Since I didn't see this listed, thought I'd tell about our trip!
We booked the Rhino Rider through the
DCL excursion.
About 20 of us went. We loaded up a van, went through the business side of St Martin (very interesting to see how the locals work/dine/live. When the van arrived at the RR, they tell you to sit down and wait for instructions. You're seated on benches, told to put ALL your stuff in a basket. Come prepared to have your wallet in a baggie as well as camera or any essentials. DCL gave us towels, so we put our clothes, towels, and anything else in the basket. Its also better to go ahead and have your bathing suits on under your clothes as there are only 2 small bathrooms in the shop (where of course they want to sell you snacks, eyeglass holders, etc).
They provide all vests (and you are required to wear them at all times unless on the beach), all snorkel equipment (you get them and size them up right at the dock), and a water for the trip.
The one negative was that DCL doesn't tell you when you sign up that if you are an 'odd' numbered party, you'll have to pair up with one of the guides.
We are a family of 5, so that meant someone was going to have to ride with a guide. We are a people friendly family, but that was a bit nerve wracking. You either hold on to the guides waist, or there are straps that you can hold. The guides hand off leading, so you can go rather fast.
My older son and daughter didn't want to ride with a stranger and there was NO way our 12 dd was going too. So this mom was the obvious choice, as I wanted my dh to ride with the 12dd.
I will admit, I was very nervous. After you get in the boat to practice, they take a picture (of course, for sale afterwards) of you and your family member on the boat. They tell you to circle around until you learn how to drive the little boat, and then they take all of you out to the outer parts of St Martin. This is gorgeous! We saw celebrity homes, the parts of St Martin that you'd never see otherwise. Once you get farther out, they park in front of a beachy stretch and you're allowed to snorkel or play on the beach. Not a long time, maybe for about 45 minutes?
Time went by so fast. We tried to snorkel, but there really wasn't a gorgeous underwater view of anything. Beachside? We saw a cow grazing and a couple of dogs..
The guides were very informative and kind (though they did get irritated if someone's boat was having trouble or folks didn't keep up). You have to sign a waiver of course. You are reminded alot, alot, alot about tipping. This one was hard since we were a family of 5, as some people tipped quite generously. Since we went in Oct '11, I believe the price was somewhere around $89 a person, so for our family...KaCHING! And then to tip on top of that, it really was alot!
When you return, most head for the 2 small bathrooms to change back into clothes, where you are reminded again about tipping, and told that the van was on the way back, and you can buy snacks. Note for parents of small kids...either bring snacks with you (as you will be hungry) or be prepared for the shop.
That being said...Would we do it again?
Probably not, for the cost alone. For your first time, to see the inner and outer parts and both dutch and french side of the island, it is an adventure. But for the monies spent, the fact that we still would have to pay that amount to ride with a stranger (or double the fees for one boat), this family wouldn't do it again.
Wish I had pictures, but dh had the camera and it 'gave out' (wouldn't you know it) on the boat, and we weren't paying any more to get the individual pictures of 3 separate boats.
Please don't think this was meant to be a 'downer' report. We did have fun, but it would've been nice to know some of this beforehand to merit whether we would have done it or not. Glad we did it once!
HTH's anyone thinking about this excursion!
