cruise advice

[mainemajor]

Just looking for an advise for first time cruisers. DW wife and I are booked on the Carnival Cruise Ship Liberty - sailing March 20 out of Miami. We will be stopping at Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, San Jaun and Grand Turk.
Any help/suggestions would be appriciated.
Thank you

[NJGIRL]

We took a Carnival Cruise to San Juan, St Thomas and Paradise Island but that was 20 years ago so I know alot has probably changed since then! In general when we take cruises I like to go off on our own instead of taking the cruise ship excursions. I find it to be less costly, we do exactly what we want to do and nothing more (like being taken to tourist traps for shopping) and do it in the time frame we want to do it in. It takes a little more planning but we find it works out better for us. If you decide to do that make sure you do your research before you leave.

The thing that stands out in my mind in both St Thomas and PR were the great beaches. I loved the shopping in Old San Juan because I thought it was unique. At the time they had many religious shops that sold beautiful statues and rosaries.