Best snorkle on Southern Cruise

[Highlander30135]

We will be going on a southern cruise on the Carnival Victory in June. Tryiung to find out where the best snorkle sites are in the various ports. Ports include St Thomas, St Maartan, Dominica, Barbados, St Lucia and St Kitts. Other than the ship excursions - are there other locations that have great snorkling?

[LakeTravisJK]

I have that same question as Highlander. We are looking at cruising on the Victory in August and are snorkelholics. We have our own equipment and like to go to more secluded areas, but for now looking for suggestions to make the most of these ports: St. Thomas. St. Maartan, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Kitts. Any feedback helps.

[10X]

Of those ports, my favorite is St. Lucia. We go to Ti Kaye Resort. Island Divers, located there, have a package price for transportation, snorkeling, equipment and lunch.

 

http://www.tikaye.com/

 

We also like St. Thomas; Buck Island and Coki Beach.

 

Dominica; Champagne Reef.

 

Barbados; Silvermoon Catamaran for snorkeling with turtles.

 

Don't bother at St. Maarten.

 

St. Kitts doesn't always have snorkeling available but we have done a couple nice ship's excursions when we could.

 

We will be heading back to most of these places in January.

[CRUISERTN]

Definitely do not miss Champagne Reef in Dominica and Coki Beach in St. Thomas. Great snorkeling right from the beach at Coki. There really isn't a "beach" at Champagne Reef; it is a rocky area where you can put your stuff down and walk carefully over the rocks and into the water, and everything is right there as soon as you get in. Both are very fun places.

[Stevesan]

St Maarten is the least of the group for snorkeling, but Capt Alan always finds the best spot(s), and the "mud bath" is a hoot.

If you are as addicted to snorkeling as I am, and you want to put your face in the water at every port, you won't go wrong with Capt. Alan:

 

http://www.captainalan.com/challenge/challenge.htm

[HarryTravels]

Dominica has the best with St, Lucia second. that is unless you are in port from 9-6. If so, then St. John is by far the best. But you take a fast ferry to Cruz Bay , St. John and take a 3 hour snorkel outing around Hawks Nest, turle Bay, etc. This trumps all the others. You do have to get via the internet the small tour boats that take max of 10-12 snorkeler's schedule and ferry schedule to make it work but you will have just about the best the Caribbean has to offer.

[HAULNTA]

St. Thomas

Coki Point and Sapphire beach

Dominica

Champagne Beach

Barbados

Paynes Bay AKA Blue Monkey Beach

Get on any bus going to Holetown or Speightstown. Get off at COACH-HOUSE.

St. Lucia

Between the Pitons

Tour with Cosol

St Kitts

White House beach was my favorite

I had a great time with Royston's three beach snorkel

[cmtom89]

spent a week in St. Maarten last November and was extremely disappointed in the snorkeling all around the entire island. Very few fish and virtually no color. We stayed at Oyster Pond and snorkeled there 3 different times. I could count on my two hands the number of fish we saw - period!!

Did not know about Captain Alan, but hope you have good luck if you choose to snorkel there.

We did do an extreme zip line adventure at Loterie Farm that was awesome. And don't miss getting a scoop (or 2) of the Etna brand ice cream at most any local ice cream shop. It is the smoothest, creamiest ice cream I have ever eaten in lots of yummy flavors. We tried MANY of them!!

[travelite]

I have that same question as Highlander. We are looking at cruising on the Victory in August and are snorkelholics. We have our own equipment and like to go to more secluded areas, but for now looking for suggestions to make the most of these ports: St. Thomas. St. Maartan, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Kitts. Any feedback helps.

 

Like you, we bring our own gear and like to find areas that are not crowded. Upon your return, please post the areas you went to, the means of transportation used, and your impressions. We'll be in St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Thomas, etc. in Dec.

Nov. 2009, the best snorkeling, actually spectacular, was at Reggie beach, St. Kitts....along the rocks on the left. It is a hit or miss thing. I've been there other times and it was just the opposite. This beach tends to get crowded, but the area to the left around the rocks is quiet. Very few people snorkel there....I think because there is no equipment rental.

