Capitan Bob Cass

[ckrcjr]

We booked almost a year in advance with Capt. Bob for our visit to St. Martin. We have been to St. Martin many times and wanted something different and after reading all the wonderful reviews, we decided to go for it. The day was one of the best ever!! My husband has back problems so we were slightly concerned with how we would handle the "waves" but Capt Bob assured us he could sit or stand by the Captain, which made the entire day a great one for him.

 

Matt was our captain and was fantastic! There were 3 boats the day we were out (March 13) and the weather was perfect and we had such a great time. Although I do not snorkel, it was fun to stay on the boat and watch everyone enjoy seeing the different fish - and turtles! If you wanted, you could also just get in the water to swim around. Our visit to Pinel Island was awesome - could have stayed there all day!! Lunch at a café at Grand Case was absolutely delicious - my husband and I both had Mahi Mahi and it was cooked to perfection and the portions were more than generous.

 

Matt got us to Maho Beach in time to see some of the "big boys" landing and we have been on the beach before to see these planes land, but it is an entirely different perspective from the water and it was great. Matt pointed out several of the huge homes along the way as well.

 

A great day and definitely 5 stars to Captain Bob and his entire crew! We were back at the dock with plenty of time to walk back to the ship and spend some time shopping before we had to board the Royal Princess. The next time we are in St. Martin, we would most definitely contact Capt. Bob again! Absolutely fantastic day!!

[flarad]

Anyone ever taken a child? Our 3yo loves adventure and water. Captin Bob says she would be great swimming in floats along with us. What do u all think?

 

 

 

Also how is it not having a bathroom? He says pee with the fish but Im worried if dd needs to go #2....

 

 

Your little will be fine. There are restrooms at pinel island and the restaurant at grand Case. Just be sure to encourage her to go when able.

 

 

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[GizFriend]

My husband and I visited St. Maarten on the Celebrity Summit in late February. We had visited St. Maarten once before on a cruise ship, and has taken an island tour with Bernard. It was an excellent tour, but we were looking for something different. After researching Trip Advisor and Cruise Critic, I read about Captain Bob Cass (listed under Soualiga Destinations). Captain Bob offers a tour that makes several snorkeling and beach stops, includes lunch at a French beach, and hopefully will also make it to the beach to watch the planes land - all on a power boat that will allow us to cover more ground (or sea in this case). It sounded great, and I signed us up months in advance. On the morning of the tour, the only problem we had was taking the directions to walk 15 minutes literally. I guess we do walk fast, because we went about twice too far. We eventually asked for directions, and were sent back the way we had come. No problem - we were there with time to spare. There were a lot of people, so we were divided into two groups. Luckily, we were with Captain Bob (but I am sure the other boat and crew were great, too). Captain Bob and his son Brett took care of us (maybe 12 of us) in the new Scarab boat. The boat had three 300 horsepower engines so we could really move fast. We went up the coast, through Simpson Bay Lagoon, past Marigot, and out to Tintamarre Island. We went snorkeling there to see sea turtles. We saw several sea turtles, some nestled in the sea grass and one with a missing back flipper. It's a marine sanctuary, so no one feeds or touches them. After snorkeling, we went to Grand Case, a town and beach on the French side that is supposed to have the best dining in the Caribbean. We anchored about 75 feet (not sure how far) out from the beach, and we jumped in and swam to shore. We had the choice of barbecued ribs, chicken, or mahi mahi. While waiting for lunch to be ready, we could use the beach chairs, go in the water, buy drinks from the very reasonably priced bar (I recommend the guavaberry colada), and use the rest room. There are no bathroom facilities on the boat, so one must plan accordingly and use the rest room when available. Everyone chose either ribs or fish. The ribs were excellent, and the fish looked great, too. Being a French restaurant, the food was presented with garnishes and flair. We all ate at a large table in the covered, open air restaurant with a view of the gorgeous beach. After lunch, we had a little beach time. Then it was back on board for the quick trip across the bay to Creole Rock for more snorkeling. Just as I was heading back into the boat, I saw a spotted eagle ray. It was very exciting, and others got to see it, too. We zoomed (really zoomed) to Maho Beach at the end of the airport runway. We made it in time to see the Air France jumbo jet from Paris land. We also saw a couple other jets and smaller planes. We have been on the beach, and it was lots of fun to see it from the water. We then went "around the corner" to Mullet Bay with time for a swim. We got back in plenty of time for us to poke around Philipsburg a bit. It was a great day with good snorkeling, great food, and excellent crew. Bob and Brett both had a great sense of humor and dry wit. Some shade would have been very appreciated, but the Bimini was late and was supposed to have been installed a couple days before (Bob was actually on the phone about it, so it definitely is coming and will be nice). The only other issue was that getting in the boat from the water was awkward. The "ladder" was a post with four cross pieces for steps. Then there were no handholds - I just grabbed the engine pipe thing and the cleat. It was OK, but real handholds would be much better. It was a great adventure, and my husband kept talking about it for days. I would recommend this tour for a great day on the water in St. Maarten/St. Martin.

