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Noumea and Mystery Island Snorkeling - Morning or Afternoon better?


kayleighbayleigh
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Does anyone know if I'd have better luck taking the morning or afternoon snorkeling tours in Noumea and Mystert Island? I snorkeled last time I was in Fiji but it was mostly on the shallow reef near my resort and the tide was low by noon. However, I'm not familiar with snorkeling in New Caledonia and Vanuatu and this will be in deeper waters so I wasn't sure if maybe the afternoon would be better due to the sun being at its brightest (assuming conditions are clear). I'm also not aware of weather conditions. When I snorkeled in the BVI/USVI it would rain almost every morning but cleared up by mid-afternoon. I should also mention I'll be there last week of March-first week of April.

 

Also, these are the Lagoon Snorkeling (Noumea) and Advanced Snorkeling (Mystery Island) tours on Royal Caribbean. To anyone that has been on them, would you recommend them?

 

Thanks!

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  • 2 weeks later...

We were on the Explorer of the Seas South Pacific cruise a few weeks ago. Jan.13th sailing. We took the Advanced Snorkeling Tour booked through the ship on Mystery Island and would absolutely NOT recommend this trip. We are experienced scuba divers with over 350 logged dives so we are very comfortable in the water. We asked ahead of time why this was for "Advanced" snorkelers, and we were told that there could be some current. These guys took 8 guests out in their little tiny boat with unsecured wooden slats for seats and started the snorkel trip right at the opening to the reef. The current was stronger than any current we have ever experienced, nor would any dive operation we have been on have ever put us into those conditions. My husband and I actually dealt with the current "ok", although cruising along at that speed wasn't fun.....but others became exhausted in just minutes....one woman needed the life preserver thrown to her...others struggled back to the boat, coughing from swallowing water. My husband and I just let the current carry us along and the guide kept yelling to "slow down". Ridiculous. the visibility was poor and conditions so challenging...not to mention no fish...that we decided to hang it up and get back in the boat. Others did a little more snorkeling, but I'm not sure anyone saw fish except during the "fish feeding". When we got back to the beach, the crew (all who were very nice guys, I must say), couldn't handle the boat as people were getting off. They directed my husband to be the first and swing his leg over....but since the couldn't hold the boat steady in the waves, the boat moved and trapped my husband's left foot between the hull and the sand, while his right foot was still trapped in the boat. The crew kind of panicked and saw what was happening and moved the boat off his foot, freeing it. The crew member in charge did apologize to everyone that the current that day was much stronger than usual, but we watched them take the next group out 30 minutes later to the same spot! We told the Royal Caribbean shore excursion staff about our experience that night and that they should consider not using these guys, or at least to check them out for themselves, but they just said something about them "being cheap". We didn't snorkel in Noumea, so I can't comment on that.

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We were on the Explorer of the Seas South Pacific cruise a few weeks ago. Jan.13th sailing. We took the Advanced Snorkeling Tour booked through the ship on Mystery Island and would absolutely NOT recommend this trip...

 

Thank you so much for this! I'm definitely reconsidering now. The current may be a little better in late March but the lack of professionalism will still be the same. Going to have to find something else to do or maybe just stay on the island all day.

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When I asked the folks at the Royal Caribbean shore excursion desk why it is for "Advanced" snorkelers, she said because there can be strong current, so you need to be a good swimmer. Their first snorkel spot is at the cut in the reef, so that's why there would be current....all the time. THAT day, the current was so severe, that they should have cancelled the trip, but they didn't. Also...there were three snorkel spots....but you were supposed to do all three without coming back to their little boat.....would have been a very long swim. Everyone came back right away, though, because they were so rattled. Also....the third snorkel spot was where they say that you may see turtles...but they told us there was no guarantee and because our big ship was so close by, it was very unlikely we would see the turtles ......then why even advertise the possibility when you know there won't be any turtles? I won't even tell you how difficult it was to get.back in their boat using their little temporary two rung ladder, but I admit that my husband and are I are older and not in as good of shape as some of the others on the boat who had to use the ladder. For us, it was horrible....I had tried to check that out ahead of time weeks ahead, but the picture I was sent of a ladder had no resemblance to the one actually on the boat.

 

There are many operators selling Snorkeling tours from the beach at Mystery Island, and their boats are all quite primitive and "basic", but that is to be expected. I think some of those tours are run by the same company we went with, but they offered tours in calmer waters.....although nothing was calm that day and I heard other stories of people in trouble in the water on that day.

 

We almost took the Snorkeling Tour in the Lagoon in Noumea, that you are also considering, but opted for stuff on land that day. I kept trying to find someone who had done that trip to see how it was, but never found anyone.

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Well I cancelled this excursion last night, especially after reading more reviews about Mystery Island on TripAdvisor. A couple other people had the same story as you, and other people recommended just snorkeling on your own on the south side of the island where it's calmer and there's plenty of fish to see. They also said they offered tours on the island for much cheaper than RC so we will probably just wait til we get there to see if it's even worth it to go out :(

 

 

I'm hoping to find someone who has done the Noumea snorkeling so I have time to make other plans if it's just as unreliable. Royal Caribbean's website has no reviews on any of the shore excursions so there's really no way of knowing if they're worth it.

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  • 1 month later...
Kayleighbayleigh

Did you ever find anyone who has actually done the Royal Caribbean lagoon snorkel tour in Noumea?

I've booked...hoping I've made a good decision!! :)

 

No I didn't :( I ended up cancelling that and switched to the Amadee Island excursion instead. We leave in a couple days. I hope you enjoy it!

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We were in Noumea with Celebrity in November a couple of years ago.

We booked privately with Aquanature and had a fantastic snorkel experience. All equipment provided by boat, food available if you order in advance. We had a full day trip with others from the ship.

The guide swam with us, pointing out good things and bringing up sea slugs so we could have a closer look. She was a beautiful girl too which pleased my husband!

The ladder back onto the deck was easy to use.

Highly recommend them.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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