Fins an Flippers Island

[Getaway3]

I have seen only a couple of posts regarding Fins and Flippers. Has anyone been there recently? We will be there on Nov 27th on NCL Spirit and it sounded like a close (closer than West End Beach) reasonable place to visit. (we will only be there a few hours). Is there good snorkeling? Can you rent snorkel equipment? Is the boat ride still free? Is the day use still $20 per person? Any info would be greatly appreciated. :confused:

 

Thanks, Brenda

[sms30519]

There is some recent info on Fins and Flippers on this thread-

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=12240649#post12240649

 

and here is their website-

 

http://www.finsandflippers.com/en/index.html

[Getaway3]

Thank you so much for the link to their website. I have emailed them and hope to get a reply soon. Happy sailing!

Brenda

[snowcat]

I'm also interested in visiting Fins 's Flippers on our December trip to Roatan. Anyone been there recently? I looked at the website and it looks nice. Getaway3....if you visit there on Nov. 27, could you post some info on your return? Did you get any reply from your email to them? Did you make reservations ahead of time? Thanks anyone for info!

[beloum]

I also just made a reservation for 12/9 Legend cruise. I received a quick response with a confirmation letter. It looks as if there is only 1 account of someone who has actually been there. Would like to hear more first hand reviews of the resort. Anybody who has been there?

[cruise vs work/]

I am also thinking of going to Fins & Flipper Island. Anyone out there that has been? Would like to hear some input. Thank you

[TWINKIE1]

I just came back from Fins & Flippers on our cruise last week. Let me tell you it's the most beautiful resort I have ever seen. It is only 2 minutes from the pier. It is $20 a day for adults and $10 for kids. The lady will meet you and she is very friendly. Postcard perfect.

 

Now to get there, get off the boat, start walking you will have two choices to go, either to the left where all the taxis are or the left where people are walking into the town. Go to the right where the people are walking towards the town and when you hit the end you only option will be to go left or right, then go right. Keep walking through the town where they sell stuff, didn't like that part, too many people with signs and hitting up on you to buy the stuff. Keep on walking, ignore them. To the right in the distance you will see a pier with a white boat with a red sign that says Anthony's Key Resort. When you get the the pier you will see a little girl with a sign in her hand that says Fins & Flippers, go to the boat and they will take right accross to the other side, 2 minutes where a U.S.A. lady will meet you. You can use the pool and there is not a big beach area but a beautiful beach with lounge chairs. Rent snorkels, because you will see at the beach another pier that you walk on, go the the end and snorkel right off, The best I've seen.

 

When you dock you can see the back of the resort. Go to the front of your boat and you will see a building that's peachy color, and just look back towards the town and you will see the white boat that takes you over there. Just keep walking till you get to that pier, like I said I do not like when people get in your face. Oh by the way out of 8 of us, 2 were getting bitten by the sand fleas. spray yourself before you get there really good. and bring the spray with you.

[TWINKIE1]

I just re-read what I wrote about Fins & FLippers. Sorry, but I have serious sea legs and my thinking is all off. If nothing made sense, let me know, I'll check back.

[snowcat]

I was a little confused on the "rights" and "lefts." When you exit the gate from the ship's pier, so you turn right or left to walk to the Fins 'n Flippers boat? How far a walk is it to the shuttle boat? Did you make reservations ahead of time? You said the beach was small, but beautiful...was it sandy with good swimming? Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

[beloum]

Thanks for the info. Were the fleas really bad? How was the food/drink/service, etc.

[TWINKIE1]

Sorry, my head, mouth, and fingers are not working well ever since I got off the boat.

