NCL Ratings and Reviews
Top-Rated
Browse destinations at NCL
St. Thomas or
Choose a destination
- Alanya
- Alesund
- Alexandria
- Antigua
- Arrecife (Lanzarote)
- Aruba
- Ashdod
- Astoria
- Athens (Piraeus)
- Baltimore
- Bar Harbor
- Barbados
- Barcelona
- Belize City
- Bergen
- Berlin (Warnemuende)
- Boston
- Cabo San Lucas
- Cannes
- Cartagena
- Charleston
- Charlottetown
- Copenhagen
- Corfu
- Corner Brook
- Costa Maya
- Cozumel
- Curacao
- Daylight Transit Panama Canal
- Destinations
- Dominica
- Dublin
- Dubrovnik
- Ephesus (Izmir)
- Falmouth
- Florence/Pisa (Livorno)
- Freestyle Connect
- Funchal
- Gaspésie
- Glasgow (Greenock)
- Granada (Malaga)
- Grand Bahama Island
- Grand Cayman
- Great Stirrup Cay
- Haifa
- Halifax
- Helsinki
- Hilo
- Honolulu
- Huatulco
- Icy Strait Point Bay
- Istanbul
- Juneau
- Katakolon
- Kauai
- Ketchikan
- Key West
- King's Wharf
- Kona
- Koper
- La Baie
- Lerwick, Shetland Islands
- Limassol
- Lisbon
- London (Dover)
- London (Southampton)
- Los Angeles
- Marseille
- Maui (Kahului)
- Mazatlan
- Mbj
- Messina
- Miami
- Misc Categories
- MyNcl
- Mykonos
- Nanaimo
- Naples
- Nassau
- New Orleans
- New York City
- Newport
- Norfolk
- Ocho Rios
- Onboard Activities
- Orlando & Beaches (Port Canaveral), Florida
- Oslo
- Palma
- Ponta Delgada
- Port Said
- Portland
- Provence (Toulon)
- Puerto Chiapas
- Puerto Quetzal
- Puerto Vallarta
- Puntarenas
- Quebec City
- Reykjavik
- Roatan
- Rome (Civitavecchia)
- Rotterdam
- Saint John (Bay Of Fundy)
- Samana
- San Francisco
Top Rated
Product Reviews
Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Sit back and enjoy a relaxing sail to Shipwreck Cove at Buck Island aboard our beautiful 65-foot sailing catamaran, 'Castaway Girl', a fast and stable vessel, affording spacious sunbathing decks and a large, comfortable cockpit for those preferring the shade. After an exhilarating sail on the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean, the Captain will drop anchor off magnificent Buck Island where our friendly, experienced crew will provide snorkeling instructions and any assistance you may need. As our crew snorkel along with you, you'll have ample time to observe a sunken shipwreck, brilliant coral reefs and tropical fishes. While listening to some wonderful music, enjoy complimentary rum smoothies, sodas and water, along with dry snacks, during the relaxing sail back to your ship.
Note: Participants must be at least 8 years of age and able to get in and out of the water and up the easy boarding ladder unaided. All snorkelers must wear safety snorkel vests, which are provided.
Average:
(12 Reviews) 12
Rating Snapshot (12 reviews)
5 stars
9
4 stars
3
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
12 of 12(100%)customers would recommend this to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Review 1 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Entertaining:
4
out of
5
San1
Location:Lexington, KY
Party size:4
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:March
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:Philipsburg, St. Maarten
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:April 8, 2013
Good Trip
Nice boat, helpful staff, beginner friendly, rum punch, but site wasn't great as far as a reef goes.
Share this review:
Review 2 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
5
out of
5
Cultural:
5
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
Anonymous
Location:Newcastle, Ontario Canada
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:April
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite port:Oranjestad, Aruba
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:April 3, 2013
Fun in the sun
Thank you Captain Johnny, Dave, Heather and crew for such a great time. not very comfortable in the ocean myself, Dave made everyone feel part of his group, The entire crew went out of there way to make another guest comfortable with the surroundings. Expected to see the regular colorful fish, but got to see a shipwreck,my first. and, without our guide Dave i may have missed a lot. Dave not only pointed out the marine life he talked about them and made sure we were able see it. Dave even pointed out a small sea turtle, that was pretty cool. The time in the water was long enough that by the time my legs started to tired, everyone was going back to the boat. felt like an hour but maybe 30mins. If you enjoy your rum like i do, you'll like the fact refills are not shy on the rum. first drink is more like a fruity rum punch, your refill is mixed for you in your cup, as much rum as you like and as little mix to keep you sane. would i do this excursion again, definitely yes. one more thing, people you need to lighten up, and party, you will enjoy this one, Johnny and Dave have great sense of humor, and make your time memorable. Thanks again, see you soon
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 3 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
4
out of
5
Cultural:
4
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
KasiaB
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:March
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite activities:Adventure
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:March 11, 2013
DO this!
