If you are planning a cruise to the Bahamas or the Caribbean, you probably will want to also plan shore excursions. Snorkeling is very popular and lets you get out and enjoy the pristine waters and view sea creatures up close and personal. Here are some of our recent experiences with snorkeling excursions while on a Norwegian East Caribbean cruise to St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
Snorkeling on the Sea Blaster in St. Thomas
The Sea Blaster leaves out of the St. Thomas cruise port and the snorkeling trip and lasts about 3-1/2 hours long.
During our snorkeling trip on the Sea Blaster, we made two stops, the first in Turtle Cove where we were able to watch the majestic green sea turtles graze on the sea grasses below and even got to swim right beside them as they came up to the surface for air! The beautiful experience of snorkeling can assume the shape of a daunting task if the right measures are not adopted. The full face snorkel mask reviews ensured that there weren’t any impediment in our way while also keeping us protected against the rough waters.
The second stop was at Fish Island, a cove between St. John and St. Thomas. There we saw sting rays, black Sea urchins, beautiful coral reefs and tons of tropical fish.
The Sea Blaster uses a 70′ powerboat that was specifically designed for snorkel excursions and offers a stern platform for extremely easy access in and out of the water, 2 private restrooms, and fresh water showers. You will have an exhilarating ride, sometimes wet, around the coast of St. Thomas and anchor at Fish Island, a beautiful cove between St. John and St. Thomas. You can either snorkel with the colorful local tropical fish, view underwater coral and other formations, or swim in the crystal clear warm Caribbean water. You may spot Stingrays, turtles, starfish and lots more. This tour is ideal for beginner and advanced snorkelers!
Get more details about the Sea Blaster at seablastertours.com
Snorkeling on the Mirabella in St. Maarten
The Mirabella sails from the cruise port in Philipsburg, St. Maarten and the excursion last 4 hours. As you sail along the palm-lined seashore framed by emerald hills, you’ll see some of St. Maarten’s famous sights – Fort Amsterdam, Little Bay, Cay Bay, and Pelican Key.
Discover the brilliant colors of this underwater world and its inhabitants–starfish, octopus, angelfish, barracuda, sea urchins, stingray, snapper, squid, and ballyhoo! Or enjoy a mud bath, just lying on the beach, or sliding down the boat’s water slide and swimming in crystal-clear water.
Sailing on-board the catamaran Mirabella was truly a highlight of our cruise vacation. The captain was funny and attentive and the crew was full of information about the island and shared personal stories. The rum punch flowed and delicious snacks and sandwiches were served for us to enjoy. The snorkeling was out of this world! At the first stop, we saw sting rays, a sunken helicopter and tons of tropical fish. The second stop we anchored very close to a beautiful beach and saw more colorful fish. This was a not only a great snorkeling adventure but also a very relaxing scenic trip. As we sailed along the beautiful seashore we were able to see both the French and Dutch sides of St. Martin/St. Maarten.
Mirabella snorkeling stops might be one of four top snorkeling locations and is determined by sea and weather conditions. You might see Divi Reef (Little Bay), Long Bay (La Samanna), Simpson Bay shipwreck or Cay Bay, all of which are flush with marine life.
For the beach stop, they usually (due to sea and weather conditions) go to Long Bay (La Samanna), Mullet Bay beach, Maho beach or Karakter. You will find white sand beaches at any of these locations, so dig your toes in!
Mirabella Catamaran St. Martin: Find them on Facebook
Are the underwater tours still exist in st Thomas or at maartin?