Color of water at Amber Cove

[iluvcruises]

Hi, I tried posting this on the "port of calls" but not getting any answers so hoping someone can help here! One of our ports is Amber Cove. We are not familiar with this port and from the pictures, the water looks almost brownish? I'm thinking it is from the wind stirring up the water on that part of the island. Anyway, we were thinking of doing a catamaran snorkel excursion but was hoping to hear how the water is for snorkeling. Has anyone done this at this particular excursion at Amber Cove? Or do you have any other suggestions for fun things to do here? Thanks for any help!

[SonOfSailor]

The water around Amber Cove was murky when we were there. We rented a pool Cabana and stayed at the port pool all day. Cabana rental includes pool floats and zip line usage. We had a great day there.

[wemjam]

Where the ship docks in Amber Cove the water is always brown and murky. There is no beach here, but they made up for it with the pool complex.

 

However, around other parts of the island the water is beautiful. We have been to the Dominican on cruises a few times and stayed at AI resorts and other areas are great.

 

We have booked the Snorkeling with lunch on the Catamaran before and LOVED it, where they took us was beautiful clear water with tons of life. It was a bus ride to a resort, where we boarded the Catamaran from the beach... then a pretty long ride to snorkel area. We are avid snorkelrs/snuba/diving people and I thought this was some great snorkeling!

 

We loved it so much last year when we did it, we booked it again for our trip in 2 weeks. Water was choppy and several people did get sick on ride.. so if you get sea sick at all bring something with you for it. But the cruise out was beautiful and sights were great and the drinks were awesome. The crew tended to everyone beautifully. And the lunch they served was actually very good.

[brookeq]

I am going to try to post a picture. (I am using a new hosting site will see if it works).

Here is the port area and the bungalos: [/img]

 

Here is out a bit further away from the port. You can see as you go around the island away from the port the water turns blue:

 

 

[/img]

[brookeq]

We didn't go to a beach here. We did the 27 waterfall tour and it was awesome

[Lem_On_Ade]

We didn't go to a beach here. We did the 27 waterfall tour and it was awesome

 

Did you do the waterfalls through Carnival or third party?

[Hotel CA]

You can find lots of video on You tube of Amber Cove including some excursions and the giant free pool at the landing area.

 

Good luck

[bitsnscraps]

We did an excursion here, about a 50 minute open aired truck ride to a beach and the water was still not Caribbean Blue. It was more the color you'd find on the Pacific Coast, a more brownish color. We still had tons of fun, but not the same water or same sea life you'll find at the other ports.

[SMSACE6]

Hi, I tried posting this on the "port of calls" but not getting any answers so hoping someone can help here! One of our ports is Amber Cove. We are not familiar with this port and from the pictures, the water looks almost brownish? I'm thinking it is from the wind stirring up the water on that part of the island. Anyway, we were thinking of doing a catamaran snorkel excursion but was hoping to hear how the water is for snorkeling. Has anyone done this at this particular excursion at Amber Cove? Or do you have any other suggestions for fun things to do here? Thanks for any help!

 

I was there once in 2015, shortly after the port opened. Yes the water was murky , but clear in places, just not the azure blue and clear we see in many cruise ports. I think it has to do with the fact that there is no beach there, ie. no sandy bottom, sea bed. Around those cabanas on the water, the water was clear, but the sea bed was rocky with algae. I still liked the area, but the sea was not inviting to dip in, nor did I see anywhere you could get in, other than those cabanas on the water.

 

so my opinion, and only my opinion is that the water is not dirty, but looks murky because of the sea bed, and lack of sand beach. sorry cant add to the snorkeling question, but I expect the excursion would take you somewhere that is good for snorkeling.

[alreadypacked]

What I've observed is that some of these cruise ship port beaches are man-made "beaches" in brackish water areas where no natural "beach" existed previously.

 

Water may be "brownish" because it is often subject to a fresh water source/runoff from a nearby river, swamp etc.

 

Growing up by the open Atlantic Ocean, mangrove/brackish water/man-made beaches tend to fall short for me too.

 

Not all cruise passengers hail from coastal areas though... maybe cruise lines think man-made "beaches" will cut-it for the others...

[iluvcruises]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have read the "reviews" for the catamaran/lunch excursion, and a lot of people seem to really like it and not saying anything negative about the water so I think we are going to take a chance and do it.

[Havingfun2010]

The color of the water is clear. However, what is in the water, or what is on the bottom, determines the color of the water, plus the light reflecting off of it.

[brookeq]

Did you do the waterfalls through Carnival or third party?

 

We used iguana mama. The cruise tour only did 8 waterfalls. This company took us to all 27 and included lunch and some drinks. We loved it.

[wemjam]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have read the "reviews" for the catamaran/lunch excursion, and a lot of people seem to really like it and not saying anything negative about the water so I think we are going to take a chance and do it.

 

No worries, as I said, I personally have done this excursion and where they take you the water is clear, blue and beautiful.... there was lots of sea life to see, etc. We loved it! Water was NOTHING like where you dock.

 

Will be doing the same excursion again where there in two weeks!