Tiki Hut Snorkel Excusion

[njcruisingmom]

My daughters (12 and 16) and I are trying to decide on an excusion for St. Martin. They noticed the Tiki Hut Snorkel excusion -- a tender takes you to a platform for some protected snorkeling and lounging. Has anyone ever done this? What did you think of it. Or can anyone recommend another excursion? We'll be on RCCL's Explorer of the Seas

[Bird710]

I recently did a snorkel trip with an independent dive shop and they took us to the same place that people were going from the cruise's tour (it was Carnival). So I don't know if this is the same place, but our snorkel spot was in Little Bay, the Tiki Hut was basically just a floating platform dressed up to look like a tiki hut. There was a sunken helicopter and submarine. We didn't actually go onto the Tiki Hut because I'm guessing it is private to those on specific tours.

 

I didn't think the snorkeling that that great. There weren't very many colorful fish or coral, the water wasn't very clear (could have just been the day we went), and I wasn't impressed at all by the helicopter or sub (I got the impression that they were both put there by man). Maybe a 12-yr old would be.

 

I'm not sure how comfortable your kids are in the water, but you are in deep water. There isn't a sandy shore. The shoreline is rocks. There isn't a place where you can stop and stand or be in shallow water. So if this is indeed the snorkel spot you are thinking about going to, that would be something to think about.

[estoyer]

We did a snorkel tour through Bernards Tours and we went to the same place by boat. We felt like asking for our money back but didn't. Although for a novice it maybe a good place to go but for a seasoned snorkeler it not worth the trip. There is no reef there only rocks and as stated the junk was sunk there to provide some sort of veiwing and reef structure to bing in some very small sea life. We would never go back to this area again for snorkeling.

 

Lots better places to snorkel

Earl