Had a fantastic time with my wife and the crew. I'm deftly afraid of water, and the crew took us…read moreout for snorkeling . They were very patient with us and showed us a fantastic time! I would DEFINITELY recommend taking the sunset cruise of the snorkeling adventure with Big Beards!

My wife, Andi Jennings, and I took a full-day trip on the "Big Beard Adventure" on Saturday 9/5/26…read morewith Captain Peter first mate Jackie, and second mate (first mate in training) Sienna. It was a terrific day in so many ways. The catamaran is clean, comfortable, and well-equipped. It was very stable on the water and there was plenty of room for all of us. We had 18 people on our trip, but it could have easily handled 30. The boat has two ladders in the back so getting in and out of the water was relatively easy. We made three stops, the first being Turtle Beach, on the leeward side of Buck Island. They do this stop first to give everyone some beach time (it is a gorgeous beach), and also to allow everyone to practice our snorkeling in a more protected and supervised environment. This also allows the crew to determine who might need extra help during the reef part of the tour. The second stop is on the windward side of Buck island, where the reef is. My wife grew up here in St. Croix, but I had never been to Buck Island National Monument. It was nothing short of spectacular. I have never seen anything like it. The reef was teeming with beautiful fish and the reef itself is like an underwater mountain range that you are flying over. Simply amazing. Those that needed help to navigate the reef were given the assistance they needed. We had two non-swimmers on board and yet they were able to safely enjoy most of the experience. Sienna led the way for the experienced snorkelers while Jackie hung back to help folks that needed more guidance. Once we were all safely back on board, they started serving "Mutiny Punch"(fruity vodka drink), in addition to non-alcoholic punch (water is available throughout). We then we were off to Big Beard's private beach, back on St. Croix where a neat little sheltered picnic area was situated just steps off the beach. Captain Peter started cooking hot dogs, regular burgers and veggie burgers, in addition to Mahi (the fish varies on each trip). The food attracted the local wildlife, including several friendly cats and dozens of curious mongooses. After about 90 minutes or so, we all got back on board and headed back to Christensted harbor. One of the things that really stood out was the engagement and dedication of the crew. They all love the island, love the Big Beard organization, and are super-focused on the guest experience and made the day even more enjoyable seeing them work together as a team. Thank you for a great day, Peter, Jackie and Sienna! It was a great value and a great experience. My wife & I cannot recommend this excursion more enthusiastically!

The Saturday morning snorkel tour to Buck Island was awesome. Beautiful beach and reef with amazing…read morefish to see.. The crew was professional, knowledgeable and fun.

Did a private charter sunset cruise, they did a great job. I liked how they asked the kids what…read morethey wanted to drink first before the adults, very sweet / cute. And there's a restroom on board!

I searched all over the Internet to find a good beach and I have to say the online information is…read moregarbage. This to me was a hands-down, most beautiful white sand beach with calendar type photos. We were greeted by Myra who gave us amazing food and drinks and the people here were super friendly. The water is crystal clear and gorgeous and I promise you won't get a better Caribbean experience than this location.

I loved this beach. It's secluded, clean and as beautiful as all the other ones in St. Croix. It is…read morelocated right next to the buccaneers hotel. Drive like you were going to the buccaneer, but instead of going into the hotel, take a right. You will see a guard for a neighborhood. Tell them your going to the beach and they will let you in. You'll drive straight until it dead ends. There's parking on the right. Then you'll have to carry your stuff through a canopy of trees to get to the beach. Some of the tree canopy is low lying, so you'll have to duck for just a bit. Take your own chairs, blankets, etc. it's just sand and water. No facilities available. Shade is available under trees. The day I went, there was one other small group there, but for the most part, we had the whole beach to ourselves.

The 6 of us had a great day on the Dragonfly with Capt. Carl. I would highly recommend this boat…read moreoperator. He took us to some great spots for snorkeling and beaching and was full of information and recommendations about things to do on our other days in St. Croix. Buck Island is a definite must see when in St Croix and for my money Buck Island Charters is the way to go.

