Catamaran Recommendations

We are looking for a recommendation for a family friendly catamaran day sail. We enjoy a tropical drink or two, but are not looking for a booze cruise.

Thanks!

You should consider a small private sail/snorkel. The last one we went on was the Rhumba sails but there are quite a few of them in St Thomas. They are not unreasonbly priced and they will customize to your group. Great food on the Rhumba also.

Thank you! We were hoping for a private charter, but our group is three families and it seems any I can find can only accommodate 6 people.

I remember looking at Rhumba, but believe that is the case with them.

There are seceral cat and monohull day sails to choose from at Vinow dot com, look under st Thomas and day charters

There are seceral cat and monohull day sails to choose from at Vinow dot com, look under st Thomas and day charters

Great website! Thanks for the tip!

Blue Water- I see you are our local expert for St. Thomas! Just wondering if you can tell me how long it takes to get to/from Sugar Bay Resort & Spa. Our cruise is scheduled to depart at 4pm, so I am guessing all aboard is at 3pm. I'm just assuming traffic will be crazy that time of day?

Great website! Thanks for the tip!

 

Blue Water- I see you are our local expert for St. Thomas! Just wondering if you can tell me how long it takes to get to/from Sugar Bay Resort & Spa. Our cruise is scheduled to depart at 4pm, so I am guessing all aboard is at 3pm. I'm just assuming traffic will be crazy that time of day?

Hi! Thanks, but I am not a local expert, we just visit STT and the BVI and like it there. I look to MS411 and others here for expert help.

For taxi to Sugar Bay it's about 20 min from Havensight and perhaps 30 min from Crown. We'd leave Sugar Bay around 2PM to be safe with the returning traffic, they can call a taxi for you in the lobby.

Hi! Thanks, but I am not a local expert, we just visit STT and the BVI and like it there. I look to MS411 and others here for expert help.

For taxi to Sugar Bay it's about 20 min from Havensight and perhaps 30 min from Crown. We'd leave Sugar Bay around 2PM to be safe with the returning traffic, they can call a taxi for you in the lobby.

Thanks so much! True local or not, I definitely appreciate your advice:)

"The Champagne Catamaran Sail to St. John" (offered as a shore excursion by a variety of cruise lines) is a good one.

Don't let the name confuse you. It's in no way a booze cruise. :D

LuLu

We are looking for a recommendation for a family friendly catamaran day sail. We enjoy a tropical drink or two, but are not looking for a booze cruise.

 

Thanks!

Please come back and let us know what you find. I had searched for one last year and all I came up with were sailboats (not catamaran).

"The Champagne Catamaran Sail to St. John" (offered as a shore excursion by a variety of cruise lines) is a good one.

Don't let the name confuse you. It's in no way a booze cruise. :D

 

LuLu

Excellent recommendation!

Please come back and let us know what you find. I had searched for one last year and all I came up with were sailboats (not catamaran).

You'll find both cats and monohulls, monohulls are common but there are cats listed at Vinow dot com and through the various cruise line excursions that are very popular.

The champagne cat recommended by LuLu is a great choice.

You'll find both cats and monohulls, monohulls are common but there are cats listed at Vinow dot com and through the various cruise line excursions that are very popular.

The champagne cat recommended by LuLu is a great choice.

Thanks! Sorry....should ave indicated....I had researched for private /independent cat for our group. We try to avoid the cattlemarans.

Just as an aside, catamarans are usually larger and do take more people. If you are trying to get a more intimate experience, you may need to "settle" for a monohull.

I know that most of the smaller sailboats were "kicked out" of the cruise ship excursion fleet because the bigger boats are easier for the cruise lines to deal with. If you search for St. Thomas day boat charters on Google, you will find a good number of independent owner/operators who will be happy to entertain you. ;-)

Thanks! Sorry....should ave indicated....I had researched for private /independent cat for our group. We try to avoid the cattlemarans.

Yes a cat will mean more people regardless of whether it's independent or offered through the cruise ship. There are some excellent cat sails in the BVI that take fewer people, but as noted in the VI you'll find most of these are monohulls. Yacht Nightwind and High Pockets are two that are noteworthy if you want to please your group :)

Just as an aside, catamarans are usually larger and do take more people. If you are trying to get a more intimate experience, you may need to "settle" for a monohull.

 

I know that most of the smaller sailboats were "kicked out" of the cruise ship excursion fleet because the bigger boats are easier for the cruise lines to deal with. If you search for St. Thomas day boat charters on Google, you will find a good number of independent owner/operators who will be happy to entertain you. ;-)

Yes a cat will mean more people regardless of whether it's independent or offered through the cruise ship. There are some excellent cat sails in the BVI that take fewer people, but as noted in the VI you'll find most of these are monohulls. Yacht Nightwind and High Pockets are two that are noteworthy if you want to please your group :)

Not true in the other islands. For example, we have had some great private/independent cat trips in Tortola, Antigua, st Lucia, and Babados. That we're comfortable with 4-16 folks. More than 20 gets too crowded.

Not true in the other islands. For example, we have had some great private/independent cat trips in Tortola, Antigua, st Lucia, and Babados. That we're comfortable with 4-16 folks. More than 20 gets too crowded.

lol skiergirl! You are missing the point! 😃

Thank you! We were hoping for a private charter, but our group is three families and it seems any I can find can only accommodate 6 people.

I remember looking at Rhumba, but believe that is the case with them.

We are going to spend a week in STT in October and I just found New Horizons. They seem to be reasonably priced and can accommodate more than 6 I believe.

http://newhorizons.daysails.com/index.php?l=t&pageStewardLink=2873

Yes if a monohull and more people is an option we enjoyed New Horizons. Sails out of Sapphire Marina, usually departs 10AM and returns 4PM. Their internet rate is lower. They typically moor off Honeymoon Beach in Caneel bay for snorkeling and a fab lunch, love their nooners and green bean salad. Then a mooring at Great St James for snorkeling and a return to Sapphire. Good crew and a nice day. You are tacking in open water anf that's a neat experience if you haven't done it before.

We are going to spend a week in STT in October and I just found New Horizons. They seem to be reasonably priced and can accommodate more than 6 I believe.

 

http://newhorizons.daysails.com/index.php?l=t&pageStewardLink=2873

I just contacted new Horizons, it looked like their excursion was awesome, unfortunately our ship does not arrive until 10:00 am and they leave at 9:00 am so they quoted me a private charter price of almost $2800. I am having a hard time finding a catamaran charter that doesn't leave at 8 or 9 in the morning.

"The Champagne Catamaran Sail to St. John" (offered as a shore excursion by a variety of cruise lines) is a good one.

Don't let the name confuse you. It's in no way a booze cruise. :D

 

LuLu

My DH and I have signed up for this excursion through RCCL for our upcoming Oasis cruise. We have never snorkeled-- can anyone offer any more details about this excursion, and/or photos? We'd appreciate any tips as we are a little out of our comfort zone on this one. ;-)

Our ship doesn't get in until 10 so we are looking fora half day option. We only have 5 people and the expense of our own boat is more than we'd like. Any thoughts on a smaller group excursion? I have done some research but the websites don't make it easy to figure out how many passengers they take!

Thanks!