Recently my husband and I went on our first ever cruise. We planned excursions at each port that would allow us to see and learn the most about each island we were stopping at in the short time we had available. We decided on venues that would not be laden with other “cruisers” as well as limited numbers of guests on each excursion. After much searching we booked a day trip around the island with Captain Bob based mainly on the many excellent reviews as well as fitting into the criteria we had decided upon.
One area of concern for me was how long it would take to walk to Captain Bob’s location and the return walk but true to his online words it is indeed a very short walk (10-15 minutes maximum, leisurely). The walk is not complicated, basically a straight line from the ship, down the street, through a restaurant to the water where Captain Bob waits for his guests. As we waited for all the guests to arrive, 15 in total, Captain Bob reviewed paperwork, payment and trip information with us. On this particular occasion Captain Bob was taking an “office work day” and in charge of the boat were his two able Captains-Brett and Tyrell. Captain Bob, Brett and Tyrell are all very aware of each cruise line arrival and departure times and ensure there is ample time to both make it to the dock on arrival as well as back to the ship after the excursion.
The boat that we travelled on was very new with the potential to be very fast, and I am sure we never seen it at its full power! It had both cushioned areas to sit as well as comfortable room to stand, hold on and let the wind blow through your hair. Refreshments on board were on ice, plentiful and ready to flow once we were on our way. Throughout the day both Brett and Tyrell shared knowledge about the island and were eager to answer any questions. The weather was perfect and all the guests on board were friendly, courteous and looking to enjoy the day.
During our outing we made four stops, two for snorkeling, one for lunch and one to relax. The first snorkel stop lasted about 40 minutes (just the right amount of time), the water was extremely clear and we were able to see many large turtles as well as a stingray. Unfortunately for us, at this location, our underwater camera decided it did not want to be a camera anymore! After lunch we stopped for our second snorkel by a rock outcropping and although there were other boats with scuba and snorkelers around it did not feel crowded. Instructions by the Captains to not venture to close to the rocks, where to watch for current and where to look for fish were well advised. The amount of time spend here was also perfect. Lunch was on a small island that required us to swim to from the boat, we spent some time in the water/on the beach until our meal was ready, ate, and then swam or sunned some more before returning to the boat. Three choices at lunch included ribs, chicken or fish, all of which seemed to be exceptionally good as there was a lull in conversation as everyone ate heartily. The other stop was at a small island were you waded to from the boat in water about waist high. It had a stand to buy drinks and a gift “souvenir” type shop. We did venture in and have a look around but only stayed a short time then returned to the area where the boat was anchored to relax in the water and have a beverage. On the way back to dock we made one more stop near the now famous Maho Beach Bay to see if any planes were landing or taking off. Some smaller planes were there and although nothing large came in it was easy to see how dramatic, awesome and frightening large planes coming in or departing there could prove to be. We docked with lots of time to make it back to the ship and wander through a few shops before returning to our ship.
Personally I was apprehensive about booking ahead for an excursion based solely on online information, even given the good reviews and positive feedback. In this particular case I can honestly say I couldn’t have imagined that the excursion could have gone any better (with the exception of perhaps reapplying sunscreen more frequently!!!). Captain Bob keeps the booking simple, the amount of guests keep the experience personal, Captains Brett and Tyrell are fun, safe and knowledgeable and make the trip memorable. Thanks Guys!!! We would recommend Captain Bob’s to anyone who is looking for something a little different, lots of fun and away from the crowd!
Capitan Bob Cass
in St. Martin/St. Maarten
Posted
Recently my husband and I went on our first ever cruise. We planned excursions at each port that would allow us to see and learn the most about each island we were stopping at in the short time we had available. We decided on venues that would not be laden with other “cruisers” as well as limited numbers of guests on each excursion. After much searching we booked a day trip around the island with Captain Bob based mainly on the many excellent reviews as well as fitting into the criteria we had decided upon.
One area of concern for me was how long it would take to walk to Captain Bob’s location and the return walk but true to his online words it is indeed a very short walk (10-15 minutes maximum, leisurely). The walk is not complicated, basically a straight line from the ship, down the street, through a restaurant to the water where Captain Bob waits for his guests. As we waited for all the guests to arrive, 15 in total, Captain Bob reviewed paperwork, payment and trip information with us. On this particular occasion Captain Bob was taking an “office work day” and in charge of the boat were his two able Captains-Brett and Tyrell. Captain Bob, Brett and Tyrell are all very aware of each cruise line arrival and departure times and ensure there is ample time to both make it to the dock on arrival as well as back to the ship after the excursion.
The boat that we travelled on was very new with the potential to be very fast, and I am sure we never seen it at its full power! It had both cushioned areas to sit as well as comfortable room to stand, hold on and let the wind blow through your hair. Refreshments on board were on ice, plentiful and ready to flow once we were on our way. Throughout the day both Brett and Tyrell shared knowledge about the island and were eager to answer any questions. The weather was perfect and all the guests on board were friendly, courteous and looking to enjoy the day.
During our outing we made four stops, two for snorkeling, one for lunch and one to relax. The first snorkel stop lasted about 40 minutes (just the right amount of time), the water was extremely clear and we were able to see many large turtles as well as a stingray. Unfortunately for us, at this location, our underwater camera decided it did not want to be a camera anymore! After lunch we stopped for our second snorkel by a rock outcropping and although there were other boats with scuba and snorkelers around it did not feel crowded. Instructions by the Captains to not venture to close to the rocks, where to watch for current and where to look for fish were well advised. The amount of time spend here was also perfect. Lunch was on a small island that required us to swim to from the boat, we spent some time in the water/on the beach until our meal was ready, ate, and then swam or sunned some more before returning to the boat. Three choices at lunch included ribs, chicken or fish, all of which seemed to be exceptionally good as there was a lull in conversation as everyone ate heartily. The other stop was at a small island were you waded to from the boat in water about waist high. It had a stand to buy drinks and a gift “souvenir” type shop. We did venture in and have a look around but only stayed a short time then returned to the area where the boat was anchored to relax in the water and have a beverage. On the way back to dock we made one more stop near the now famous Maho Beach Bay to see if any planes were landing or taking off. Some smaller planes were there and although nothing large came in it was easy to see how dramatic, awesome and frightening large planes coming in or departing there could prove to be. We docked with lots of time to make it back to the ship and wander through a few shops before returning to our ship.
Personally I was apprehensive about booking ahead for an excursion based solely on online information, even given the good reviews and positive feedback. In this particular case I can honestly say I couldn’t have imagined that the excursion could have gone any better (with the exception of perhaps reapplying sunscreen more frequently!!!). Captain Bob keeps the booking simple, the amount of guests keep the experience personal, Captains Brett and Tyrell are fun, safe and knowledgeable and make the trip memorable. Thanks Guys!!! We would recommend Captain Bob’s to anyone who is looking for something a little different, lots of fun and away from the crowd!