So Many Ports - Which Ones Are Must for Snorkeling

Hi,

We are on Reflection 14 night cruise Dec 7, 2018. It's our first time on 14 night cruise. I am excited and a little over whelmed. I had another post where I was asking for recommendations and didn't get many responses. I am also spending time reviewing each port on CC.

I do not want to do the same type of excursion at every port. Below is our itinerary.

I have couple questions:

1) Of the 7 ports which 3-4 would say are best for a sailing/snorkeling excursion?

Thank you

2) For the other ports what was your favorite excursion?

7 -Dec Fort Lauderdale

8 -At Sea

9 - At Sea

10-Dec ST. JOHNS, ANTIGUA 7:00 AM 4:00 PM

11-Dec BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS 9:00 AM 6:00 PM

12-Dec CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA 8:00 AM 6:00 PM

13-Dec ST. GEORGE'S, GRENADA 8:00 AM 6:00 PM

14-Dec AT SEA

15-Dec ORANJESTAD, ARUBA 8:00 AM

16-Dec ORANJESTAD, ARUBA 7:00 AM 6:00 PM

17-Dec WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO 7:00 AM 7:00 PM

18-Dec KRALENDIJK, BONAIRE 7:00 AM 3:00 PM

19-Dec AT SEA 20-Dec AT SEA

21-Dec FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

1. Bonaire

2. Aruba

3. Antigua

4. Barbados

St. Lucia, beach near the Pitons

Grenada, tour of the island including spice sampling, and a trip to the water falls. :)

We did a private tour in Barbados called Elegant Catamaran that was about the best tour we’ve ever taken. Small group, free flowing food and drink all day; the lunch was amazing home made local cuisine. We stopped at 2 locations to snorkel - one with turtles the other shipwrecks. They even emailed us all the photos they took! Totally worth the cost. Check them out!

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Fort Lauderdale.

My two thoughts

Barbados is the best island for a private full day sail/snorkel trip.

Many catamarans available that take small groups of 12-16 persons.

St Lucia Pitons snorkel by the beach is the worst.

Just my opinion after many visits to all these Islands.

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Don’t miss Woodwind in Bonaire and Calabaza in Bonaire. The others pale in comparison. ENJOY.

Correcting the above, Woodwind is in Bonaire and Calabaza is in Barbados. Agree with both of those as wonderful. Be sure to book Calabaza ASAP, they book up.

Correcting the above, Woodwind is in Bonaire and Calabaza is in Barbados. Agree with both of those as wonderful. Be sure to book Calabaza ASAP, they book up.

Our roll call mentioned Calabaza and I waited to sign-up so they filled up their first boat with 12 people. But they had another boat reserved for only adults for 10 more per person. I signed up for this but hope others from our Reflection sailing sign up. I feel better when there are others from our sailing on private excursions. I also signed up for Bonaire. They don't require payment but did send a confirmation letter.

Bonaire is a must for snorkeling! The entire coastline is a marine preserve with spectacular snorkling and diving. We're fans of Compass for an excursion there. Much, much smaller ship than woodwind, in fact it's a real sailboat. Last trip there were 4 guests and 3 crew, and we were under sail with no motor the whole trip.

We signed up with Woodwind in Bonaire (11/2018 cruise) based on other reviews on Cruise Critic. They were VERY responsive to my email inquiries. I am sure they will be as wonderful as everyone says.

Agree that Bonaire would be #1. Woodwind experience was great.

Barbados would be our #2. Silver Moon or Calabaza are both very good.

Aruba would be #3. We wouldn't bother with the others.

Agree that Bonaire would be #1. Woodwind experience was great.

Barbados would be our #2. Silver Moon or Calabaza are both very good.

Aruba would be #3. We wouldn't bother with the others.

Bonaire definitely #1 of those ports- we did Woodwind last fall and it was great.

Barbados on Silver Moon several years ago also excellent.

Aruba was ok

Curacao was ok

Grenada was really rough when we were there and that made it hard to see anything.

Have not done Antigua or St Lucia

Susan

Ditto what others have said.

#1 Bonaire - you don't have to take a tour just take the ferry to the island and snorkel off their beach. But Woodwind gets great reviews

#2 Barbados - great water and good for snorkeling with the turtles. We didn't take a tour but grabbed a boat from the beach. Either way works.

#3 Curacao and #4 Aruba.

Wouldn't bother anywhere else.

Hi,

 

We are on Reflection 14 night cruise Dec 7, 2018. It's our first time on 14 night cruise. I am excited and a little over whelmed. I had another post where I was asking for recommendations and didn't get many responses. I am also spending time reviewing each port on CC.

 

I do not want to do the same type of excursion at every port. Below is our itinerary.

 

I have couple questions:

1) Of the 7 ports which 3-4 would say are best for a sailing/snorkeling excursion?

 

Thank you

2) For the other ports what was your favorite excursion?

