Looking for snorkel boat trips: St Lucia, Curacao, Aruba, Barbdos, Greneda

[onepug]

Has anyone done snorkeling trips on any of these islands? I'm having trouble finding anyone to respond to my requests. We are looking for a day trip snorkel on a sailboat, cat or whatever.

 

Thanks in advance

[cruzgryphon]

Hi,

Did the Mi Dushi via Princess in Aruba - very nice and 3 snorkeling site and it included lunch. Great crew.

 

Grenada - snorkeling isn't that great - would suggest looking around port or doing a land based trip/ take a break from snorkeling there.

Enjoy,

CG

[mlbcruiser]

cruzgryphon, did you have any time left after the Mi Dushi excursion to shop or hang out at the beach? Did it stop at any beaches and if so, do you know which one? Thanks for any info! We will be in Aruba soon when cruising. We are pretty experienced snorkelers (Bora Bora, St. John, Cozumel, etc.) and my husband has dived those places as well. Will we be disappointed in the sealife, clarity and coral there, or is it fairly decent?

 

Thanks for any info.

[10X]

In St. Lucia try Island Divers. You can snorkel from shore or jump on their dive boat and snorkel different places while the divers do their thing. My wife and I enjoy this place because she only snorkels while I scuba dive. We've been there twice and won't hesitate to go again. They have day packages for cruisers that includes transportation, lunch and snorkel gear.

 

http://www.islanddiversstlucia.com/schedule.htm

[cruzgryphon]

cruzgryphon, did you have any time left after the Mi Dushi excursion to shop or hang out at the beach? Did it stop at any beaches and if so, do you know which one? Thanks for any info! We will be in Aruba soon when cruising. We are pretty experienced snorkelers (Bora Bora, St. John, Cozumel, etc.) and my husband has dived those places as well. Will we be disappointed in the sealife, clarity and coral there, or is it fairly decent?

 

Thanks for any info.

The food on the Mi Dushi was superb. At the 3rd snorkel stop, you are close to a small beach, and could snorkel/ swim to it to relax for a little bit of time.

The Mi Dushi is affiliated with the RIU Hotel on Eagle beach - beautiful stretch of beach, and people could have stayed after, but then they would have paid to get back to the ship. The alternative, the shopping, is doable, we were in port until 5pm and got back to the ship around 3:15pm. Some people got off a few minutes from the ship and walked/ shopped back to port.

Will check back if there are any follow-up q's.

CG

[mlbcruiser]

Great info., cruzgryphon. That's what I was looking for. So we can stay at the Riu if we want? Super! (Well, that's if the cab back isn't too pricey and if there is TIME.) I assume the Riu will allow us to buy food/drink if you want since the Mi Dushi is affiliated w/them? (The reason I asked is because once in Cancun we entered one from the st. side just to see their indoor facilities. But we were directed OUT right away!)

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply!

[mlbcruiser]

By the way, did your Mi Dushi excursion stop at the Antilla?

[cruzgryphon]

By the way, did your Mi Dushi excursion stop at the Antilla?

Yup first stop was Antilla. It was my first experience with snorkeling at a shipwreck - so it was good from that perspective and I was glad I did it.

 

In hindsight, I would have gotten a little more out of it if I had looked it up on the internet prior to the cruise. Get a feel for what I was actually looking at, get some bearings etc. I was reading the other thread on the antilla and one consideration re: water quality, is the number of people snorkeling and diving on a given day...as you know, more is likely to be murkier.

CG

[mlbcruiser]

So true! I have snorkeled in a few places more than once (Cozumel and St. John, for instance, in the very same locations) and sometimes the conditions have just not been as good as at other times. Sometimes it depends upon if a storm has been in the area, the time of day, how bright the sun is (or isn't), and, like you mentioned, the number of people and boats in the area. (Esp. once a REALLY STUPID boater who could NOT get his anchor in, and kept retrying over and over again right in a little cove!)

[Lsimon]

In my experience: In Barbados run, do not walk, to the web site for Silver Moon and email them to see if they have availability for your date. They take very small groups on a good sized Catamaran for a fantastic day. The snorkeling ranges from Just Ok to fairly good depending on conditions, but the turtles are cool and while you'll find better snorkeling elsewhere in the Caribbean you won't find a nicer more laid back day on a wonderful boat with great food and drink and a friendly crew. Ask me how I really feel about them. We're heading for our fourth trip there on April 1.

 

To be honest all the day sails in Barbados go to the same turtle and snorkeling spot and it can get a bit crowded at these two spots at times. The difference lies in the boat, crew, food and what you do before and after these stops.

 

In Curacao we really liked shore snorkeling and our day at Playa Porto Mari park. Grate beach, nice reefs and a dive shop on site to rent gear from.

[terryde]

We did a snorkeling trip in Aruba a few years ago. Don't remember the name, but was a pirate-like ship and included booze after snorkeling. Took off from the beach near the Holiday Inn resort. We really enjoyed it. Had a rope to swing off to jump in the ocean too.

[mlbcruiser]

terryd, I think our ship is offering that one as one of their excursions. I've seen good reports on it someplace else, too. Someone w/kids wrote about doing it. Thanks!

[Lsimon]

Last trip someone mentioned the Tranquilo day sail after we'd left. I have it noted for our next trip there. Haven't done it but it looks nice.

http://www.tranquiloaruba.com/

[mlbcruiser]

Looks nice. But 6 hrs. means it might be tough to work in (and get back to the ship) before sailaway. (Coincidentally, I was just googling that area 2 days ago online! Saw those tanks on shore.)

[polodad]

In Aruba we did the Jolly Pirates for snorkeling. It was fantastic. does the 3 stops including the wreck & finishes with the rope swing. One of our best excursions ever.