Best snorkel tour.....??

[Qcruise]

Group of three couples first time here sailing on Oasis in November....can we get any ideas of the best snorkelling (sailing) tours in St. Thomas/St. John that are offered by RCI....?? We've noticed that many require seperate charge for a fairy transport ....?? We appreciate any help.....thanks

[mitsugirly]

If you want to snorkel, there's really no need for a "snorkeling tour" in St Thomas. You can catch a cab over to Coki and it has all the snorkeling your little heart desires right there from the beach. The snorkeling is amazing! I did a full review on it along with TONS of pictures, listed in my signature line, if you are interested in checking out what it has to offer. It's so easy to do. :)

[miss_rach]

As mitsugirly said there are plenty of good beaches to go to via taxi/cab to snorkel from without having to pay for an excursion. These are the beaches that I researched on before we went. We were just there on 29 July on Carnival Sunshine:

Coki Point is a gorgeous beach set in a very small bay with good snorkeling off the beach. You'll find one of the nicest beaches you've seen here, but it will have a lively vibe as it gets very crowded. Several vendors renting stuff and selling food and drink. Taxis are readily available. We love Coki and find it a very intimate and romantic beach when ships are not in port.

 

 

Sapphire Beach is a gorgeous beach in a larger bay with abundant natural shade, nice island views and great snorkeling off the beach. There is a reef area, a sandy swimming area, and a sea grass area where turtles and rays may be spotted. Home to 3 condo properties with food and drink options, but currently there are no chair rentals or public restrooms. So a very nice spot to be for condo guests on big ship days. And those cruisers young at heart (and body) that can be happy with a towel in the sand and the sapphire-colored sea for relief will be rewarded with paradise here. Taxis were stationed here but with fewer cruisers coming here you'll want to have the driver return or call a taxi when ready.

UPDATE: The dive center has re-opened at Sapphire and chair and other rentals are now available. Tours are now going to Sapphire. The restrooms have also been updated and are probably the nicest beach restrooms in the Carib! The area around the restaurant has been cleaned-up, the pool bar (for condo guests only) is being renovated, and the condo exteriors have been updated. Lots of progress being made with the new property mgt.

 

Sapphire is a picture postcard beach with lots of character. Soft sand, gorgeous sapphire-colored water colors, great island views, abundant natural shade, and excellent snorkeling with the reef and sea grass area. Also a few food and drink options with runners taking orders on the beach.

 

Secret Harbor is a small bay that is home to one condo property and has a quieter vibe more like Sapphire. However the water is dead calm at SH and there is no shade available to most day visitors. Good snorkeling and a restaurant on site and nice beach though.

 

Cowpet Bay is very close to Secret Harbor and is home to the Elysian Resort (condo resort) with a small beach and snorkeling. Primarily suited to guests of the condo but still a public beach.

 

Lindbergh Bay (aka Emerald Beach) is closest to Crown Bay and is a popular beach for folks docking there. A nice enough beach with rentals and food and drinks available at the Best Western Emerald Beach Plus Resort. You can also rent a room for the day to take advantage of a shower and changing room. Nice option if Magens and the East End beaches are too much effort.

 

Honeymoon Beach on Water Island is another popular destination for folks docked at Crown Bay because the ferry to Water Island is very close. This beach has become very popular however and gets crowded during the day.

 

Morningstar Beach is closest to Havensight and is a popular spot for folks docking there who are looking for a quick beach stop following an excursion or other tour. Home to the Marriott and you can use their services or just pick a spot on the beach for your towel and take a lunch if you'd like.

 

We made the decision to go to Sapphire Beach since the restrooms and dive shop recently opened up. It was a great call and we had a great time there.

[O2B@Cagain]

The ferry charge is for excursions that take you to St John. Not sure about the fairy transport.:D

[Ms411]

The restrooms at Sapphire have NOT been renovated. They painted the exterior, but the toilets, stalls, sinks, etc are still the same. They have added a few changing rooms next to the bathrooms.

[janetz]

We have this booked. Great reviews!

