Snorkel and Beach near port

[Sparkygirl]

What snorkel/beach location would be recommended for a family? Would it be unrealistic to plan to return to the ship for lunch? We are sailing NCL Dawn. Our party may consist of up to 7 members, 4 adults and kids 13, 11 and 3. Some members want to simply lounge on the beach while others want to snorkel or Kayak. Looking at Maya Cay or Little French Key although open to any other recommendations.

[bguppies]

What snorkel/beach location would be recommended for a family? Would it be unrealistic to plan to return to the ship for lunch? We are sailing NCL Dawn. Our party may consist of up to 7 members, 4 adults and kids 13, 11 and 3. Some members want to simply lounge on the beach while others want to snorkel or Kayak. Looking at Maya Cay or Little French Key although open to any other recommendations.

 

Well you can't go back to the ship from Maya Key or Little French Key, and you are already paying for lunch in the admission to those.

 

I guess technically you could take a ferry back to the ship from Maya Key, since it is so close, but I'm not sure how they handle re-entry to an island excursion. (still wasting a bit of time with ferry rides back and forth, when food is part of the ship's excursion.)

 

You could do a shore snorkel from West Bay beach on your own.

 

Realistically, heading back to the ship from any of the 3 places would be pretty impractical. (wasting alot of the little time in port, shuttling back and forth, getting back up to the buffett on the ship, etc.. etc..)

 

Bill

[Guest 2000]

I can never remember which boats dock in Coxen Hole and which ones dock at Mahogany Bay.

 

If you dock at Coxen Hole, Maya Key is going to be closest, very close but it is an island so ya gotta snag a water taxi to get there. I am sure the excursion provides one. I would suggest having a chat with your cruise company to see how they feel about you coming and going..course there may be an extra fee to get you back an forth.

 

 

If you dock at Mahogany Bay.. easy peasy. the beach is right next to the boat. Hmm course the snorkeling is not great there.

[c-leg5]

What snorkel/beach location would be recommended for a family? Would it be unrealistic to plan to return to the ship for lunch? We are sailing NCL Dawn. Our party may consist of up to 7 members, 4 adults and kids 13, 11 and 3. Some members want to simply lounge on the beach while others want to snorkel or Kayak. Looking at Maya Cay or Little French Key although open to any other recommendations.

 

If you want a quiet, laid-back type of beach I would recommend Club Natale. This is what we did this year when we had a toddler with us and didn't want to travel far from the port - it is just over the headland from Mahogany Bay and a little further from Coxen Hole where we docked. You can arrange kayaking and snorkeling.

 

There are a couple of reviews (including mine) in this thread and more photos on face book.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1743237

 

Thread with photos:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1568111&highlight=club+natale

[bguppies]

I can never remember which boats dock in Coxen Hole and which ones dock at Mahogany Bay.

 

If you dock at Coxen Hole, Maya Key is going to be closest, very close but it is an island so ya gotta snag a water taxi to get there. I am sure the excursion provides one. I would suggest having a chat with your cruise company to see how they feel about you coming and going..course there may be an extra fee to get you back an forth.

 

 

If you dock at Mahogany Bay.. easy peasy. the beach is right next to the boat. Hmm course the snorkeling is not great there.

 

Everybody but the Carnival lines, dock at Coxen hole...

 

The NCL Dawn would be at Coxen Hole.

 

That was why I said, Maya Key, MAY be doable.

But not sure if they allow you to come and go...

I know I've read they run ferries every 30 minutes, but I've never seen anyone talk about leaving to return to the ship, then coming back, since lunch is part of the Maya Key excursion.

 

Plus you can ONLY book Maya Key through the ship, not on your own, even if you wanted.

 

Bill

[Guest 2000]

Everybody but the Carnival lines, dock at Coxen hole...

 

The NCL Dawn would be at Coxen Hole.

 

That was why I said, Maya Key, MAY be doable.

But not sure if they allow you to come and go...

I know I've read they run ferries every 30 minutes, but I've never seen anyone talk about leaving to return to the ship, then coming back, since lunch is part of the Maya Key excursion.

 

Plus you can ONLY book Maya Key through the ship, not on your own, even if you wanted.

 

Bill

 

Thank you for the education.

 

I wonder if one is picked up and dropped off at the cruise ship or if one need go into town to catch the water taxi. Going into town is going to add more time.

 

Indeed, if they do not offer a without lunch option.... not much point.

 

I wonder if the OP is attempting to save money by going back to the ship or if there is some other reason.

 

Sparkygirl ~ I truly believe if a group of various ages wish to snorkel they are far better off going to Tabyana..this way those who wish to lounge can do so while keeping track of those to wish to play in the water. There are no boats in the water at that end of the beach. There are also kayaks and stand up paddle boats available. Tabyana has the easy access to reef snorkeling as well.

 

Tabyana is part of West Bay beach so anything thing you hear about West Bay will apply. It is a healthy 30 mins from Coxen Hole.

[Sparkygirl]

Thank you! As I mentioned I was asking if it was feasible and the consensus is that it is not. I'm Leary about booking a ship excursion for this port as the toddler and group makes it challenging and I don't the toddler want her tired and cranky for Altun Ha the next day.

[mitsugirly]

Just so you know, if you book Maya Key or Little French Key, there would be no reason to go back to the ship for lunch...lunch is included with your admission to both. So you will get fed. :D

 

Both are beautiful places. Both places have animals there and the little one might like either place. You can even hold the monkeys at Little French Key in a pen (they had a baby one when we were there in May and he was so cute). Maya Key also has monkeys, but only have 1 that you can hold and you have to meet at a certain time. There's canoeing at Little French Key. There's a pool at Maya Key. There's just so much to do at either place and I highly recommend them both. The snorkeling at Maya Key is to die for!!! You walk down the pier and get in and you are there. Little French Key has some snorkeling at the cove, and you will see a lot of things, but have to canoe out to the reef to get to see a bunch of fish.

 

If you are interested in reading my reviews of both places (which have a lot of details and tons of pictures) you can click in my signature link for them. Just make sure you go to the correct post listed. I have my settings on this board set to a really high number of post per page, so you might end up on a different page. ;)