Is there time to go to Anguilla?

I contacted Capt. Bob about his booking his tour to Anguilla. He wrote back telling me that he does not offer that tour ti cruise ship passengers because it takes so long to get through customs and immigrations. He also said that the government is trying to stop operators that offer St. Barts and Anguilla tours because they have caused so many people to miss the ship.

Bluebeard Charters has some wonderful looking trips over to Anguilla for the day. I would love to hear other people's experiences who have gone to Anguilla for the day, especially if it was through Bluebeard Charters. Thanks bunches :)

I contacted Capt. Bob about his booking his tour to Anguilla. He wrote back telling me that he does not offer that tour ti cruise ship passengers because it takes so long to get through customs and immigrations. He also said that the government is trying to stop operators that offer St. Barts and Anguilla tours because they have caused so many people to miss the ship.

 

Bluebeard Charters has some wonderful looking trips over to Anguilla for the day. I would love to hear other people's experiences who have gone to Anguilla for the day, especially if it was through Bluebeard Charters. Thanks bunches :)

How can a government stop a private tour guide from taking cruisers to Angilla for the day? If people missed their cruises due to the company not living up to their promise you would think that it would have been discussed on here but I do not recall reading anything about that.

How can a government stop a private tour guide from taking cruisers to Angilla for the day? If people missed their cruises due to the company not living up to their promise you would think that it would have been discussed on here but I do not recall reading anything about that.

Anguilla is British, and as Americans always demand resiprosity, therefore Americans will be made to Q for up to 4 hours at Immigration. Thereby missing the cruise ship. :D

Anguilla is British, and as Americans always demand resiprosity, therefore Americans will be made to Q for up to 4 hours at Immigration. Thereby missing the cruise ship. :D

Not sure I understand.

Our US friends spent 4 days in Anguilla before joining us on vacation in St Maarten. They had no issues at all with Immigration travelling between Anguilla and St. Maarten this past November.

We all did the Scobbie Doo catamaran from St. Martin to St. Bart's and again no issues at all with immigration.

I think that the tour operator was just trying to scare the OP into not going and instead take his tour. :)

Not sure I understand.

 

Our US friends spent 4 days in Anguilla before joining us on vacation in St Maarten. They had no issues at all with Immigration travelling between Anguilla and St. Maarten this past November.

 

We all did the Scobbie Doo catamaran from St. Martin to St. Bart's and again no issues at all with immigration.

 

I think that the tour operator was just trying to scare the OP into not going and instead take his tour. :)

My post was sent tongue in cheek, as a payback for the wonderful immigration and border control people in Miami.

Or should one say "the rude, obnoxious and overbearing dullards", who consider making guests to their Country, shuffle in a queue for up to four hours totally acceptable, in the name of homeland security.

But then again, our friends in USA often remark that Miami is not actually part of the USA :)

Not sure I understand.

 

Our US friends spent 4 days in Anguilla before joining us on vacation in St Maarten. They had no issues at all with Immigration travelling between Anguilla and St. Maarten this past November.

 

We all did the Scobbie Doo catamaran from St. Martin to St. Bart's and again no issues at all with immigration.

 

I think that the tour operator was just trying to scare the OP into not going and instead take his tour. :)

Thanks for your input. Yes, it sounded like that to me too. The one thing that threw me off was that his website says he offers trips to St. Barts & Anguilla. His email said he just doesn't offer them to cruise ship passengers. I am wondering if it's that he doesn't go to those places often & it is just easier for him to stick with what he calls "Most Popular Tour".

I just checked out Scoobidoo after reading your post. It looks really nice and the slide on their boat looks fun. Did you have to take a cab to the checkin spot or was it walking distance from the cruiseport?

I just contacted blue safaris regarding their tour to anguilla. We will be in sxm in october from celebrity summit and want to get over to anguilla. I like boat tours with snorkeling/beach stops and have already done captain bobs last november. All of the other tour boats seem to do the same pattern - tintamarre, creole rock, pinel island, maho... Blue safaris tour to anguilla is the only one that appears different. I haven't read one bad review on TA and on cruise critic. Plus, I love how they don't charge me a fee for using paypal for a deposit.

