Which Excursions Are Hal's Best In Eastern Caribbean?

[many cruises]

We are cruising on the Westerdam in November...our 1st HAL cruise. Our ports are: Grank Turk, Tortola, St. Maartin, & Half Moon Cay. If you have cruised with HAL before, which of their excursions are the best in these ports? (We aren't beach people...we prefer to see the islands more than spending the day at the beach.) ;)

[Sayyadina]

Of the ports you are visiting, we've only been to HMC. We did the kayak excursion and enjoyed it. The lagoons were fabulous, the water so clear. And you could close your eyes and imagine you were the only people on the planet, it was that quiet at times. We are saving up to buy our own kayaks to do local trips. :) Of course, the water won't be nearly as nice...

 

BUT the guides were no help at all. They may as well have put us in the kayaks, pushed us out, said "Have a great time, see you in an hour!" and left. My husband and I knew how to handle a kayak and basically did our own thing without the group, but another couple didn't and had an awful time. They were in a tandem (2-person) kayak, and when they decided to switch places she cut her knee and he fell face first in the water. The guide was 'helping' at the time. It was very obvious there was no training in guiding or kayaking or teaching others to kayak, etc.

 

Bottom line: if you know how to kayak and want a nice, inexpensive, hour paddle around some beautiful water, do it.

 

One of our tablemates did the deep see fishing and no one caught anything. But he did say the guide was very knowlegable, and of course that's how it goes with fishing. He enjoyed the trip.

[Stevesan]

In Tortola: Partouche. They aren't a HAL tour, but they're four star all the way:

 

http://www.patouche.com/

 

*SUNDAYS *

Join Patouche Charters’ Crew as we Race Shamwari to

Norman Island. Snorkel the Caves and stop in the Bight for lunch.

(You will be responsible for taking care of your own lunch).

This day begins with a 10am departure with a return no later than 4pm

MONDAYS * WEDNESDAYS * FRIDAYS

 

Join the crew of Shamwari as we sail you to Norman and Peter Islands.

 

You will snorkel 3 outstanding sites between the 2 islands. Lunch will be served on board, at our second site, as you relax and enjoy the beauty of the BVI. This day begins with a 9:15am departure with a return no later than 4pm

TUESDAY * THURSDAY *SATURDAYS

 

Join the crew of Shamwari as we sail you to Cooper Island and

Virgin Gorda. You will snorkel 2 outstanding sites and spend the afternoon enjoying the world famous Baths. Lunch will be served on board, as you relax and enjoy another amazing view in the BVI.

This day begins with a 9am departure

===========================

 

We are within walking distance of the cruise ship dock - about 15 minutes. And, it is pretty easy to find. All you will need to do is to take a left and another left. A left once you exit the cruise ship dock to get you to WaterFront Drive, (you will see the Government building on the left and then a Columbian Emeralds store once on the corner of WaterFront Drive). Once on WaterFront Drive, take another left and follow this road until you reach our location. On this portion of your walk, you will see a Pussers Restaurant on your right hand side and a ferry landing on your left. A bit further up you will see our Old Government House and Museum on your right and then a little park on your left. We are just around the corner. You will then see our Patouche Charters sign on the left, or water side. Please come through the office and then the boat is just in the back.

 

If you decide to take a taxi, which will be a two minute ride, please tell them Patouche, which is next to the Pub Restaurant.

 

with a return no later than 4:00pm

[many cruises]

Thanks for your replies. We would love to go to the French side of St. Maartin, on a HAL excursion, but need some recommendations from people who have been there & done that. Also, we would like to hear pluses & minuses about the Grand Turk HAL excursions. ;)

[bobpatj]

I took an art tour, on St. Maartin. Wonderful! We visited several artists at their home/studios and enjoyed seeing their works. I don't know if this tour is still offered, but it was a good one.

[RuthC]

I took the hop-on/hop-off shuttle in Grand Turk, and would recommend it as a good way to get into town. Unfortunately, the sky opened up when the bus got to the park, so walking around became impossible.

[AirGorilla]

Thanks for your replies. We would love to go to the French side of St. Maartin, on a HAL excursion, but need some recommendations from people who have been there & done that. Also, we would like to hear pluses & minuses about the Grand Turk HAL excursions. ;)

 

If I were going to the French side of St. Martin, I would rent a car in Phillipsburg and just drive up. Make sure to have lunch in Grand Case. The drive up to the French side is beautiful.

[mjmagee]

The catamarran excursion in tortolla that goes to a snorkel site and a beach is one of the best snorkeling excursions I have ever been on. They weather was a bit rocky so they had to change their usual route but the snorkeling site they chose was so beautiful, ...it was like being inside an aquarium! The beach was private and neat too. Marilyn

[Stevesan]

Thanks for your replies. We would love to go to the French side of St. Maartin, on a HAL excursion, but need some recommendations from people who have been there & done that. Also, we would like to hear pluses & minuses about the Grand Turk HAL excursions. ;)

 

We took HAL's tour in Y2003. The only problem was in the timing. Check with the shore excursion desk to find out if they've adjusted the times. These were my immediate comments:

 

Booked through the ship, it’s titled “French Connection Sea & See”. It’s a bus transit around the island interrupted by a shopping stop in Marigot and tour of coral reefs at Grand Case’s Creole rock. Creole Rock is purported to be the best snorkeling area around the island. I saw enough while on the glass bottom boat to suggest that snorkeling would be very marginal here. The bottom is mainly rocks with some coral and common fish such as Sergeant Majors and Wrasses. Lots of huge Uni, however, made my wife’s taste buds tingle. This was aboard the “Seaworld Explorer’, an underwater moving observatory. The tour was a good overview of the island, but the guide went around the island bassackward, stopping in Marigot first. Most of the stores in Marigot follow the French tradition of closing between one and two o’clock which is when we were there, resulting in a wasted forty-minute stop. That was too bad because there are some nice shops in Marigot.

[Bookish Angel]

Short, but exhilarating ride!

[gizmo]

Tortola

Hal's "Sea and See" has been recommended to me by a couple of people.

[BM64]

I know you say you are not each people but I must agree with Mjmagee, that catamaran sail and snorkel in Tortola was awesome. Some of the best snorkeling we have ever done, There was even great snorkeling right off the beach. I would so recommend this one!!

[many cruises]

Thanks everyone. We're going to book HAL's See & Sea excursion in Tortola...this sounds like what we're looking for. Don't you just love these boards!!