Best snorkeling excursion for west Caribbean?

We will be setting sail this August on the carnival Legend. This will be our 2nd cruise! We will be going to Cozumel, Belize, Mahogany bay & Grand Cayman. We just bought a GoPro so we can make a video of our cruise & share it with our family. I want to plan an excursion for snorkeling. It's looking like either Cozumel or Grand Cay will be our best bet but I would love to know what the best excursions are for snorkeling so I can make a good decision since we can only afford to buy 1.

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We always go with this company in Grand Cayman:

http://www.nativewaywatersports.com/our-tours

Do not rule out Roatan. Some of the best snorkeling!

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Have you thought about the sting rays on Grand Cayman?

On Grand Cayman, Captain Marvin's does a great snorkel and stingray excursion. I have done it twice and both times it was a highlight of the trip.

Ok, I will check all of these out! I am hoping for one that does snorkeling & something else.

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I don't remember seeing the one with sting rays on grand cayman. I have heard about it a little bit though.

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If you are concerned about cost, you can snorkel from shore at either Tabyana Beach or Maya Key in Roatan (Mahogany Beach). If you want the best snorkeling, look into Caulker Cay from Belize. Check out both on the Ports of Call page for more info.

My vote...mahogany bay is pretty awesome...but so is cheeseburger reef in Grand Cayman.

Either one will be awesome. We saw lots of great fish etc. in both. I think I probably saw more in Roatan, but we went away from Mahogany bay with a dive trip. I did see my first (2) sea turtles in the "wild" and it was awesome.

Belize is rated number one in the Caribbean for snorkeling and diving.

Belize for sure:

1. Ambergis Cay

2. Goff's Caye

3. Caye Caulker

Some of the best snorkelling and dive locations in the world.

Check out Moby Dicks for Stingrays in Grand Cayman....great tour operator.

Cozumel.....don't miss Nachi Cocum

IMHO

The outer reefs from Cay Caulker in Belize. Finest snorkeling I have ever done.

Roatan>Belize>Grand Cayman

We have snorkeled a LOT in the western Caribbean...Tabyana Beach in Roatan wins hands down! Absolutely incredible!!

The outer reefs from Cay Caulker in Belize. Finest snorkeling I have ever done.

DITTO!!!!!!

Best snorkeling I've had was this past May at the reef a short boat ride from Caye Caulker. We did a private with Ivar Marchand and highly recommend him.

We did Maya Key at Roatan but was disappointed. The coral near the pier entry was brown and the place so crowded that it was hard getting through the narrow path in the coral. Next time we will do private to Tabyana for snorkeling.

Snorkeling at Cozumel is easy to do on your own. Money Bar is ok but we thought Chankanaab was better. A lot more varieties of fish.

We did the "USS Kittiwake - Sunken Ship & Reef Snorkel" offered through Carnival in Grand Cayman. It was the best snorkeling I've ever done. Also have done Maya Key in Roatan and it was very good too but be careful the coral is very sharp there.

We will be setting sail this August on the carnival Legend. This will be our 2nd cruise! We will be going to Cozumel, Belize, Mahogany bay & Grand Cayman. We just bought a GoPro so we can make a video of our cruise & share it with our family. I want to plan an excursion for snorkeling. It's looking like either Cozumel or Grand Cay will be our best bet but I would love to know what the best excursions are for snorkeling so I can make a good decision since we can only afford to buy 1.

 

 

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If you decide on Grand Cayman I HIGHLY suggest you contact Cayman Eco Adventures! Great, great, great!

If you decide on Grand Cayman I HIGHLY suggest you contact Cayman Eco Adventures! Great, great, great!

Is this the one with Kevin? If so, I can also highly recommend him. Did this last Sept and there were only 6 of us on the boat. It was our favorite day for that cruise. Wished our ship had gone back to Caymans this past May because we would have used him again.

We will be setting sail this August on the carnival Legend. This will be our 2nd cruise! We will be going to Cozumel, Belize, Mahogany bay & Grand Cayman. We just bought a GoPro so we can make a video of our cruise & share it with our family. I want to plan an excursion for snorkeling. It's looking like either Cozumel or Grand Cay will be our best bet but I would love to know what the best excursions are for snorkeling so I can make a good decision since we can only afford to buy 1.

 

 

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Just my suggestions from what we have done.

Cozumel: Check out Chankanaab or The Money Bar.

Belize: Ambergis is supposed to be amazing (although I haven't went yet and plan on going in November)

Roatan: Either West Bay (any of the places along the beach there) or Maya Key.

Grand Cayman: If you want to do the Stingray Sandbar (which is an amazing experience) they also usually take you snorkeling there at the "National Park" out in the middle of the ocean too.

I have reviews from our days at Chankanaab (2 of them), West Bay, Maya Key and also the Stingray Sandbar...all listed in my signature line with TONS of pictures. :)

We will be setting sail this August on the carnival Legend. This will be our 2nd cruise! We will be going to Cozumel, Belize, Mahogany bay & Grand Cayman. We just bought a GoPro so we can make a video of our cruise & share it with our family. I want to plan an excursion for snorkeling. It's looking like either Cozumel or Grand Cay will be our best bet but I would love to know what the best excursions are for snorkeling so I can make a good decision since we can only afford to buy 1.

 

 

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At grand cayman, you can walk to a good snorkeling area. You can take your equipment or rent it there. Called Eden roc and we walk the 2 blocks or so every time we go there. You can always see big silver tarpon there.

Leaving the ship, turn right and follow the water as it curves around the harbor. You will come to a tiny beach area called Eden roc There is a restaurant right there as well. Right behind the restaurant is a real dive shop with a large concrete patio. You can rent equipment, get a locker, and go in from their platform free.

Very inexpensive so maybe you can do that and pay for an excursion at another port.

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I also vote Belize! Had a great time on Goffs Caye.

Maya key was ok, but lots of dead coral and not many fish. Also saw Dora the explorer diapers in the water. What a shame.

I just wanted to thank all of you for your replies. I took note of every single one of them & went on a search to find what excursions we wanted to book. I did have some trouble finding the excursion in Belize for Caulker Caye & the one for Tabyana Beach in Roatan. Are either one of these listed on Carnivals website for the excursions, or could there possibly be another port that they also dock at at these places, or did y'all go through a private company? I didn't see the one for Caulker Cay anywhere. It was recommended 4 times & I really wanted to find it! I did however, find one for Tabyana Beach but I don't think I remember it saying anything about snorkeling, or maybe it was just a small portion of that excursion. I haven't booked anything yet.. Can anyone help me with Caulker Cay?

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Chelsea,

Now that my cruise changed from Eastern to Western, I am more interested in the snorkel trips here on this thread (I've done Western 3 times already now). The last two trips to Belize weren't so good for snorkeling so I am looking to find a better excursion. I also need to check out Chakannab (??) in Cozumel.

When I find some trips I will definitely post.

Steve

Steve, do you wish to share which excursions you didn't like in Belize? Supposed to be many great places for snorkeling there. Just curious.

Yes I will. I need to go through the Carnival excursions to find it and possibly one or two I will consider. I will also see if there are any "private" ones that may be better and will toss those out here too. I just switched to a Western Carib cruise yesterday so I need to get my homework done.

And for all the snorkeling I've done in the Carib, Belize is still #1 for beautiful coral. I have a few pictures which I've had printed and hanging in the house.

I will be fortunate (so far) to get into some additional "new" snorkeling spots next March: Costa Rica and Bonaire. Bonaire is supposed to be a great spot also. Time will tell.

Steve