Opinions on good snorkeling for this itinerary?

[zombiehunter]

I know it's subjective but if anyone has any thoughts I'd love to hear them from those who've done it 🙂

I'd love to see a shark or 3 and I don't want to be rushed so I'm thinking the shorter port days are probably out. 

 

https://www.ncl.com/cruises/7-day-caribbean-round-trip-orlando-great-stirrup-cay-and-dominican-republic-ESCAPE7PCVPOPSTTTOVNPIPCV?destinations=4294949420&numberOfGuests=4294949461&sortBy=featured&autoPopulate=f&from=resultpage&itineraryCode=ESCAPE7PCVPOPSTTTOVNPIPCV

[1025cruise]

You might want to ask on the ports of call boards for your ports.

[zombiehunter]

Just now, 1025cruise said:

You might want to ask on the ports of call boards for your ports.

 I was also worried this wouldnt be the right sub forum haha 

 

Thanks

[zqvol]

All the snorkeling on that itinerary is just meh. I’ve snorkeled all those stops.

[Mlake09]

We have snorkeled at these ports multiple times but have never seen a shark. Last year we did see a spotted eagle ray in the USVI and a puffer fish at GSC, and we counted ourselves lucky for that!
 

We had great snorkeling just outside

of Coral World on St. Thomas, USVI. Depending on how long your stop is, you could also consider the ferry to St. John-

the USVI National Park has the only underwater trail in the entire park system and that was pretty neat when our son was younger!

 

On the Tortola, BVI stop last year, we went to The Baths and saw a handful of fish- it wasn’t great but was still interesting to see the rock formations! 
 

Puerto Plata- look into Sosua Beach. It’s a drive from the port and we haven’t done it, but it’s on our potential list. There are a number of independent tours that go there too.

 

GSC- we have had some luck out at the rocks on the far side of the last beach over, but also on a few trips when it wasn’t crowded, we saw a ray right in the big beach swimming area.

 

Good luck!

 

[DrUrsula]

YES! 

We just did this itinerary in December. 

In Tortola, take the Rebel\Yell excursion to Jost Van Dyke.

We snorkeled with sea turtles, rays, a vast assortment of amazing fish of all sizes. Most go to this venue to drink . We went for the water and it was all ours. There is another member  somewhere here on CC describing what we also experienced. We are SCUBA divers and the proximity and assortment of sea life here was some of the best we have seen in years. There were three other people in the water and no one near us!!!

YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR JOST ASAP as it sells out fast! 

 

St Thomas has terrific snorkeling as well. We took a small group private-ish tour through Viator.

We had 3 stops and loved them all. Our NCL tour to ST John was cancelled and we did much better scheduling last minute .

 

I dont like DR so I have nothing to add.

YOu may see a fish or two at GSC.

 

But Jost Van Dyke at Tortola and St Thomas /St John had great snorkeling

but no sharks.

 

As for time- We left the ship before 7am and took a 20 minute ride from the dock to Jost . We had breakfast and hit the water. We snorkeled until "last Call". The sea turtles were absolutely stunning. Its a short day but the BEST excursion we have taken in the CAribbean in ages.

 

 

(If you want sharks- GO to Bimini! Shark snorkeling galore!!)

 

 

Edited March 6 by DrUrsula

[LongIsland-Cruiser]

Honestly, I would just bring your own snorkel and do your own exploring.  

[snorklinbarb]

19 hours ago, DrUrsula said:

YES! 

We just did this itinerary in December. 

In Tortola, take the Rebel\Yell excursion to Jost Van Dyke.

We snorkeled with sea turtles, rays, a vast assortment of amazing fish of all sizes. Most go to this venue to drink . We went for the water and it was all ours. There is another member  somewhere here on CC describing what we also experienced. We are SCUBA divers and the proximity and assortment of sea life here was some of the best we have seen in years. There were three other people in the water and no one near us!!!

YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP FOR JOST ASAP as it sells out fast! 

 

St Thomas has terrific snorkeling as well. We took a small group private-ish tour through Viator.

We had 3 stops and loved them all. Our NCL tour to ST John was cancelled and we did much better scheduling last minute .

 

I dont like DR so I have nothing to add.

YOu may see a fish or two at GSC.

 

But Jost Van Dyke at Tortola and St Thomas /St John had great snorkeling

but no sharks.

 

As for time- We left the ship before 7am and took a 20 minute ride from the dock to Jost . We had breakfast and hit the water. We snorkeled until "last Call". The sea turtles were absolutely stunning. Its a short day but the BEST excursion we have taken in the CAribbean in ages.

 

 

(If you want sharks- GO to Bimini! Shark snorkeling galore!!)

 

 

Nice comments.  Where at Jost did you snorkel?  Some have reported that with all the boats out it was not easy to even find places to swim.  So wondering where the reef is or is it rocks like at Norman Island?  

 

Lots of sharks at Little Cayman, Turks & Caicos, San Salvador Bahamas but not in the regular Caribbean ports.  Bonaire has great diving & snorkeling but very rarely a shark.

When I see a few sharks snorkeling I normally hightail it back to the boat!