Princess Excursion - Turtle Encounter, Snorkel, Beach & Scenic Cruise?

[LEtue]

Anyone taken this excursion through Princess? Wondering what type of boat is used and if it really a scenic cruise on a catamaran? The price is about the same as independent operators and we don't want an all day sail on this trip.

[Hyzenthlay]

I took this tour two years ago, and really enjoyed it. The scenery was of the west coast beaches and bays as you pass by on the way to the turtles. I'm heading on the same cruise again this year (leaving next weekend - yippi!) and even contemplated repeating this excursion.

 

You get on the catamaran (20-30 people on board) a very short distance from the ship, and on the way up the coast the crew distribute equipment, tell you about the turtles, and give safety instructions. Unfortunately you have to wear a flotation belt (which makes diving down to have a better look at the turtles tricky), but the good news is that the belts are inflatable, and you can simply squish all of the air out of it if you'd like some extra mobility in the water. To protect the turtles fins are not permitted, so be prepared to tread some water. I believe the catamaran stops offshore from Payne's Bay.

 

After spending some time with the turtles (perhaps 40 minutes?), the catamaran heads back toward Bridgetown, with a stop at Paradise Beach for about an hour. There is an open bar on the way back/beach.

 

I was able to take some amazing underwater photos of the turtles - if you'd like a sample I can email a few. Hope this helps!

[LEtue]

I took this tour two years ago, and really enjoyed it. The scenery was of the west coast beaches and bays as you pass by on the way to the turtles. I'm heading on the same cruise again this year (leaving next weekend - yippi!) and even contemplated repeating this excursion.

 

You get on the catamaran (20-30 people on board) a very short distance from the ship, and on the way up the coast the crew distribute equipment, tell you about the turtles, and give safety instructions. Unfortunately you have to wear a flotation belt (which makes diving down to have a better look at the turtles tricky), but the good news is that the belts are inflatable, and you can simply squish all of the air out of it if you'd like some extra mobility in the water. To protect the turtles fins are not permitted, so be prepared to tread some water. I believe the catamaran stops offshore from Payne's Bay.

 

After spending some time with the turtles (perhaps 40 minutes?), the catamaran heads back toward Bridgetown, with a stop at Paradise Beach for about an hour. There is an open bar on the way back/beach.

 

I was able to take some amazing underwater photos of the turtles - if you'd like a sample I can email a few. Hope this helps!

 

Thank you so much for the great description and it sounds perfect! I really didn't want to do a day sail and I'm not getting responses from the two independent operators that do 3 hour snorkel trips. I like the convenience of a ship excursion too :)

[LEtue]

I just went back and read the excursion descriptions again and are 3 turtle excursions. The one that talks about a catamaran is 4.5 hours and has the word sailing listed (capacity 60 person) and has a return time of 1 hour after the beach. The one I'm looking at is only 3 hours total (motorized vessel - capacity 50 person) and has a return time of 20 minutes after the beach stop.

 

I really want to take the one that only lasts 3 hours so I'm hoping the motorized vessel is like other snorkeling boats I've been on and not a speed boat. Thanks for your help!

[merinski]

I just went back and read the excursion descriptions again and are 3 turtle excursions. The one that talks about a catamaran is 4.5 hours and has the word sailing listed (capacity 60 person) and has a return time of 1 hour after the beach. The one I'm looking at is only 3 hours total (motorized vessel - capacity 50 person) and has a return time of 20 minutes after the beach stop.

 

I really want to take the one that only lasts 3 hours so I'm hoping the motorized vessel is like other snorkeling boats I've been on and not a speed boat. Thanks for your help!

 

We were just in Barbados. We booked ahead with Shasa Catamaran. It was awsome!! We saw the boat from the cruise ship & it is so crouded. Shasa only takes 12 pp. YOu can chose 3 or 5 hrs. We did the 3 hr. We saw about 9 turtles it is great. Check it out. http://www.shasacatamarancruises.com/ :)

[LEtue]

We were just in Barbados. We booked ahead with Shasa Catamaran. It was awsome!! We saw the boat from the cruise ship & it is so crouded. Shasa only takes 12 pp. YOu can chose 3 or 5 hrs. We did the 3 hr. We saw about 9 turtles it is great. Check it out. http://www.shasacatamarancruises.com/ :)

 

Been trying to book with Shasa since Thursday and have been unsuccessful :( I'm going to keep trying to reach them by phone tomorrow!

[centralcalicruzer]

Anyone taken this excursion through Princess? Wondering what type of boat is used and if it really a scenic cruise on a catamaran? The price is about the same as independent operators and we don't want an all day sail on this trip.

 

Linda, I just did this excursion last week. I really enjoyed it. It may be more crowded than some of the private tours, but for the price I thought it was a good value. We were on a motorized catamaran but they did put the sail up for a while. However, we did the afternoon excursion and ran into another couple at the cruise terminal who had just gotten back from the morning excursion and they warned us that it was a power boat that went 50 MPH, so we were actually pleasantly surprised to get a catamaran. After the turtle part, they served rum punch and banana bread. My only complaint, and it may have just been a fluke having to do with the tide or weather, was that at the "beach stop" they anchored quite a ways from shore and it was a pretty good swim (I'm talking about a quarter mile, no kidding) to get onto the beach. I was pretty wiped out by the time I got to the beach, and they told us we only had 30 minutes so after about five minutes on the beach I had to swim right back out to the boat. I would do this excursion again, but unless they anchor a lot closer to the beach I don't know if I would get off the boat.

[LEtue]

We were just in Barbados. We booked ahead with Shasa Catamaran. It was awsome!! We saw the boat from the cruise ship & it is so crouded. Shasa only takes 12 pp. YOu can chose 3 or 5 hrs. We did the 3 hr. We saw about 9 turtles it is great. Check it out. http://www.shasacatamarancruises.com/ :)

 

I finally heard back from Shasa today so it looks like we're a go for the 3 hour snorkel tour. Just waiting to get their reservation form :D

 

Linda, I just did this excursion last week. I really enjoyed it. It may be more crowded than some of the private tours, but for the price I thought it was a good value. We were on a motorized catamaran but they did put the sail up for a while. However, we did the afternoon excursion and ran into another couple at the cruise terminal who had just gotten back from the morning excursion and they warned us that it was a power boat that went 50 MPH, so we were actually pleasantly surprised to get a catamaran. After the turtle part, they served rum punch and banana bread. My only complaint, and it may have just been a fluke having to do with the tide or weather, was that at the "beach stop" they anchored quite a ways from shore and it was a pretty good swim (I'm talking about a quarter mile, no kidding) to get onto the beach. I was pretty wiped out by the time I got to the beach, and they told us we only had 30 minutes so after about five minutes on the beach I had to swim right back out to the boat. I would do this excursion again, but unless they anchor a lot closer to the beach I don't know if I would get off the boat.

 

Thanks so much for the information! We had the morning trip reserved and my sister has had back surgery recently and wouldn't appreciate the speed boat :eek: Thankfully it looks like we're confirmed for Shasa Catamaran :)

[lexluthor]

Good luck. I got one email from them and spoke to tess on the phone who said we are good for our date and would send the reservation form via email, but still nothing.

[lexluthor]

Good luck. I got one email from them and spoke to tess on the phone who said we are good for our date and would send the reservation form via email, but still nothing.

 

Got the confirmation form from Shasa today via email so we are good now.