Castaway Catamaran Sail and Snorkel to Shipwreck Cove

[DisneyMommy04]

Has anyone done the Castaway Catamaran Sail and Snorkel to Shipwreck Cove excursion in St. Thomas? What did you think?

 

[jdkdorn]

Bumping, I want to know also. We booked it and want to make sure it is worth it.

THANKS

 

[NurseDave]

We're scheduled to do this in April as well. Would like to do turtle bay, but not excited about the reports of sea sickness getting there.

 

[DisneyMommy04]

Bumping, I want to know also. We booked it and want to make sure it is worth it.

THANKS

What cruise are you on? Maybe we will be on the excursion together...

 

[jodical]

Took this excursion several years ago on another cruiseline. The trip from the dock to Shipwreck Cove was fine but the trip back was ROUGH. Got seasick BAD! As for the actual snorkeling location, it was ok. You're in deep water so you tire very easily with the constant treading and fighting the current. Lots of small modern wrecks, nothing special. It wore me out and then that trip back to the cruise pier... well, let's just say I personally will never take that tour ever again!

Hoping you get some good reviews to balance out mine

 

[NurseDave]

Took this excursion several years ago on another cruiseline. The trip from the dock to Shipwreck Cove was fine but the trip back was ROUGH. Got seasick BAD! As for the actual snorkeling location, it was ok. You're in deep water so you tire very easily with the constant treading and fighting the current. Lots of small modern wrecks, nothing special. It wore me out and then that trip back to the cruise pier... well, let's just say I personally will never take that tour ever again!

Hoping you get some good reviews to balance out mine

I assume there were pretty little fish among the wrecks?

 

[jodical]

The water was so deep (average 20 feet) that you really couldn't see anything like that unless it was near the surface. I remember the guides diving down to bring up see urchins for us to look at and warning us not to freak out if we saw a several hundred pound grouper (which we never did).

I think the vests they gave you to snorkel in prevented you from diving down to get a good look at anything. Not sure if they were like the CC ones that you can inflate/deflate to your liking; I was pretty much a snorkeling novice back then so I'm sure I erred on the side of caution and kept it inflated if their was an option. Plus the water was so rough since it was away from shore, it was a trial to tread water for an extended period of time in currents like that. I needed all the help I could get - I was wiped out after about 30 minutes.

Best place I have ever snorkeled is CC! Water is shallow enough that you can dive down and see the small and more colorful fish.

 

[NurseDave]

The water was so deep (average 20 feet) that you really couldn't see anything like that unless it was near the surface. I remember the guides diving down to bring up see urchins for us to look at and warning us not to freak out if we saw a several hundred pound grouper (which we never did).

I think the vests they gave you to snorkel in prevented you from diving down to get a good look at anything. Not sure if they were like the CC ones that you can inflate/deflate to your liking; I was pretty much a snorkeling novice back then so I'm sure I erred on the side of caution and kept it inflated if their was an option. Plus the water was so rough since it was away from shore, it was a trial to tread water for an extended period of time in currents like that. I needed all the help I could get - I was wiped out after about 30 minutes.

Best place I have ever snorkeled is CC! Water is shallow enough that you can dive down and see the small and more colorful fish.

Good info, we switched to another one.

 

[sambycat]

Per the excursions we've been on, dcl sanctioned excursions will always ask you to wear the snorkeling vests - helps them see you as we'll. I don't put any air in mine. We went on the double doubloon pirate ship one and it was excellent. Alot of the snorkeling areas are shared among excursions. We had no rough water and no sea sickness, can't imagine how switching excursions could have too great of an impact in that! also, all the areas we went to off a boat are going to be deep? That's kind of the point. I could go down to nearly the bottom with fins, but I'm not super coordinated with the snorkel so I just dove in here and there. We saw turtles, rays, all kinds of fish. I'm sure you will have a great time no matter what you choose!!

 

[NurseDave]

Per the excursions we've been on, dcl sanctioned excursions will always ask you to wear the snorkeling vests - helps them see you as we'll. I don't put any air in mine. We went on the double doubloon pirate ship one and it was excellent. Alot of the snorkeling areas are shared among excursions. We had no rough water and no sea sickness, can't imagine how switching excursions could have too great of an impact in that! also, all the areas we went to off a boat are going to be deep? That's kind of the point. I could go down to nearly the bottom with fins, but I'm not super coordinated with the snorkel so I just dove in here and there. We saw turtles, rays, all kinds of fish. I'm sure you will have a great time no matter what you choose!!

That's awesome to hear. We originally wanted to do the Turtle Bay one, but saw several reports of the trip to it being really rough so signed up for the other one. Of course there is no control over weather, but I thought since several people mentioned it, there was a geographic reason for rough waters there. We switched back to Turtle Bay because I've already read really good things about what you get to see there. Here's hoping for smooth waters!

 

[sambycat]

And remember although obviously people are thinking they are doing such and such excursion to be in the water, our boat had a ladder for in and out and you could be in or be out, whatever. I'm the one they have to make get back on board (average swimmer, in fair shape, about 30# overweight) DH was in and out, DS (18) jumped in once, immediately lost a fin and the floaty noodle You can stay on the boat and its still nice! Oh Xmas we had rain too and it was fine.

 

[jdkdorn]

We are on the fantasy mar 23-30th cruise and may pick another excursion. I do not know if ds11 could handle that depth. I will have to think about it again.

Thanks
Judy

 

[jdkdorn]

Just checked, we had switched it to the Caribbean Sea Safari, snorkeling and beach tour. Did anyone do this one, is it okay Thanks, Judy

 

[edith76]

We are booked on the Sea Safari also. Just got back from a cruise on another line where we did the St. John Champagne Catamaran Sail. We really enjoyed it. They docked in Caneel Bay and you could either snorkel/swim into the beach or they took people in a dinghy. We snorkeled and saw turtles and conch - others reported seeing squid and a small shark. Would do this one again. Not sure Disney uses the same tour company but description was the same.