Time for the day 6 report from Holland America Line’s Koningsdam, and today we’re visiting one of my least favorite ports, St. John’s, Antigua.
And before going any further, let’s clear up the name confusion because the Caribbean really does love making things more complicated than they need to be. This is St. John’s with an s at the end, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda. It is not St. John, the island in the U.S. Virgin Islands near St. Thomas. Totally different place, different country, different vibe. So if you’re looking at a cruise itinerary and wondering which one you’re getting, St. John’s is the city in Antigua. St. John is the island in the USVI.
St. John’s has been popping up on more and more cruise itineraries over the years, and I always fail to see why – because there simply isn’t anything worth doing here! But the port can handle multiple ships at once, including some very large ones, and that makes it an easy stop for Eastern and Southern Caribbean runs and I’m also going to go out on a limb and say docking fees here aren’t all that high.
Today, Koningsdam arrived around 7:00 a.m. and we were cleared to go ashore around 8:00. In port with us were Explora II, the sister ship to Explora I that I was on back in December over Christmas, and Marella Explorer. So with three ships in port, you’d think there would be at least a little energy around town.
But since it was Good Friday, guess what? Everything was shut.
Well, almost everything.
The usual chain stores right in the port shopping area like Diamonds International and Effy were open, because of course they were. Those places would probably stay open through a category 5 hurricane if they thought they had even the slightest chance of selling a watch or a bracelet. But for the most part, everything else was closed.
Once you got into town, same story. Closed. If you wanted to hit up a bar or restaurant in the port area itself, with the exception of maybe one or two, they were all shut down, and the few places that were open were not serving alcohol. Even Casa del Habano was closed, which tells you just how little was going on.
So with very little to do right in the port area (even on a non-holiday), it raises the obvious question: what exactly is there to do here anyway?
Top Things to Do on Foot in and Around the St. John’s Port Area
If you don’t want to take an excursion and don’t feel like dealing with a taxi right away, there are a few things you can do on foot near the ship.
1. Heritage Quay and Redcliffe Quay – These are the main shopping areas at the port and the easiest places to wander around without much effort. When things are actually open, this is where you’ll find the usual cruise port mix of shops, a few restaurants, bars, and places to poke around. On a holiday, though, good luck.
2. St. John’s Cathedral – If you want to see something besides jewelry stores and souvenir junk, the cathedral is one of the city’s best-known landmarks and an easy walk from the port. I’m going to talk a little more about this in a moment, so hang in there!
3. The public market area – On a normal day, this gives you a little look at where the locals do most of their shopping for food, produce, even meat and fish. It’s not really an area for tourist shopping, but it’s quite the interesting place to check out.
4. The Antigua and Barbuda Museum – If you want a little history without committing to a full island tour, this is an easy stop not far from the port.
5. Just walk around town – Honestly, this is a big part of the experience here if you’re staying close to the ship. Walk the streets, duck into a shop, and get a feel for the place. One thing to keep in mind here tho, it’s this is what I would call a very gritty town. It’s not nice, it’s a very poor area, you’ll see a lot of homeless, you’ll see a lot of bad neighborhoods, and you’ll wonder if you made the right decision. Just know that for the most part, the locals will leave you alone, but do not venture too far from the port area as it gets sketchy pretty quick.
If you want to go off on your own, there are taxi drivers waiting right outside the port gate, and they’re VERY easy to find! The second you step out of the port gates, the pitches begin. They’re pushy, persistent, and very ready to help you make immediate transportation decisions whether you’re ready or not.
That said, a taxi is probably your best bet if you want to make this port day more worthwhile. If the port area feels dead, and today it absolutely did, taking a cab to a beach or really anywhere with something actually open can save the day. Just be ready for the hard sell as soon as you leave the terminal.
St. John’s Cathedral and Its Creepy, Fascinating Cemetery
When I was wandering around town today, like I mentioned earlier, I made sure to stay very aware of my surroundings here in St. John’s because, as I said, the neighborhoods can get sketchy fast. So I usually stick to the area from the public market on the right when you leave the port over to the area near St. John’s Cathedral on the left, and no more than about six blocks deep into town. That keeps you close enough to the port where things still feel semi-normal, and if you turn down a street that suddenly feels off, you just turn around and head back.
One of the main points of interest that I mentioned is St. John’s Cathedral, and it is an easy walk from the port. You can actually spot it pretty quickly since it sits up on a hill, so it is hard to miss.
The current cathedral is the third church on the site. The first dates back to the late 1600s, another followed in the 1700s, and the building that’s there today opened in 1848 after earlier versions were damaged or destroyed by earthquakes – yes, earthquakes! It is an Anglican cathedral, officially it’s called the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and for all its wear and tear which is very visible, it still has an imposing, creepy look to it.
