Caribbean 'FastCat' 2-Island Snorkeling and Beach Getaway

[Kenhel]

We will be on February 19 sailing of Celebrity Beyond and have booked the Caribbean FastCat 2-Island Snorkel and Beach Getaway in St. Thomas through Celebrity.  For anyone who has previously booked this excursion through Celebrity,  we would appreciate your feedback.  Specifically, is ground transportation needed to get to the pick up location for this excursion? Second question is about how many people on the catamaran?  

 

[LeeW]

Have never had an excursion through a cruise line that required you to arrange your own transportation.  Usually you are stuck waiting for stragglers before the bus goes. 

 

Description should tell you if the tour departs from the cruise dock or Red Hook for sailing to St John.  Last cruise ship cat we were on in St Thomas had nearly 60 people onboard.  Usually varies between 20-30, depending on size of cat.

 

Not seeing this excursion description on Celebrity site right now.  Some tours just go over to Water Island (Honeymoon Beach) just across from town.  If you are seeing a tour that goes to Turtle Cove or St Johns it should be good.  You wouldn't need a fast cat to go to Water Island.

 

In general you will have far more people on a cruise ship cat than private, but you do get transportation to the cat included in the price.  For St Thomas we generally book the Champagne Cat tours - these usually take a local jitney over to a marina on the east end of the island.   You can also check shoreexcursioneer and shoreexcursionsgroup for similar tours.  Some include transportation to the boat, some do not.

Edited September 19, 2022 by LeeW
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[carolina_yankee]

Since the description mentions Buck Island and Honeymoon Beach, I would expect the departure to be from the cruise pier. Celebrity will most likely gather you on board and then march you off the ship to the departure point. Lots of hurry up and wait until the excursion starts.

 

The description also mentions “spacious” catamaran, which is code for “this is popular and we’ll put as many people onboard as we can.”  You should still have a nice time, but some 3rd party excursions will have smaller groups and may also depart from or near the cruise pier if you do some research.

[Kenhel]

Thanks for the reply.  We are trying to avoid land transportation/bus to the catamaran. It was not clear if we walk or take water shuttle to the catamaran. We selected it for the combo of Buck Island and Water Island. In past cruises that have stopped at Crown Bay, we have taken the water taxi to Water Island and loved it. I am not aware of a water taxi from Havensight to Water Island so this excursion would given us the opportunity to visit this island. 

 

 

 

[carolina_yankee]

There could be a brief bus ride, but i would be surprised. If it’s a ship’s excursion, it would be part of the excursion - they would arrange it and get you on it. Still, most excursions like that leave from very close to the pier if not from the pier itself. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

You should note that this is a powered Catamaran (think pontoon boat) not a sailing Catamaran as indicated in the "Fast" description.  You can find a Celebrity video if you do a search on YouTube.