Copacabana's @ Carlisle

[Medicmom]

We arrived in Barbados planning to go to Harbour Lights on Carlisle Beach. We took a cab there-- it was quite inexpensive I believe $4pp. We walked through the bar and onto the beach and were immediately set upon by beach vendors, beach chair pushers etc... We had planned on booking a snorkling trip to see the turtles, so we found the guy who was selling those, and came up with a price we both agreed on.... off we went. It was a BLAST. I was a little nervous to go in, but after some good natured ribbing by the crew of another boat out there (The WILD CAT) I finally got in the water.... and WOW it was fantastic!! Our boat from the harbour lights area was quite rickety, but our captain was very nice, and we were not that far from shore so if a swim had've been necessary we would have been fine:p. Our excursion did include a snorkel and mask, but no fins, no life jackets and we didn't get any rum punch or beer!! Talking to some other people on the Wild Cat boat, they received fins, life jackets, and unlimited rum punch.... and they paid $5 less then we did!!!! Oh and their boat was so cool looking bright yellow and new:cool:. They also told us that the chairs and umbrella down the beach from Harbour lights (half way between Harbour Lights and The Boat Yard, by a life guard tower) were about $5 cheaper, and came with 5 beer. So after exiting our boat tour, and paying our guide our allotted fee, plus a tip, he starts yelling at us that even though he had originally agreed on a price, it just wasn't enough, and our tip wasn't enough ($10). I tried to explain that we had agreed on the price, and then i also told him about our conversation with people from the other boat, and how they paid less for more..... he kept following us down the beach trying to get us to give him more money. We were finally close to the beach the other couple had pointed out.... and who should come to our rescue???/ The captains from the Wild Cat!! They talked with the guy, and then he took off without another word. The guys then went out on to their boat and came back with a HUGE bottle of rum punch for my hubby and I... and refused to even take a tip, let alone let us pay for it!! They said it was to apologize for the way we were treated in their beautiful country. WOW. We then arrived at the area of the beach we had been told about, and sure enough $15.00 for 5 beer, 2 chairs and an umbrella. It was called "COPACABANA's". It was wonderful. Our waiter Brian (if you do go there, please say Hi to him from the Canadians!!:p) was wonderful. He even threw in free Rum punch for me as i don't drink beer. He said that although the guys on the Wild Cat make a mean rum punch, his was better, and he kept trying to prove it!! lol

We would HIGHLY recommend that you give Copacabana's a try, instead of the more publicized Harbour Lights or Boat Yard. We were treated sooo well, the Rum Punch was excellent:D, and it was just so much fun. We would highly recommend the "Wild Cat" .... you can't miss it, Bright yellow and new... if you plan to snorkel with the Turtles.

We really, really loved Barbados-- Even with the one guy who tried his best to rip us off-- he was the exception. The hospitality, friendliness and help we got from everyone else we dealt with in Barbados made this one of our favorite ports!!

[WiscoGirl32]

Thank you for this review!! Did the rip off guy have a name for his "tour"?? I will for sure remember "The Wild Cat" and "Copacabana" :)

[April-in-NC]

Do you have any pictures of Copacabana or Wild Cat?

[Travelrd]

thanks for your review. i'll be in barbados next week on my princess cruise and it sounds like copacabana is the place to go. what would the taxi fare be from the dock? do they rent chairs and umbrellas or do you rent them from people on the beach? is it easy to get back to the ship from copacabana?

 

glad you had a great experience after all was said and done.

 

cheers

[hladygirl]

my dh and i last fall took the ncl copacabana excursion at the last minute. we were going to go on our own to harbor lights but had never been to this island and weren't comfortable. copacabana was great. no crowds. no wait for drinks and good beach. harbor lights and boat yard are right down the beach and were very crowded. copa also had great restrooms ,showers and changing areas.

[Travelrd]

Thanks for your comments hladygirl!

[cluelyss18]

We arrived in Barbados planning to go to Harbour Lights on Carlisle Beach. We took a cab there-- it was quite inexpensive I believe $4pp. We walked through the bar and onto the beach and were immediately set upon by beach vendors, beach chair pushers etc... We had planned on booking a snorkling trip to see the turtles, so we found the guy who was selling those, and came up with a price we both agreed on.... off we went. It was a BLAST. I was a little nervous to go in, but after some good natured ribbing by the crew of another boat out there (The WILD CAT) I finally got in the water.... and WOW it was fantastic!! Our boat from the harbour lights area was quite rickety, but our captain was very nice, and we were not that far from shore so if a swim had've been necessary we would have been fine:p. Our excursion did include a snorkel and mask, but no fins, no life jackets and we didn't get any rum punch or beer!! Talking to some other people on the Wild Cat boat, they received fins, life jackets, and unlimited rum punch.... and they paid $5 less then we did!!!! Oh and their boat was so cool looking bright yellow and new:cool:. They also told us that the chairs and umbrella down the beach from Harbour lights (half way between Harbour Lights and The Boat Yard, by a life guard tower) were about $5 cheaper, and came with 5 beer. So after exiting our boat tour, and paying our guide our allotted fee, plus a tip, he starts yelling at us that even though he had originally agreed on a price, it just wasn't enough, and our tip wasn't enough ($10). I tried to explain that we had agreed on the price, and then i also told him about our conversation with people from the other boat, and how they paid less for more..... he kept following us down the beach trying to get us to give him more money. We were finally close to the beach the other couple had pointed out.... and who should come to our rescue???/ The captains from the Wild Cat!! They talked with the guy, and then he took off without another word. The guys then went out on to their boat and came back with a HUGE bottle of rum punch for my hubby and I... and refused to even take a tip, let alone let us pay for it!! They said it was to apologize for the way we were treated in their beautiful country. WOW. We then arrived at the area of the beach we had been told about, and sure enough $15.00 for 5 beer, 2 chairs and an umbrella. It was called "COPACABANA's". It was wonderful. Our waiter Brian (if you do go there, please say Hi to him from the Canadians!!:p) was wonderful. He even threw in free Rum punch for me as i don't drink beer. He said that although the guys on the Wild Cat make a mean rum punch, his was better, and he kept trying to prove it!! lol

We would HIGHLY recommend that you give Copacabana's a try, instead of the more publicized Harbour Lights or Boat Yard. We were treated sooo well, the Rum Punch was excellent:D, and it was just so much fun. We would highly recommend the "Wild Cat" .... you can't miss it, Bright yellow and new... if you plan to snorkel with the Turtles.

We really, really loved Barbados-- Even with the one guy who tried his best to rip us off-- he was the exception. The hospitality, friendliness and help we got from everyone else we dealt with in Barbados made this one of our favorite ports!!

 

I was going to ask where Copacabana's is, but then I noticed Carlisle..where is this? In respect to the pier that is. I was going to do Payne's or Rockley, but this sounds like more fun. How is the snorkeling here?

[aimodels]

Carlisle Bay is on the west coast, just south of Bridgetown, about 5-10 minutes by cab from the cruise terminal.

 

There are 3 or 4 shipwrecks in the bay, all within swimming distance from shore, all in relatively shallow water.

 

The water is generally very calm, and a lot of the booze cruise cat's stop here for snorkeling and feeding the turtles.

 

Paynes and Rockley are awesome too... You can't go wrong with any of these beaches.

 

Cheers, P:)