Capitan Bob Cass

[Freckles_51]

Thanks for the info dreadnought101.

 

If anyone has done both, is getting up the ladder on Capn Bob's boat any more difficult than at Grand Cayman stingray sandbar? I had no problem with that.

 

So when you got off the boat to go to the beach/lunch did you have some kind of waterproof bag that will fit camera, towel, hat, sun lotion, money for those rum punches that someone mentioned :p etc?

 

Somebody mentioned no restroom onboard, understandable, so over the course of the day, how restroom opportunities are there? :o

[posmanti]

We're looking forward to this on 4/14 - coming off the Fantasy.

 

Quick question: how wet does it get on the boat? I have a rather big DSLR camera that I enjoy using, but don't want to ruin. Is it safe to bring in a camera bag? Thanks!

[dreadnought101]

When you're on the boat going from place to place you can keep bags in the dry locker in the front of the boat. There's a bit of spray as you go along but you can easily keep your camera dry without putting it in the locker (wrap it in a towel or plastic bag?) I'd also recommend keeping it outside because there's loads to see and we even saw a school of dolphins on the way back (our guide said that he only sees them every 2-3 weeks and the other boats in our group missed them so you may get lucky...)

 

As for getting on and off the boat for lunch. The tall people (me!) got off first then people handed their things to me and I kept them above water while they climbed into the water. And yes bring money for the rum punch, its really good there! (I think it was Grand Case that we stopped at for lunch)

 

Restroom wise it depends what you need if for! Obviously you've got the sea during the snorkel stops but if you want a real toilet then it's just pinel island and then the lunch stop.

Edited March 18, 2015 by dreadnought101

[kampinguru]

We had a fabulous day on the water with Brett and Laura as our hosts. Brett was an excellent captain and went out of his way to make sure our day was a wonderful one. He explained a lot about the island and his boat was well maintained and comfortable for all. Life vests for everyone on board and the 35 foot Scarab boat with triple 300HP motors had lots of room for all. The snorkeling with the turtles gave us an up close experience with these wonderful sea creatures. We sat at Maho beach to watch the jets land at the airport and watching these huge jets just overhead was great. Captain Bob Cass operates a top notch operation and is just a 10 minute walk from the cruise pier.

[Kristalght]

1) How wet does it get on the boat? Well, if it rains you're in trouble. I personally wouldn't bring it. In my opinion, St Maarten was the least attractive island. I didn't bring my DSLR and I didn't miss it at all (nor would I have risked ruining it with salt water). Also, on the 4 boat tours we did on our week, not a single person brought a nice DSLR. If you really want a camera, I'd suggest looking at one that's waterproof.

 

2) Getting on/off the boat: Absolutely don't do this tour if you have any mobility issues. Both my husband and I are in our mid 30s and are very active. Where we stopped for lunch was delicious, but you had to get out of the boat at a spot that the water was over my head (and I'm 5'7). We also were lucky and had a really tall guy who ferried our stuff to us once we could touch the bottom. Also, there is no bathroom on board so if you don't get on/off at the stops you are SOL.

 

This was my least favorite excursion of the entire and I definitely wouldn't do it again. After seeing the turtles in Barbados and the amazing boat trip in Antigua, this one wasn't worth it. The only highlight was the pod of whales with calves that we saw. This was something our Captain had only seen once in his nearly 20 years doing this (We had another guy, Captain Bob was on the 2nd boat). Oh! And feeding the iguanas. That was awesome. If you are going for beach time or snorkeling, this was not the best trip. The one beach stop we did was SUPER crowded and you couldn't find beach space for all the resort guests.

[phillygirl2400]

The snorkeling was fun, but getting off the boat to walk/ swim to the beach for lunch was not. I'm 5'8 and the water was above my shoulders. Standing in line soaking wet, with no towel, to order a drink. Not fun. Very uncomfortable.