 

http://www.usvisailing.com/daysails.html

[blue_water]

As mitsugirly said there are plenty of good beaches to go to via taxi/cab to snorkel from without having to pay for an excursion. These are the beaches that I researched on before we went. We were just there on 29 July on Carnival Sunshine:

 

Coki Point is a gorgeous beach set in a very small bay with good snorkeling off the beach. You'll find one of the nicest beaches you've seen here, but it will have a lively vibe as it gets very crowded. Several vendors renting stuff and selling food and drink. Taxis are readily available. We love Coki and find it a very intimate and romantic beach when ships are not in port.

 

 

Sapphire Beach is a gorgeous beach in a larger bay with abundant natural shade, nice island views and great snorkeling off the beach. There is a reef area, a sandy swimming area, and a sea grass area where turtles and rays may be spotted. Home to 3 condo properties with food and drink options, but currently there are no chair rentals or public restrooms. So a very nice spot to be for condo guests on big ship days. And those cruisers young at heart (and body) that can be happy with a towel in the sand and the sapphire-colored sea for relief will be rewarded with paradise here. Taxis were stationed here but with fewer cruisers coming here you'll want to have the driver return or call a taxi when ready.

UPDATE: The dive center has re-opened at Sapphire and chair and other rentals are now available. Tours are now going to Sapphire. The restrooms have also been updated and are probably the nicest beach restrooms in the Carib! The area around the restaurant has been cleaned-up, the pool bar (for condo guests only) is being renovated, and the condo exteriors have been updated. Lots of progress being made with the new property mgt.

 

Sapphire is a picture postcard beach with lots of character. Soft sand, gorgeous sapphire-colored water colors, great island views, abundant natural shade, and excellent snorkeling with the reef and sea grass area. Also a few food and drink options with runners taking orders on the beach.

 

Secret Harbor is a small bay that is home to one condo property and has a quieter vibe more like Sapphire. However the water is dead calm at SH and there is no shade available to most day visitors. Good snorkeling and a restaurant on site and nice beach though.

 

Cowpet Bay is very close to Secret Harbor and is home to the Elysian Resort (condo resort) with a small beach and snorkeling. Primarily suited to guests of the condo but still a public beach.

 

Lindbergh Bay (aka Emerald Beach) is closest to Crown Bay and is a popular beach for folks docking there. A nice enough beach with rentals and food and drinks available at the Best Western Emerald Beach Plus Resort. You can also rent a room for the day to take advantage of a shower and changing room. Nice option if Magens and the East End beaches are too much effort.

 

Honeymoon Beach on Water Island is another popular destination for folks docked at Crown Bay because the ferry to Water Island is very close. This beach has become very popular however and gets crowded during the day.

 

Morningstar Beach is closest to Havensight and is a popular spot for folks docking there who are looking for a quick beach stop following an excursion or other tour. Home to the Marriott and you can use their services or just pick a spot on the beach for your towel and take a lunch if you'd like.

 

 

Glad the information above was useful in helping you choose Sapphire Miss_Rach, there are many beautiful beaches between STT and STJ to choose from and for STT Sapphire happens to be our favorite. We also love Coki but we can stay on Sapphitpre so there it is! But (just a suggestion) you should mention where you got your info from when copying and posting it. Not a biggie to me, but just common courtesy, and there is also a great deal of input from others on their experiences in that thread that are very helpful. And of course things can change over time and the newer posts in these threads capture those changes.

Thanks!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1993432

[blue_water]

If you want to snorkel, there's really no need for a "snorkeling tour" in St Thomas. You can catch a cab over to Coki and it has all the snorkeling your little heart desires right there from the beach. The snorkeling is amazing! I did a full review on it along with TONS of pictures, listed in my signature line, if you are interested in checking out what it has to offer. It's so easy to do. :)

 

Mitsugirly is right on - for off the beach snorkeling there is no need for a tour unless the beach is just a small part of your day.

You just grab a taxi to your beach of choice and enjoy your day. Sapphire, Coki, and Secret Harbor are the most popular, you can get more details above and in other threads. Taxis are easily available for your return from the more popular beaches. Cowpet Bay would be the least crowded option, but you'd want to have the driver return. But any of the other 3 are great, just depends on the vibe you want.

