Snorkel questions/Captain Marvins

[LinDon]

I was thinking of booking a snorkel trip with Captain Marvins but had a question about how the boat ride is. Does it tend to be a rough ride - I will probably take some Dramamine but wonder if that will be enough. I have some knee problems and wonder if it is fairly easy to get on and off the boat.

 

Also is it easy to snorkel with them, can you see enough if you just stay on top and do you need to wear fins? We have snorkeled once but it was off the shore at Trunk Bay and my DD and I liked the top of the water, DH and DS went all over and under. My DD found the fins hard to work with but of course that was off the shore.

 

Any info is greatly appreciated. This is our second cruise and last time we did not use vendors outside of the cruiseline except to go to Trunk Bay on our own.

Thanks, Linda

[Cruise_Dude]

As an aside, I can't recommend enough buying your own snorkel equipment (especially fins). Find a good snorkel that exists any water you might catch, and you'll never use another one! Even if you just use it for cruising, it's worth it, and you won't have to worry about sanitation issues, either!

[CVL105]

The ride is like any other small boat ride. I find that as long as the boats moving I don't get sick, but I know other people may feel it worse. I would say take dramamine and you should be fine.

 

As for getting on and off...the are always helping everyone on and off and it's fairly easy. Just step on from the dock and off. And to get in and out of the water they have a platform you can jump off, or they have a ladder to climb up and down. So I would say fairly easy.

 

It is great snorkeling, even just from the surface. They don't really take you to an area that is deep so there really isn't a need to go underwater unless you want to. As for fins, I think they make the swimming and navigating MUCH easier. I wouldn't recommend snorkeling without them. They are very hard to walk in, which may be why your DD had such a hard time with them off-shore snorkeling. But once she is in the water, she shouldn't have a hard time.

 

As for Captain Marvin's in general, I thought they were great! And outside vendors are soooo much better than the cruise excursions, for the mere fact of the amount of people on them. Cruise excursion boats are packed and it's less or a personal experience. IMHO.

[LinDon]

Thanks for the info on the importance of your own snorkel gear and using fins. CVL105, that answers my questions on the boat issues. Captain Marvins sounds great. Now to coordinate it just right so we can make the tour and be sure we will not miss the boat getting back!:eek: Oh it seems I can always find something to worry about.

[CVL105]

Honestly...I wouldn't worry...They are used to taking cruise passengers and I am sure will co-ordinate times if need be. They are about a 5 minutes (if that) walk from the pier. We had no rush when we were there. Try not to worry, you won't have as much fun if you do.

 

Email them and tell them the times you are in port and they will confirm with you that you have plenty of time.

 

http://www.captainmarvins.com

[LinDon]

Honestly...I wouldn't worry...They are used to taking cruise passengers and I am sure will co-ordinate times if need be. They are about a 5 minutes (if that) walk from the pier. We had no rush when we were there. Try not to worry, you won't have as much fun if you do.

 

Email them and tell them the times you are in port and they will confirm with you that you have plenty of time.

 

www.captainmarvins.com

 

I just e-mailed them my concerns and times we are in port. Thanks, Linda