 

 

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[Freckles_51]

We have booked Captain Bob's tour :D For me, it is for the speed boat ride, lunch on the beach and the beaches on the islands. We do not snorkel and I am not a good swimmer but can swim short distances as long as the waves aren't crashing over me. :eek:

 

Soualiga (Captain Bob's) web site advertises the tour as good for swimmers and non-swimmers so I imagine they would have a way to get non-swimmers to the beach if the boat cannot go to shallower water.

 

Not sure about the issue of getting back on the boat, I do not have mobility issues but not strong either, although I can climb up ladders so am trying not to be too concerned. :o I have scrolled through hundreds of pictures on Trip Advisor and looked through some of the videos on YouTube, and have found nothing showing anyone struggling to get on the boat so I am not going to lose sleep over it and instead very much looking forward to the tour :)

[LiquorPig]

The boat is equipped with the styrofoam noodles for snorkeling ease. You can grab a couple for the short swim to and from the boat. We just completed our second excursion with Soualiga Tours. Captain Bob the first trip and now his equally capable , patient and entertaining son Captain Brett.

Bob is administrative now. Captain Brett is the real deal.

We were on the boat 3/21/2015 2nd time- WHAT A TOTAL GAS!!!

[travelingreids]

The boat is equipped with the styrofoam noodles for snorkeling ease. You can grab a couple for the short swim to and from the boat. We just completed our second excursion with Soualiga Tours. Captain Bob the first trip and now his equally capable , patient and entertaining son Captain Brett.

Bob is administrative now. Captain Brett is the real deal.

We were on the boat 3/21/2015 2nd time- WHAT A TOTAL GAS!!!

 

My husband and I TOTALLY agree with you. We went on two Princess Cruises last year where St. Maarten was one of the stops and we did Capt Bob's boat trip on both. We did not think it could get any better, but we were wrong - second one was even more spectacular. Capt Bob is a WONDERFUL Capt and he trained his son Brett VERY well. They are very helpful and careful with anyone on the boat that has any fear or problems getting off/on the boat. This excursion was very much the highlight of our cruises. Don't miss out on it - you will not be disappointed!!!!

[Baton Rouge Grandma]

My husband and I TOTALLY agree with you. We went on two Princess Cruises last year where St. Maarten was one of the stops and we did Capt Bob's boat trip on both. We did not think it could get any better, but we were wrong - second one was even more spectacular. Capt Bob is a WONDERFUL Capt and he trained his son Brett VERY well. They are very helpful and careful with anyone on the boat that has any fear or problems getting off/on the boat. This excursion was very much the highlight of our cruises. Don't miss out on it - you will not be disappointed!!!!

 

We were on the NCL Dawn and since I had been to St. Maarten (land tour) the previous month, we definitely wanted to "play" in the water this time. I am so glad that we found Capt. Bob's boat adventure. His son, Brett, and his beautiful girlfriend showed us a fantastic time..........we all had a blast. My 80 year old sister had no problem getting in and out of the boat!! Thanks again for a great time!! :D

[bsk997]

How's the rocking on the speed boats?

We have a 7yr old daughter that gets motion sickness pretty easy and don't want to do this tour if it'll get her nauseous.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks!

[phillygirl2400]

Extremely rocking many times during the excursion. A little too much for old folks like us, but probably fun for a kid. Make sure she takes Dramamine.

[bsk997]

Thanks for your response phillygirl.

I was afraid this was the case. My daughter gets real tired and sleepy when she has to take Dramamine. :(

 

I think we'll take Bernard's Tours while in St Maarten instead. She really wanted a day of snorkeling but she wouldn't have fun being sick.

[I'm sailing away ...]

I have had better luck with Bonine. It doesn't make me sleepy. Maybe she should take a smaller dose, like a half of a tablet. Snorkeling will wake her up if she feels sleepy- it's so exciting!

[phillygirl2400]

I like Bonine. It tastes better.