 

For snorkeling off the cays of St John you can choose from the many daysail options. Depending on your time in port there are private operators you can book directly or you can use the ship excursions. If interested in that option do some research (searching) here and under "Daysails" at vinow dot com.

 

Enjoy!

Edited August 8, 2014 by blue_water
Typos!

[Sfdtiller]

Captain Mike is great, tried booking him for our Sept trip but his boat is out of the water. Now I have to find someone else...:eek:

 

 

 

We have this booked. Great reviews!

 

http://www.usvisailing.com/daysails.html

[Thom2010]

Mitsugirly is right on - for off the beach snorkeling there is no need for a tour unless the beach is just a small part of your day.

You just grab a taxi to your beach of choice and enjoy your day. Sapphire, Coki, and Secret Harbor are the most popular, you can get more details above and in other threads. Taxis are easily available for your return from the more popular beaches. Cowpet Bay would be the least crowded option, but you'd want to have the driver return. But any of the other 3 are great, just depends on the vibe you want.

 

For snorkeling off the cays of St John you can choose from the many daysail options. Depending on your time in port there are private operators you can book directly or you can use the ship excursions. If interested in that option do some research (searching) here and under "Daysails" at vinow dot com.

 

Enjoy!

 

BlueWater you are so informed, I love it! :D

 

We will be sailing B2B on the Summit and are fortunate enough to be in St. Thomas twice. One of the weeks we plan to visit Sapphire Beach by taxi to snorkel and check out the condos as we think we might want to rent one for a week next summer (low season :p, more affordable).

 

The other day we are in port we would like to get from Havensight pier onto a snorkel tour boat that goes to St John for the day. I realize many tour vendors offer half day snorkel tours, we would like to maximize our day with an "all day" tour to get the most out of our port time. Do you know of any tour vendors that operate from the Havensight area besides Fury tours (as we don't prefer to do a half day tour)?

 

We have previously exited the ship at the front of the pack, gone to the taxi stand and waited for 30 minutes or so until the taxi was full... then took the scenic route for a tour that left from Sugar Bay Resort aboard DayDreamer. It was an awesome day, but felt very rushed. We took a taxi back to Havensight and RAN for our ship while people out on their balconies were cheering for us. We don't want to be that couple that gets left behind :( I'd rather leave on a snorkel boat from closer to Havensight that goes over to St. John for snorkeling. Any recommendations?

 

Thank you so much!

 

Robin

[blue_water]

Hi Robin, thanks! :o

 

We don't have a lot of experience with daysail excursions through the cruise line or from the port other than the champagne cat sail to STJ which is an excellent option. Much nicer than the ferry option from CA and an enjoyable way to see the coast of STJ and spend some time there. But not a snorkel excursion if I remember correctly, and someone else can surely recommend another tour option. I know Capt Maxx and others are very popular but I don;t know where they depart from.

I can highly recommend High Pockets and New Horizons for a snorkel sail to STJ from Sapphire/East End of STT, you can book these directly.

 

Please leave an e-mail address so I can send you some helpful info on renting at Sapphire. I understand if you don't want to do that and you can just look for me (Bluewater464) on the STT or Tortola forum on tripadvisor dot com and send me a message and I'll respond with the info. I can also give you some ideas what to look for while you are there for the day.

 

We love the units we rent and can give some good recommendations for studios and suites owners. You definitely want to rent through the owner either through VRBO or directly so you know what you're getting. And Sapphire is definitely the nicest place to rent on STT or STJ because it's the only spot you're right on the beach with the waves at night and you can select your condo, and you're close to Red Hook for the evenings.

Edited December 26, 2014 by blue_water

[Thom2010]

Hi Robin, thanks! :o

 

We don't have a lot of experience with daysail excursions through the cruise line or from the port other than the champagne cat sail to STJ which is an excellent option. Much nicer than the ferry option from CA and an enjoyable way to see the coast of STJ and spend some time there. But not a snorkel excursion if I remember correctly, and someone else can surely recommend another tour option. I know Capt Maxx and others are very popular but I don;t know where they depart from.

