St. Kitts or Barbados for catamaran if you can only choose 1?

[suntravelgirl]

Hello!

 

Next week I am sailing on the Carnival Valour Southern Caribbean. I am trying to decide between a catamaran excursion in Barbados or St. Kitts. If you had to choose just one, any opinions on whether Barbados or St. Kitts are "best" or "don't miss" for a catamaran sail? Considering beauty of water, scenery, ocean life you see, fun time/relaxing, etc.? I have read a ton of the forum postings but am still undecided.

 

In Barbados I would book Silvermoon's 12 passenger catamaran (Calabaza is already full). In St. Kitts I would do the catamaran cruise to Nevis with lunch (through Carnival).

 

If I skip the catamaran in Barbados, I would go to the Boathouse for the day. If I skip the catamaran in St. Kitts, I would likely book a stand-up-paddle boarding (SUP) excursion through Honu and Pelikana.

 

Other pertinent info: I am physically fit and have no mobility problems. I like to snorkel (and would love to see turtles like Barbados offers) but do not need tons of time in the water, I like to relax and soak up sun on the catamaran also. I am interested in seeing Nevis because I have heard it is prettier than St. Kitts, but do not know if that is necessarily true.

 

I would appreciate any and all opinions. Thanks so much!

 

PS-I am have posted this same question in Barbados board in the hopes I will get more feedback, I hope that is ok!

[OCruisers]

We love taking the catamaran to Nevis but your plans sound great without doing that so I'd go for Silvermoon in Barbados.

 

LuLu

~~~~

[suntravelgirl]

Thanks very much LuLu!

 

Seeing that you are a cruise expert (80+ cruises, wowzers!), do you have any thoughts on a catamaran excursion in St. Lucia? I definitely want take a boat tour and see the Pitons and have some time for snorkeling. Some beach time would be nice too. Spencer Ambrose's beach break tour sounds pretty good but I would rather be on a catamaran than a speed boat, and I think I would rather have more time sailing and enjoying the scenery than beach time at Jalousie. Looking into Mystic Man tours but would love to hear opinions from people who have been to St. Lucia. Thanks again!

[kcdancerkc]

Barbados, hands down..... We had 12 on el Tigre .....we did the half day, the other 10 did more time and lunch with them.....clean, big, cat....good drinks..... Took us to the beach...literally on the beach,,, stepped out and went to rockley beach. While on the catamaran, Barbados, saw several beaches, turtles, water. Wow, the colors there are indescribable!

 

Now since we got a good snapshot, we want to go there someday and stay a week. Nevis was pretty, did private beach....but not the wow factor for water and beaches with st kitts twice and Nevis once.

Edited December 31, 2013 by kcdancerkc

[suntravelgirl]

THANKS very much for your opinions OCruisers and kcdancerkc! Exactly the type of information I was looking for. I've emailed to book the Silvermoon catamaran in Barbados. Going to try SUP for the first time in St. Kitts! :)

[paul58]

The catamaran trips in St Kitts are fun but it is really not a way to see what Nevis has to offer. You end up at Pinney's Beach near the Four Seasons and have lunch and have about an hour & 1/2 of really nice beach time.

[VaCruzers]

Thanks very much LuLu!

 

Seeing that you are a cruise expert (80+ cruises, wowzers!), do you have any thoughts on a catamaran excursion in St. Lucia? I definitely want take a boat tour and see the Pitons and have some time for snorkeling. Some beach time would be nice too. Spencer Ambrose's beach break tour sounds pretty good but I would rather be on a catamaran than a speed boat, and I think I would rather have more time sailing and enjoying the scenery than beach time at Jalousie. Looking into Mystic Man tours but would love to hear opinions from people who have been to St. Lucia. Thanks again!

 

Hope you don't mind me chiming in here to give kudos to Mystic Man in St. Lucia. We had a wonderful day on the catamaran doing their ecotour last month. It was $70 per person, left from the cruise pier so could not have been more convenient, saw whales & dolphins and had excellent snorkeling, sailed back through Marigot Bay and enjoyed some delightful Mystic punch (after snorkeling, of course). Definitely recommend the trip.

[suntravelgirl]

paul58, thanks for your advice! I am going to try a SUP/beach option that sounds unique and lets me see 2 different beaches on St. Kitts.

 

VaCruzers, thank you for sharing your experience with Mystic Man! Your trip sounds wonderful and exactly what I am interested in. Yesterday they told me they did not have anyone signed up for the tour on my date yet, but I am hoping that enough people do sign up so I can experience it also!

[mlbcruiser]

I'm going to chime in on the St. Lucia issue. Definitely do a catamaran if you can. This island is georgeous from the water! Most cat tours go into Marigot Bay, which is quite scenic. The pitons are just magical and if your tour takes you to Anse Chastenet or the beach just beyond it, you will be able to snorkel at the underwater park. (Not a top notch snorkel paradise like you find in some parts of the Caymans and other places, but it has a fair number of fish.) Twice late in the afternoon on our way back we were treated to numerous rainbows! (Much like in Kauai.)

 

Just a thought on Barbados (esp. if you do a boat trip in St. Kitts) We once did something that enabled us to see a lot of that island and took most of the day. It was the 4x4 tour that goes up to the top of the island for great views, along a sugar cane plantation road, over the spine of the island and down some crazy steep paths to the scenic shore of Bathsheba with it's huge mushroom rocks just off the beach. You go through several areas of the island at sea level, and we stopped at a beach for about 30 min. to swim as well.

 

Have fun whatever you decide to do. :)