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Product Reviews
Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Your experienced crew caters to your every whim during your cruise. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride or learn some sailing basics. You can even help trim the sails or take the helm. Once anchored at Buck Island's Turtle Cove, your crew leads a guided snorkeling tour or you may choose to snorkel with a buddy. Explore coral-covered boulders, observe tropical fish, and possibly encounter an endangered green sea turtle. If you prefer to stay dry, relax on the spacious deck or in the shaded area. The stay at Turtle Cove is approximately 90 minutes. Snacks and complimentary rum drinks, beers, and soft drinks are served after your snorkel.
Note: Participants must be at least 2 years of age and 21 years of age to be served alcoholic beverages. Maximum weight allowed is 275 lbs. A ladder with 5 to 8 steps is used to enter and exit the water from the sailboat. Snorkeling lesson and equipment including snorkel vest are included. An alternate snorkeling site may be used if weather conditions are not favorable.
Average:
(23 Reviews) 23
Rating Snapshot (23 reviews)
5 stars
15
4 stars
3
3 stars
2
2 stars
2
1 star
1
19 of 23(83%)customers would recommend this to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Review 1 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
3
out of
5
Cultural:
3
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
3
out of
5
Rosebudd
Location:Charlton, NY
Party size:1
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:April
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:Philipsburg, St. Maarten
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:April 19, 2013
Cat-tastic!
The Cat catamaran cruise to Turtle Cove was wonderful. The Captain and Crew were wonderful and concerned not only for providing us with a great time, but also for our safety, providing us with direction before going into the water. Kids going on this excursion should be a little older and not afraid of the water. We saw green turtles, rays and marine reef life.The return trip was fun with drinks, snacks and laughter. A great excursion- would go again.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
5
out of
5
Cultural:
5
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
Matt1390
Location:NCL Epic
I traveled with:Self
Cruise Date Month:February
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:Philipsburg, St. Maarten
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:March 10, 2013
absolutely amazing adventure
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
This was the most amazing snorkel excursion I have been on the crew of "The Cat" was amazing curtious and a whole lot of fun. The catamaran was only about half full so there was alot of room to move around and relax. once at turtle cove we saw many large and small turtles a few hermit crabs and a couple of fairly large sting rays as well as a beaultiful coral reef. I would definately recomend this excursion to others and would take it myself again.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
4
out of
5
Cultural:
4
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
4
out of
5
snowman
Location:Outstate, Minnesota
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:March
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite activities:Relaxing
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:March 10, 2013
Awsome!
This excursion is well organized. You meet onboard ship, then walk a short distance to the cat, and you are onboard and sailing in short order. The crew is the perfect combination of professional and fun. Very safety first oriented, without taking the fun out of it. And they don't waist your time.
Most important, they care that you have a good time. We saw turtles, lots of them, rays, and numerous tropical fish. The sailing out was fun with Megan telling us about her sailing experience, Wes explaining his South Dakota motivation otta there, and the Johny Depp looking Diego... with the "ya man" Austrailian history... OMG... perfect... relax, open up a little, and give this crew a few hours of your attention... you will come away with memories that last forever. The snorkeling... I had an underwater camera, and got pictures of many turtles including some 2 feet away... They are endagered, so don't grab them... although you can get close enough that you could... just take it in.. enjoy it... soak it up.. take it home with you. On the way back to port... Rum punch, they won't let your cup go empty. But better yet.. on our excursion... there were 34 happy people and crew... not a sole disappointed.. everyone smiling until they had to step ashore. This is the one thing on the seven day cruise, that I would not change or alter in any way... it was... "perfect". This was the highlight of our week! We got lots of pictures! Can't wait to go back and do it again!
To new guests.. if you like sailing, if you like snorkeling, and if you like having a good time... this is it! It's the people that make the difference.
Megan, Diego, Wes, ... Thank you for the memories. We had a blast!
To the crew... from roughly 2,500 miles away... I salute you! And I thank you!