Must do on STX! Underwater snorkeling trail was so cool. Beautiful scene! Crew was amazing!read more

My wife and I first gave St. Thomas Scuba and Snorkel Adventures a try last year on our first visit…read moreto St. Thomas. Because of our amazing experience last year, we had to give them another try this year. On both visits, we chose the "rent a local" experience for about $120 per person, and both times we were fortunate enough to have Madi as our guide! The "rent a local" experience is essentially a private tour in which a local snorkel expert picks you up from your hotel and drives you to 2 beaches for snorkeling, in addition to taking you to some lookout points and Hull Bay Hideaway for lunch (lunch not included in the package). Madi offered a wealth of expertise and even helped me (I am not a big swimmer and can hardly float) to stay afloat in the water (thanks to a life jacket and noodle, and later even a boogie board) while still enjoying the sights to see. Madi even brought along a cooler with waters, sodas and rum punch to keep us hydrated between beaches. Madi and the rest of the crew know exactly where to go and have great knowledge of the local wildlife. On both snorkel adventures, we saw plenty of sea turtles, sting rays, sea urchin, sea worms, flounder and various other forms of wildlife such as octopus, squid and even a barracuda. Throughout the day, your guide customizes the 5-hour experience according to what you'd like to see and do (want to spend more time at a beach snorkeling? No problem at all!). I also have to add that Webb, who runs this program, is an amazing (and personal) communicator. We emailed back and forth several times before arriving to make sure we got the most out of our experience. He also makes sure that your guide texts you before picking you up so that you have each other's contact information. The other great aspect of this tour is that your guide takes pictures of your group and the wildlife you encounter. The picture quality is incredible and they really capture some amazing shots. If you choose to purchase the photo package, they'll guarantee at least 50 high-resolution photos and will send them digitally via Dropbox or Air Drop. If you're looking to snorkel (or even Scuba dive) on St. Thomas or St. John, you must choose St. Thomas Adventures. I wouldn't change a thing about this crew and this program. They all rock and the value is incredible!

I called in the morning and Web quickly organized a private tour for us with Heather. Love her she…read morewas so fun and laid back to hang out with all day. We went snorkeling at two different beaches and then she took us around the island to some beautiful lookout spots. Heather was very knowledgeable of the history of the island and the sea life. The pictures she took are our absolute favorite from the whole trip. The underwater pics are they best!

We had an amazing trip with Captain Randy! We did a 6 hour adventure trip and he made sure that…read moreevery minute was enjoyable. We caught 4 different types of fish, snorkeled and had lunch at the coolest little beach bar. We have 2 boys (10 & 12) and Randy was very patient helping them reel in the fish. The bonus was Randy filleting one of the fish so we could bring it back to our resort for dinner. This excursion was the absolute best memory of our week on the island! We would 100% book again and highly recommend Randy to anyone looking for a truly memorable experience.

Had a great time fishing and snorkeling. Captain Randy was awesome…read more We caught a tuna that Captain Randy filet for us and we cooked for dinner.​ We also caught a 8ft shark which was alot of fun getting in.

Just a short walk from the cruise pier to the public free beach. It will cost you nothing to wear…read moreyour swimsuit and jump in the refreshing water of this beach. If you would like to lounge under an umbrella it is rented by the day not the hour. $30 for the umbrella and 2 lounge chairs for a whole day is not a bad deal. The water is clean and there are lots of pretty small rocks on the shore. If you like to hunt for seaglass on the shore, this is a great place to go. Just off the shore is some larger rocks that can be a bit slippery but if you slide in slowly, it is very enjoyable. The snorkeling is good and fun too. There is a trailer that sells alcohol and nonalcoholic drinks and bathroom facilities is portable potties. Parking is free in the gravel lot next to the road and there are a few picnic tables around some shade trees. The walk from the port area is under 5 minutes.