[travelite]

St. Thomas

Coki Point and Sapphire beach

Dominica

Champagne Beach

Barbados

Paynes Bay AKA Blue Monkey Beach

Get on any bus going to Holetown or Speightstown. Get off at COACH-HOUSE.

St. Lucia

Between the Pitons

 

Tour with Cosol

St Kitts

White House beach was my favorite

I had a great time with Royston's three beach snorkel

 

We will be cruising in Dec.

St. Thomas: We'll come into the new pier area in St. Thomas slightly out of town. Two years ago, we came into that pier, and it didn't appear that there was local bus service in the area. Do you know if the local bus has a route to the new pier area?

How to get to Coki Point?

St. Lucia: Do you have a contact for "Cosol?"

St. Kitts: Do you have a contact for "Royston?"

Barbados: Did you get the bus from the bus station that is down the waterside promenade a few blocks and then across the street on the left side? Once off the bus at Coach-House, where do you go to snorkel? How often does the bus run for the return to town/the ship.

[baldercash]

St. Lucia contact for "Cosol. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1211733

Not a great snorkel tour but I would do it again in a heart beat, you start drinking beer at 9:00am if you want, best island tour we have ever been on and you get to swim between the Grand Tetons and the boat ride to get there is worth the price of the tour.

St Kitts ask a cab to take you to the beach that you can see the Island of Nevis from, sorry we don't tend to take notes on were we go but this is a crazy beach a cross between a Rastafarianone retreat and a petting zoo ( the ships crew will likely show up there ) excellent conch fritters and grilled vegetables which included pumpkin and drinks at a reasonable price its at the end of the island and the road. Swimming is good and it seems that Nevis is close enough to swim too. Great scenery and vibe. Wife thinks the beach starts with a 'B'. Sorry!

St Thomas take the ferry to St Johns it will be a memorable day. Coki Beach has a snorkel reserve but not good and the beach is nasty, I understand they are trying to clean up the area because some tourist bus got shot up by drug gangs and a young girl on the tour was killed. Last time I was there, there was a fist fight on the beach and I freaked I could see it from the water ( snorkeling ) my wife was on the beach and the crowd stampeded. Won't be going back there.

[12vman]

Tour with Cosol

St Kitts

White House beach was my favorite

I had a great time with Royston's three beach snorkel

 

 

i really need to make a decision on snorkeling in St. Kitts, can any one give details? and strong opinions?

[travelite]

Tour with Cosol

St Kitts

White House beach was my favorite

I had a great time with Royston's three beach snorkel

 

 

i really need to make a decision on snorkeling in St. Kitts, can any one give details? and strong opinions?

 

I have always found St. Kitts to be hit or miss with snorkeling. Nov. 2009, Reggie Beach, along the rocks, was the best. I've also been there and saw little of interest. White House beach can be excellent, but last Nov. it was too stirred up and rough.

I usually get off the ship and start questioning taxi or van drivers about the snorkeling conditions around the island. I then negotiate for price and time frame. Most often they try to find others that want to go to the same area to keep the price reasonable. This is best done when you bring your own gear and have at least one other snorkeling mate.

[travelite]

Of those ports, my favorite is St. Lucia. We go to Ti Kaye Resort. Island Divers, located there, have a package price for transportation, snorkeling, equipment and lunch.

 

http://www.tikaye.com/

 

We also like St. Thomas; Buck Island and Coki Beach.

 

Dominica; Champagne Reef.

 

Barbados; Silvermoon Catamaran for snorkeling with turtles.

 

Don't bother at St. Maarten.

 

St. Kitts doesn't always have snorkeling available but we have done a couple nice ship's excursions when we could.

 

We will be heading back to most of these places in January.

 

Do you snorkel from the beach at Tikaye Resort, St. Lucia? How far out do you need to swim? Are there any strong currents to be aware of? Are there several different areas to snorkel there? Is there a good variety of marine life and coral?

[12vman]

 

St. Kitts doesn't always have snorkeling available but we have done a couple nice ship's excursions when we could

 

can you tell me what specific ones you went on? and a little detail?

I'd appreciate that.