Most important, they care that you have a good time. We saw turtles, lots of them, rays, and numerous tropical fish. The sailing out was fun with Megan telling us about her sailing experience, Wes explaining his South Dakota motivation otta there, and the Johny Depp looking Diego... with the "ya man" Austrailian history... OMG... perfect... relax, open up a little, and give this crew a few hours of your attention... you will come away with memories that last forever. The snorkeling... I had an underwater camera, and got pictures of many turtles including some 2 feet away... They are endagered, so don't grab them... although you can get close enough that you could... just take it in.. enjoy it... soak it up.. take it home with you. On the way back to port... Rum punch, they won't let your cup go empty. But better yet.. on our excursion... there were 34 happy people and crew... not a sole disappointed.. everyone smiling until they had to step ashore. This is the one thing on the seven day cruise, that I would not change or alter in any way... it was... "perfect". This was the highlight of our week! We got lots of pictures! Can't wait to go back and do it again!
To new guests.. if you like sailing, if you like snorkeling, and if you like having a good time... this is it! It's the people that make the difference.
Megan, Diego, Wes, ... Thank you for the memories. We had a blast!
To the crew... from roughly 2,500 miles away... I salute you! And I thank you!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
1
out of
5
Cultural:
2
out of
5
Entertaining:
2
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
2
out of
5
DW1234
Location:New York
Party size:3
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:February
Cruise Date Year:2013
Favorite activities:Family oriented
Favorite port:Philipsburg, St. Maarten
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:March 4, 2013
Far below expectation
This review is based on our trip in Feb. 2013. We had really high expectation based on other reviews. However, our experience was far below our expectation.
To be fair, the crews were very friendly. On the way back, free beverage and drink were provided. A guy even asked for four cans of beers. And that was the only bright spot of this excursion.
The wave was pretty high and wind was strong. The boat anchored far far away from shore, where water was deep. If you don't know how to swim, it could be very challenging to manage both staying afloat and looking for fish. They didn't offer to ferry people to the shallow water near the shore.
Maybe we were not lucky, or maybe the season was not right. Anyway, we didn't see ANY thing at all - not a fish, not a turtle, or even not a star fish. I asked a few people around me and they didn't see a fish either.
The total time in the water was short - if you are the last to get into the water (after a long wait), expect to be in the water about 30 minutes. However, 30 minutes was very long for me for this trip since there was nothing to see.
Given so many positive reviews here, our experience may just be an exception. But, for me, I would not take another chance at this excursion. There are much better ways to spend time at St. Thomas.
Finally, keep in mind that a tip of 10% to 15% is strongly expected.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
pgw78
Date:March 4, 2013
Swim with turtles!
This trip takes you to a small cove where, appropriately enough, turtles live. That's the real highlight of the trip. If you're lucky, you'll see one swim up to take a few breaths. They're beautiful and graceful creatures, and it's a memorable experience to see them up close and in person. We were lucky enough to have three of them swim closely by us.
There's also a small reef with some tropical fish, but the water was pretty cloudy the day we went. (Same goes for the cove where the other catamaran takes you, which is right next door).
The crew takes you on a short tour to point out the best spots and tell you a few interesting tidbits, then they let you swim around on your own until you're ready to come back aboard.
The trip out and back on the catamaran is fun and relaxing. The crew is funny, upbeat, and attentive. The music selection was perfect - a variety of classic rock that really fits the mood of both relaxing and having fun. My one complaint on that score was that the volume was a little too high for comfort, and the crew said they couldn't turn it down. My choice was to sit in the shade, right near the speaker, or to go out on deck where it was quieter but I'd be getting the full impact of the tropical sun.
The Cat also hosts the catamaran power snorkel, so you'll be swimming together with that group. They get what amounts to a battery powered box fan which they hold with both hands as it propels them through the water. Fortunately, there's enough room for everyone, and you don't hear the fans unless you're close by.
All in all, it's a relaxing, enjoyable, and memorable trip.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
5
out of
5
Cultural:
5
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
2fromIllinois
Location:Illinois
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:February
I want to go here next:Europe
Date:February 10, 2013
Fun, Fun, Fun
The crew of "The Cat" went out of their way to make sure everyone had a safe and exciting time on board. Belle was our snorkel guide, She pointed out many turtles, stingrays, and fish. She gave alot of information about the sea life. We felt that the crew proved that this was not a job but a passion.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
2
out of
5
Cultural:
2
out of
5
Entertaining:
2
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
2
out of
5
alleycat28
Location:Fort Erie Canada Dec.2012
Party size:3
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:December
Date:February 9, 2013
disappointed
Trip was scenic, not very long. Had plenty of time in water. Saw one big turtle on bottom. Had trouble getting back on board as ladder was a floating one. Fixed steps straight down into water are better. On way back music was on so low you couldn"t hear it. On all other islands crews were much bigger than 3 people.Usually lots of fun and partying on way back to port . NOT ON THIS ONE. Was very surprised at this. As for beer, we picked this excursion because it was advertised. No beer was offered on way back. Only rum punch which my friend does not drink. Not a party boat back to Port which all have been on other trips to any Island in the caribbean
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Stevina
Location:Indianapolis
Party size:2
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:March
Favorite activities:Relaxing
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Date:February 6, 2013
5 cruises, BEST EXCURSION to date!