 

Okay, when you get off the boat you will have two options to go left for the tours and taxis or go to the right if you want to walk into town. Of course, go to the right and keep walking till you hit the end. Then go to the right again, stay on the right hand side of the road and look in the short distance you will see the only pier with the white boat with red lettering Anthony's key resort. It's a 2 minute walk and a 2 minute boat ride. You can see it right from you boat if your at the top of the boat. If you go the the fins and flippers web site, take a look at the aerial photo of the place. That building you see is the building I was talking about. Go to the front of your boat and you will see right there that building, that's where you want to go. Then turn your head to the left slightly and you will see the white boat at the pier, thats your boat ride (that's where you want to walk to catch the boat.

 

When we got there the lady greeted us and asked if we emailed her. So yes, you need to email her to tell her you are coming. The resort is only for cruise people and resort peopel. The food was excellent, tacos were great. On the web-site you can look at the food and prices which they had great prices.

 

The beach is small, its not like when you go to a beach and there's lots, and lots of sand and a ton of walking. The pic's on the website is exactly how it looks. There are workers everywhere cleaning the beach area & yes, you can swim. We rented the snorkels and it was beautiful and clear. If you just want to lay around and soak up the sun this is the place. There were other people there from our boat and they said the same thing "they found a diamond in Roatan"

 

Anything else let me know.

[TWINKIE1]

Sorry, BRING BUG SPRAY. My niece was fine at the pool, but once I took her to the beach area to walk around to look at the hermit crabs, she got bitten up. Any my sister-in-law was getting bitten up when she was sitting at the beach. Put the spray on before you get there and have it on you. I brought the the bug wipes, make sure it has DEET in it.

[snowcat]

Thank you very much for the first-hand information, Twinkie1!! It's very useful. I will email them right away and let them know we are hoping to spend the day there. I think it's just what we are looking for.

[Getaway3]

Thanks for all of your info. We leave in 3 days and Fins and Flippers is tops on my list. I never did get a reply to my email, but I didn't make reservations. If you make reservations do you have to pay online? I didn't want to pay in advance just in case it is rainy or windy the day we arrive (12-4). Was it crowded when you were there? I will post on this resort when we return. Thanks again for all your responses!!

[wsnider]

I just got back from Fins and Flippers (Carnival Glory Nov 17) and it was the highlight of the cruise! The island is postcard perfect and the reef is fabulous. We arranged a 45 minute class from the Roatan Marine Institute on the reef ecosystem, PowerPoint presentation on coral and fish, and had an escorted snorkel tour of the reef. I prearranged the package prior to arrival, which I highly recommend!

Yes, this reef is the most fantastic I've experienced. It is very mature with amazing coral, channels, mountains and walls. Some areas are so shallow that you are 3 feet from 4 ft brain coral.

Fins and Flippers just opened in October and the reef is unspoiled by humans. I hope everyone respects the reef, protects the ecosystem and does NOT touch the beauty. For beginners, I would practice at the beach prior to entering the reef. It is tough to navigate and there is fire coral.

For the lucky cruisers able to visit Roatan, Fins and Flippers is #1. They have a person at the end of the cruise pier with a Fins and Flippers sign. She can walk you to the private boat that takes you to the island. Easy to find. The boat leaves every 30 minutes and is a 5 minute ride to the private island. The island has a swimming pool, $2 beer, great food, and the snorkeling is fantastic! This is the Corona Postcard island.

We had 26 people in our group and everyone stated Fins and Flippers was the highlight of the cruise. We left with a new appreciation for the 1% of earth covered in reef. I would request the classroom instruction if you really want to learn about reefs. They don't offer it on the spot, but it is not to be missed.