When the excursion boats take people from SXM to Anguilla, they do have to check passports and be concerned about visa requirements for some nationalities - no visa is necessary for US, Canada, or UK passport holders - as best I know. The excursion boats do not have to physically stop in at Blowing Point or Sandy Ground but can handle it otherwise - I assume by cell phone these days - so it really is not a question of waiting in a line. It may be that Bob does not want the hassle of worrying about such issues for cruise pax who also are very often time limited in any event - the time in port for many cruise ships is not enough time for a regular excursion to Anguilla with one of the private operators. If you are going to be in SXM as a port of call long enough to go on one of the charters over to Anguilla waters (Prickly Pear or otherwise), then you can sign up and go, remembering to bring your passport with you on the excursion. If you can afford a private charter, then email any of the operators and work out whatever you want that works with your time in port - offer Bob enough money and I guarantee he will be happy to take you wherever you can go within the time you have - as will any of the others.

How can a government stop a private tour guide from taking cruisers to Angilla for the day? If people missed their cruises due to the company not living up to their promise you would think that it would have been discussed on here but I do not recall reading anything about that.

If the Anguilla authorities wanted to discourage day trips, for any reason, they could easily come up with restrictions, such as times groups would be permitted which might make it impractical for cruise ship passengers. Governments can do a lot of things.

Although, in this case, it does seem more likely that the operator simply wants to avoid the hassle of trying to insure that cruise ship passengers make their ship.

If the Anguilla authorities wanted to discourage day trips, for any reason, they could easily come up with restrictions, such as times groups would be permitted which might make it impractical for cruise ship passengers. Governments can do a lot of things.

 

Although, in this case, it does seem more likely that the operator simply wants to avoid the hassle of trying to insure that cruise ship passengers make their ship.

I interpreted the "government" as St. Maarten's and not Anguilla's or St Bart's. Seems really odd to me.

Scoobi Doo was 8:30-5:00 and its 45 minutes from the port.

You can get on Scoobitoo at Grand Case Beach Club later than it leaves Anse Marcel - if it leaves Anse Marcel at 8:30, then may 9 or so from GCBC. Either way, you cannot take the regular excursion if you are coming on Summit as Summit does not arrive at port until 9 am - cannot count on getting off ship until 9:15 at very earliest - get taxi - get to GCBC - just doesn't work. I do not know off-hand of any regularly scheduled boat excursions to Anguilla that would fit with a 9 am scheduled arrival. But, whatever your port time, you can email a bunch of operators and see what they can do for you, if anything.

Thanks for all the input. It looks like I will be chartering a cat for the day. Now just need to find others to join me in order to make it financially feasible, LOL. I'm working with Bluebeard. They got great reviews on TripAdvisor and the boat I'm hoping to charter is a racing cat that has been in a transAtlantic race prior to being used for tours. I think it will be a rather unique & very cool experience.

You can get on Scoobitoo at Grand Case Beach Club later than it leaves Anse Marcel - if it leaves Anse Marcel at 8:30, then may 9 or so from GCBC. Either way, you cannot take the regular excursion if you are coming on Summit as Summit does not arrive at port until 9 am - cannot count on getting off ship until 9:15 at very earliest - get taxi - get to GCBC - just doesn't work. I do not know off-hand of any regularly scheduled boat excursions to Anguilla that would fit with a 9 am scheduled arrival. But, whatever your port time, you can email a bunch of operators and see what they can do for you, if anything.

We did depart from Grand Case Beach Club 45 minutes from the port. Check in was 8:30. That was for a trip to St Bart's though.

For Anguilla the ferry from Marigot makes the most sense to me. Personally I like St. Maarten so much better than Anguilla so I wouldn't bother using my St. Maarten port day to go to Anguilla.

