worth your time to check out Thenford Grey Tours for St. Kitts. He owns the family business and he is the best tour guide we have ever had (although anyone you get will be great). He has soooo many great reviews and has several different excursions to choose from. We did the Grand Tour and loved it, as did several other people we know. Details and costs are on his website. 

Hope you enjoy whatever you end up doing.

looking at it now, that's a really good option too.  thanks!

[WAAAYTOOO]

The scenic railway is interesting and different but waaaytooo long, IMO

[DublinFC]

12 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

The scenic railway is interesting and different but waaaytooo long, IMO

We want to see the island make the best use of our time as well.   Our other stop is going to be St Thomas.  Do we spend beach time at Kitts or Thomas?  Or does it matter?

[Skid]

5 minutes ago, DublinFC said:

We want to see the island make the best use of our time as well.   Our other stop is going to be St Thomas.  Do we spend beach time at Kitts or Thomas?  Or does it matter?

If you happen to do the Thenford Grey Grand Tour of St Kitts, he will most likely take you to Cockleshell Beach. We prefer South Friars Beach to that so we asked him and he went there instead. In St. Thomas, we went to Megan's Bay Beach and loved it. Way better than St. Kitts, and calmer water (bay vs. ocean).

Check here to see how many ships will be in port with you at each stop. Beaches can get very crowded if multiple ships are docked at the same time.

[DublinFC]

54 minutes ago, Skid said:

If you happen to do the Thenford Grey Grand Tour of St Kitts, he will most likely take you to Cockleshell Beach. We prefer South Friars Beach to that so we asked him and he went there instead. In St. Thomas, we went to Megan's Bay Beach and loved it. Way better than St. Kitts, and calmer water (bay vs. ocean).

Check here to see how many ships will be in port with you at each stop. Beaches can get very crowded if multiple ships are docked at the same time.

That's a great tool will be saving that to keep checking for updates

[spiralqueen]

On 5/8/2019 at 10:45 AM, Skid said:

If you happen to do the Thenford Grey Grand Tour of St Kitts, he will most likely take you to Cockleshell Beach. We prefer South Friars Beach to that so we asked him and he went there instead. In St. Thomas, we went to Megan's Bay Beach and loved it. Way better than St. Kitts, and calmer water (bay vs. ocean).

Check here to see how many ships will be in port with you at each stop. Beaches can get very crowded if multiple ships are docked at the same time.

Maybe you can answer this question for me because my family is currently debating it. I have read that you can choose to be dropped off at this beach or by some shopping near the port. If you go with the beach drop off, are you responsible for getting yourself back to port? 

[twangster]

4 minutes ago, spiralqueen said:

Maybe you can answer this question for me because my family is currently debating it. I have read that you can choose to be dropped off at this beach or by some shopping near the port. If you go with the beach drop off, are you responsible for getting yourself back to port? 

When ever I have requested to be dropped off somewhere other than the ship I have been responsible to find my way to the ship. 

[spiralqueen]

3 minutes ago, twangster said:

When ever I have requested to be dropped off somewhere other than the ship I have been responsible to find my way to the ship. 

That's the assumption I have been going with. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't another timed part of the tour ("ok we leave in an hour")

[twangster]

Thenford Grey may be different though.  They may customize your tour based on numbers in your party.  Contact them and ask.  

[Skid]

4 hours ago, spiralqueen said:

Maybe you can answer this question for me because my family is currently debating it. I have read that you can choose to be dropped off at this beach or by some shopping near the port. If you go with the beach drop off, are you responsible for getting yourself back to port? 

Hi @spiralqueen. We actually called them when we made the reservation and requested the beach we wanted. They said that would be fine. There were about 20 people on the tour (his comfortable air conditioned bus) and he just took us all there and then picked us up for return to the ship. Beach time was the last stop of the tour.

And not only did he take us back, but he brought mangos from his home garden for us to enjoy on the ride! They were so perfectly ripe there wasn't any problem cutting them with the plastic utensils he provided. And he entertained us by singing all the way back. 

We did this 2 years ago, so it couldn't hurt for you to call or email to verify any details that concern you.

