Capitan Bob Cass

[icequeen813]

Did the speedboat excursion with Capt.Bob's "son" Tyrel.It was a blast! Excursion $99; ocean air,snorkeling,eating,drinking with Souliga- priceless!

Look for my review on Tripadvisor in a day or 2. Judy

Edited February 25, 2013 by icequeen813

[Dukesmith95]

I am a little worried about getting back to the ship on time, well let me just say a lot worried. We are on the carnival dream and gonna be in st. Maarten on April 10th. If I'm correct st. Maarten will be on the same time as ship or east coast after March 10th we are scheduled to depart at 5pm and tour is not supposed to be back until 4pm. Has anyone had any issues getting back to the ship as you only have 30 minutes to make the all aboard deadline.

[AnchorsAweigh2011]

If I may offer some further explanations.

 

When I started my business,. I wanted to offer a small capacity boat trip at a good price as an alternative to the

“cattlemarans” that are offered by the ships. I also wanted to be able to get away fro the masses of cruise ship passengers. It is my intention to offer the best experience for the best price and I believe that I do deliver this.

 

I started out with one boat and because of the good value, the ability to get away from the crowds and our policy of 13 people or less, my business has grown.

 

In order to accommodate the large number of requests that come in on certain days when there are a large number of ships in port, and to continue to offer small capacities, we have added 3 more boats as necessary.

 

If I stuck to one boat, I found that I would not make enough money to continue. Fuel and expenses have risen dramatically since I started out so by offering more seats, I can still make a profit and survive. I think this is good for everyone.

 

Due to this situation, I am not able to be the captain and to be personally with every one who books but my other captains are personally trained by me to offer the same quality of service as I have become known to offer. They are all professional, correctly licensed,safe and courteous, not like a lot of other captains that you might run into on excursions in the Caribbean.

 

Each boat is the same style, a speedboat, with the same small capacity, speed and power. The “dive” boat is one of our most popular boats because it offers the most stable and dry ride, the most shade and sun and most room.

 

I work with other marketers who also sell the same tour. We all work together to maximize the capacity that we now have.

 

I do not sub contract out my passengers to any other company nor do I “sell off” trips to anyone else. You may be with passengers who have been sold by other companies and that is why I think a few people think that they have been sub contracted out. When it comes down to the nitty gritty, what difference does it make as long as you have exactly the same tour and experience which you will have.

 

I am directly in control of all the passengers that book with me. I am always on the dock to meet and greet my passengers. I do not just “take your money and pass you off to another boat.” I check in with each passenger and collect any balances due. Then I personally introduce the passengers to the captain that they will be with and introduce them to the boat and it's features. Then the captain will board the passengers and conduct a safety briefing and give all the necessary info about the trip.

 

At numerous times through the day I am at the same locations as the other boats and am constantly checking to see that everything is going well. I check with the captain and each passenger. At lunch I again, personally come up to the table to check with all of my passengers to be sure they are happy with the boat and captain. Then again at the dock at the end of the trip, I try to be available to check again that everything was up to par.

I have NEVER been told otherwise at lunch or at the end of the day.

 

Please remember that a small capacity trip with 13 or less people with a hot, great lunch, and all the different things we offer at $99 per person is a great deal with or without me personally as the captain. There hundreds of past customers have agreed as you can tell by the amount of happy people posting and coming to my defense here on Cruise Critic and leaving perfect reviews on Tripadvisor.

 

I take each and every comment seriously and constructive, important criticism is addressed by me, whether it is a comment about the boat or the captain.

 

My reputation is very important to me and I try to make each excursion the best of all your days on the ship.

 

As Abraham Lincoln said, You can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time.

Respectfully,

Capt. Bob

 

We have booked your tour March 12th and are looking forward to it. We hope that we get a chance to see some "Big Planes" landing at Maho Beach on that day. See you on March 12th Captian Bob!

 

Rock, Marj and Ryan

[SissasMomE]

I am a little worried about getting back to the ship on time, well let me just say a lot worried. We are on the carnival dream and gonna be in st. Maarten on April 10th. If I'm correct st. Maarten will be on the same time as ship or east coast after March 10th we are scheduled to depart at 5pm and tour is not supposed to be back until 4pm. Has anyone had any issues getting back to the ship as you only have 30 minutes to make the all aboard deadline.

 

If he is allowing you to book with him, he will get you back in plenty of time. The dock is a 10 - 15 minute walk (MAX) from where Capt. Bob is. You will have plenty of time.

