Excellence Catamaran

[Warrior64]

We will be in antigua off the Carnival dream, where do they pick you up?

[blue_water]

You will see a beautiful white two-decker cat at the end of your pier as you walk to the port. We walked by it thinking it was a private cat because it was so nice!
We had time to shop and sight see before the sail, I would recommend this cat sail to anyone.

[IslandToIsland]

Just back from our cruise on the Carnival Valor and the See Antigua by Sea Tour was one of our best days. I can't say enough about how beautiful the scenery was. The crew was great and the food was delicious. The only downside was the amount of jellyfish in the water while snorkeling, but nothing you can do about that. We had a fantastic day.

Warning....the rum punch will get ya!

[blue_water]

Originally Posted by IslandToIsland

Just back from our cruise on the Carnival Valor and the See Antigua by Sea Tour was one of our best days. I can't say enough about how beautiful the scenery was. The crew was great and the food was delicious. The only downside was the amount of jellyfish in the water while snorkeling, but nothing you can do about that. We had a fantastic day.

Warning....the rum punch will get ya!

Definitely one of the 2 best cats we've sailed with and the most gorgeous water color and coast

[Elcruzer]

How was the beach, did they have lounges & umbrellas?

[cruisingforthe25th]

Originally Posted by Elcruzer

How was the beach, did they have lounges & umbrellas?

We enjoyed the trip on the Excellence on our trip last week. Great excursion. Fun boat ride. Beach area is rather small - no chairs/loungers. Water was clear - could see to the bottom. crew fixed a great lunch - chicken, fish, beans & rice, salad, pasta. Watch out for the rum punch!!

[Warrior64]

How long do you get to snorkel and is it just one stop? Do you go to Hells Gate??...think thats what its called??

[Uncledaddy Deane]

Originally Posted by Warrior64

How long do you get to snorkel and is it just one stop? Do you go to Hells Gate??...think thats what its called??

Long snorkel stop at a small island, the beach itself is not to great but the snorkeling was pretty good. They serve lunch on the boat while at the island too. The boat has stairs in front so you can walk right down to the beach. Open bar with local beer on tap, rum puch and a few other choices, plus water, soda, ect.

[gliner]

Just did this tour last Wed. Too long....6 1/2 hours of pointing out the various hotels and resorts on the island as well as the beaches.

The beaches all look exactly the same, as do the hotels.

The snorkeling was done at an area of totally dead coral, complete with a conch shell dumping ground. Few fish to see as dead coral offers them nothing but a hiding place. As a scuba divemaster, snorkeling is extremely boring to me, but my GF does not dive, so she gets absolutely giddy. If she reads this she will choke me...LOL

However......the lunch was awesome! Very good chicken and fish as well as rice and beans, pasta and salad.

If you don't bore easily, don't over indulge in rum punch (several people had to be literally carried off the boat), then this is the tour for you.

I would rather eat my right arm off than do it again, but that's just my opinion.

[blue_water]

Wow - sounds like a totally different tour I think! This excursion is not 6.5 hrs long. And the only shore tour you do is as you approach Nelson's Dockyard and you motor through there and see the beautiful boats. On the sail back you're flying and it is a party.
We really enjoyed the excellent snorkeling with the turtles, as well as the views of the beautiful beaches and homes on the way past Long Island. excellent crew, the lunch and drinks are superb, and the boat is gorgeous.
The only complaints I've seen from folks who have taken this cat tour is the dash through the Atlantic on the way to Green Island. It's a rough sail (you are under sail) and very exhilarating. We really enjoyed that part of it and I think most folks did, actually. Don't get to really sail on these excursions like that very often.

[gliner]

Originally Posted by blue_water

This excursion is not 6.5 hrs long.

It most certainly IS 6.5 hrs long. As it is advertized on Carnival's own site.

http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/411023

The snorkeling area, pictured, looks wonderful on the surface, but the coral reef there is indeed dead. Bleached white and mostly broken, it is covered with bottom growing grasses. Healthy coral would not be bleached or covered by anything.

This excursion is great for some, but I was freaking bored to tears, having identical beaches and hotels pointed out loses it's appeal after 4 hours.

Watching the extremely drunk lady being carried off the boat was rather curious, especially since her husband was barely able to stand himself.

I think you might have confused this tour with another, as the catamaran is motorized, there is no sail.

[blue_water]

ah yes, this is not a sailing cat but a motored cat. Yes our Excellence tour was shorter. Did you go to Green Island or another snorkel spot?

[gliner]

Originally Posted by blue_water

ah yes, this is not a sailing cat but a motored cat. Yes our Excellence tour was shorter. Did you go to Green Island or another snorkel spot?

It was Green Island. Pretty place, but my guess is that there are much better places to go.