Good Friday mass was going on inside when I got there, so instead of going in, I wandered around the cemetery, and that ended up being incredibly interesting. I was shocked at some of the dates on the headstones! A lot of them go back to the 1700s and 1800s, and there are also more recent burials tied to the cathedral and clergy who served there. The cemetery includes memorials for Anglican church figures and there are hundreds of recorded burials associated with the cathedral grounds although by the looks of it, many markers aren’t in place for the majority of them any longer.
If you are into history, old cemeteries, weathered gravestones, and places that feel a little creepy in the best possible way, this should absolutely be a stop for you. A lot of the stones are worn down and hard to read, and some of the ironwork around the graves is in rough shape, which just adds to the atmosphere.
Be sure to watch the video below from my Ray-Ban Meta glasses, where I walk through and show off some of the graves.
Dinner at Rudi’s Sel de Mer on Koningsdam
Koningsdam was the first of the three ships to leave St. John’s today, and we actually pulled away a few minutes ahead of schedule. The sailaway from here is not exactly one of the Caribbean’s greatest hits, but you do get some nice views of the island as you head out, so it’s still worth grabbing a spot outside for a few minutes.
Now let’s talk about dinner plans, but first, here’s a look at what was being served tonight in the Lido Market buffet and in the ship’s main dining room.
Before deciding where I was going to eat, I was sitting at Ocean Bar enjoying a few cocktails when I looked across the hallway into Rudi’s Sel de Mer and spotted two familiar faces having dinner: cruise friends Linda and Lowell. I gave them a wave, and a little later their server, who also happens to be the same server who has taken care of me and knows me from time on Rotterdam, Najib, came over to the bar and said, “Come in for dessert with your friends.”
So I did.
By the time I got over there, Linda and Lowell were wrapping up their sweet finish, and Najib quickly twisted my arm into sticking around for dinner. As my friends headed back across the hall to reclaim my barstool, I stayed and I put my stomach in his hands once again and let him decide what was coming out.
And his choices did not disappoint.
🖼️ Menu Images
I started off with the Crisp Romaine Salad with caramelized walnut, Roquefort, and creamy French dressing, followed by the Bistro Style Steak Tartare with quail egg, cornichons, capers, and shallots.
From there, he brought out a perfectly cooked and very flavorful order of the Greek Spiced Lamb Chops with lemon chickpea purée, fava beans, and garlic jus, along with a 12-ounce broiled lobster tail served with saffron rice and garlic lemon butter, which comes with a $19 supplement.
Everything was absolutely delicious, and once again his service was fantastic.
With all of that food, there was definitely no room for dessert.
There was, however, room for a few more cocktails.
So after dinner, it was back across the hall to Ocean Bar, where Mark whipped up a few smoked old fashioneds for the three of us, which made for the perfect nightcap.
We’re currently sailing toward our next port of call, which is right down the street, Roseau, Dominica, another stop on my list of least favorite Caribbean ports, and in tomorrow’s report I’ll tell you exactly why.
Until then, as always, thanks for following along.
Daily Schedule
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6:30 AM | The Bow is Open for Scenic Cruising: Weather Dependent | Deck 5 Fwd |
| 7:00 AM | Walk a Mile | Grand Dutch Café, 3 |
| 7:00 AM | Sunrise Stretch | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 8:00 AM | Koningsdam Arrives at St John's | — |
| 8:00 AM | Ask Your Travel Guide | Pier Ashore |
| 8:00 AM | St John's Photo Opportunity until 11:00am | Pier Ashore |
| 8:00 AM | Tai Chi for Everyone | Lido Poolside, 9 |
| 8:00 AM | Pickleball Open Play | Sport Court, 11 |