I can highly recommend High Pockets and New Horizons for a snorkel sail to STJ from Sapphire/East End of STT, you can book these directly.

 

Please leave an e-mail address so I can send you some helpful info on renting at Sapphire. I understand if you don't want to do that and you can just look for me (Bluewater464) on the STT or Tortola forum on tripadvisor dot com and send me a message and I'll respond with the info. I can also give you some ideas what to look for while you are there for the day.

 

We love the units we rent and can give some good recommendations for studios and suites owners. You definitely want to rent through the owner either through VRBO or directly so you know what you're getting. And Sapphire is definitely the nicest place to rent on STT or STJ because it's the only spot you're right on the beach with the waves at night and you can select your condo, and you're close to Red Hook for the evenings.

 

Hi Blue_Water, thanks for the offer for sending me information, I appreciate it. My e-mail is: robinbercpa@gmail.com. The units I have looked at are on VRBO. We rent through VRBO when we travel (not nearly often enough I might add) and have always had good results. We will be in Puerto Rico for a week prior to our B2B staying in a condo we stayed at last January which we also rented through VRBO. Living in No. CA in the middle of the Sacramento Valley, we LOVE to be right on the water when we are on vacation :D Thank you again for the information,

Robin

[O2B@Cagain]

... And Sapphire is definitely the nicest place to rent on STT or STJ because it's the only spot you're right on the beach with the waves at night...and you're close to Red Hook for the evenings.

 

Blue: This part is definitely not true. There are other places on the water. I am not sure why there is this big deal about VRBO, because if you don't like your VRBO unit, you don't really have any way to change. I am always happy for you to send cruise ship people to Sapphire, but there are other choices for overnight guests...;)

[blue_water]

Blue: This part is definitely not true. There are other places on the water. I am not sure why there is this big deal about VRBO, because if you don't like your VRBO unit, you don't really have any way to change. I am always happy for you to send cruise ship people to Sapphire, but there are other choices for overnight guests...;)

 

oh O2B! :rolleyes: I'll follow up here when I can...

[Ms411]

Did bluewater buy a Sapphire unit, and is now trying to convert cruisers to overnight guests staying at Sapphire? TripAdvisor St Thomas is dominated by Sapphire recommendations via vrbo, too. One of the owners has been sending his "list" for years which may be similar to blue water's.

[blue_water]

Did bluewater buy a Sapphire unit, and is now trying to convert cruisers to overnight guests staying at Sapphire? TripAdvisor St Thomas is dominated by Sapphire recommendations via vrbo, too. One of the owners has been sending his "list" for years which may be similar to blue water's.

 

You're becoming as cynical as our friend on TA, Ms411 - why is that?

Robin expressed an interest in renting at Sapphire and I offered to share owner contact info for an owner that we love renting through. What a thought!:eek: - sharing information here with others!:rolleyes:

That's exactly how we received the contact info from someone else...

[blue_water]

Blue: This part is definitely not true. There are other places on the water.

Yes there is the Caneel Bay resort ($$$$) and the Best Western Emerald Hotel in Lindbergh Bay. But these aren't condo rentals and aren't close to Red Hook for evenings.

 

I am not sure why there is this big deal about VRBO, because if you don't like your VRBO unit, you don't really have any way to change.

That really has nothing to do with it O2B, if you follow land vacation forums, especially with condo properties, you'll understand why renting through VRBO, Home Away, or another site where you are dealing directly with the owner is very important.

 

I am always happy for you to send cruise ship people to Sapphire, but there are other choices for overnight guests...

Once again, as I reminded Ms411, and you also seemed to conveniently overlook - Robin expressed interest in looking over Sapphire for a future land vacation. I offered to share information on owners we rent through, just as we were offered this same information years ago from another traveler with similar interests. Sorry if this sharing of information upsets you my "friend"!

Edited December 27, 2014 by blue_water
Typos

[blue_water]

And I have to say, Ms411 and O2B, if you have a problem with folks sharing information and paying forward what we've learned, why exactly are you here? Just to add your negative or sarcastic remarks? :confused:

[blue_water]

Robin we too have enjoyed PR, what a great place to spend time after a cruise.