The crew of the barefoot girl was amazing. Capt. Jonny, Dave, Stephanie, and Luke were friendly and knowledgeable. The shipwreck and snorkel spot was great. Dave even showed us some critters. We love to snorkel, but if this is your first trip, these guys are great! They will walk you through it. We had a fantastic time! We will be back again! Save some punch for us!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 4 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
3
out of
5
Cultural:
3
out of
5
Entertaining:
4
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
3
out of
5
CrusingLady
Location:Boston
Party size:8
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:February
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite activities:Family oriented
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Date:February 27, 2013
fun, & best excursion out of the lot on this cruis
We did this excursion on 2/20/13 while cruising with the Epic. We ended up having a wonderful time on this excursion, though it got off to a slow start - long time on the dock (waiting for ???) and then felt like cattle being herded once we finally did start walking toward our docking location. The water was a bit choppy but all in our party handled it fine. One passanger on the excursion was not able to handle the choppy water well and the crew helped her cope with some tips for seasickness. The passengers on our excursion numbered 76 which was quite a bit. The other Castaway Girl catamaran they had going out had probably half of what our catamaran had and that would have been the preferable boat to be on, though our crew did a nice job of making the excursion fun. The snorkeling was mediocre (the fish must have been hiding that day), I've seen and done better, but the shipwreck was interesting as was the history behind it (the only moving shipwreck). The crew did a good job suiting up everyone on board before we got to the snorkeling location for maximum time in the water. On the trip back to the cruise ship, the rum punch did flow freely as another reviewer noted. Overall we had a fun time, it was the best excursion out of the excursions we took on this particular cruise, and I would try it again in the future and hope for better weather.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 5 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
5
out of
5
Cultural:
5
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
ddjgarden
Location:Iowa
Party size:2
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:February
Cruise Date Year:2011
Favorite activities:Relaxing
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
I want to go here next:Alaska
Date:February 10, 2013
Favorite Excursion
This was so much fun!!!! We didn't snorkel but did get in the water. Beautiful location! Captain John, Boston Johnny, Heather and Stephanie were an amazing crew!. They were so knowledgeable but also so much fun!!! This was a check off my bucket list. I would love to do this again if I could have the same crew! OHHHH and the rum punch flowed freely!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 6 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
1
out of
5
Cultural:
1
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Bootyful
Location:Brookville, Pennsylvania
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:January
Favorite activities:Relaxing
Favorite port:Honolulu, Hawaii
I want to go here next:Europe
Date:February 5, 2013
Thrilling Snorkel Adventure!
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
My husband and I participated in this excursion during January of 2012. Upon boarding the catamaran, your sandals are put into net bags and redistributed when you return to the pier. Next, you are greeted by the captain and crew with a short overview of the catamaran and an explanation of what you are about to experience. When the catamaran starts taking you to the dive sight, you pass right by the cruise ships, allowing for EXCELLENT photo opportunities with unique viewpoints. The trip to the dive sight is approximately 30 minutes, and is very enjoyable. There is island music playing over loud speakers, and great views of St.Thomas. When you arrive at the dive sight, all of the snorkel equipment is distributed by the crew to everyone who wishes to snorkel. Some people chose to relax on the catamaran while most people chose to get into the water. The crew gave a 10 minute speech on how to use the life vest, snorkel, and face mask after the catamaran was anchored. We were first time snorkelers, so we would have been happy to know that putting your fins on AFTER getting into the water would be ideal. The initial shock of the 15-30 feet ocean beneath us when we walked down the ladder was unpleasant. The current was almost too strong at times for us to swim through near the rocks. Additionally, although the they give a guided tour of the shipwreck beneath the deep waters, we were unable to keep up with the tour guide, so we did not get to hear any of the information she was providing. With several people who were rather advanced snorkelers leading the way with the tour guide, we were left very far behind. Therefore, for the snorkeling section of the tour, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS FOR BEGINNER SNORKELERS. Once we made it back to the catamaran, there was a line of about 10 people trying to get up the ladder back onto the catamaran. It says clearly in the description of this excursion that you must be able to make it up the ladder UNAIDED. This is true. Luckily (since NCL passengers are the kindest cruisers out there) a man from our cruise on the EPIC helped myself and several other people get up the ladder. (It was equivalent to doing a pull up, just so you can judge this for yourself). Once back on the catamaran, they took a quick headcount so they were sure not to leave anyone behind. Quickly after leaving the sight of the dive, they pulled out the UNLIMITED Rum Punch (which is included in the price of the excursion)! My husband and I each had about 5 drinks on the 30 minute ride back to the pier, and they were delicious!! I also bought a long sleeve tee shirt for $20. So, overall, the trip on the catamaran was very enjoyable and was well worth the money, but if you are not an experienced snorkeler, be prepared to fend for yourself.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 7 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
3
out of
5
Cultural:
2
out of
5
Entertaining:
4
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
3
out of
5
LostKingdom
Location:Germany
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:January
Favorite activities:Educational
Date:January 16, 2013
Entertaining and Fun Trip
Did the excursion in January 2013.The crew of the castaway girl - John, Dave, Heather etc were great. Although the weather was on the cloudy side & the water a little bit chippy we alwas felt secure and entertained. I am more on the heavy side but had no problem getting out and again in the boat during the snorkeling. Snorkeling equipent was provided and in good condition. We had the bad luck, that there was a little bit of rain during our trip but all was fun never the less. Would do it again.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 8 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
3
out of
5
Cultural:
4
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
4
out of
5
Chicagoan85
Location:Chicago, IL
Party size:3
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:November
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
I want to go here next:Alaska
Date:December 7, 2012
Awesome Time!!