Sailed in march 2012 and boarded "The Cat" for an awesome and amazing time.
The crew of the Cat were friendly, informative, funny and really enjoyed their jobs. That always makes interactions and experiences so much better.
If you wanna see some beautiful sea life , enjoy a gorgeous day on (and in) the water and have a great time, this is the trip for you.
And boy does the best rum punch in the world flow freely on the way back!
Would I do it again? Absolutely, in April 2013 when I return. :)
See you guys soon!
See you guys soon!
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
3
out of
5
Cultural:
3
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
3
out of
5
pinkcab
Date:February 6, 2013
Awewsome Excursion
The crew of the Cat was awesome!! Very informative and entertaining. The tour was great, saw lots of sea turtles and tropical fish. Got a snorkling tour and explored on our own. Would highly recommend this.
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Review 10 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
RS1518
Location:Long Island, NY
Party size:2
Cruise Date Month:January
Favorite activities:Adventure
Date:January 27, 2013
Amazing time!
My boyfriend & I just got back from our 9 day cruise today and this was an AMAZING excursion! Our catamaran was the "Jolly Mon" and the staff was beyond welcoming and friendly. They made sure everyone was safe throughout the entire excursion. Wes, one of the staff, snorkled with us and ensured we saw plenty of sea turtles, as well as bringing us to a reef so we could see a variety of fish and other sea life. Sailing back to the dock was complete with delicious rum punch (there was a variety of soda for anyone not interested in/not old enough for rum punch. I would definitely do this excursion again.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Review 11 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
littlewhitegirl
Location:Wisconsin
Party size:2
I traveled with:Other
Cruise Date Month:January
Date:January 21, 2013
Great excursion!
Val was the best! The entire staff was a pleasure to deal with. It was a great excursion, and a must see!
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Review 12 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
2
out of
5
Cultural:
2
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
3
out of
5
Danorge
Location:Vancouver, BC
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:November
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:Castries, St. Lucia
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:December 29, 2012
Highly recommended
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
It's one of the shore excursions I would gladly re-do it every time I'd be in St Thomas. Castaway Girl is the best company I have ever met in this branch, and we were lucky and honoured to have the crew(Capt Tom, Stefanie, Jordan and Tony). Knowledgeable, funny, trustworthy, they guided us in the perfect snorkelling spot. The music, ambiance and fun characterized the way back to the pier.
Video Review:
(click on the play button to start movie)
Snorkel
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.
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Review 13 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
1
out of
5
Cultural:
1
out of
5
Entertaining:
4
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
4
out of
5
turtlelover2012
Location:New York
Party size:1
I traveled with:Other
Cruise Date Month:December
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:Samana, Dominican Republic
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:December 26, 2012
Great Experience
I really enjoyed this excursion. You take a catamaran from the port out to a section of Buck Island off of St. Thomas where there are endangered green sea turtles eating off the bottom. They are constantly coming up for air and you are able to get very close to them. Physical interaction with humans is dangerous to them but being able to observe and swim with them is a great experience. The catamaran staff advised that it is about a 90% chance that you will see a sea turtle on the trip. Rum punch was served on the way back to port and the crew of "the cat" was very organized and professional.
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Review 14 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
4
out of
5
Cultural:
1
out of
5
Entertaining:
1
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
1
out of
5
dodge
Location:Everywhere
Party size:3
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:November
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
I want to go here next:Caribbean
Date:December 2, 2012
worst trip ever
This was not the trip we booked. The catamaran was junk. No place to sit, no shade, no snacks. A fly by night crew. All customers were very mad. I think we should all get our money back. what a joke,
5 of 8 people found this review helpful.