 

 

7 -Dec Fort Lauderdale

8 -At Sea

9 - At Sea

10-Dec ST. JOHNS, ANTIGUA 7:00 AM 4:00 PM

11-Dec BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS 9:00 AM 6:00 PM

12-Dec CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA 8:00 AM 6:00 PM

13-Dec ST. GEORGE'S, GRENADA 8:00 AM 6:00 PM

14-Dec AT SEA

15-Dec ORANJESTAD, ARUBA 8:00 AM

16-Dec ORANJESTAD, ARUBA 7:00 AM 6:00 PM

17-Dec WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO 7:00 AM 7:00 PM

18-Dec KRALENDIJK, BONAIRE 7:00 AM 3:00 PM

19-Dec AT SEA 20-Dec AT SEA

21-Dec FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

For snorkeling in Curacao, contact Mark Brown at Twin Divers and, if he is available, have him take you snorkeling at Playa Grandi. You will not be sorry. He will pick you up at the pier and bring you back. here is his website: http://www.twin-divers.com/eng/

Email him and call him. He is a great diver and a great guide, and a really great human being, but TERRIBLE at returning emails and phone calls, so just keep trying until he replies. Tell him Jim from Connecticut recommended him.

Here is the youtube video I took with him at Playa Grandi in May 2018:

Play it at 1080 res (highest) and crank up the volume.

11-Dec BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS 9:00 AM 6:00 PM

Check Silver Moon in Barbados https://silvermoonbarbados.com/

For snorkeling in Curacao, contact Mark Brown at Twin Divers and, if he is available, have him take you snorkeling at Playa Grandi. You will not be sorry. He will pick you up at the pier and bring you back. here is his website: http://www.twin-divers.com/eng/

Email him and call him. He is a great diver and a great guide, and a really great human being, but TERRIBLE at returning emails and phone calls, so just keep trying until he replies. Tell him Jim from Connecticut recommended him.

Here is the youtube video I took with him at Playa Grandi in May 2018:

Play it at 1080 res (highest) and crank up the volume.

Wow, that was so beautiful! Are you using an expensive video camera? We've only visited Eastern & Western Caribbean and on most of our snorkeling excursions have not seen too much. This would be awesome! Thanks

Hi,

 

We are on Reflection 14 night cruise Dec 7, 2018. It's our first time on 14 night cruise. I am excited and a little over whelmed. I had another post where I was asking for recommendations and didn't get many responses. I am also spending time reviewing each port on CC.

 

I do not want to do the same type of excursion at every port. Below is our itinerary.

 

I have couple questions:

1) Of the 7 ports which 3-4 would say are best for a sailing/snorkeling excursion?

 

Thank you

2) For the other ports what was your favorite excursion?

You could very likely have an entirely different itinerary by the time you sail due to hurricane damage. If you are prepared for that you will not be disappointed and still have a great cruise.

In St Lucia we met up with a college friend and her family who gave us a tour of their beautiful island. You can hire private tour guides (which we did on two other islands) for a similar type of experience. There was this wonderful restaurant on top of the hill just before descending into the valley at the foot of the Pitons. Great rustic island food and ambiance. There was a wedding going on downstairs. Also the views of the Pitons from the upper open air patio were spectacular.

The roads on St Lucia are very narrow, very winding and very hilly. Car sickness may be an issue if you are prone to it.

Wow, that was so beautiful! Are you using an expensive video camera? We've only visited Eastern & Western Caribbean and on most of our snorkeling excursions have not seen too much. This would be awesome! Thanks

Actually, I used a less than $100 waterproof Nikon point and shoot camera. I am glad you enjoyed the video. Contact Mark Brown and tell him I recommended him to you! he is a great guy, but don't believe a word he tells you about me!! kidding..he has a great sense of humor.

Of those ports, Bonaire is the best. I've just snorkeled from the shore there; probably would be even better on a sailing tour.

The amount of sea life at the beach near the Pitons in Saint Lucia with quite good; the beach part of that tour operators can use was pretty pathetic though. It was just one stop on our land and sea tour.

The other ports are just so-so, in my opinion although I have not snorkeled on Grenada. We enjoyed Calabazza on Barbadoes, but except for seeing turtles there was not much else for sea life.

I can only speak for St Lucia. I was there in April of this year for a week.

We stayed on the Atlantic side of the Island but took a tour which took us on a catamaran to the Caribbean side to snorkel near the Pitons. The snorkeling was average at best. I had better snorkeling in Key West, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman.

That being said, part of our tour included a land tour. The botanical garden was fantastic and our guide was so knowledgeable. Very interesting and beautiful. We also went to the volcanic mud bath and sat in the spring water from under the volcano and covered ourselves in sulfuric mud. Not sure if that is an option for your St Lucia stop, but I would do those and snorkel at other ports.

Barbados - Silvermoon .... small group, amazing day!

St Lucia - Cosol tours - great tour of the island, some snorkeling time at a beach near the Pitons - not the best snorkeling ever though

Bonaire is #1 snorkeling!

Compass, woodwind, Seacow awesome snorkel trips.

Another great way to snorkel is rent a golf cart at Bonaire Cruisers for the day. They provide a map an show you the best snorkel spots and highlights on the island.

It’s easy to snorkel from shore!

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Totally agree!

Bonaire is #1 snorkeling!

Compass, woodwind, Seacow awesome snorkel trips.

Another great way to snorkel is rent a golf cart at Bonaire Cruisers for the day. They provide a map an show you the best snorkel spots and highlights on the island.

It’s easy to snorkel from shore!

 

 

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Although I can't comment on snorkeling, I'll suggest that you do all of your shopping before arriving in the ABC islands which are incredibly expensive for the Caribbean...some even charge a VAT.

Bonaire for sure. [emoji4]