And the Old SJ area is such an excellent spot for evenings. We want try the other areas of the island but we love Mexico so it is difficult to share the time! My favorite place is actually Tortola but I have to let my wife have fun too, so Mexico is part of our life.

Enjoy your time on STT, and when you do a land vacation do consider splitting your time in the BVI - gorgeous beaches, and fun nights in CGB. Say hi to Val at Myett's!

Have fun

Edited December 28, 2014 by blue_water

[2PinaColadas]

Group of three couples first time here sailing on Oasis in November....can we get any ideas of the best snorkelling (sailing) tours in St. Thomas/St. John that are offered by RCI....?? We've noticed that many require seperate charge for a fairy transport ....?? We appreciate any help.....thanks

 

As others have already said-- there is no need to do a snorkel tour. Just grab a cab to Sapphire or Coki and snorkel from the beach. We have spent time at both-- my DH says the shore diving at Coki is great but he prefers the snorkeling at Sapphire. Both beaches are very pretty but Sapphire is our favorite. If you decide to snorkel at St. John, just take the ferry over from Red Hook then grab a cab to Trunk Bay. There is a snorkel trail there-- going with a tour group limits your time and herds you through the trail. Have fun.

[blue_water]

And I have to say, Ms411 and O2B, if you have a problem with folks sharing information and paying forward what we've learned, why exactly are you here? Just to add your negative or sarcastic remarks? :confused:

 

O2B I've contacted Ms411, how bout you? Care to give me your contact info so we can discuss further? If not...

[sheba2008]

If you want to snorkel, there's really no need for a "snorkeling tour" in St Thomas. You can catch a cab over to Coki and it has all the snorkeling your little heart desires right there from the beach. The snorkeling is amazing! I did a full review on it along with TONS of pictures, listed in my signature line, if you are interested in checking out what it has to offer. It's so easy to do. :)

 

How much does the taxi cost for 2 persoons to Shappire beach and too Coki?

Thanks

 

Sheba2008

[O2B@Cagain]

And I have to say, Ms411 and O2B, if you have a problem with folks sharing information and paying forward what we've learned, why exactly are you here? Just to add your negative or sarcastic remarks? :confused:

 

I do not have problems with anyone sharing information. However, if someone says,"I think I'd like to go to X Beach..." you typically tell them to go to Sapphire. There are a good number of beaches on St Thomas...

 

There are many beachfront/oceanfront condos. The condos at Watergate, Secret Harbour Beach, Cowpet, several on the Vessup side of Cabrita Point, Crystal Cove...

 

Blue, you know I love to tease you. Because you are a fan of Tortola over the USVI, and you have certain filters about the USVI, I just like to point that out now and again... Friends??:)

[blue_water]

I do not have problems with anyone sharing information. However, if someone says,"I think I'd like to go to X Beach..." you typically tell them to go to Sapphire. There are a good number of beaches on St Thomas...

 

There are many beachfront/oceanfront condos. The condos at Watergate, Secret Harbour Beach, Cowpet, several on the Vessup side of Cabrita Point, Crystal Cove...

 

Blue, you know I love to tease you. Because you are a fan of Tortola over the USVI, and you have certain filters about the USVI, I just like to point that out now and again... Friends??:)

 

Fine, no problem at all! And if you read Robin's post they are planning to go to Sapphire to check out the location and the condos for a future stay. As someone who enjoys renting there of course I would share what I can.

 

With some of the properties you mention you can't choose the unit you want after looking at videos and pics (SH for one), and others are not oceanfront on a beautiful beach. Sapphire Village and Crystal Cove are less expensive options that give you access to Sapphire beach but are not oceanfront and you don't have the waves at night. Nothing wrong with any spot, just depends on what you want. For waterfront on a beautiful beach where you can choose the condo Sapphire is it. In our humble opinion of course.

[mbddisney]

Can someone tell me if there is a place to rent snorkel equipment and chairs at Sapphire Beach from what I am reading it seems like this would be a great place to let those that want to snorkel and those that want to just enjoy a beach a great place to go, also from the cruise port is it a taxi ride and what is the cost. thanks for the help