[richkauf]

We were on Celebrity Summit at the end of February and booked this excursion based on the trip advisor reviews. We were not disappointed. It was excellent. Captain Bob was a great host. The trip was outstanding. Lots of snorkeling, good sightseeing and yummy lunch. It was so much fun when we were offshore doing 40+ MPH. Got to watch planes land directly overhead at our stop at Maho beach. Loved this excursion.

Edited March 18, 2014 by richkauf
typo

[cruisinrg]

Gizfriend -one of the things i was concerned with was getting on and off the boat, I have a bad knee. From what you said it seems difficult getting on and off the boat. Anyone else have any feedback on this? I know this sounds crazy, but as a non adventerous person, is it scary?

[sunset sails]

Our excursion with Soualiga Destinations was fabulous! Booking with Captain Bob was easy and he provided good directions from the cruise terminal to the marina where his boats depart. He had several boats go out that day and Chris was our captain on one of the pirate boats. He made sure that we all had a wonderful time! Despite being in January, the waters were calmer than usual so we were lucky. Chris was very knowledgeable about the area and stopped along the way to describe points of interest. Snorkling with the turtles was a great and at another stop we saw lots of beautiful fish. Lunch on the beach was delicious! Our group of 8 voted this day the highlight of our cruise! We would definitely book this excursion again and recommend it to others!

[Thom524]

Gizfriend -one of the things i was concerned with was getting on and off the boat, I have a bad knee. From what you said it seems difficult getting on and off the boat. Anyone else have any feedback on this? I know this sounds crazy, but as a non adventerous person, is it scary?

We did this last year and it is just as good as advertised but you might find it difficult to get back into the boat from the water.

[springfire]

Had just a wonderful day with Captain Bob! This trip was the highlight of our cruise. My wife, daughter and myself had a terrific time. Thanks Captain Bob for a terrific day!

[cruisinrg]

How do you get back onto the boat from the water? It sounds like the ladder is flimsy, so if i have a bad knee or no arm strength, that might be an issue?

[flarad]

It depends on which boat you are on. I would remind him when you report that you have mobility issues and he can choose the best boat. My dad turned 80 the week we traveled and he'd had a recent knee replacement, he was fine and had a fabulous time.

 

 

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[Ernie's Girl]

Traveled to Saint Martin on Carnival Cruise Lines "Dream." It was me, my Mom, and my sister. We met our cousins in Port Canaveral. Found Captain Bob on Trip Advisor. Made arrangements for the excursion ahead of time. I phoned him from the ship the day of our arrival in Saint Martin to ensure he could still accommodate my (70+ yr old) mother. She had twisted her knee and was not as mobile as the rest of us. He assured me that if we could get her to the dock, he and his son Brett could get her on the boat and off again for lunch. They were true to his promise! They took very good care of the six ladies in our group. Mama had a wonderful time, as did the rest of us. Lots of fast boat riding, a delicious lunch, snorkeling and then watching the landings at the airport. It was a truly wonderful day. When we return to Saint Martin we have plans to repeat a visit with Captain Bob. Next time we have even promised to bring our husbands along. :)

[Kristalght]

I just booked this yesterday for February 2015!! Super excited - especially with the possibility of turtles!!!

 

When I emailed Captain Bob for info, I told him I will be on the Disney Fantasy, and he assured me that the time frame works extremely well with the Fantasy's schedule. So that makes me feel more comfortable. :)

 

 

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Not to burst your bubble but don't get too excited over turtles. St Maarten's turtle tend to avoid people like the plague (unlike Barbados where they come to you). We saw one at a distance and as soon as other boats came that turtle left too.

[Kristalght]

Gizfriend -one of the things i was concerned with was getting on and off the boat, I have a bad knee. From what you said it seems difficult getting on and off the boat. Anyone else have any feedback on this? I know this sounds crazy, but as a non adventerous person, is it scary?

