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Visual list Archive · April 2017

St. Barts on a cruise (photos)

From the archive. Published April 21, 2017. Details may have changed since.

  1. The Stephens Waring-designed Bequia Yacht at the pier in St. Barts.
    01 The Stephens Waring-designed Bequia Yacht at the pier in St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  2. Wind Surf peeks out from behind a rock outcropping in Gustavia Habour, St. Barts.
    02 Wind Surf peeks out from behind a rock outcropping in Gustavia Habour, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  3. Houses facing the bay at St. Jean Beach in St. Barts.
    03 Houses facing the bay at St. Jean Beach in St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  4. A young woman rides an ATV past trendy boutiques on the main street of Gustavia, St. Barts.
    04 A young woman rides an ATV past trendy boutiques on the main street of Gustavia, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  5. A sportscar passes by designer stores along the promenade in Gustavia, capital of St. Barts.
    05 A sportscar passes by designer stores along the promenade in Gustavia, capital of St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  6. A look at St. Jean Beach, a 15-minute ride from the cruise pier in Gustavia.
    06 A look at St. Jean Beach, a 15-minute ride from the cruise pier in Gustavia. © Special to Cruiseable
  7. A sailing vessel in Gustavia Harbour in St. Barts.
    07 A sailing vessel in Gustavia Harbour in St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  8. Signs pointing to key properties on the main street of Gustavia, St. Barts.
    08 Signs pointing to key properties on the main street of Gustavia, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  9. Gustavia Harbour in St. Barts with a view of the Swedish-built Fort Oscar (formerly Gustav Adolph), atop a bluff overlooking the sea.
    09 Gustavia Harbour in St. Barts with a view of the Swedish-built Fort Oscar (formerly Gustav Adolph), atop a bluff overlooking the sea. © Special to Cruiseable
  10. Boutique shops on the main street of Gustavia, St. Barts.
    10 Boutique shops on the main street of Gustavia, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  11. The government building in Gustavia Harbour, St. Barts, bears the coat of arms and the French motto “Liberté, égalité, fraternité.”
    11 The government building in Gustavia Harbour, St. Barts, bears the coat of arms and the French motto “Liberté, égalité, fraternité.” © Special to Cruiseable
  12. A tender in Gustavia Harbour on St. Barts ferrying passengers from the 310-passenger flagship Wind Surf.
    12 A tender in Gustavia Harbour on St. Barts ferrying passengers from the 310-passenger flagship Wind Surf. © Special to Cruiseable
  13. Multimillion-dollar mansions tucked into the hillsides of Gustavia, St. Barts.
    13 Multimillion-dollar mansions tucked into the hillsides of Gustavia, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  14. A boutique shop with colorful fashions in Gustavia, St. Barts.
    14 A boutique shop with colorful fashions in Gustavia, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  15. A look at the pier, where ship tenders land, at Gustavia Harbour in St. Barts.
    15 A look at the pier, where ship tenders land, at Gustavia Harbour in St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  16. Cour Vendome, a commercial center with upmarket merchandise on Gustavia's main street in St. Barts.
    16 Cour Vendome, a commercial center with upmarket merchandise on Gustavia's main street in St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  17. A fashion shop on the main drag of Gustavia, St. Barts.
    17 A fashion shop on the main drag of Gustavia, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  18. The designer store Longchamp on the main street of Gustavia, capital of St. Barts.
    18 The designer store Longchamp on the main street of Gustavia, capital of St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  19. A luxury yacht bobs in Gustavia Harbour, St. Barts.
    19 A luxury yacht bobs in Gustavia Harbour, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  20. A catamaran and boats moored in Gustavia Harbour, St. Barts.
    20 A catamaran and boats moored in Gustavia Harbour, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable
  21. Rue de la Republique, the main street of French-speaking Gustavia, St. Barts.
    21 Rue de la Republique, the main street of French-speaking Gustavia, St. Barts. © Special to Cruiseable

Maybe it was the $20 hamburgers or the price tag of $117 (110€) for renting an umbrella on Shell Beach for an afternoon, but it quickly became clear during my Caribbean cruise on Wind Surf that I wouldn't be opening my wallet a lot on the shopping mecca of St. Barts (or St. Barths or St. Barthelemy, if you prefer). 

Unlike other destinations on our itinerary — Dominica, St. Kitts, Les Saintes in Guadeloupe — I decided to go without a shore excursion, so I spent the morning checking out the harbor and downtown area, headed back to the ship to interview the mixologist on board about Caribbean cocktail recipes, then returned to the island for a taxi ride to St. Jean Beach ($35 US for the short ride), then another $35 ride to Shell Beach. (Warm and fuzzy do not come naturally to the St. Barts cab driver, it seems.) 

It's a small island (10,000 residents, 8 square miles), but it has an outsize reputation for its shopping, with its status as a duty-free port and elegant, marble-lined stores. And here's a fun fact: The island was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and he named it for his brother, Bartolomeo. And a second fun fact: There's a $10,000 fine for flying a drone here.

So I'll need to return to St. Barts for a fuller picture of all the island has to offer. Above is my Visual List of what to expect during a port day in St. Barts. 

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