Snorkel on our own?

[shunt66]

I am wondering if it is worth it to go on snorkeling excursions or if we should just snorkel on our own. I want to spend as much time as possible snorkeling, but I'm going to be with my 4 kids, so excursions can get expensive. Also, if I do plan excursions, should I only do one? I'm afraid we will be rushing around so much we won't have time to enjoy the island (at Disney World, we did it all, but no relaxation. Don't want that again).

[blue_water]

I don't know where you're going to or if you're looking specifically at off-the-beach snorkeling? Many islands have great spots for that, others do not. And excursions can be very competitive vs you taking taxis and renting gear, etc.

 

Where are you looking at?

[shunt66]

We're going to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Nassau.

[blue_water]

Sorry I can't help you with the first 2. Nassau isn't famous for snorkeling but I've read you can tale a bus to a couple spots and snorkel from shore. Check the various cruise line excursion descriptions and also shoretrips.com for ideas. Also search the ports of call/grand turk and half moon cay forums for better help. And look at your roll call forum for ideas too.

[JJPacer]

When you dock in Grand Turk, there's a nice beach where you get off the ship. There's "the wall" in Grand Turk that offers nice snorkeling, but you have to get to it by boat. If your kids want to play around with the snorkel gear, and don't care much for the quality of what they see, just hang out of the beach. There's also Margaritaville (I think that's the name.) very close to where you dock. Well within walking distance. It'd be a nice place for the kids, but no snorkeling.

 

Half Moon Cay doesn't have much snorkeling. We've been there many times, and tried snorkeling on the opposite side of the island from where the beach is. It really wasn't worth the effort. We don't take our snorkel gear on Half Moon Cay anymore.

 

Of your 3 ports, Grand Turk "the wall" would have the best snorkeling, but would require an excursion.

[shunt66]

Was gonna sign up for a snorkeling excursion in Half Moon Cay. Should I not waste my money? Also, what should we do there? My daughters are doing the horseback riding, but it's expensive, so I'm not doing it.

[JJPacer]

Are you talking about the Stingray excursion? Or are you talking about snorkeling. If it's snorkeling, IMHO I would save my money. If you haven't seen stingrays before and you want to see them, then you or your kids would probably enjoy it.

 

Half Moon Cay is beautiful. There are several excursions, including jet skis. There is plenty to do without paying for an excursion. There's hammocks, walking the beach, hiking, etc. We took a long walk and found some slave housing ruins. Also there's live music at the pirate ship. We're never bored here.

[CaliforniaAC]

I agree with Jacki, don't use your money on a snorkel excursion on HMC. The last time we were there we went over to the beach that is rustic for snorkeling (the one that you're not suppossed to go to), and it was very rough (and I mean get scrapped and cut up trying to get in the water rough). Not somewhere I would take my kids. HMC is my favorite place in the world. Enjoy the island as a beach day. Make sure you have your camera. Very beautiful and so peaceful. Get a clamshell, but walk down a bit. We always get a clamshell near the bathrooms that are down the island a bit. Away from the crowds, but near a bathroom and the path that takes you to the BBQ.

 

Are you bringing your own snorkel equipment? In Grand Turk you can walk to White Sands Beach, and there is some decent snorkeling off the coast there (look for the brown color patches in the water). There is also Gibbs Key. I haven't been there yet (I couldn't get enough interest for an independent excursion, and we were the only ship in that day), but it would be worth checking out on the internet.

 

Never made it to Nassau. The only cruise we were on that planned to stop there averted because of hurricane Wilma.

 

Have a great trip!

 

AC:)

[shunt66]

My kids wanted to know if we could just "chill on the beach" on one of the stops. Sounds good to me!

[mr2nr]

Has anybody snorkeled on your own at Key West? Thought this was a nice reef but hardly see anything about snorkeling there.

[Zubsin]

Has anybody snorkeled on your own at Key West? Thought this was a nice reef but hardly see anything about snorkeling there.

 

snorkeling on KW is by boat not shore but there are some nice reef snorkels out there.