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Review 15 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
5
out of
5
Cultural:
5
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
5
out of
5
JustHappyToBeHere
Location:Seattle, WA
Party size:2
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:November
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
I want to go here next:Hawaii
Date:November 19, 2012
#1 Snorkel Choice
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
This snorkel excursion exceeded all of my expectations. I made a somewhat random choice - all I knew is that I wanted to snorkel and hopefully see something interesting. Well, I couldn't have chosen a better snorkel experience. The catamaran was beautiful and clean, the staff were funny and knowledgeable, and all of us saw wonderful wildlife under the sea. We saw many green sea turtles, a nurse shark, several sting rays, and a myriad of fish.
Video Review:
(click on the play button to start movie)
Sailing on The Cat
3 of 4 people found this review helpful.
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Review 16 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Sandyn16
Party size:4
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:November
Date:November 15, 2012
Great Experience
The entire experience was amazing. Especially for first timers like us! The crew was very friendly. Kids loved the ride on the cat. On the way back after the activity the crew offered chips and salsa, sodas , rum punch.
The description is misleading though. This activity is NOT for a 2 year old at all! How can a 2 year old use a snorkelling gear, breathe in the salty water is beyond me.
. We were a group of 2-3 families, almost same age children and none of the kids could participate.
I wish I could get my money back for my four year olds ticket!
The description is misleading though. This activity is NOT for a 2 year old at all! How can a 2 year old use a snorkelling gear, breathe in the salty water is beyond me.
. We were a group of 2-3 families, almost same age children and none of the kids could participate.
I wish I could get my money back for my four year olds ticket!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Review 17 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Anonymous
Date:April 1, 2012
Most professional crew around.
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
I don't often take the time to write reviews for things but this trip was so awesome I had to. The boat is gorgeous and immaculately maintained. The crew is professional and courteous as well as a lot of fun. The water is crystal clear and there are a ton of fish as well as of course the turtles that give the cove their name. We always bring our own snorkling equipment because the gear provided is usually pretty gross. This is not the case on the Cat. I really cannot say enough good about this trip.
19 of 19 people found this review helpful.
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Review 18 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
1
out of
5
Cultural:
1
out of
5
Entertaining:
3
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
1
out of
5
Anonymous
Location:IL
Party size:1
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:February
Favorite activities:Adventure
Favorite port:Philipsburg, St. Maarten
Date:February 19, 2012
Mediocre at best
If you have ever snorkeled before, you will probably be dissappointed. Crew and Catamaran were great, safety was minded, but the "guided" tour fell short. I understand that you cannot schedule nature, but we saw 1 turtle and a few fish. The "shipwreck" talked in other reviews, was not even mentioned by guides and not seen by anyone on our tour. Snorkel elsewhere. "Rum Punch" was said by tour guide to be Sunny D and cheapest rum available.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Review 19 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
3
out of
5
Cultural:
3
out of
5
Entertaining:
4
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
4
out of
5
TortoiseMom
Location:Wisconsin
Party size:2
I traveled with:Friends
Cruise Date Month:January
Cruise Date Year:2011
Favorite activities:Adventure
I want to go here next:Europe
Date:January 22, 2012
Great crew
Sadly, the day of our excursion, it was pretty windy...so the captain took us to the shipwreck site, and not the turtle site. I can't blame the crew for the weather, but it was disappointing not to see any turtles. We did see a few fish, but the shipwreck wasn't great The crew was a lot of fun, easygoing and helpful. The boat itself was nice and clean, and the ride to and from the site was nice. They are generous with the rum punch, for those who are looking for it! If we were back in the area, we would book another excursion with The Cat crew for sure(hopefully on a less windy day)!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Review 20 for Turtle Cove Catamaran Sail & Snorkel
Overall:
Historical:
4
out of
5
Cultural:
3
out of
5
Entertaining:
5
out of
5
Cultural/Educational:
3
out of
5
AbqRich
Location:Albuquerque, Nm
Party size:5
I traveled with:Family
Cruise Date Month:December
Cruise Date Year:2011
Favorite activities:Family oriented
Favorite port:Philipsburg, St. Maarten
I want to go here next:Hawaii
Date:December 25, 2011
Great crew, Great fun!
We went on the Cat in December. The crew was engaging, had the proper respect for safety and training. Vthe ride out to the cove was exciting and enjoyable. The snorkel area was beautiful, full of fish and a shipwreck. Mika gave a great guide to the best spots and engaged with the kids very well. The entire crew made the short time we had as valuable as possible. I highly recommend this tour and this crew.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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