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Has Anyone Done Woodwind's Afternoon Tour?


sjmbruce
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We are booked on an afternoon tour with Woodwind. The tour ends at 4:00. Our ship leaves port at 5:00, so I am assuming all aboard will be at 4:30. Does Woodwind's 4:00 end time mean we'll be at the pier, ready to get on the ship by then? I'm just a little worried about getting back on time. Thanks!

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We will be on the afternoon Woodwind snorkel in late March. Ulf has reassured me that he will return us before 5.30pm (6pm departure). This is part of his email...

 

We have room for you in the afternoon from 1-5pm ($65).

Eclipse have all aboard 5.30pm. We know since we are responsible for you to make it on time.

Everyone onboard Woodwind that afternoon are from Eclipse.....

 

I suggest you ask on your roll call for others from your ship also on Woodwind. Tour operators have to be reliable...miss the ship and they would soon be out of business.

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We are booked on an afternoon tour with Woodwind. The tour ends at 4:00. Our ship leaves port at 5:00, so I am assuming all aboard will be at 4:30. Does Woodwind's 4:00 end time mean we'll be at the pier, ready to get on the ship by then? I'm just a little worried about getting back on time. Thanks!

I've sailed with them more than once. I did your same tour with the same all aboard time a couple months ago. I was worried as well as I have knee replacements and was worried about being able to walk fast enough to get back to the ship on time.

 

The boat arrived back at 4:00 but they docked at a closer pier than the one we took off from. Made for a shorter walk and we made it back to the ship in plenty of time. I think even if we were returned to their original pier we still would have been fine on time. It's not that far of a walk either way.

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Don't be at all nervous, just enjoy some excitement instead.

Woodwind have excellent reviews on Trip Advisor, and Cruise Critic too. Some on our roll call have made several previous trips with Woodwind, and booked with them again as soon as they booked their cruise. You can't get better recommendations.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've done the Woodwind trip and it was outstanding, as the ratings suggest. But if you are coming in the next week, be aware of the wind conditions that has most boats sitting at the dock.

My son-in-law booked a wave runner for today and they cancelled because of the wind. I saw no boats in the harbor all day except for the submarine and the water taxi. Later in the day, at the marina they told us they cancelled all boats going out for the entire weekend, due to safety concerns with the high winds. Not sure if woodwind was one of the operators who cancelled but I didn't see them in the bay. So be aware that you may find yourself with some unplanned free time. The winds are predicted to remain strong for ten more days.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Got back Saturday - did the afternoon and it was great.

 

Ulf told me that it is their policy that if they miss getting you back on time, they will pay to get you to your next destination.

 

By far, the best service I've ever had on a snorkel trip. You can always show up for the morning session and see of someone doesn't show up.

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Snorkeling with Woodwind was amazing. Before we even got in the water it was the best experience we have ever had because of their attentiveness and service. They have every imaginable piece of equipment for you to use. My husband and I both opted to use long sleeved water shirts for the first time. They even had prescription goggles for my husband to use and were able to help him pick the best ones for his prescription. The snorkeling itself was gorgeous and we saw plenty of sea life. They had different beverages to choose from (water, soda, wine, beer, rum punch) and even fed us on the return ride. We got back right on time at 4:00, leaving us enough time to pick up a few souvenirs before all aboard at 5:00. I would use them again and definitely recommend Woodwind for snorkeling.

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Perhaps the #1 excursion operator that I have ever dealt with. We just got back from a trip with them, our second in the past few years. They depart and return exactly on schedule. First rate equipment - including Rx masks, wetsuits, UV clothing, flotation devices, etc., experienced and capable guides to divide guests into smaller groups of 8-10, amazing on-board food and bevvies, onboard pro underwater photographer. Fantastic reef, diverse sea life. Highly recommend.

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  • 2 weeks later...
We are booked on an afternoon tour with Woodwind. The tour ends at 4:00. Our ship leaves port at 5:00, so I am assuming all aboard will be at 4:30. Does Woodwind's 4:00 end time mean we'll be at the pier, ready to get on the ship by then? I'm just a little worried about getting back on time. Thanks!

We are doing the afternoon also in May (equinox) I also was concerned so I emailed to check. They assured me they will have us back on time with 35 others on the same boat.

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We are doing the afternoon also in May (equinox) I also was concerned so I emailed to check. They assured me they will have us back on time with 35 others on the same boat.

Yikes! 37 people seems like an awful lot of people compared to other snorkeling tours we’ve done. We’re on the same cruise as you are and booked with Woodwinds in the morning which has been booked solid. Really hope that we’re not jammed in like sardines!

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Yikes! 37 people seems like an awful lot of people compared to other snorkeling tours we’ve done. We’re on the same cruise as you are and booked with Woodwinds in the morning which has been booked solid. Really hope that we’re not jammed in like sardines!

You'll be sitting close to people but I certainly wouldn't consider it being jammed in like sardines. Since we were all outside in the open air (it's not an enclosed boat) I didn't even pay much attention to the people. And once you get into the water there will be plenty of space because they run several groups depending on snorkeling experience/ability.

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Yikes! 37 people seems like an awful lot of people compared to other snorkeling tours we’ve done. We’re on the same cruise as you are and booked with Woodwinds in the morning which has been booked solid. Really hope that we’re not jammed in like sardines!

 

I don't know if there are that many people. Here is a photo I took of Woodwind:

 

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IMG_6575.jpg

 

Everyone gets a seat, with room behind you to place your bag. There will be about 5 staff/crew members handing out equipment and serving drinks, and on the return trip serving a snack. They break you up into groups in the water, each with a guide. Everyone doesn't snorkel together.

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Yikes! 37 people seems like an awful lot of people compared to other snorkeling tours we’ve done. We’re on the same cruise as you are and booked with Woodwinds in the morning which has been booked solid. Really hope that we’re not jammed in like sardines!

 

We just did Woodwind last week. There were 20 people and I can't imagine how they could fit more without it being crowded, unless they use a different boat. Just letting you know.

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We just did Woodwind last week. There were 20 people and I can't imagine how they could fit more without it being crowded, unless they use a different boat. Just letting you know.
Thanks for the input. They get great reviews but I'm kind of thinking the same.

 

To me, the posted photo looks pretty packed and I only count 27 people total including some that I would assume to be the crew. Can't figure out how they'll manage an additional 10+ people.

 

Not going to cancel but it should be interesting to see how they compare to other snorkeling trips we've taken. We'll most likely be fine once in the water if they break up into multiple smaller groups!!

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I don't know if there are that many people. Here is a photo I took of Woodwind:

 

a>

IMG_6575.jpg

 

Everyone gets a seat, with room behind you to place your bag. There will be about 5 staff/crew members handing out equipment and serving drinks, and on the return trip serving a snack. They break you up into groups in the water, each with a guide. Everyone doesn't snorkel together.

Thank you for taking the time to post this photo! Gives me a bit more info on what to expect. I appreciate it!
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  • 1 month later...

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