Edited March 2, 2013 by SissasMomE

[BillyMetz]

I have posted this same reply several places on CPT Bob questions. So if you check other threads you will see a repeat of this .

 

Just returned from the Oasis of the Seas Feb 23rd cruise. We were in St Maarten on Wednesday the 27th. I booked an excursion with CPT Bob for a large group. To a person we all said it was the highlight of the trip. At no time were we concerned about getting back to the ship. Our ship departed at 5:00 pm and we were instructed to be on board no later than 4:30. CPT Bob asked when we were do back and had us at the dock at 3:45. It is a 5 minute walk to the ship from where he docked. You can see it setting right there when you pull up. If getting back to the ship on time is your only concern as to booking with CPT Bob or not I would make a reservation. It is not a problem and if you don't you will miss out on what I would consider one of the primer excursions in the Caribbean! Simply incredible!

[Lynne&Barry]

We spent the day on this excursion March 2 and it was incredible! Captain Bob is a great host and very informative about St. Maarten. First we went to see the sailboats lined up for a regatta, then he took us to great snorkeling spots where we saw turtles, fish and shipwrecks. We visited Pinel Island, had a delicious lunch at the culinary capital of the Caribbean, Grand Case (the Mahi Mahi was so good!), and went to Maho Beach where we saw a number of planes come in right over our heads. In between all of this we sped around on his boat and saw beautiful yachts and scenery on both sides of the island.

 

When we first took off he asked us what time we needed to be back on our ship (4:30). He had us back to his dock at 3:45 and the short walk to the ship took us 10 minutes at most.

 

This is truly an excursion that is not to be missed! It was the last day of our cruise, what a way to end a vacation!

 

Hats off to Captain Bob!!

[ChosenOne]

I was on the tour with Lynne & Barry on March 2nd. Capt Bob learns everyone's name & uses it throughout the day. He was very concerned about making sure everyone was doing well and having a good time. My BF Jack said he is glad that was our last tour of the week because he would have been severly disappointed with our other tours if we had Capt Bob first. Best tour of the week!

[awuengls]

I know some people have expressed concern about Capt Bob's trip - I can't really speak for his other tour guides, but even if they're only a fraction as good as Capt Bob, this trip would still be a blast! As you'll read in the review, we didn't get to do everything that was advertised (including the part we were looking forward to the most - the "surprise") - but it still was way worth it; even if we had missed the planes this would have been a great trip! I think some people are disappointed when they don't do everything advertised, but some things aren't in Capt Bob's control - and it's still significantly better than most of the other cruise excursions. No need to feel entitled to everything folks - just expect that this will be a far better tour than anything else you'll buy from the ship! :)

 

The rest is pasted from Trip Advisor.

 

The 5th island that we visited on our cruise was St. Maarten, and it did not disappoint! It was the only time we decided to book an excursion that was separate from the cruise ship, and boy was it worth it! It was definitely was one of the best things we did on our trip.

 

Capt Bob is nothing but courteous, funny, and entertaining. He has the perfect balance of making sure you're having fun without being uncomfortably in your face! The trip is also nice because of limited space - we had 8 people in our boat when we did the tour.

 

And wow! You do so many things on this tour - when he showed us on a map, we went almost around half the island - way more than most of the other tours we did from the cruise! Highlights include visiting several beaches (one really secluded, so very peaceful!), snorkeling with turtles and beautiful fish, serving us an amazing lunch, watching the planes blow over the people at Orient Bay. The lunch was delicious - choice of grilled chicken, bbq ribs, and grilled snapper - all the other day long excursions on the cruise don't serve you any lunch, so this was a great addition. Unfortunately, the water was really cloudy at the place where he feeds the fish, so we didn't get to do that - our one disappointment; however, this was definitely not Capt Bob's fault, and the rest of the tour was still more than worth the money! My girlfriend and I love to snorkel, and we got more than our share of snorkeling (and some of the best snorkeling we had in the caribbean).

 

In terms of time - the tour lasted from 10-4 - we docked at 9am and our boarding time was 4:30p - we had MORE than enough time to walk in between the cruise ship dock and his (about a 10-15 min walk).

 

If we come back to St Maarten, will DEFINITELY book this tour again!

[LiquorPig]

I am a little worried about getting back to the ship on time, well let me just say a lot worried. We are on the carnival dream and gonna be in st. Maarten on April 10th. If I'm correct st. Maarten will be on the same time as ship or east coast after March 10th we are scheduled to depart at 5pm and tour is not supposed to be back until 4pm. Has anyone had any issues getting back to the ship as you only have 30 minutes to make the all aboard deadline.

We did the Capt Bob boat tour in St. Maarten Feb 2013. I highly recommend the tour. We had a blast. The captains are all nice and they pack a lot of activity into the island tour. Snorkel 2-3 times hit a couple beaches, they have a couple neat surprises too!! My wife loved the tour as did I. Only 12 people on our boat ( max=13) which allows snorkeling in protected waters! The boats are nice clean fast and safe. It's a TOTAL BLAST!!

 

We got back to the ship on time. They are very mindful of that!! Very courteous and professional also.

 

Our best excursion of the four excursions we tried. We picked them after reading the glowing reviews on Trip Advisor. Don't miss this one. We will do it again when we revisit St Maarten. HAVE FUN!!

[LiquorPig]

We did the Capt Bob boat tour in St. Maarten Feb 2013. I highly recommend the tour. We had a blast. The captains are all nice and they pack a ton of fun into the island tour. Snorkel 2-3 times, hit a couple beaches, serious lunch included and they have a couple awesome surprises too!! My wife loved the tour as did I. Only 13 people per boat which allows for snorkeling in protected waters! The boats are nice clean fast and safe. It's a TOTAL BLAST!!

 

We got back to the ship on time. They are very mindful of that!! Very courteous and professional also.

 

Our best excursion of the four excursions we tried. We picked them after reading the glowing reviews on Trip Advisor. Don't miss this one. We will do it again when we revisit St Maarten. HAVE FUN!!

[barryod]

Just want to share a quick experience we had with Capt. Bob on the 12th of this month. We sailed on the Reflection and were booked on his snorkle excursion. Waters were a bit rough and when Bob met us on the dock, he advised us of same and offered a refund should we not want to go out. We went out with Ty and could not have had a better experience. On our way to our last place to snorkle, we came across a pod of dolphins who allowed us to hang out with them. Swimming with dolphins in their natural enviornment trumped any snorkle time that day. This doesn't happen every day so we all considered ourselves very fortunate. Whenever in St. Maarten, I know who I'm boating with!!! And did I mention the KLM 747 taking off while we were 50 yds off shore? Crazy!

[3DBeach]

Thank you to all for the reviews!!!

 

Captain Bob i will be emailing you today to get some more info on what sounds like an amazing tour :)

[AnchorsAweigh2011]

My wife, 15 year old son and I booked the Soualiga Destinations excursion with Captain Bob on March 12, 2013. We were on the Celebrity Reflection and we were concerned about missing our ship. There is no need to worry. Captain Bob had us back to the dock by 3:45 pm.

 

We had an amazing time cruising around St. Maarten in Captain Bob’s boat, the Calico Jack, a 600 horsepower, testosterone-filled speed boat. During the tour, we always felt safe and never once thought that we were going too fast.

 

Captain Bob has an outstanding sense of humour and makes sure everyone is enjoying his tour. Captain Bob’s excursion was the best excursion we went on while on vacation and was the highlight of our Caribbean cruise.

[mamoni]

We did this tour last year with Capt. Bob and loved it so much we booked it again and went on it last week. While we didn't have Capt. Bob this time, we really enjoyed our day with Ty. We preferred this year's day a little better since the new restaurant served better food (IMHO) and we enjoyed the beautiful beach it was located on (I think Case beach). We were lucky enough to have dolphins just 15 feet away from our boat at the rock. We didn't see any of the really big planes take off or land but did see a few smaller ones land. And the "surprise" wasn't there this year due to a big barracuda that was in the area. We got back to the dock at 4:02 and Ty even retrieved my husband's sunglasses that he dropped in the water. We were back on the ship by 4:20. I wouldn't worry about not having Capt. Bob in your boat (we did see him a few times during the day though) and also don't fret about getting back to your ship. One customer missing their sail away would most likely put Capt. Bob out of business--and he knows this. I have a strong feeling that I'll be seeing Capt. Bob again next year too.