 

I had just had hand surgery about 2.5 weeks before our trip and I was able to one handed get on and off without any issues. I've also had 5 knee surgeries. Just take it slow and you should be fine.

[Jenlwarren]

Looking forward to trying this excursion. Thanks for all the great reviews!

 

 

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[Maggs07]

My husband and I did this excursion on April 2nd and it was fabulous! Seriously we loved every second of it...just the boat itself is great fun! The snorkeling was very good and the lunch stop was tasty. Cold beers, water and soda all day long on the boat. Bob and Brett were great, very informative and very funny...we saw a big plane land at Maho and that was pretty cool. So two thumbs up from me, we'd definitely do this again!

[Aussiegrlfl]

We took the tour while in St Maarten off the Celebrity Reflection........there was 9 in our group plus a family of four that were joined with us at the dock........we had a great time....Captain Bob was on another boat so we got Captain Matt...........lets just say none of the ladies were too upset that Matt was our captain..........young, gorgeous and very fun..........he was also so professional....at each snorkel spot...he was always watching to see where our group was....I asked how he could tell and he said his snorkel tubes had colored tabs on them, but two of our group had brought their own...but he knew what they looked like and pointed me right to them.............he was a good laugh, but always maintained professionalism and took care of each of us very well....the day before one of our group had an accident and was not as able to get around as before and it was no problem.........she had a great time.............we are going back to in Sept this year with other friends and plan to do a repeat.............very nice time..........we missed the big plane overhead....but still had a great time...

[tkzk1005]

This tour went off without a hitch. It's a 10 minute walk from the ship to Captain Bobs boats. The boats are excellent. Captain Bob and Brett are great. The food, refreshments and destinations are fantastic. We had plenty of time to make it back to the ship. We would definitely do this tour again.

[travelingreids]

My wife and I were on the Royal Princess Cruise in the Eastern Caribbean in March 2014. A co-worker had just taken the same cruise in December & HIGHLY recommended spending the day with Capt Bob while in St. Maarten. We booked the trip on line before we left & Capt Bob was quick to respond & reserve our excursion. This was one of the highlights of our cruise. Capt Bob & his son Brett were exceptional guides & hosts for the day. We snorkeled with sea turtles & tons of beautiful fish. We even came across a school of dolphins that we stopped to admire. Cold beer, soft drinks & water were in abundance on the boat. Lunch was at a GREAT restaurant on the beach, where we had fresh Mahi Mahi. We also had our first taste of a Guavaberry Colada - oh man was this to die for!!!! Also stopped to watch the planes at the Famous Maho Beach St Maarten Princess Juliana Int'l Airport. We plan on going back in the near future & will definitely book again with Capt Bob!!!!!!!!!! Regards to Capt Bob and Brett, John & Janice Reid – Atlanta, GA.

[Jane100]

I booked this trip from UK, it was the first non-cruise organised excursion we have booked so was a bit anxious about timings etc. Bob replied swiftly to all my emails and informed us when we had overpaid! We had a wonderful trip in March 2014. Bob and his son Bret were very welcoming and gave us the best trip of our 14 day cruise. We snorkelled in three places, rode the waves, swam in turquoise waters, had a good meal and saw some planes land and take off. Bob provided a commentary as we went around the islands and ensured we were all enjoying the day and got back in dead on 4pm. This is the best trip we have done during 5 different cruises and will definitely do again next time we are in St Maarten. thanks for a brilliant day Bob. :)

[Lorlo5]

For a day excursion on our cruise stop in St Maarten, our family of three booked a day trip with Captain Bob and Soualiga Destinations. Without any reservation, I can say this is one of the best excursions our family has ever been on.

 

We met Captain Bob at the marina that is a short walk from the cruise terminal and easy to find. The boat is only set up for 12-13 passengers so with no crowding, it was a really pleasant sized group. After a briefing on the day, we boarded his brand new (this season) 36 ft power boat with 600 HP behind it; exhilarating to say the least.

 

We departed the marina and motored northwest and up into a somewhat inland bay where we were able to see a wide assortment of yachts from all over the world as well as some very common skiffs. Throughout, Captain Bob gave some entertaining narration of what we were seeing.

