Anguilla Dolphin Swim and Maho beach same day?

My family and I are going on a southern Caribbean cruise in a few weeks. I'm really dead set on seeing Maho Beach where the planes take on/off and they're really dead set on doing the Dolphin swim in Anguilla. Would it be possible to experience both in one trip? Would we have enough time to?

We're debating between going through the ship at $180 per person - there is 4 of us, or going through this third party website at $150 per person + responsible for our own taxi and ferry costs. Does Royal Caribbean provide transportation? It seems like it's pretty break even if they do.

Ship: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=SMI3&DestinationCode=

Off Ship: http://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/St-Maarten-Anguilla-Dolphin-Swim-p/casmdolswim.htm

Our boat is scheduled to be in St. Marteen at 8am and departs 5pm. The ship sponsored one leaves at 10 am. Would we have enough time after the dolphin swim to head over? Would the ship sponsored tour group mind if we split off? It sounds like the ferry on the way back stops at Maho first before Marigot (where we're likely to be picked up/dropped off by Royal Caribbean.) In the cruise planner it lists the tour as lasting 4 hours. Other links outside the cruise planner list it as 6 hours.

Researching it seems like they give us a couple hours on a nice beach on Anguilla. But other people have reported not making it back until an hour before all aboard. How early would we have to leave that beach to make Maho and make it back to the ship on time?

Thanks!

My family and I are going on a southern Caribbean cruise in a few weeks. I'm really dead set on seeing Maho Beach where the planes take on/off and they're really dead set on doing the Dolphin swim in Anguilla. Would it be possible to experience both in one trip? Would we have enough time to?

 

We're debating between going through the ship at $180 per person - there is 4 of us, or going through this third party website at $150 per person + responsible for our own taxi and ferry costs. Does Royal Caribbean provide transportation? It seems like it's pretty break even if they do.

Ship: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=SMI3&DestinationCode=

Off Ship: http://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/St-Maarten-Anguilla-Dolphin-Swim-p/casmdolswim.htm

 

Our boat is scheduled to be in St. Marteen at 8am and departs 5pm. The ship sponsored one leaves at 10 am. Would we have enough time after the dolphin swim to head over? Would the ship sponsored tour group mind if we split off? It sounds like the ferry on the way back stops at Maho first before Marigot (where we're likely to be picked up/dropped off by Royal Caribbean.) In the cruise planner it lists the tour as lasting 4 hours. Other links outside the cruise planner list it as 6 hours.

 

Researching it seems like they give us a couple hours on a nice beach on Anguilla. But other people have reported not making it back until an hour before all aboard. How early would we have to leave that beach to make Maho and make it back to the ship on time?

 

Thanks!

I would think that a Royal Caribbean tour would have to get you to and from the excursion especially if it's on another island with immigration to pass through. The plus with cruiseline excursions is that they make sure you get back to the ship on time or have it wait for you so this makes me believe that transportation must be included. The ferry is at least $30 pp and there would be a taxi to and from Marigot which would be about $20 pp round trip so add $50 pp at least on the DIY excursion.

I can't see this excursion, especially with beach time included to take only 4 hours. I don't think that you have enough time to do both. Most people recommend that folks leave Maho around 2:30 for an all aboard time of 4:30.

With all that said choose Maho for the obvious reasons. It's unique to St. Maarten and your friends will love to hear about it and see your pictures. You should combine it with another beach or excursion though.

Edit: I just looked at your link and you do have land and water transportation and beach time included and it's a 6 hr tour. There is not enough time to do Maho and the dolphin tour in my opinion.

Thanks. Yeah it's seeming like it won't be possible to do both. I'm in a tough spot as my sister and family really wants to do a dolphin swim and on our itiniary - embark/disembark San Juan, St. Croix, St. Maarten, Dominica, Barbados, and Grenada, the only dolphin swim offered is St. Maarten. I of course want to see the gimmicky planes landing right next to the beach and get the adrenaline rush of it.

Thanks. Yeah it's seeming like it won't be possible to do both. I'm in a tough spot as my sister and family really wants to do a dolphin swim and on our itiniary - embark/disembark San Juan, St. Croix, St. Maarten, Dominica, Barbados, and Grenada, the only dolphin swim offered is St. Maarten. I of course want to see the gimmicky planes landing right next to the beach and get the adrenaline rush of it.

It may be gimmicky but no animals will be harmed. Go with gimmicky😊

I have an idea. How about a half day snorkel tour and Maho beach. My DD went to Tintamare island last week and swam and snorkeled with sea turtles in the ocean. She loved it! I have read about 1/2 day snorkel trips going there. She was on a land vacation so she did an around the island all day catamaran trip.