Had a great time on Castaway Girl, crew was very entertaining and helpful towards everyone! The trip out to the snorkeling site was a lot of fun, listened to music and talked with other visitors on the boat. Once at the snorkeling site, they took groups on tours in the water to visit a shipwreck and different fish sites. Very cool shipwreck and saw a variety of different fish! On the way back enjoyed many glasses filled with Rum Punch - a perfect trip!
Share this review:
Review 9 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
3
out of
5
Cultural:
4
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
vermont1
Location:vermont
Party size:6
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:March
Favorite activities:Relaxing
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
I want to go here next:Hawaii
Date:March 25, 2012
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
the crew was outstanding and very very helpful it was are first snorkel trip and first time on a sail boat just outstanding.
ooooooooooh by the way the rum punch never stops all the way back and its good get the pain killer lol
ps the crew we had was anna and tim and 3 others bad with names sorry
thank you crew
ooooooooooh by the way the rum punch never stops all the way back and its good get the pain killer lol
ps the crew we had was anna and tim and 3 others bad with names sorry
thank you crew
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 10 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
5
out of
5
Cultural:
5
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
Cruiser346
Date:March 18, 2012
Castaway Girl#3 has a great crew. The snorkeling was good.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 11 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
4
out of
5
Cultural:
4
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
4
out of
5
hearty
Location:South Louisianna
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:February
Cruise Date Year:2011
Favorite activities:Family oriented
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
I want to go here next:Panama Canal
Date:February 14, 2012
Excellent day
Trip got off to slow start thought it would be a waste, but when the boat showed up it went to awesome. The crew is great, they make ypu feel at home and are very friendly and supportive of first timers. I would recommend this trip to any one going snorkeling their first time. Also GREAT tasting and plentiful rum punch on the way back.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
Review 12 for Castaway Girl Barefoot Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
4
out of
5
Cultural:
4
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
4
out of
5
TheRock
Location:Kansas City, MO
Party size:4
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:November
Cruise Date Year:2010
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:July 10, 2011
Excellent Snorkel Adventure For All Ages
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
We have taken this excursion twice: the first time was a cruise with just my wife and I, the second time was a cruise with our two sons (ages 18 &14). We enjoyed it so much the first time that we wanted to take our sons on it. What made it so enjoyable? Two reasons: the crew and the snorkeling. There were 4 crew members of the Castaway Girl on our two excursions and they clearly enjoyed their job. They had fun which greatly aided in everyone having fun. One of the crew members is also in the water with you directing you to the best locations to see fish. The snorkeling at Buck Island is very good. The water is calm as the cove is protected which helps snorkelers who aren't perhaps the strongest of swimmers. Fish numbers are very high as are the different species of fish. There is also the possibility of seeing sea turtles (we saw two our last trip there). At the bottom of the cove is a shipwreck in roughly 20+ feet of water. The wreckage is relatively new with the sinking of this ship occurring roughly 30+ years ago so you can still see the frame of the ship. On both excursions we saw scuba divers below us at the wreckage which was very interesting watching them from above. The best snorkeling in the cove is over the reef, just be careful to avoid the fire coral as it is quite plentiful.
In summation, if you are looking for a fun snorkel adventure with good fish numbers and varieties of fish, in a protected cove, and that is safe for all swimming abilities, my wife and I would strongly recommend this excursion. We've already decided to do this again the next time we are in St. Thomas - which will be our 3rd trip on Castaway Girl!!!
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.
Share this review:
