Antigua cruise port guide

Why go?

Largest of the Leeward Islands, Antigua is very attractive - though not typically lush for the Caribbean. Its meandering coastline has fantastic views and some of the Caribbean’s finest beaches and sea. It is quite compact, easy to get around and the people are easy-going and friendly. Ships arrive at Heritage Quay right in the capital St John’s, within walkable shopping and restaurants and bars. As a naval centre in the days of empire, it has the Unesco-listed, historic Nelson’s Dockyard and fortifications as well as sailing and snorkelling to enjoy, before you retire to the sand.

Location

The dock is right in St John’s, the capital in the north-west, with two berths for two ships each. A third is under construction, opening in 2019. Antigua can get quite busy: spillovers are accommodated at the commercial berth. Ships also anchor inside and outside Falmouth Harbour in the south-east, with passengers tendered ashore.

Can I walk to any places of interest?

Cruise passengers disembark into the pastel-painted Heritage Quay, which has shops and a tourist office, and then straight into the grid-iron streets of St John’s, a small bustling Caribbean town. Close by is Redcliffe Quay, with restored trading buildings and traditional houses containing more shops and restaurants. The Antigua Museum and local vegetable market are five minutes’ walk.

Getting around

It’s easiest to book a ship-sponsored excursion on board before arrival, but it’s equally possible and more flexible to book a tour independently on arrival with one of the many, readily available taxis – they can be hired for a particular trip (to a beach bar, or Nelson’s Dockyard, for instance) or by the day for an island tour. Many drivers have good knowledge in local history and culture, so they make entertaining companions and will adapt the tour for you, stopping at local shops and sites of interest. Always agree the price before a taxi journey and remember to book a return trip. Local buses, while easily found at the bus terminus and inexpensive (standard fares) are not particularly comfortable, nor that relevant to tourists - they’re there to serve local needs, so don’t go to the beaches for instance. 

Best beaches for cruise-ship visitors

Antigua is rimmed with superb sand, so there are limitless beaches to choose from, and ships offer organised excursions to a good variety of beaches anyway. Dickenson Bay, 15 minutes’ drive to the north of St John’s and the island’s liveliest beach, with watersports operators and bars. Or try Jolly Beach, 20 minutes south of town, a superb stretch of sand with some sports and a beach bar (good for families). And for classic Caribbean beaches, head to the south-west with its remote stretches of perfect sand, each with a rickety beach bar. Try Darkwood or Turner’s Beach.

What to see and do?

Antigua is not large and so an island tour, which all lines offer, can last as little as three hours. Often it will head across to the wild Atlantic coast at Devil’s Bridge, a span of limestone, and Betty’s Hope, a restored sugar estate with windmill shell. Thereafter it will head down to the famous Nelson’s Dockyard, which is well worth a visit, and the fortifications of Shirley Heights (both in the Unesco area). Head back to St John’s via the pretty west coast, where you can stop for a drink at a beach bar in the south-west or in Jolly Bay.

Of course, you can separate out these individual elements by hiring a cab on island. In Antigua a helicopter tour of the island can include a visit to the island of Montserrat nearby, to see the devastation caused by the volcanic eruptions there.

Antigua has a range of family excursions, from zip-lining and Jeep safaris to horse-rides along the beach, but where the island really shines is in its boat-borne trips. For kids there are visits to Stingray City, self-drive (by an adult) boat trips with Reef Riders and kayak and snorkelling trips, all in the shallow waters and mangroves of the north-east. Celebrity Cruises has an excellent range of family excursions including a circular trip of the island by catamaran.

Most companies offer a leisurely catamaran or single-hull sailing trip, which will sail around to a remote beach and include snorkelling and sometimes a lobster lunch. Seabourn has a good example, running along the west coast, with a reef visit and a beach stop with drinks on board. There is even a competitive sailing tour in which rival boats race against one another.

Another thing Antigua does well is its handful of enjoyable food tours. The Villas at Sunset Lane offers a culinary day tour showing off Caribbean food, and Rosmac will give you a delightful and illuminating tour of her herb garden and the plants’ medicinal qualities. The Taste of Antigua rum tour, with Royal Caribbean International, includes a tasting of three different Antigua rums.

Eat and drink

St John’s has some good spots for lunch and a taste of island fare - saltfish and conch fritters, crab backs, or more substantial fare such a plate of fish with rice ‘n peas or jerk chicken. Leisurely, sophisticated lunches are on offer in winter – try Harmony Hall, Catherine’s Café at Falmouth Harbour and Cecilia’s in the north-east. All West Indians like a snack and you will find them in bakeries or at the streetside. Try a local patty. And don’t be alarmed when a coconut vendor whips out a machete to chop a coconut for you, and remember to scrape out the jelly inside.

Don’t leave the island without…

Not much is made on island and you will be assailed by vendors and shops the moment you leave the ship. In Heritage Quay it is duty free. Shops will remain open when the ships are in port. You might want some island rum. Cavalier has white rum - like rocket fuel - and mellower, aged rums. English Harbour offers aged rum. Buy a bottle of Susie’s hot pepper sauce if you dare…

Need to know

Flight time from the UK

There is no home-porting in Antigua at present (though there are plans), so you will have to join a cruise in Miami, San Juan and in some cases Barbados (for instance Marella Cruises and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines). Antigua is well connected from the UK, with several flights each week from London on British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, flight time around 8 ½ hours.

Safety / crime

Antigua is generally safe and assaults on tourists are very rare, particularly in daylight. Don’t be afraid to explore. Be aware and don’t flash the cash or wear expensive jewellery.

Best time to go

Cruise ships visit Antigua year-round, though the main season, and the nicest weather, is over the winter, between December and April. The summer months can be very humid on island, and the hurricane season lasts from August into October. November is rainy season. Carnival runs from late July into early August and is very lively.