[icequeen813]

We did this tour last year with Capt. Bob and loved it so much we booked it again and went on it last week. While we didn't have Capt. Bob this time, we really enjoyed our day with Ty. We preferred this year's day a little better since the new restaurant served better food (IMHO) and we enjoyed the beautiful beach it was located on (I think Case beach). We were lucky enough to have dolphins just 15 feet away from our boat at the rock. We didn't see any of the really big planes take off or land but did see a few smaller ones land. And the "surprise" wasn't there this year due to a big barracuda that was in the area. We got back to the dock at 4:02 and Ty even retrieved my husband's sunglasses that he dropped in the water. We were back on the ship by 4:20. I wouldn't worry about not having Capt. Bob in your boat (we did see him a few times during the day though) and also don't fret about getting back to your ship. One customer missing their sail away would most likely put Capt. Bob out of business--and he knows this. I have a strong feeling that I'll be seeing Capt. Bob again next year too.

I was on the excursion with Ty in Feb. What is the

surprise that a few reviewers mentioned?

[mamoni]

I was on the excursion with Ty in Feb. What is the

surprise that a few reviewers mentioned?

 

If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise!

[GriffinAlexander]

I've left a review on TA from last year and also here in this thread from last year. This year my partner and I rebooked along with a couple and their daughter and her friend we met on last year's cruise and have become good friends with. Also there were other CC'ers on the excursion. We had a great time, different island for lunch but even better than last time, the waters were choppy so instead of the first stop from last time we were treated to a ride/flight that to me was more fun than a 6 flags ride. Captain Bob is very careful to ensure your safety and if there's any chance of a problem he will cancel and refund you. If that ever happens take it as a good thing. He loses money doing that but it's to make sure you are safe out there. I recommend asking around if the water is too choppy and the weather causes him to cancel on day of as some of the larger boats can accommodate you. I can't say you'll have as much fun but I can say I trust Captain Bob and I'll book with him a third time probably within a year. Best positive thing to say is that we all rebooked and we'd do so again. He looks out for your safety, is funny, witty and intelligent, treats you like a friend but with a courtesy you don't always get from your friends, and does his best to ensure you have a great day. His excursions are by far a better deal than similar exursions through the ships which don't do as much, last as long or offer the same unique experience. The only negative thing I could say is that I'm too tired to shop when we return. We had time to but were pooped so we missed out on the better priced stuff they sell in St Maarten and paid a bit more in Nassau. But it was worth it both times to get the Captain Bob experience in. It's something you will not forget and I personally recommend him.

[GriffinAlexander]

I've left a review on TA from last year and also here in this thread from last year. This year my partner and I rebooked along with a couple and their daughter and her friend we met on last year's cruise and have become good friends with. Also there were other CC'ers on the excursion. We had a great time, different island for lunch but even better than last time, the waters were choppy so instead of the first stop from last time we were treated to a ride/flight that to me was more fun than a 6 flags ride. Captain Bob is very careful to ensure your safety and if there's any chance of a problem he will cancel and refund you. If that ever happens take it as a good thing. He loses money doing that but it's to make sure you are safe out there. I recommend asking around if the water is too choppy and the weather causes him to cancel on day of as some of the larger boats can accommodate you. I can't say you'll have as much fun but I can say I trust Captain Bob and I'll book with him a third time probably within a year. Best positive thing to say is that we all rebooked and we'd do so again. He looks out for your safety, is funny, witty and intelligent, treats you like a friend but with a courtesy you don't always get from your friends, and does his best to ensure you have a great day. His excursions are by far a better deal than similar exursions through the ships which don't do as much, last as long or offer the same unique experience. The only negative thing I could say is that I'm too tired to shop when we return. We had time to but were pooped so we missed out on the better priced stuff they sell in St Maarten and paid a bit more in Nassau. But it was worth it both times to get the Captain Bob experience in. It's something you will not forget and I personally recommend him.

 

I just skimmed through the thread and wanted to clarify about my experience:

 

I had the best excursion of each cruise on Captain Bob's speedboat. His other Captains are all equally as capable and wonderful as he is. I don't get a discount or comp of any kind for posting my opinions.

 

To be entirely objective, our second excursion was somewhat different from the first. The island we lunched and beached at was a different island, the food choices were similar and we found the food to be even better but loved both lunches. The Captain decides based on water conditions and weather if he's going to go out or not. On our 2nd trip he advised us that the water was choppy and if I remember correctly he offered to cancel for anyone who couldn't handle the choppy waters. He was totally upfront about the conditions which obviously were out of his control and while we didn't hit all the same spots as last time, it was still a much better value and more fun than our other, ship booked excursion for snorkeling, beach, etc. It lasts longer, has more information given, and I have full trust that Captain Bob will ensure my safety, refund my money if I don't make the excursion because of the ship or the conditions or anything else, and also truly believe that he would only cancel if he had to. It makes no sense for him to cancel and give back potential profits otherwise. I did write a very detailed review of the first trip and perhaps I should do another of the second since it was different. I apologize to anyone who assumed from my Travel Advisor review that you would have the exact same stops or experiences that I did. Of course over a year and with different conditions some things change. The beach and lunch stop was different but that did not impact the experience nor the quality, except that the food was even a little better. Those who got ribs got a duckload of them (I think you all know what the "d" stands for) and some couldn't finish them. I had the fish dish and it was delightful, though I wanted every choice since they all looked delicious.

There was one rude woman on the beach who told a friend, a woman from cruise critic, to move the lounger. I suspect that the woman who was rude dislikes tourists barging onto what she considers to be "her" island. In any case she was kind enough to not lie about the chair being taken, just wanted the CC'er to move it away from her. That is something also out of Captain Bob's control.

So I think depending on the day or if they change restaurants again you might get a different experience slightly. We felt that the first stop we missed due to weather was made up for by the boat ride being so much fun. I've never taken an excursion that lasts more than half of what the Captain offers. And as a separately booked excursion from what the ship offers I can say that I trust him with my full payment up front. He doesn't ask for it but it leaves me one less thing to pay for on the week of the cruise.

 

I once again apologize for anyone who may have felt that they didn't have the exact experience I did on my TA review or on this thread's review by me. But the experience is still very similar. And yes, both times i sat in the back of the boat, got wet, moved for people who wanted on or off and even passed drinks out. I enjoyed that. To me, the best part of the cruise, the excursions and the entertainment is the people with whom I was fortunate enough to share the experience with. Some of the people were old friends we'd met last year and whom are verging on honorary family member status, others were CC members from the roll call whom we bonded with on this and other excursions and entertainment. The entire boat had a great time on both and on this second trip where my memory is still fresh we all shared things like sunscreen, liquor and helped each other with any mundane details. We were experiencing what for some is a once in a lifetime experience and rather than look upon ineracting with others as a detriment, I found it to make my experience all that much more fun and delightful. So you may not do the exact same thing as I did on the first or second trip but you will have as much fun.

[MiDenny]

I've left a review on TA from last year and also here in this thread from last year. This year my partner and I rebooked along with a couple and their daughter and her friend we met on last year's cruise and have become good friends with. Also there were other CC'ers on the excursion. We had a great time, different island for lunch but even better than last time, the waters were choppy so instead of the first stop from last time we were treated to a ride/flight that to me was more fun than a 6 flags ride. Captain Bob is very careful to ensure your safety and if there's any chance of a problem he will cancel and refund you. If that ever happens take it as a good thing. He loses money doing that but it's to make sure you are safe out there. I recommend asking around if the water is too choppy and the weather causes him to cancel on day of as some of the larger boats can accommodate you. I can't say you'll have as much fun but I can say I trust Captain Bob and I'll book with him a third time probably within a year. Best positive thing to say is that we all rebooked and we'd do so again. He looks out for your safety, is funny, witty and intelligent, treats you like a friend but with a courtesy you don't always get from your friends, and does his best to ensure you have a great day. His excursions are by far a better deal than similar exursions through the ships which don't do as much, last as long or offer the same unique experience. The only negative thing I could say is that I'm too tired to shop when we return. We had time to but were pooped so we missed out on the better priced stuff they sell in St Maarten and paid a bit more in Nassau. But it was worth it both times to get the Captain Bob experience in. It's something you will not forget and I personally recommend him.

 

I have read all of the great reviews of this excursion. I had three of us booked and prepaid on the same day you went out. You may have seen us, I had a bright red shirt on that was the face of the Kool-Aid guy. Anyway, I have a little different view on the day. We were one of the unlucky ones that were turned away that morning due to the rough seas. We were very disappointed as you can imagine. We watched as others lined up and got ready to board, some paying their balance when they arrived while we were turned away. Captain Bob explained his and his captain's reasoning, which I can understand. While not happy, we understood the reasoning. The thing that I think could have been handled better though was the delivery of this news. I believe that an effort could have (and should have) been made to get word to us before we left the port. We would likely have been able to catch another excursion before they all departed. To wait for everyone to make that trek to the marina was probably not the best customer service decision. Even if it is not possible to get word to the ship, someone at the gate with a sign. Send an email...something, anything, at least an attempt.

 

I asked some specific questions while booking due to the fact that my wife has limited mobility. She has limited use of her right side. The walk to the marina was something that we discussed when considering Capt. Bob. Since there seemed to be ample time between our arrival and the excursion departure, we thought it would not be an issue as we could take our time getting there. It wouldn't have been a problem if she were able to have some R&R before making the walk back. As it turned out, we were left without an excursion for the day and were pretty tired out once we got back to port. I wholeheartedly believe the good reviews about the experience while on this excursion. And, to be fair, Captain Bob refunded our money on the spot when requested. But, I walked away from the experience with the feeling that once he knew he was cancelling and refunding our money, we weren't his problem. I'm sure it would have taken some effort and possibly some money to pay someone to get notification to his cancellations. Since that wasn't done, I would have a hard time booking or recommending this one. I'm sure it can't be the first time (or last) that he had to cancel on someone.

[GriffinAlexander]

I have read all of the great reviews of this excursion. I had three of us booked and prepaid on the same day you went out. You may have seen us, I had a bright red shirt on that was the face of the Kool-Aid guy. Anyway, I have a little different view on the day. We were one of the unlucky ones that were turned away that morning due to the rough seas. We were very disappointed as you can imagine. We watched as others lined up and got ready to board, some paying their balance when they arrived while we were turned away. Captain Bob explained his and his captain's reasoning, which I can understand. While not happy, we understood the reasoning. The thing that I think could have been handled better though was the delivery of this news. I believe that an effort could have (and should have) been made to get word to us before we left the port. We would likely have been able to catch another excursion before they all departed. To wait for everyone to make that trek to the marina was probably not the best customer service decision. Even if it is not possible to get word to the ship, someone at the gate with a sign. Send an email...something, anything, at least an attempt.

 

I asked some specific questions while booking due to the fact that my wife has limited mobility. She has limited use of her right side. The walk to the marina was something that we discussed when considering Capt. Bob. Since there seemed to be ample time between our arrival and the excursion departure, we thought it would not be an issue as we could take our time getting there. It wouldn't have been a problem if she were able to have some R&R before making the walk back. As it turned out, we were left without an excursion for the day and were pretty tired out once we got back to port. I wholeheartedly believe the good reviews about the experience while on this excursion. And, to be fair, Captain Bob refunded our money on the spot when requested. But, I walked away from the experience with the feeling that once he knew he was cancelling and refunding our money, we weren't his problem. I'm sure it would have taken some effort and possibly some money to pay someone to get notification to his cancellations. Since that wasn't done, I would have a hard time booking or recommending this one. I'm sure it can't be the first time (or last) that he had to cancel on someone.

 

To be fair, had you gone out on this excursion you'd not have been happy. I have limited mobility as well with 8 bad discs and sometimes need to use a cane to get around. I have an attitude of forcing myself to do things I'm probably not supposed to do and I do pay for it the next day.

 

The water was very choppy and I know he had to cancel a smaller boat that wouldn't be able to handle the water, and he almost canceled us as well. Captain Bob did tell us if we felt it was too much he'd come back and he was a little more wary of the conditions, so we were lucky to not have been canceled as well even in the larger boats.

 

I'm sorry you weren't happy. Did you ask around at the other boats on the marina to see if anyone was open for 2 more spots? I saw a pontoon boat prepping that didn't leave before us, and we were the last pirate boat to go. I saw a few others but I kept my eye on the pontoon boat that was docked near the restaurant because they were loading up sodas and beer and didn't have anyone on their boat yet. I know a firefighter we were speaking with that got canceled managed to book a bigger boat within 5 minutes of arriving.

I do urge you to try again on your next trip. It's a tour that offers a greater value than many of the others and so long as you get a calm day you'll be ok. Noone can control the weather nor how the water will be. Last year we went at the same time of year and the water was calm, this year it was choppy.

I hope you found something fun to occupy your day. The shopping in St Maarten is supposed to be the best prices of all the eastern caribbean islands, and we've been too tired each trip after this excursion to shop. Anyway I'm sorry you weren't happy and I hope you found something to make your day more enjoyable. It's never a happy moment when something you looked forward to is canceled but it's better that you were canceled than to have had a problem in the water due to unsafe conditions.

Were you on the Epic? I know there were 3 ships in port that day. I'm trying to place you. I was very active this time on the epic and got to know quite a few people. Anyway I'll have a beer with you if we are ever on a ship together.

