Anyone do the Sea Turtles Shipwreck Excursion with Princess???

[City_Woman]

We are thinking of doing the 3.5 hour swim with the sea turtles and shipwreck snorkling excursion with Princess.

 

Any feedback on this excursion?

 

Is it worth doing the 5* excursion that also includes the food and booze and is about 5 hours???

[snowcat]

We did the Sea Turtle and Shipwreck Snorkel with Sun Princess a couple years ago. It was a great time....the turtles were so cool to see. We went to see the turtles first. They were close enough to us that my husband touched the shell of one. Then we went to the shipwreck site where we snorkeled for about 45 min., then we went to the beach right by the shipwrecks where we had about 1/2 hr. to swim and drink rum punch (no alcoholic drinks until after the snorkeling). Then back to the place we boarded the boat. (We went right past the ship at pier, so got some good pictures from the water side) There were not many people on the excursion. We went on two small power catamaran type boats that each held 12 people in benches. Neither one was quite full. The guides were very helpful and friendly. We were taken to the boats by a bus that we met right outside the pier shopping building and then back again by bus to the same area. We very much enjoyed the exursion, especially seeing the turtles.

[kruisinkris]

We went on this excursion last April (2005) on the Dawn Princess. "Snowcat" gave a good explanation of the tour. Here's a little more detail:

 

We did the tour in the afternoon so it gave us time in the morning to do shopping. When we went, the tour operators used all 3 of their boats...2 smaller ones like when "Snowcat" was there & a larger one that held about 24 people. We went on the larger boat. It still didn't seem crowded.

 

The people who run the tour are VERY helpful.

 

I'm a non swimmer who has a love/hate relationship w/the water & the ocean. I LOVE the ocean & watching the waves & going on ships & snorkeling & watching the little fishies. But I'm also TERRIFIED of going in water that is over my head (even w/a lifevest). I also panic if water leaks into my face mask.

 

We'd purchased mask & snorkel sets b4 the cruise. Guess the masks were pretty cheap 'cause mine started leaking when we were swimming w/the turtles. The water also seemed choppy & a little murkey in that area. The water also didn't seem as boyant as I had expected. I never did get to see the turtles while I was in the water. However, the tour operators did TRY to help me see the turtles. They even got out a life ring & towed me towards where the turtes were. Oh, well. When I got back on the boat (b4 everyone else) I did see some of the turtes & couldn't believe I was so blind when I was in the water. My DH got some good pics & had some turtles almost brush along side him. The tour operators were very protective of the turtles & gave us some rules & guidelines b4 swimming w/them. They said sea turtles can swim hundreds of miles & if it got too bothersome for them w/people swimming around, they might just leave Barbados & go to the next island. Apparently the turtles got used to this particular area of the island because it was close to where fishermen would clean their catch. The area we stopped to swim w/the turtles at was just north of the Malibu Rum Factory on the coast. It didn't seem too far from the port. (BTW..EVERYONE ELSE saw the turtles while IN the water).

 

We then traveled south past the port to Carlisle Bay. Out in the bay, not too far from the beach, there are 2 shipwrecks. We parked very close to one & everyone (except me) snorkeled to both. I just snorkeled to the closest one. I wasn't going to get off the boat, but they persuaded me to try one of their masks & were sooo helpful. I'm so glad I did. There were tons of colorful fish! My DH said the fish around the other wreck were even better.

 

We then went to a beach area on Carlisle Bay by the govenor's mansion. I asked the name of the beach & they said it was called "Browns Beach". There wasn't anything there except beach. But what a beach! The sand was talcum powder soft & cool to the touch. When we 1st got off the boat there was some "baby waves" lapping the beach & the water looked a little brown where the water hit. At first I thought "yuck". But when I looked closer, realized it was that color because the sand was SO FINE! When we went in the water a few steps it was extremely clear & bathtub warm & I just floated & relaxed & could have been there all day. Ahhh!! (so far we plan to go back to Carlisle Bay on our next trip in April)

 

On our way back to the port, they made a side trip into the little harbor area where expensive yachts are parked & we got to see the statue of "Lord Nelson" from a water viewpoint.

 

It was a great tour even for someone who's a "chicken wennie" non swimmer like myself. I HIGHLY recommend it.