| 8:00 AM | Body Sculpt Boot Camp $20 | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 9:00 AM | Basketball Free Throw Challenge | Sport Court, 11 |
| 9:30 AM | Coloring for Adults | Art Studio, 12 |
| 10:00 AM | Party Bridge Play until 4:00pm | Hudson Room, 1 |
| 10:00 AM | Sjoelen Tournament | Lido Poolside, 9 |
| 10:00 AM | Mahjong Players Meet until 4:00pm | Half Moon Room, 1 |
| 10:30 AM | Modern Calligraphy: Cards | Art Studio, 12 |
| 11:00 AM | Footprint and Posture Analysis | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 11:30 AM | Origami Folding: Seahorse | Art Studio, 12 |
| 1:00 PM | Today's Trivia: Sports | Piano Bar, 2 |
| 1:00 PM | Healthy Hair Consultations | Greenhouse Spa, 9 |
| 2:00 PM | Movies by the Pool: Zootopia 2 | Lido Poolside, 9 & 10 |
| 2:15 PM | Non-Surgical Facelift | Greenhouse Spa, 9 |
| 2:30 PM | Origami Folding: Seahorse | Art Studio, 12 |
| 3:00 PM | Cornhole Challenge | Cornhole Court, 11 |
| 3:00 PM | Pickleball Open Play | Sport Court, 11 |
| 3:00 PM | Relieve Back, Neck and Shoulder Pain Naturally | Greenhouse Spa, 9 |
| 3:30 PM | Creating Doodle Designs | Art Studio, 12 |
| 3:30 PM | Solo Guitarist Plays | Crow's Nest, 12 |
| 3:30 PM | Vivace Strings Ensemble | B.B. King's Blues Club |
| 4:00 PM | Team Trivia Challenge | Piano Bar, 2 |
| 4:00 PM | Shuffleboard Challenge | Sports Court, 11 |
| 4:00 PM | Ask Your Travel Guide | Travel Guide Desk, 12 |
| 4:15 PM | Friends of Bill W. Meet | Half Moon Room, 1 |
| 4:30 PM | Guess the Price of the Artwork | Atrium, 2 |
| 4:30 PM | Non-Surgical Facelift | Greenhouse Spa, 9 |
| 4:30 PM | Introduction to Iris Photography | Photo Gallery, 3 |
| 4:30 PM | Good Friday Interdenominational | Hudson Room, 1 |
| 4:30 PM | Coloring for Adults | Art Studio, 12 |
| 4:30 PM | Solo Guitarist Plays | Crow's Nest, 12 |
| 4:30 PM | Vivace Strings Ensemble | B.B. King's Blues Club |
| 4:30 PM | All Aboard as Koningsdam Departs St John's | — |
| 5:00 PM | Meet the Artists Ft. Billboard Onboard | Rolling Stone Lounge, 2 |
| 5:00 PM | Guess the Gemstone | Effy Jewelry, 2 |
| 5:00 PM | Pathway to Yoga $20 | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 5:00 PM | Have Your Casual Portrait Taken | Atrium, 2 |
| 5:00 PM | Mass is Celebrated | Hudson Room, 1 |
| 5:30 PM | Michael Goddard Exhibition & Sale | Art Gallery, 1 |
| 5:30 PM | Vivace Strings Ensemble | B.B. King's Blues Club |
| 6:00 PM | Singles & Solo Travelers Meetup | Piano Bar, 2 |
| 6:00 PM | Skincare Favorites Starting at $30 | The Shops, 2 |
| 6:00 PM | Spend $100, Unlock a Gift | The Shops, 3 |
| 6:00 PM | Complimentary Massage Sampler | Greenhouse Spa, 9 |
| 6:30 PM | Complimentary Footprint Analysis | Fitness Center, 9 |
| 6:30 PM | Game Night: Tripod | Rolling Stone Lounge, 2 |
| 6:30 PM | Solo Guitarist Plays | Crow's Nest, 12 |
| 6:30 PM | Uniquely Yours Artwork | Art Gallery, 1 |
| 6:30 PM | PRIDE Meetup | Crow's Nest, 12 |
| 6:30 PM | Ballroom Dance Hour | B.B. King's Blues Club, 2 |
| 6:45 PM | Shabbat Service | Hudson Room, 1 |
| 7:15 PM | TV Favorites | Billboard Onboard |
| 7:30 PM | Music Trivia: Female Voices | B.B. King's Blues Club, 2 |
| 7:30 PM | SHOWTIME: The Comedy of Chad Thornsberry | World Stage, 2 & 3 |
| 8:00 PM | Movies by the Pool: Raising the Bar | Lido Poolside, 9 & 10 |
| 8:00 PM | Cruise & Cash Scratch Off Tickets on Sale | Casino, 3 |
| 8:00 PM | Kabana Jewelry Event | Effy Jewelry, 2 |
| 8:00 PM | Back to the 80's | Rolling Stone Lounge |
| 8:15 PM | The 1970's | Billboard Onboard |
| 8:15 PM | The Best of B.B. King's All-Stars | B.B. King's Blues Club |
| 8:45 PM | TV Favorites (repeat listing from panel) | Billboard Onboard |
| 9:00 PM | SHOWTIME: The Comedy of Chad Thornsberry | World Stage, 2 & 3 |
| 9:15 PM | The Best of B.B. King's All-Stars | B.B. King's Blues Club |
| 9:30 PM | On the Floor! | Rolling Stone Lounge |
| 10:15 PM | All Requests | Billboard Onboard |
| 10:15 PM | The Best of B.B. King's All-Stars | B.B. King's Blues Club |
| 11:00 PM | Rock Classics | Rolling Stone Lounge |
| 11:00 PM | Over $617,000 Paradise Lotto Jackpot Drawing | Casino, 3 |