[MiDenny]

To be fair, had you gone out on this excursion you'd not have been happy. I have limited mobility as well with 8 bad discs and sometimes need to use a cane to get around. I have an attitude of forcing myself to do things I'm probably not supposed to do and I do pay for it the next day.

 

The water was very choppy and I know he had to cancel a smaller boat that wouldn't be able to handle the water, and he almost canceled us as well. Captain Bob did tell us if we felt it was too much he'd come back and he was a little more wary of the conditions, so we were lucky to not have been canceled as well even in the larger boats.

 

I'm sorry you weren't happy. Did you ask around at the other boats on the marina to see if anyone was open for 2 more spots? I saw a pontoon boat prepping that didn't leave before us, and we were the last pirate boat to go. I saw a few others but I kept my eye on the pontoon boat that was docked near the restaurant because they were loading up sodas and beer and didn't have anyone on their boat yet. I know a firefighter we were speaking with that got canceled managed to book a bigger boat within 5 minutes of arriving.

I do urge you to try again on your next trip. It's a tour that offers a greater value than many of the others and so long as you get a calm day you'll be ok. Noone can control the weather nor how the water will be. Last year we went at the same time of year and the water was calm, this year it was choppy.

I hope you found something fun to occupy your day. The shopping in St Maarten is supposed to be the best prices of all the eastern caribbean islands, and we've been too tired each trip after this excursion to shop. Anyway I'm sorry you weren't happy and I hope you found something to make your day more enjoyable. It's never a happy moment when something you looked forward to is canceled but it's better that you were canceled than to have had a problem in the water due to unsafe conditions.

Were you on the Epic? I know there were 3 ships in port that day. I'm trying to place you. I was very active this time on the epic and got to know quite a few people. Anyway I'll have a beer with you if we are ever on a ship together.

 

She has the same attitude. She had a stroke way back when she was 19 (we're now mid 40s) and she doesn't let much hold her back either. We ended up grabbing a taxi over to Maho Beach. Nobody let it ruin their day and we did get to see a 747 land and take off. Highly recommend the bbq at Sunset Bar by the way. Out of all of the stops, the Captain Bob excursion was the one we most looked forward to. So, you're right, it stung a little bit.

 

Yes, we were on the Epic. It was my wife and I (45 and 46) and our daughter (18). We spent a lot of our time up in the bar area in Spice H20 enjoying the fantastic service. In fact, I may have seen you up there. I noticed someone with a cane up at the bar one of the later nights in the trip. We probably blend in a little, I'm about 6'1" but with a red/gray beard. My wife is about 5'6" with short blonde hair. And my daughter is about 5'8" with longer blonde hair. We are thinking about another cruise. I'm kind of liking the fact that the Epic is doing the Western tour next year. That may be the one we hit next. I will keep an eye out for you and take you up on that beer should we cross paths.

[GriffinAlexander]

She has the same attitude. She had a stroke way back when she was 19 (we're now mid 40s) and she doesn't let much hold her back either. We ended up grabbing a taxi over to Maho Beach. Nobody let it ruin their day and we did get to see a 747 land and take off. Highly recommend the bbq at Sunset Bar by the way. Out of all of the stops, the Captain Bob excursion was the one we most looked forward to. So, you're right, it stung a little bit.

 

Yes, we were on the Epic. It was my wife and I (45 and 46) and our daughter (18). We spent a lot of our time up in the bar area in Spice H20 enjoying the fantastic service. In fact, I may have seen you up there. I noticed someone with a cane up at the bar one of the later nights in the trip. We probably blend in a little, I'm about 6'1" but with a red/gray beard. My wife is about 5'6" with short blonde hair. And my daughter is about 5'8" with longer blonde hair. We are thinking about another cruise. I'm kind of liking the fact that the Epic is doing the Western tour next year. That may be the one we hit next. I will keep an eye out for you and take you up on that beer should we cross paths.

 

Yes, that was me with the cane up at Spice2o on both 80s night and the white party. On 80s night I was using the cane as a microphone and passing it around so everyone around me could sing... sounds stupid now but at the time it seemed like a brilliant bit of fun. Behaved in a similar way the next night for the White Party but didn't pass the cane around as much. Both nights we wound up at Bliss afterward. I was standing by the bar most of those nights with some people we'd met throughout the week. It will be a pleasure to have a beer with you. We just rebooked the next Spring Break cruise on the Getaway this time and we're also sailing the Sky on August 16 for a 3 day to hold us over.