 

We motored through some more open seas to a snorkeling location where we stopped and snorkeled/swam and were able to see a number of sea turtles. The visibility was not the best due to some recent weather ‘churning up’ the sea and sand; but it was warm and pleasant.

 

Throughout the trip beer, soft drinks and water were available on board as part of the trip; as was lunch. For lunch we were taken to a portion of the French side coast where we anchored off shore and had a short swim (or float) to the beach, where we walked up to a small beach front café for lunch. There, in the shade of umbrellas and with the view of the beautiful Caribbean Sea we were served one of the best lunches I can remember; to be honest, while the setting had something to do with it, it was probably the best meal of our entire Caribbean cruise week.

 

Following lunch there was another snorkel stop and motoring back towards the Philipsburg marina. During this trip back the boat seemed to let all those 600 HP go. Quite a trip and a final stop near Maho Beach; there we were able to see the flights coming into land at the St Maarten airport right over us; a sight one doesn’t get to see too much these days; a major highlight of the entire trip.

 

A couple final comments; one should not be afraid of breaking in their ‘sea legs’ on this trip; plan on a very exhilarating experience. Throughout the whole trip we were treated to constant hospitality from Captain Bob and his son; looking out for our safety, comfort and enjoyment. By the end of the day you almost felt like you had spent the day with family. Without a doubt a fantastic day trip that I hope to repeat some day.

[fyrfyterwife]

I have contacted his website twice in about 6 weeks and have still not heard anything from them. Is that unusual for this to happen? We have been reading such great reviews about his tours and would like to use them but have not heard back from them.

 

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[rlstamps]

Can someone tell me their experiences taking this tour and not getting Captain Bob? At first they told me that they can't guarantee getting Captain Bob until the morning of and then they told me he is already booked for the day when I said I didn't really want to book unless they can guarantee him. In a way, I feel lied to. I REALLY want to take this tour because his reviews are amazing...but are they still amazing even without Bob himself? They said they don't use a dive boat or the larger slower boat unless you have a large party. I guess I just need to know $110 a person is worth it and that I should go with this tour vs Robinson Speed Boat Tours.

[flarad]

We had a different captain, I forget his name but he has been referred to on this thread. He was great. The boat was not a speed boat but had several engines on the back and flew over the water. We had a fantastic time, 8 adults aged 23- 80 and three 18!year olds. We went to all the discussed sites, including Pinel island, lunch, and Maho Beach. The captain made sure we were all happy end entertained the entire time. I would highly recommend this, even without Bob!

 

 

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[99florida]

Can someone tell me their experiences taking this tour and not getting Captain Bob? At first they told me that they can't guarantee getting Captain Bob until the morning of and then they told me he is already booked for the day when I said I didn't really want to book unless they can guarantee him. In a way, I feel lied to. I REALLY want to take this tour because his reviews are amazing...but are they still amazing even without Bob himself? They said they don't use a dive boat or the larger slower boat unless you have a large party. I guess I just need to know $110 a person is worth it and that I should go with this tour vs Robinson Speed Boat Tours.

 

This tour is fantastic! We have done it twice. We had captain Fab and requested him for the second time over captain bob. I'm sure he is great too but captain Fab was just fabulous. He's branching out on his own slowly and offers a trip to Anguilla. Hope to take that tour soon. You won't be disappointed doing this tour with any captain. Lunch was delicious.

[jeditden]

Can someone tell me their experiences taking this tour and not getting Captain Bob? At first they told me that they can't guarantee getting Captain Bob until the morning of and then they told me he is already booked for the day when I said I didn't really want to book unless they can guarantee him. In a way, I feel lied to. I REALLY want to take this tour because his reviews are amazing...but are they still amazing even without Bob himself? They said they don't use a dive boat or the larger slower boat unless you have a large party. I guess I just need to know $110 a person is worth it and that I should go with this tour vs Robinson Speed Boat Tours.

 

We had a young guy named Matt. He was just great for our tour. He has lived there his entire life, and knew lot's of little facts. He took the captain's license test at 18, so he really knew what he was doing. His boat probably wasn't as fast as the other two Captain Bob was running the day of our tour, but it felt fast enough for us. Our boat actually left about 15 minutes earlier than the others, probably more so the restaurant could plan cooking meals accordingly. But being the lead boat, meant we were able to get to Maho Beach before the other 2, and got to see the jumbo jet come in. The others had to settle for little planes. Don't be scared off because you may not get Captain Bob. Every person on our boat and the other boats had the biggest smiles when it was all over.