[Pelican1]

I highly recommend booking with Captain Bob and Soualiga Destinations. My husband and I took a day trip in May 2015 and had a blast with Captain Matt aboard Rhum Runner. Don't worry...be happy...is what comes to mind from the initial booking to the ice cream at the end of the tour. We are not swimmers but every effort was made by Matt to make us comfortable in the water and getting on and off the boat. Just book it! You will be glad you did.:)

[NJreality]

Thank you Captain Bob for a great excursion. I would highly recommend your excursion and look forward to our next visit to St. Martin when we will again book your tour. Captain Matt was excellent.

[WestCoastCruiser123]

My ship is only in port 1-8 pm. Has anyone done an afternoon tour with capt bob?

[travelingreids]

We have done Capt Bob tour twice (well worth the money), however to my knowledge his tours are all day tours, unless he has added a new half day.

[tigers2425]

I have had better luck with Bonine. It doesn't make me sleepy. Maybe she should take a smaller dose' date=' like a half of a tablet. Snorkeling will wake her up if she feels sleepy- it's so exciting![/quote']

 

We just take a bottle of ginger capsules. Find them at any drug store or vitamin shop. This is a natural way to combat sea or motion sickness. Take a capsule with breakfast and one with dinner. Works like a charm

[slb19258]

Hi,

We are booked on this tour coming up. How much do you tip?

Thanks,

shelley

[jeditden]

We did $20 bucks per 2 people I believe

 

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[slb19258]

If you're hesitant about booking an excursion outside of what the cruise line offers, don't be. This was by far the highlight of our vacation. After all the rave reviews I decided to book a tour with Captain Bob. My kids (ages 12 & 16) and I took a short walk to the marina in the morning. The weather was a bit windy and we were warned things could be a bit bumpy. Due to the weather and itinerary change Captain Bob offered us a refund. However, we decided to pop a Dramamine (not sure we needed it, but better safe then sorry right?) and adventure on. Glad we did. We only had couple of hard knocks. Nothing major. It was FUN. I was embarrassing my daughter by laughing so much. Bret was our Captain. What a great guy. It really was like we were hanging out on our buddies boat for the day. We were well supplied with beverages. The food was awesome. I think my son could have ate another full plate of ribs. We saw tons of fish and eels snorkeling. Some people saw a turtle but we missed that. My son loved jumping from the boat. Quote from my surly 16 year old "this is by far the coolest thing we've ever done!" The beaches and water were supreme. We were back a hour before the ship left. We will definitely take this tour again!

 

Visited July 2015

Edited July 28, 2015 by slb19258

[CruisinJZ]

The day cruise was excellent - free water, beer -- good snorkeling, very good lunch, great captain (Derrick?) . We went approximately July 7, 2015 with my wife and 2 kids and we all agreed it was one of the best excursions we have had.

[oliviaik]

This really is one of the best tours out there. We actually had a different captain than most people mention. I don't know how to spell his name, but it was something like Raddik. He was from the Czech Republic and looked like a Beach Boy. He had the best accent ever and was a great captain! He was very knowledgeable about the island and surrounding islands and helped up have a great time!

 

I did get very motion sick, though. Actually, the boat is fine while it is moving. It is bumpy, but that just makes it a million times more fun. It is when it is stopped that the rocking is an issue. I got so motion sick before lunch that when I got onto the beach I still couldn't shake the feeling that the beach itself was rocking. I finally went inside the bar and ordered the best virgin pina colada I have ever tasted and then I started to feel better. I think I had been getting overheated and dehyrated without realizing it. I had been drinking pop all morning, so I didn't feel thirsty, but I certainly felt better after cooling down. So, I recommend drinking some water throughout the day even if you don't feel thirsty.

 

The beaches were just beautiful. There are tons of iguanas on the little island. There are sea turtles. There are airplanes. It is just wonderful. I have video footage from the excursion at the end of my vacation video linked in my siggy.