Snuba ????

[RDMOREU]

Does anyone know if Cunard (specifically, QM2) offers SNUBA (NOT scuba) while in: 1. Bridgetown, Barbados; 2. Basseterre, St. Kitts; or,

3. Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

 

Our Voyage Information booklet shows many excursions, but SNUBA is not listed among them. However, the booklet does mention that we'll hear about more excursions when we get on board.

 

Thanks for any help!

[pnhmrk]

Does anyone know if Cunard (specifically, QM2) offers SNUBA

 

I'm just curious - what's SNUBA?:confused:

[travel-to-go]

Hmmm,

I will try to pull out my daily stuff from my Panama Cruise. The only common port was St Thomas. I am trying to remember if I did SNUBA in St Thomas before on the Leylon Sneed, or if it was in Martinique. I'll get back to you on that one.

 

Malcolm,

SNUBA is like SCUBA only you are tethered by a long hose to your tanks which are floating in a raft above you, As you swim along, the hose pulls the raft behind you on the surface. Much easier than having the airtanks on your back, with the difference in bouyancy and trying to properly regulate your weight, which, of course changes as you use up the air in the tank. Last time I did SCUBA (in St Maarten) I had a terrible time regulating my weight (by adding or subtracting weights on a weight belt and adding or subtracting air in a bouyancy vest) SCUBA is Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Not sure (foggy brain right now) what SN in SNUBA stands for. (And not like SN in SNAFU- Situation Normal. AFU)<G>

 

Karie,

who enjoyed SNUBA much more

[travel-to-go]

Okay, I think I have my fingers sufficently limbered up for the task.

BTW, I don't remember ever, on any line, seeing SNUBA offered in Barabdos. I have not yet made it to St Kitts (though we were scheduled there on one cruise, but the inten was changed)

 

Here are the shore excursions offered on our Carribean and Panama this January on the QM2: (In a word, no SNUBA)

 

Land Tours

Best of St Thomas Island Tour (AM or PM) $39.00

Views of St thomas (AM or PM) $44.00

Coral World and Island Drive $42.00

St John Island Tour $52.00

St Thomas in Focus Photography Tour $69.00

The Grand Tour of St Thomas $49.00

Virgin Islands Helicopter Oddessey $169.00

Accessible Scenic Island Dve/shopping (I think this is drive) $49.00

St Thomas Scenic Dve and Mountaintop $24.00

St Thomas Historical Walking tour $34.00

Golf at Mahogany Run $205.00

Water Related Tours

Nautilus Semi-Sub and Coral World (AM or PM) $56.00

Atlantis Submarine Expedition $94.00

Trunk Bay Beach and Snorkel $59.00

Kon Tiki Raft Party

St John Eco Hike and Beach $69.00

Mini Boat Adventure and Snorkel $179.00

Magen's Bay Beach Getaway $25.00

CasCay Eco-walk, Boat Ride/Snorkel $69.00

North Side Scenic Dve and Beach $49.00

Champagne Catamaran Sailaway to St John $79.00

Full day Catamaran Sail to St John with Lunch $99.00

Turtle Cove Sail/Snorkel (AM or PM) $56.00

Turtle Cove Sail/Power Snorkel (AM or PM) $69.00

Captain Nautica's Snorkeling Expedition $76.00

St Thomas Discover SCUBA Diving (AM or PM) $89.00

St Thomas Helmut Diving (AM or PM) $99.00

St Thomas Certified SCUBA $99.00

 

No SNUBA listed. Sorry.

 

Karie, who cautions. YMMV on what is offered this time- No price on Kon Tiki as it was cancelled the raft was in "Dry Dock." I think it is somewhere around $69.00 and is a party boat. You may be with groups from other ships, also.

[RDMOREU]

Just got home and so you very informational postings. I really looked at that helicopter tour you listed - it would be great, but I don't see it in our brochure; maybe, Cunard will offer it when we board the QMII.

