Tendering into the beach areas was smooth and uncrowded. The beaches made most water sports easily accessible for a fee. We took our own snorkel equipment and the water was clean and clear. Princess provided a lovely cookout style buffet with many offerings including varieties of refreshing fruit and grilled fare.
The ship docks on the Dutch side of the island that makes shopping easily available within a ten minutes walk to town. A taxi tour can take you the circumference of this volcanic land to taste the other side for the traveling francophile. Philisburg is a bit touristy but with an obvious international patronage.
Ruby was further from the shopping of Charlotte Amalie due to the amount of other cruise ships in port. A long thirty minute walk to town was rewarded by the discovering of grotto-style artisans shops we would have otherwise missed. Continued shopping only led to more aggressive store barkers from the same shops found previously in St. Maarten. A quick four dollar per-person open-air jitney ride back to the ship and a sun-basking show by the large indigenous iguanas pier-side capped off a beautiful tropical day.
Grand Turk lives up to its name. This port has plenty of chaise lounge chairs conveniently located within steps of the ship. Snorkeling was rewarding albeit entry/exit was a tad black urchin saturated. There are several shops within the marketplace adjacent and transition between the two was aided by handy clean up areas. Store clerks were friendly with no pressure sales.
At all ports we were happily welcomed back to the ship by friendly staff with refreshing cool cloths for our added comfort.
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