Happy sailing.

[CruiseGus]

With Thenford and one of his tours that includes a beach stop it will be your last stop and he will return you to the ship,  generally those that want to shop will when you get to the beach stop re-board the van and the driver will take you back to port shop while Mr Gray or his tour guide if not him giving the tour will remain at the beach.  Van returns after dropping off shoppers to beach.   If your lucky enough to have Thenford himself he is a FANTASTIC guide, upper 10% anywhere.

In reference to the St Kitts Sugar Train, if arriving by cruise ship your only option is to do the tour through the cruise ship excursion (it is in their contract).   We enjoyed it, though everyone would like a tip, many different people, bus to train driver, train car guide, singers, drink server, return is either by bus or catamaran (Catamaran is a little more expensive but much better way to return to ship).  Was interesting way to see a lot of island you won't see any other way, but in our opinion a one time experience, not one to go back to again.

[Skid]

19 hours ago, CruiseGus said:

If your lucky enough to have Thenford himself he is a FANTASTIC guide, upper 10% anywhere.

^^^^^So true! Thenford is fabulous. We made sure our SIL went last Tuesday and she loved it. Thenford has not lost a beat over the years. A tru gentleman.

[12thman]

On 5/7/2019 at 11:18 AM, twangster said:

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2016/05/23/excursion-focus-caribbean-scenic-railway-tour-st-kitts

I've done it as well.  Enjoyable and unique.  

Thanks for the link. After reading the blog post I may cancel as I don't want to watch vegetation for that long. I thought I would be seeing the city or something similar not the country side.

 

On 5/7/2019 at 11:07 AM, Skid said:

Although I cannot answer that specific question, I think it will be worth your time to check out Thenford Grey Tours for St. Kitts. He owns the family business and he is the best tour guide we have ever had (although anyone you get will be great). He has soooo many great reviews and has several different excursions to choose from. We did the Grand Tour and loved it, as did several other people we know. Details and costs are on his website. 

Hope you enjoy whatever you end up doing.

Thanks for the link! May do this instead. The Grand tour is 6 hours how do I find out when it departs and returns to the ship? 

[12thman]

For those who have done both the Thenford Grey Grand tour and the The Caribbean scenic railway tour which was your favorite? Trying to decide which one to do now. I'd like to learn a little something about the history on a tour not just see the sights.

[Skid]

18 minutes ago, 12thman said:

Thanks for the link. After reading the blog post I may cancel as I don't want to watch vegetation for that long. I thought I would be seeing the city or something similar not the country side.

 

Thanks for the link! May do this instead. The Grand tour is 6 hours how do I find out when it departs and returns to the ship? 

@12thman, he works his schedule around the times your ship enters and leaves the port. When you make your reservation (or just contact them even before you reserve) let them know what ship and what day and times you'll arrive and depart. He will get you back to the ship well before all aboard time. Tuesday Symphony was in St Kitts from 8AM to 5PM. The tour started at 9 and he had everyone back to ship a little after 3.

[12thman]

1 hour ago, Skid said:

@12thman, he works his schedule around the times your ship enters and leaves the port. When you make your reservation (or just contact them even before you reserve) let them know what ship and what day and times you'll arrive and depart. He will get you back to the ship well before all aboard time. Tuesday Symphony was in St Kitts from 8AM to 5PM. The tour started at 9 and he had everyone back to ship a little after 3.

Thank you. Think the Grand Tour maybe more what we were think of, although a train ride would be interesting. 

[DublinFC]

I booked us for the Grand Tour with Thenford.  My wife is a little nervous with the idea of booking a tour through a 3rd party.  With all the good reviews I'm not worried about it.

[WAAAYTOOO]

I have never booked a tour with Thenford Grey but I have been on the scenic railway.  Based on the reviews that I have heard from those who have taken a Thenford Grey tour, I would say that the Thenford Grey tour would be better.  While the scenic railway is interesting, I thought it was WAAAYTOOO long.  I wanted to do it just for the experience, and now I have.  I do not feel the need to do it ever again.