I hope everyone can enjoy this island, but please protect the reef. It is unspoiled and I would hate to go back in a few years and see it damaged. Coral is live and touching it destroys these living creatures. For those who really want to see beauty...Fins and Flippers is #1. Enjoy this island. If you want to email with questions, please feel free. wendysnider6@yahoo.com

Wendy

[snowcat]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful info on Fins 'n Flippers. I emailed them to ask about reservations and received this reply:

 

"We are happy to hear that you are considering visiting our property

while here in Roatan! Reservations are not necessary and you can

simply catch the FREE shuttle over from our dock and if you decide to

stay, the cost would be $20 per adult and $10 per child ages 1-9. We

are asking for reservations simply to keep track of our numbers and to

have a representative meet guests at the cruise pier and escort them

to our shuttle dock as a courtesy. The shuttle operates every 15 to

30 minutes, depending on the arrival of guests. A staff member stays

permanently at the shuttle dock and has communication with the shuttle

captain and can call immediately should the shuttle not be there when

you arrive. The boat ride is only about 5 minutes, so its really

close, so close in fact that if you forget something on the ship, you

can go back aboard and come back in no time at all. The beaches are

sandy, not rocky. We should have more photos on our website in the

weeks to come, so please keep checking back. Please let me know if

you have any other questions."

 

Sounds like it has been getting good reviews. We are eager to check it out in person! I'll post a review when we return.

[hollywoodnc]

Thanks to one thread posted before our cruise (NCL SUN 12/8-12/15), I found an individual that had accidentally found a remote island, by the name of "Fins & Flippers".

 

You see this island when you dock (look for the cabana at the end of the deck).

 

I HIGHLY recommend you go to this excursion for a pleasant and inexpensive R&R. They also serve delicious food, and drinks at reasonable prices.

 

The souvenir shop is huge and very reasonably priced with plenty of items (clothing, swimwear, locally made art, trinkets, etc.) to choose from.

You can conceivably spend 3/4 of an hour looking at everything! The prices are really good here.

 

This IS truly an island paradise!!! The personnel do accept American currency for all purchases.

 

Out of 2000+ people on our ship, we were the only 2 on the island, for the first 3-4 hours!

 

This is an island paradise built on dead coral reef, but done tastefully. The web site does not do it justice, being that the island is covered in beautiful vegetation.

 

I was amazed to see how beautiful the island is. It is manicured, and is very neat. Beach chairs align the shore, and has plenty of shade if you desire this.

The pool area is beautiful and is clean with fresh (not salty) water.

There are plenty of loungers surrounding this lovely pool.

 

If you want to eat, there are plenty of tables w/umbrellas and chairs, which are covered by beautiful trees.

 

There are restrooms, and they to, are extremely clean.

 

The overall cost is $20.00, and you are tendered to the island by a friendly staff. You can snorkel off the pier (with the cabana), however during the time of our excursion, the tide was low, and it was difficult to navigate around the coral reef.

 

ONE disadvantage is the SAND FLEAS! Bring bug spray with deet, and apply liberally often! Sand Fleas bite, and you won't even notice the bites (at least I didn't). You will see the bites, but I didn't feel any sort of itching sensation?!

They leave a small red dot on you with a black center.

 

Finding this beautiful getaway is easy...

When you disembark, go out the main gate, and immediately turn RIGHT. Walk down the sidewalk, (passing all the people trying to sell items and services) and look for the next pier that has a thatched roof. There should be a sign by now showing Fins & Flippers. There is a pier here with a gate.

(A sweet young lady {recently engaged to be married} should be there to direct you to the tender.)

 

Google Fins and Flippers for information regarding this beautiful private island.

Better yet, either click on this link or Cut and paste it:

http://finsandflippers.com/en/index.html

 

You won't be sorry when you get here...RELAX AND ENJOY!

 

I am not affiliated with this island getaway in any way shape or form.

[lawdog111]

We went to Fins 'n Flippers the first week of December 2007 and could not have been happier with our decision. They were there to greet us immediately upon exiting the port area and quickly led us through a mass of vendors to our awaiting tender. It was maybe a 5 minute boat ride over to our own private island. Although we were on the Carnival Legend with about 2200 other people, we were thrilled to learn that we were two of only 12 people who had planned to spend the day at Fins 'n Flippers. This place truly is an undiscovered little gem. If you are looking for a relaxing day to spend in a beautiful setting where you are far away from the masses, this is the place for you. We were thoroughly impressed with the beautiful blue pool, delicious food and inexpensive beverages ($2 Coronas), extremely clean restrooms, and all the other ammenities that F&F had to offer. I was going to attach some photos for those who want to check this place out but my pictures didn't do the place justice. Suffice it to say, what you see on the Fins 'n Flippers website is exactly what you can expect. :D

