please rate these shore excursions

[sln88]

I am at the point where I can reserve my excursions on line. Please help. I am not even sure if I should bother with some of the things(like float rentals?) or if it would just be easier to take a wait and see approach? Just book it when we get there? Maybe it will be raining, and then are you stuck or can you cancel?

only have 2 ports:
1) castaway cay
floats?
snorkel equipment?
banana boat?
glass bottom boat?
seahorse catamaran snorkel adventure(is this worth it?)

2)Nassau
Caribbean queen snorkel?
Catamaran sail and reef snorkel?
glass bottom boat tour?

 

[Cleo41]

I'm also interested in the above post in addition to opinions on scuba diving in Nassau at Stuart Cove. THANKS

 

[ohioworkingmom]

I can reply on the Castaway Cay, not Nassau, won't be doing that until April, 2006!!
Defiinitely do the banana boats, need a reservation, but it was the a thrilling ride. Me, DH and DD (10) did it and enjoyed it greatly.
Floats - may or may not want to reserve, the day we were at CC it was a little chilly (Jan. 2) and the weather was overcast. I assume if you are going when it is warmer, they may all get taken. Have read though that by the end of the day, you can usually find them laying all over. Your call.
Snorkel equipment - we rented one set when we got there, not ahead, and all of us took turns using it, we had also all snorkelled previously on St. John
Glass bottom boat - have only read that you can not see much through this, no experience
Did not do or know of any experiences on the Seahorse Catamaran.

Hope this helps. Any specifics, you can PM me.

 

[Jsme]

I am at the point where I can reserve my excursions on line. Please help. I am not even sure if I should bother with some of the things(like float rentals?) or if it would just be easier to take a wait and see approach? Just book it when we get there? Maybe it will be raining, and then are you stuck or can you cancel?

only have 2 ports:
1) castaway cay
floats?
snorkel equipment?
banana boat?
glass bottom boat?
seahorse catamaran snorkel adventure(is this worth it?)

I have done the excursion that includes the floats, snorkel and bikes for an hour. We loved the snorkel and the floats. My DH, DD and DS always do the bike ride. I rest while they are gone.

We are doing the banana boat in 2 weeks.
2)Nassau
Caribbean queen snorkel?
Catamaran sail and reef snorkel?
glass bottom boat tour?

I can not help with the excursions you picked for Nassau.

 

[aidanht]

We did the Catamaran sail and reef snorkel two weeks ago and really enjoyed it. It is a short walk from the ship to the Catamaran, and it was a nice boat ride (maybe 30 minutes?) out to the reef. The crew was not terribly friendly -- not unfriendly, just not like the CMs on board. Once at the reef, you get off the boat and have about 45 minutes to snorkel. It was a bit crowded unless you were able to swim out a bit away from the boat. We saw a lot of different types of fish and lots of coral. I would not rate it as outstanding snorkeling, but it was definitely enjoyable. Our kids were 6, 8, and 11 and all enjoyed it. They served water and I think soft drinks on board, but we had bottles of water with us and just drank those. All in all, we felt it was worth what we paid for it and a very nice way to spend a morning. (We had to meet at 9 a.m. or so and were back on the ship in plenty of time to shower, dress and go to lunch.)

We also reserved floats for CC, although I doubt that it was necessary. There seemed to be plenty available.

I'm happy to answer any other questions you may have for someone fresh off the ship and really, really wishing I was going back SOON!!!!!

 

[tinybubbles]

Bring your own snorkel equipment for Castaway Cay. The rental prices there are exorbitant. $25 per person, if I recall correctly.

You still have to wear the stupid Vest Of Shame, but they lend you those for free.

 

[dlf246]

Bring your own snorkel equipment for Castaway Cay. The rental prices there are exorbitant. $25 per person, if I recall correctly.

You still have to wear the stupid Vest Of Shame, but they lend you those for free.

What is the "Vest of Shame"?

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Banana Boat Ride I rate as a 10...Great Fun.

 

[sln88]

do the parents have to go with the kids on the banana boat ride?

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Some parents went some didn't. We had quite a few children on our boat very few adults I think there was only three.

 

[sln88]

how young do you think is safe?
I have an 8, 11 and 17 yr old that could watch the 8 yr old
Do you fall off of these things?

 

[ohioworkingmom]

My DD was 9 when we did it, but she has tubed and ski'd before. You cannot be afraid of the water and you have to hold on. The people in the back all fell off, so if they are younger put them more toward the front. My DD that was 7 stayed on the shore and watched us with another older lady that was watching, she is not as daring and had no interest in it, nor in any water sport we ever participate in!

 

[erikthewise]

The snorkel, float & bike package on CC is a reasonably good deal if you're sure you plan to snorkel and don't bring your own equipment. A couple gripes though:

-- the "flotation vest" that came with the snorkel equipment was an inflatible one you have to blow up yourself. It must have cost them $3 at Walmart. Ironically, when I rented a paddle boat on the beach next door for $8, THEY gave me a quality, snap-on flotation vest. Why the snorkel stand can't do the same for $25 is a mystery to me.

-- DS11 was charged adult rate for this package but given child equipment. A teenage girl near us was charged the child rate for adult equipment as a walkup. She was really cute so I may have done the same . But if you have preteen or early teen children you might want to not buy the package for them; they may save money getting it there. Just be sure to get there early.

I suggest buying or borrowing the Passporter Guide to DCL. It has good coverage of excursions AND ratings!

 

[mom x4 grandma x4]

Most of your questions have been answered already, however I have not seen an answer about the glass bottom boat tour in Nassau.
We did the sunshine glass bottom boat, it was ok, but be prepared that even though it's a good size boat, it does bob up and down a lot, so if anyone is prone to motion sickness, that may not be the best choice. The stairs to the bottom are very steep so younger kids will need help. There is a bathroom on board, and we had one complimentary fruit punch offered.
There is a small wooden wall around the glass bottom, so if your child is young they may need to be held up a little in order to be able to see ok. The people are very kid friendly. We did see lots of beautiful fish and some sand dollars too. We were suppose to get to see a ship wreck, however they said it was too choppy out so we couldnt do that. To us it didnt look that choppy, but that is their call to make not ours.
We did enjoy it, but it was not our first choice to do again.
mom x4,grandma x4

 

[tinybubbles]

What is the "Vest of Shame"?

It's the ridiculous inflatable vest they make you wear in the snorkeling area. Getting it sufficiently uninflated to dive is a serious challenge, and it chafes pretty badly.

Since I regularly swim a couple miles a day in open water, it seemed unnecessary, but the little fascist lifeguards weren't allowed any flexibility.

Let's see if I an post a pic of myself in it (apparently here you have to be a prolific poster to be allowed to post pics):

Well, what do you know? It worked.