 

You'll get to do the Captain Bob excursion next time, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I'm glad you got to enjoy your day. We changed around some of the ship stuff we had planned for different reasons and just went with it. You kind of have to on vacation. As long as you have a drink and something fun to do and some cool people around you everything's good. And most cruisers are friendly outgoing people.

 

Did you happen to see Howl on the first night?

[MiDenny]

Relax Captain. This site is all about sharing experiences with others so they can make informed decisions. We were disappointed that others were booked on boats that were safe for the conditions and we were turned away. We were disappointed that while others (booked with you AND other excursions) were able to go on their merry way and we were stuck without an excursion. We were disappointed that we had paid in full and were turned away while others paid upon arrival. We were disappointed that all of the walking in a short period of time adversely affected the day for my wife. Whether you like it or not, this information could be helpful to future cruisers.

 

Maybe someone with similar issues will now seek transportation or a wheelchair rental. Maybe a potential customer will ask a question in regards to the boat that they are booked on. Maybe the same situation can be avoided for someone.

 

This just wasn't all "my bad luck". I paid the same amount as everyone else and was booked on a boat that was not on par with the others and our trip was cancelled. Due to THIS fact along with the windy day, we were left hanging. I gave you the benefit of the doubt in my post that I believe the excursion is likely a good one. I mentioned that when asked, you refunded my money at the dock. I never insulted you or questioned your integrity or the quality of your excursion. Everything I said was true. The fact that we were booked with you on that boat specifically had a negative impact on our visit. My point to you, and other potential customers is that an email could have saved our day. A phone call could have saved our day. Some kind of procedure in place on your part to contact customers in an event like this MAY just save the day for them. Once again, I believe the positive reviews that I read about your excursion. That is why we booked with you in the first place. There is, however, always room for improvement.

 

To say it was just our bad luck with the conditions and the state of the sea isn't quite the entire picture.

 

I see all of the positive reviews, and I believe them. Let me be clear to everyone. My post was not an attempt to divert business from Captain Bob. It was intended to help others ask questions in advance to avoid this situation. Maybe rough seas prompt someone to call you in advance before leaving the ship. Or maybe convince you to get phone numbers in advance or send an email, that's all. Fair enough?

[jrs006]

We had a wonderful experience on this excursion. From start to finish it was organized and exciting. The speed boat was thrilling. The lunch was delicious. A Perfect Day!!!

[Catter]

We found this tour on trip advisor. It was well rated and it did not disappoint. We were on the NCL Epic. Captain Bob answered all our pre booking questions immediately. It was very easy to get to the pick up point from the dock. About a 10 minute walk. We all met up at Chesterfields restaurant. Bonus, get there early as they have free and well working wifi. Capuccino $4.95.

 

Bob showed up on schedule. We were a large group so Bob had 4 boats going that day. My wife and I were with Fabrice or "Fab". He is a great guy. We had a total of 12 on our boat plus captain Fab.

 

These are speed boats. They really motor. You do have to hang on because of the wave action. Fab powered the boat like the expert he is. He really played with the speed to ensure the smoothest ride. Be warned however that you do have to hold on if there are waves.

 

We went to the largest protected harbor in the Carribean and looked at all the nice boats moored there.

 

We then went to Tintamarre island on the french side. It is a deserted island that has a great beach. We were probably there for 30 minutes.

 

Then we went to Pinel island and yellow beach. We shopped there for a bit. There is a unique shop on that island with sand floors and a lot of sugar birds. Very nice.

 

Then off to lunch at a local restaurant. Choice of fish, chicken or ribs. We had the fish which was excellent. The ribs looked great as well. This is a real restaurant on the beach. Very cool.

 

Then we went snorkling. The water was nice and there were many fish. We probably snorkled for an hour.

 

Then off to Maho beach to watch the airplanes land and take off from St Maarten international airport. This was very cool. Just type Maho beach on u-tube and you will see what I mean.

 

Then back to the embarcation dock for 4 pm.

 

Was a great day. Probably the best excursion on our whole trip.

 

We have been to St. Maarten before and have done the taxi tours that take you across the island to Marigot. That was ok but this was so much better. No traffic. A 600 hp boat blaring cool music. All the beer/pop/water you want. Cool beaches. A laid back attitude on the boat. No shoes. No shirts. Just sun tan lotion. Bob makes sure everybody is well taken care of. Pretty much a perfect day.