Eastern caribbean snorkel. best? Turk/Half Moon/Torotola,St Thomas

[renagel]

will be going to the Eastern caribbean with Holland America next month. Can you tell me what is the best place to follow a guided snorkel excursion?

We'll be at Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Road Town Tortola and St Thomas USVI.

 

Swimming is no problem. I've been snorkeling at Grand Cayman and that was awesome. Are

any of these places better? If not, which one would be the best. Thanks.

[DiveMaster]

Grand Turk (also check around the pier on both sides for the small fry in the potholes), HMC (also look for the reef balls straight out from the kiddo waterpark) and also see if you can take an excursion from St. Thomas to St. John. Do the Baths in Virgin Gorda, although its more for the scenery than the snorkeling.:D

 

will be going to the Eastern caribbean with Holland America next month. Can you tell me what is the best place to follow a guided snorkel excursion?

We'll be at Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Road Town Tortola and St Thomas USVI.

 

Swimming is no problem. I've been snorkeling at Grand Cayman and that was awesome. Are

any of these places better? If not, which one would be the best. Thanks.

[RedHeadTexan]

I was on the same itinerary with HAL last year. I scuba dived in Grand Turk and St Thomas, and snorkeled at Half Moon Cay (near the tenders) and The Baths at Virgin Gorda. If you are only going to snorkel at one port, then I would recommend Grand Turk. The reef and sea life are fantastic. I went scuba diving in Grand Cayman on my December 8th cruise. Grand Cayman was great, but Grand Turk is better.

 

After Grand Turk, I would recommend Virgin Gorda. It's not the best snorkeling out there, but combined with the scenery it's great (can't remember if they rent mask, snorkel, fins).

 

Also, pick up an disposable underwater camera before you cruise.

[renagel]

i'll probably try to snorkel in Grand Turk (and pay for someone to show me where to go) but will snorkel off the beach at Half Moon Cay. Thanks for your help.

[shepp]

In my experience, snorkeling by the kid's area of HMC was one big yawn. Well, you can yawn with a snorkel in your mouth, but you know what I mean.

[renagel]

do you think I should pay HAL to snorkel at HMC?

[shepp]

In my experience, snorkeling by the kid's area of HMC was one big yawn. Well, you can yawn with a snorkel in your mouth, but you know what I mean.

 

Oh dear...I meant "can't." So much for failed attempts at humor. And no, unless the ship's tour takes you on a boat to a reef (does it?), there's no necessity to pay HAL to snorkel. You just get in the water and swim over.

[RedHeadTexan]

I agree with shepp, don't pay for a snorkel excursion at Half Moon Cay. The kids area is near the tenders, and that is really the only snorkeling available from the beach. When we snorkeled there, the highlight was when I found a $50 bill on the bottom. I made my DH dive down 12 feet to get it for me.

[renagel]

a guy at work came back recently from the same itinerary and raved about a snorkel excursion run by HAL off a catamaran at St. Thomas

Divemaster - i think you mentioned this. Should this be my number 1 choice for snorkelling?

[boastud]

Did that cruise last summer, Hands down Sapphire beach, St. Thomas. Coki was nice, but within 30 minutes, 30' off the beach we saw:

5 squid

1 green sea turtle

2 stingray

1 octopus

[ninkb]

My snorkel experience of about 5 yr. ago at HMC was bad. The bottom was sandy and got stirred up so much you couldn't see the fish that were there.

 

I did take the HAL snorkel excursion another time (at HMC) and really enjoyed the snorkel from the boat. Lots of coral, lots of fish, and also a strong current. A brother in law ended up using a life buoy to keep him afloat, in addition to his inflatable vest. The crew was excellent in keeping an eye on everyone, but with that current, it was meant for people who are good swimmers.

 

There's so much to do at the private island, why not enjoy the snorkeling at one of the other ports? If you get to HMC very early, you can at least use your own equipment, if you have it, until the water is too sandy to see any fish.

 

Happy cruising. I've loved all my stops at HMC.

 

:):):) ninkb

[renagel]

back from my HAL Eastern Caribbean Cruise

 

Grand Turk - took the HAL Ultimate Snorkelling tour. 49 bucks. 2 stops. both good for seeing fish. at the 2nd stop, there was a 4 foot barracuda and a manta ray in addition to lots of fish.

 

Tortola: ran out of time to go snorkeling.

 

St Thomas. Went to Sapphire beach. you can snorkel off the beach. lots of great fish to see in very shallow waters. A bit far. 25 minute drive. worth it.

 

Half Moon Cay: along the wall there were lots of little fish. there's a small bit of coral with fish under it. good free snorkelling.

[bruce-r]

Thanks for taking the time to come back and report about your experience.

back from my HAL Eastern Caribbean Cruise

 

Grand Turk - took the HAL Ultimate Snorkelling tour. 49 bucks. 2 stops. both good for seeing fish. at the 2nd stop, there was a 4 foot barracuda and a manta ray in addition to lots of fish.

 

Tortola: ran out of time to go snorkeling.

 

St Thomas. Went to Sapphire beach. you can snorkel off the beach. lots of great fish to see in very shallow waters. A bit far. 25 minute drive. worth it.

 

Half Moon Cay: along the wall there were lots of little fish. there's a small bit of coral with fish under it. good free snorkelling.

 

Are you sure it was a Manta ray and not a stingray?

[scubaran]

will be going to the Eastern caribbean with Holland America next month. Can you tell me what is the best place to follow a guided snorkel excursion?

We'll be at Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, Road Town Tortola and St Thomas USVI.

 

Swimming is no problem. I've been snorkeling at Grand Cayman and that was awesome. Are

any of these places better? If not, which one would be the best. Thanks.

 

Hi,

 

I've been snorkeling at all these and recommend in order:

 

Grand Turk - There in Nov. - Check with blue water divers there. They offer boat snorkeling if enough people show up. Otherwise, get into a taxi and ask the driver where he'd recommend. There's lots of beach and reefs on the island and it's small enough that you can catch a taxi any time within 5 minutes and be back at the ship in 10.

 

St. Thomas - There in Nov. - Take the ferry to St. Johns and go to Trunk Bay. Lot's of info on how to get there, timings, etc. in the St. Thomas thread under ports of call.

 

Road Town Tortola - There in Nov. - Take the ship's excursion to Norman/Peter's islands. Sea Caves (4 ft. deep or less), reefs, beach and lots of rum punch on the way back.

 

TMC - there in Nov. - Nothing from the beach (see pictures below) but the boat excursion off the island (they were running three of them the day we were there) is good and the reefs have lots of fish.

 

HMC underwater at the swimming area

 

 

HMC only fish I saw in the whole swimming area

 

 

HMC reef on the boat snorkel excurision

 

[wenderbender]

Hi,

I will be on this cruise 11/1, and this will be only our second cruise. When we did the western caribbean last year there were lots of private companies online, but I can't seem to find any for the eastern caribbean. Also as soon as you got off the ship there were many people asking if you want to do an excursion, will this be the case for this itinerary? I would hate to pay ship prices if I don't have to, but I don't want to be stuck without an excursion either.

 

thanks

Wendy:)