Worldspend

56 minutes ago, Zach1213 said:

 

So it has been almost a year since I did it, but here's my experience:

 

1) Snorkeling is a decent amount of the time, maybe 75 minutes altogether, if not a bit more, between two different spots. I snorkeled both times. My wife just snorkeled the first time and ingested too much salt water so she sat the second time out and just floated on the boat, chatted with the captain (Brett, I believe), and had a beer. Even if you don't snorkel, you're still out on a boat floating around in (usually) nice weather, so that doesn't suck.

 

2) If was just beer as far as alcohol goes. Two or three different kinds, like Heineken and Bud...wasn't anything local-ish when we went, which was a bummer, but that may change or perhaps supplies were more limited as the storm had hit not too many months before.

1)  Whatever you take on to Pinel Island, you have to take back off with you. In other words, if you bring a beer on shore, you need to bring the can back with you.  I'm sure if you bought a drink on the island you could bring it back with you.  Just ask your captain beforehand...they were always very accommodating to us...  We bought a round of the Guavaberry (local liqueur) Daquiris and enjoyed them at the bar while looking out on to the water...fantastic!

2)  Yes and no...in addition to Pinel Island, there are a couple different stops.  One is snorkeling with the sea turtles...there is a beach there, but I don't recall any one on it because the main attraction is in the water (turtles).  You can stay on the boat and still see the turtles when they come up for air.  There was another stop that was just snorkeling/swimming...no beach.  Another stop had a beach you could swim to (short swim).  It also depends on the weather and sea conditions as to which locations you might or might not stop at as well (just a disclaimer).  Not everyone on our excursions chose to snorkel...some enjoyed just chilling on the boat with music and a drink, soaking up the sun, sea, and scenery! 

My wife and I have experienced this excursion with Capt Bob four times now...3x before the hurricane, and once since.  All of our trips have been excellent and we keep sharing the experience with family and friends whenever we get the chance.  My wife is not a beer drinker, as well, but we asked if we could bring some wine aboard to enjoy with the sandwiches and they obliged.  The store right there at the dock sells wine...very convenient.  They even gave us plastic cups for it!  Bon voyage!

My wife and I had a fantastic time on this boat excursion during our stop in St. Maarten. Although we had an awesome time throughout our cruise on Allure of the Seas, this was the highlight of our trip and by far the best excursion! Our Captain, Radek, took care of any and all needs throughout the day. What a thrill on the boat itself, but the stops along the way were terrific! Snorkeling with sea turtles, beautiful beaches, stunning scenery, and a great meal on the French side...definitely get the Mahi Mahi with rice...fresh and tasty! We will definitely be taking our teenage children on this tour when we return to St. Maarten on Adventure of the Seas next summer!