 

Karie, did they offer a lot of new tours/excursions once you were on the ship and do you have to wait until after boarding to find out what time of day different tours are offered.

 

Thank you & Bon Voyage thru Life, Dolores

 

PS I do know that snuba.com lists various sites that they work out of; just wondering if QMII will offer something similar.

[travel-to-go]

Dolores,

Of course there are no guarantees that any of these will be the same. I can pull the paper back out (It was the actual checklist on which we ordered our tours) if you need times on these.

It does happen that other tours are offered or more likely that some are dropped at the last minute for one reason or another- Sometimes one is substituted. Always as you get closer to sail time, things can change.

 

Marc and I took the Helicopter tour on our Christmas 2004 cruise on the Westerdam. as it turned out (Marc used to be a helicopter instructor and I have about 4 hours logged as pilot, plus we have both sky-dived) our pilot did a skydive at our drop-zone in CT, which is also the airport Marc used to teach at. We had a marvelous trip over the islands of the US and British Virgins. We wore headsets and the pilot gave us tidbits about history and interesting bits over various places, including passages as well as islands, real estate prices of exclusive locations and so on. If you have the money to spend, it was worth it. It was marvelous. We haven't always been able to justify that much money (times 2 of course) but that time we were glad we did.

 

We have been to St Thomas so many times on various lines that last time we decided to just go it on our own. We did some shopping at Captain's Cove, which is a souvenir store across from the in-town ferry dock- reasonable prices, good quality stuff. don't miss the upstairs, cute hand -held fan which folds out into a sun hat! back room is booze- including Cruzan rum. (Special single barrel, too) up front they have something I recommend to every Caribbean visitor. You may refer to it for years to come. They have on each island has someone who sells them, but their price is more reasonable than some I have seen)- a map ot the Yucatan and the Caribbean. It is fun to see where you are, where you've been and where you are going, and good to refer to in hurricane seaason when you get home and want to follow the hurricanes, or for planning your next trip. I have mine sitting right here! (In fact, I think I have three of them around, but I do the Caribbean a lot and grew up in Florida) Also up front, which make darling useful but cheap gifts for nieces or co-workers they have emery boards (really) with all sorts of designs. on them These are the foam-type ones, which are nice to use, but just as nice to put in your penicl cup at work or by the phone at home, and take out and look at the swaying palm trees, bare footsteps in the sand, or whatever is imprinted. It makes me smile in cold, snowy February up north! Just don't stick them in your pocket with your plastic reading glasses! (Don't ask me how I know!) BTW, they also have a Captain's cove at the other cruise pier at Haven Sight, but you will likely be tendering in near downtown. She's too big for Havensight, I believe! You are also walking distance (if you are in fairly good shape- I am handicapped and I can do it) to an A&P and a Radio Shack- in case you need snacks or headache remedies or your favorite soda not sold on board or batteries without paying an arm and a leg. Right on the main street, heading towards Haven Sight. Locals can point it out to you. Cunard does not stock much in over the counter remedies, and they are usuriously priced!

 

Anyway, we took the ferry over to St John (it's very cheap, and runs frequently, either from downtown or Red Hook) did a little shopping (a children's store, tea and spice shop- St John Spice Company (same stuff as Sunny Caribbee) which also caries purses and bags, knickknacks, small books and recipe collections and little photo stands, bookmarks- nice gifts. Then we took a jitney (or open-air covered bus) for a half-island tour. the driver stopped for frequent photo ops and gave us a lot of interesting narraitve. Becuase he had one of the larger buses and took just the two of us (where other drivers had passed us up, waiting for a larger load) we tipped him quite well. He made sure to get us to the ferry in time to get back and we had a marvelous day for not much money.

 

Which tours would you like to know the times and duration of?

 

And yes, they could be subject to change. You might email Cunard to express interest, or look up tour operators to see if you can do an independent tour. There are plenty around and very accessible in St Thomas especially.

 

 

Karie, who is happy to share my knowledge, and vacariously live through your upcoming trip!