Although I very much enjoy Anguilla, and we almost always go to Prickly Pear and other Anguilla waters when staying on SXM, I personally would not go to Anguilla (land or sea) when in SXM as a port of call off a cruise ship. There is an old (but not that old) thread about a guy who did go to Anguilla (land) from SXM off a cruise ship - self-described as very adventurist - he enjoyed it, but I do not think he would recommend it for a "normal" cruiser.

What do you mean by normal cruiser? These are snorkeling beach tours that happen to go to anguilla. I like it that it doesn't go to the normal sxm boat tour spots where the snorkeling is subpar. I am more interested in hearing what you liked about anguilla.

I was referring to this thread.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2244574

Matt did a DIY to Anguilla when in SXM off a cruise ship - I do not consider that something for a "normal" cruiser to do. I consider it too much for the average person on a cruise to SXM.

As I said above, if your port times make it doable for a boat excursion to Anguilla - and you want to get to Anguilla for whatever reason - go for it.

We have spent many weeks on SXM and have gone over to Anguilla several times - once for a few days - we never have gone over to Anguilla when in SXM as a port of call on a cruise ship.

I would add that I do not think the off-beach snorkeling in Anguilla is as good as what we consider off-beach in SXM - including Green Cay and Pinel. Prickly Pear is OK but in my opinion it is not really any better than Green Cay for snorkeling.

What we like about Anguilla is that in good weather the beaches are absolutely beautiful - great beach bar restaurants - all with fewer people and fewer cars on the road. Never seen a beach vendor or timeshare sales person - maybe there are such but if so we have never seen one. There is enough history to interest me - very interesting little museum privately owned by fascinating individual in East End. Very relaxing and laid back.

I was referring to this thread.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2244574

 

Matt did a DIY to Anguilla when in SXM off a cruise ship - I do not consider that something for a "normal" cruiser to do. I consider it too much for the average person on a cruise to SXM.

 

As I said above, if your port times make it doable for a boat excursion to Anguilla - and you want to get to Anguilla for whatever reason - go for it.

 

We have spent many weeks on SXM and have gone over to Anguilla several times - once for a few days - we never have gone over to Anguilla when in SXM as a port of call on a cruise ship.

 

I would add that I do not think the off-beach snorkeling in Anguilla is as good as what we consider off-beach in SXM - including Green Cay and Pinel. Prickly Pear is OK but in my opinion it is not really any better than Green Cay for snorkeling.

I think Matt's 10-7 port time was also a plus in regards to missing the busiest traffic going to and from the ferry dock. That would be true whether using the one on the Dutch side or the one on the French side.

Thanks guys for all your responses. I am really looking forward to going especially since we will be in sxm from 9a to 7pm. Our excursion is not 10 hours, but it gives me a chance to roam the shops afterwards.

We did Blue Safari's Anguilla trip and we were dropped off right at the ship with literally minutes to spare at the end of the day. It was a very close call!

It was probably one of the best excursions we've ever done though. The beaches and water were gorgeous!

We've both agreed we'd like to spend a few days on Anguilla but never again as a day trip.

I was not familiar with Blue Safaris excursion to Anguilla - I checked on their website and they do offer a 6 hour 10am to 4pm (they would like earlier check-in) powerboat excursion to spots in Anguilla - you can check the website here: http://www.bluesafarisstmaarten.com/anguilla-splash.html

Departure is from Bobby's Marina which is close to pier.

We did Blue Safari's Anguilla trip and we were dropped off right at the ship with literally minutes to spare at the end of the day. It was a very close call!

 

It was probably one of the best excursions we've ever done though. The beaches and water were gorgeous!

 

We've both agreed we'd like to spend a few days on Anguilla but never again as a day trip.

We were looking at the Blue Safari Anguilla trip for January. Our port time is 8:00a-6:00pm. I was wondering how that time compared to your port times since you had only minutes to spare.

I have been to St Maarten before on a cruise and didn't really care for the beaches or anything really. Anguilla water and beaches look amazing.

Any other insight or things you would want to share about Blue Safari tours or Anguilla before we make a decision?

Thanks!