[cooperhs]

We went to Fins 'n Flippers. We were extremely pleased with our decision. There is no reason to waste 30 minutes (each way) of a short port time to get to another beach. The beach is small (but the pool is fairly large). Everything is new and clean. We didn't eat, but the food prices were reasonable. Only 1 of the 4 of us got bitten up, but she always does.

 

The highlight is the snorkeling. I am a diver who was a little disappointed that I didn't dive at all on this trip. But the reef is PERFECT for snorkeling. Hundreds of fish varieties, and beautiful coral. Make sure to get directions so that you're not stuck in very shallow water. (It's simple, once you get in the water at the end of the pier, head for the white buoy.) Once you get through the passageway, you're swimming along a gorgeous reef wall, so you can get as close to the reef as you want. I went in 4 times to explore.

 

All in all, our best day on the cruise.

[Sunnymom02]

Did any of you make reservations online for this? Or did you just walk to the pier and told the boat driver to take you there? Also, do you pay once you get there?

 

Considering this as I do not want to take a long drive to get to a beach (even tho I heard West End beach is pretty). I have heard the taxi drivers are not to be trusted, so that means taking a ship excursion to the beach. It is cheaper to do the fins and flippers on your own.

 

Thanks

Mary

[TWINKIE1]

We did not make any reservation on-line, we just went to the pier. Took the very, very short boat ride. The lady met us at the pier and we paid with cash. Do it on your own. It's a short walk from the cruise boat to the fins and flipper pier. You'll see a girl hold a sign that says fins and flipper.

[patehren]

We recently went to Fins n Flippers on our Christmas cruise on the NCL Spirit. NCL changed the itinerary one week before sailing and we went from ½ day on Roatan to a full day on Roatan. I desperately looked for something to do as we had not planned to get off the ship on Roatan at all (Dec. 25th). Through this board we found Fins n Flippers. I was very skeptical, as it sounded too good to be true. It was every bit as good as their website said: brand new, beautiful, great snorkeling, great food, beautiful pool and COMPLETELY undiscovered. On Dec. 26th, besides our group of 6, there were only 4 other people at the resort. They were right at the dock (a 5 min. walk from the ship), gave us a wonderful water taxi ride over and took us back when we were ready to leave. It cost $20 per person for the day and lunch was very reasonable. Three in our group had never snorkeled before and enjoyed the experience tremendously! It was the best day of our cruise and I’d go back in a heartbeat!

http://www.finsandflippers.com/en/index.html

[klct39lg]

Hi Patehren,

Do you have to make reservations for this, or can you just show up at the water taxi?

[houstoncruisers2001]

What a great way to spend Christmas Day. We're planning on stopping there later this month.

[Sunnymom02]

My husband and I are considering going to Fins and Flippers. It costs cheaper than any "cruise sponsored" excursion to the beach. Also, it sounds like Tambaya (sp) beach is 1/2 an hour away from the port?

 

Is Roatan very mountainous? If so, do you feel you should have taken a ship tour to the beach that is 1/2 hour away to see the sights of the island? (and the view on top of the mountain)

 

I have heard that the port area is very poor and you are supose to get away from the port area. Is fins and flippers far enough away from all of that?

 

Also, is there a gift shop at fins and flippers. And if so, was is a good selection at a reasonable price for things? What kinds of things did the store offer (if there is one) Like t-shirts, magnets, crafts, etc. Thanks for all of the input. We are still uncertain what we are going to do at this island. Not really into Canapy tours, so not sure what other options there are. We are beach bums. I think we are doing beaches on all 4 of our stops:)

 

Thanks for the input.

 

Mary:D