Skip to main content

Tortola Island Drive and Beach Break


On our recent Disney Cruise, we were excited to visit Tortola for the first time. We were looking for an excursion that would give us a tour of the island, provide some time for relaxation and would be something our 3 year old son would enjoy. After reviewing the Port Adventure options on the Disney Cruise Line website, we chose the Island Drive and Beach Break.

After disembarking the ship, we boarded our open-air safari bus for a scenic drive around Tortola through Road Town before we ascended Ridge Road up to Sky World. Make sure to sit on the left side of the bus for the best views of your Disney ship when you're driving up Ridge Road. Unfortunately for me, I ended up on the right side of the vehicle so I struggled to grab a good picture of the ship from the top of the island. I was still able to enjoy the stunning views but I just couldn't get a perfectly composed photo.

While we drove around the island, our driver gave us some history on everything that we were seeing. I found it difficult to hear him at times so I missed a lot of what he was saying but it was nice to hear some fun facts about the island when I could hear him.

Disney Fantasy as seen from the right side of the vehicle

View from Sky World
Sky World was a little bit of a letdown as far as souvenirs go but the views were absolutely amazing. Sky World offers a 360 degree panoramic view of the British Virgin Islands from their observation deck. The day we visited was slightly cloudy but it was still a breathtaking view. We were given a drink ticket to use at Sky World that was good for water, soft drink or fruit punch. For an extra cost, you could have some Rum added to your fruit punch.
View from Sky World
After our drive up to Sky World, we made our way back down the island to enjoy some free time at Cane Garden Bay Beach. One chair per person on the beach was included in the cost of the excursion but umbrellas were extra. We opted to purchase the umbrella ($5 at the time of our visit) which was a good idea since the rain started shortly after we arrived. Luckily, the rain stopped and we were able to enjoy some beach time.


There were restaurants, souvenir shops, water sport rentals, bathrooms and changing rooms available at the beach. We all wore our bathing suits under our clothes so we didn't have to worry about using any changing rooms but we did visit the bathrooms which was just a short walk down the beach from our location.

We also enjoyed a visit from a local rooster. My 3 year old loved crowing at the rooster. I have a very cute video of him yelling "cock-a-doodle-doo" to the rooster!

After about an hour at the beach, it was time to board the bus and head back to the ship. On the return ride, try to sit on the right side of the bus to grab those pictures of the ship. Again, I got stuck on the wrong side of the vehicle. Oh well...

The excursion was advertised as being 3 to 3.5 hours but from the time we left the ship until we returned ended up being closer to around 4 hours. I prefer shorter excursions because it gives me more time to enjoy all of the activities onboard so this excursion (even running a little long) was a perfect amount of time to be off the ship. We enjoyed the island in the morning and then got back onboard in time to grab some lunch.

At the time of our sailing, this excursion was $47 per person ages 10 and up, $37 for ages 3 to 9, and free for children under 2. I thought the cost of the excursion was a good price for what we experienced. It's hard to find a good excursion that is available for all ages but my son really enjoyed this one. Full transparency, he slept the entire time until we got to the beach but a sleeping kid is a happy kid, am I right?!

Ashley is a Gold Castaway Club Member and has sailed on all of the Disney Cruise Line ships. You can email Ashley at ashley@kingdomkonsultant.com.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cruising with a Baby: A Complete Guide

You took a baby on a cruise!? Yep, and I'd do it again knowing what I know now. So, say goodbye to months of research - Everything you need to know is here!! One of the biggest challenges of traveling with a baby is planning what you need to bring. I wanted to share what worked for us, and hopefully help others who are planning their cruise! Remember, babies can only cruise after their 6-month birthday on sailings from the U.S. If you are going transatlantic, or have more than three days out at sea, they must be 12 months old by the first day of your cruise. Pre-Cruise   We flew to the cruise port, and I couldn’t bring all the food and snacks I needed, so I placed an Instacart order for pick up near the port. I chose Publix in Cocoa Beach which is a few miles from Port Canaveral. I placed the order a few days before we left home, and set the pickup time to 11:00 a.m. I ordered formula, a box of diapers, swim diapers, bottle brush, dish soap, baby food, and baby snacks. I also broug
Post a Comment
Read more

The Villas at the Disneyland Hotel Review

I love staying at the Disneyland Hotel so when I got the opportunity to stay at the new Villas at the Disneyland Hotel during opening weekend, I couldn’t pass it up. Because it was opening weekend, we were greeted in the entrance way of the lobby with balloons and many photo opportunities. When we arrived, there was a mural of the Haunted Mansion. I love how the seats in the main lobby were designed like the teacups in the parks. You can check in using the Disneyland app, drop your bags with bell services and head into the parks or use the amenities why you wait until your room is ready. When your room is ready, the resort will send you a text and you can use the Disneyland app on your mobile device to unlock the room. We dropped off our bags and went straight to the parks. We received a text around 1PM that our room was ready. In the new Discovery Tower (the Villas), you'll find that the lobby is very spacious with many places to sit while you read or wait for your family. Th
Post a Comment
Read more

Complete Guide to Disney's Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point

Disney's new Bahamian island destination, Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point is a pristine, secluded paradise reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests. The cruise port is located on the island of Eleuthera (pronounced uh-loo-tr-uh) at it's southern tip, amidst a nature preserve called Lighthouse Point. Far from any towns, Lookout Cay feels like a tropical oasis that is separated from the outside world by mangrove forests. The landscaping is gorgeous with flowers like plumerias, and tall swaying palm trees. Whether you want to just kick back and relax or go for a thrilling banana boat ride, this port has something for everyone. There are family friendly areas as well as those reserved specifically for adults. Expert Tip: If you want a view of the island from your stateroom, be sure to book a starboard (right) side stateroom. Disney Magic docked at Lookout Cay After disembarking your Disney Cruise ship, you'll cross the pier to the island on foot. (It looks longer in
Post a Comment
Read more