Crowded cruise ship snorkel excursions?

[LakeTravisJK]

We're debating whether to book our snorkel excursions with Carnival or go with a local company in our ports of Grand Cayman, Montego Bay and Cozumel. Any idea how crowded Carnivals tours get? I'd hate to be bumping into people like at a water park.

[cruisingforsix]

Hi, we have been on both ship and non ship excursions and i think it can depend on how many ships are in port on a given day. you can look for some privatetours that offer smaller crowds. this cruise we booked all private tours. We were in cozumel last year and booked with the ship,ugh, there were to many people and we were looking at more body parts than sealife. Also it seemed like they just rode us down a short distance from the ship, i thought there was probably a better place we could have gone. We did see a turtle though, but i would look for a private tour. Also check to see how many ships are in that day, you might luck out.

[Stevesan]

We're debating whether to book our snorkel excursions with Carnival or go with a local company in our ports of Grand Cayman, Montego Bay and Cozumel. Any idea how crowded Carnivals tours get? I'd hate to be bumping into people like at a water park.

 

No need to take the ship's cattle boat in either Grand Cayman or Cozumel. Both have outstanding private operators.

here are a couple suggestions:

 

Coz:

http://www.eagleraydivers.com/

 

GC

http://www.captainmarvins.com/

 

There a lots of others. Visit the Ports Of Call boards.

 

BTW - Book the "full", not "half" day trips.

 

Sorry, never been to Montego Bay.

[bruce-r]

In GCM you don't even need to go on a tour to snorkel from shore. You can walk to Eden Rock, rent the gear at either Eden Rock dive center or Abanks Divers, then just snorkel there.

 

 

If you want to go to Stingray City (signature activity on GCM), then do some snorkeling you really would rather do a private tour.

[kickin904]

Last Spring we did a private stingray and snorkel tour with Sail Cayman. we did the 3 hour on the powerboat and wish we had done the 6 hour. You have to take a taxi to the marina. Sail Cayman arranged for a fabulous lady with a very comfortable van to meet us and then pick us up afterward and give us a tour of as much of the island as time allowed. Stopped for lunch at a great seafood cafe right on the bay. I am sorry, but I cannot find her card, but I am sure sail Cayman can help. She also sold real estate.

http://www.sailcayman.com/

 

When you are at the reef with the stingrays and see the cattle boats from the ship you will want to find me and buy several fancy expensive drinks as thanks for the tip---Just put them on my bar bill on the Noordam departing FLL on 5/4/10:D:D:D:D:D

[erinmarie424]

We booked an independent snorkeling excursion in Cozumel - just us, another couple, and a family of four in a glass bottom boat - $31.50 each plus a few bucks for some other fee I don't remember but which made sense at the time. I am sorry I don't remember the name of the operator but it left from the Ferry Pier and we were told to ask for "Dougy" who the locals called "perro" (dog) - they had all kinds of beverages and we had a great time.

 

We saw one of the larger outfits with what appeared to be a cruise ship crowd - looked like the scene at the end of "Titanic".