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Roatan Excursion . . .

CandyCruiser1106

By CandyCruiser1106,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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AZ Ocean Lover

AZ Ocean Lover

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I vote for Tabyana Beach Break. This was my first ever excursion and probably the best snorkeling I've ever done (and have done quite a bit). It's a bit of a drive from the port but well worth it. I'm not a fan of pool swimming when you have an ocean right there but I know there are others that feel differently.

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ja_martin

ja_martin

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Debating between these two excursions - Tabyana Beach Break or Maya Key Private Island? Which one would you choose? They're both offered by Carnival!

 

The sand fleas ate me alive. Was in the water and on the beach and paid for it dearly. Tiny little red marks all over my arms and legs. The itching started a day or two later and lasted a week or so. I've never had itching like that before. I wanted to pull the skin right off of my body. I won't use a bug spray because I don't want those chemicals on my body. If you go to a beach, good luck. You can't see the sand fleas. Their nickname is "no seeums".

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Ship2Shore41

Ship2Shore41

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We were just at Tabyana Beach this last February and we had a great time. The weather was just right for that time of year. Great snorkeling and they have several of the locals out in kayaks, in case you want to venture out to deeper water. As far as the sand fleas go, neither myself or my wife had any issues with them. Trust me my wife is a magnet for anything that's looking for a meal:) Hope you have a great time and it's a beautiful island.

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SweetPea0517

SweetPea0517

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Maya Key was by far the best excursion we have ever done on any cruise ever! You get to snorkel for as long as you want & as many times as you want. We felt like this was so much nicer than being forced for everyone to do it at the same time. We felt like we were swimming in mountains of coral & there was many places to explore. We saw many different species of fish but that is just the luck of the draw. One thing we really liked was how calm the water was which made for a relaxing snorkeling adventure. There was a pool but that was not why we went. Enjoy which ever one you choose & make the most of it!

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evandbob

evandbob

Posted
Posted (edited)
The sand fleas ate me alive. Was in the water and on the beach and paid for it dearly. Tiny little red marks all over my arms and legs. The itching started a day or two later and lasted a week or so. I've never had itching like that before. I wanted to pull the skin right off of my body. I won't use a bug spray because I don't want those chemicals on my body. If you go to a beach, good luck. You can't see the sand fleas. Their nickname is "no seeums".

 

I'm usually a magnet for mozzies and no see ums, but the two weeks (1 wk in Feb, 1 wk in May) I spent on Roatan at Infinity Bay resulted in no more than 2 or 3 bites total, and I was there at 4PM and at dusk and walking the West Bay beach at night to go to different restaurants. Some evenings I used a DEET spray on my ankles and calves, other nights I didn't.

 

Sorry you got eaten, but glad I didn't. I would return for another week's stay in a heartbeat.

Edited by evandbob
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surfjock27

surfjock27

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There is a point at Maya Key when snorkeling, that it drops into the ocean.

It is the deepest color blue and SO beautiful.

It literally takes your breathe away to see the huge drop and schools of hundreds of fish swimming in colored packs.

Amazing.

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Raxter54

Raxter54

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There is a point at Maya Key when snorkeling, that it drops into the ocean.

 

It is the deepest color blue and SO beautiful.

 

It literally takes your breathe away to see the huge drop and schools of hundreds of fish swimming in colored packs.

 

Amazing.

 

 

Same thing at Tabyana. They call it the Deep Blue, and may cause a Nemo moment when you swim over it...

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surfjock27

surfjock27

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The best snorkeling we found was on the Jolly Roger Catamaran Sailing and snorkel. It was among the best snorkeling I've ever done, even better than Hawaii in my opinion. It was a really nice day aboard the catamaran, snorkeling, rum punch and lunch included. We had a blast.

 

We did the private island in Belize, Starfish Island, which we loved. We paired that with a morning snorkel, then they bring you straight to the island after the snorkel.

 

Whatever you decide, enjoy!

 

No vendors!!

 

It's an 11.5 acre private key.

You have the beach with some of the best snorkeling.

A pool.

Huge lounge deck.

Animal sanctuary/zoo.

Gardens.

Art Museum/Exhibit.

 

We paid extra and did a one on one interaction with sea lion and sea turtles.

It was a blast.

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John1928

John1928

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We've done both and I would recommend either. The snorkeling in both places is excellent.

 

The West Bay (Tabyana etc.) locations will have vendors (though less aggressive than some other places we've been) and have been fairly crowded (on shore) when we've been there, they're also a longer drive, but these options also tend to be a bit less expensive with more options for alacarte food/drinks.

 

Maya key has the animal exhibits/encounters, some additional educational materials, more shade, and no vendors. They also have a dock that runs most of the way out to the reef so you can get to the first drop-off pretty quickly and a marked path through the coral channels to get to the "outside" of the reef. That's not a particular concern for me, but I've been on tours where inexperienced people struggled to navigate through a reef without hurting it or themselves.

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Fitzget

Fitzget

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No vendors!!

 

It's an 11.5 acre private key.

You have the beach with some of the best snorkeling.

A pool.

Huge lounge deck.

Animal sanctuary/zoo.

Gardens.

Art Museum/Exhibit.

 

We paid extra and did a one on one interaction with sea lion and sea turtles.

It was a blast.

 

No vendors is a good thing!

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