This is one of two beaches on this strip and is the closes to the Cruise Ship Pier. It is also…read moreknown as Fort Frederik Beach. It is not very big, but has clean white sand and clear blue water. It does not have a designated parking area, but, there is a free lot within a reasonable walking distance from the tower and there is also free street parking available as well. This park is a work in progress. Its shelter and restroom facility are closed and currently under construction. Unlike Rainbow Beach down the street, the beach has some trees that offer some shade. They also have chairs and umbrellas available to rent and there are a few chairs and colorful picnic tables placed around the beach's perimeter that you can sit as well. There is a truck in the middle of the beach's green space where you can buy alcohol and soft drinks. You can also rent snorkel gear from there. It is not very big and I am not sure of the selection, but the owner, Calvin, is very nice. Outside of that truck, there are no other adjacent places to buy food or drink. There are quite a few within a reasonable walking distance though, but you will have to leave the beach area. With that being said, I highly recommend you bringing some water with you. I estimate that you could probably spend a half to a whole day here easily. You can also drive directly up to some of the waterfront areas, as you are heading away from the beach and make your own little private beach, if you want some privacy and so choose. Even though this beach does not have as many activities as the nearby Rainbow Beach, some still may find it more convenient. It is not a bad beach and will definitely satisfy someone looking to get some sun and get in some warm clear blue water. So, I guess when deciding between the two beaches you have to weigh you need for activities versus convenience.

Jess, Rose and Captain Ashley were the absolute best. They were super informative when snorkeling…read moreand made the ride there and back super fun.

We booked the Turtle Bay Sail & Snorkel Adventure in St. Thomas through our cruise and were very…read moredisappointed with our experience on Castaway Girl 4. The biggest issue was the lack of organization from the start. We spent close to an hour waiting between multiple lines--first in the sun to exchange tickets, then again to hand off a second ticket. It felt unnecessarily complicated and poorly managed. Because of the delays, the boat traveled very fast to make up time. The water was choppy, and several guests became seasick on the way to the snorkeling site. There were also multiple issues with communication and expectations. We were not informed in advance that full-face snorkel masks were not allowed, which would have impacted our decision to book. The equipment provided did not feel clean, and we were told there were not enough flippers or beverages for everyone. The excursion description advertised rum punch, soft drinks, and snacks, but no snacks were provided. The rum punch was also very poor quality, and most guests declined more. While the snorkeling location at Buck Island was beautiful and the water was calm, the actual experience in the water was lacking. The guide quickly swam off and was not visible to the group, leaving guests without direction. Our time snorkeling felt short--around an hour. The return trip was slower and more comfortable, which we appreciated. However, overall this was the least enjoyable snorkeling excursion we have experienced. We would not choose this company again and would recommend others consider alternative options.

Such a BEAUTIFUL BEACH - highly recommended beach... also with a gift shop with souvenirs and…read moresnacks and more   - - -   June, 2025 Visit   - - -   Short Review,   Cinnamon Bay Beach...   ... has an island you can swim / snorkel to... many fish to see closer to the island   ... has a view of Great Thatch, British Virgin Islands   ... has indoor facilities... gift shop, snack bar (indoors and outside), campsites   ... not crowded       - - - Additional information: - - -   My wonderful wife planned a relaxing trip for us to St. John's, US Virgin Islands (just east of Puerto Rico), in June, 2025; we had a great time... such a beautiful island!     We snorkeled two beaches on St. John, and we enjoyed them both.   Cinnamon Bay Beach stuns you with its beautiful colors... the beach has light tan sand, helping make the water is a light green-blue color... stunningly beautiful!!     - - - Why Cinnamon Bay Beach - - -   Most of St. John is a National Park and most of the northern part of the island provides a nearly continuous beach... nearly continuous because peninsulas that extend into the water separate each beach from the other.    We looked at the map and read the reviews and picked Hawksnest and Cinnamon Bay beaches  because they looked more likely to have slightly smaller crowds, as cruise ships apparently visit other beaches (at least when we visited).  When we visited we were not alone and it was also not crowded.   Both are within a couple miles of each other, so while they are similar in overall look and feel - similar color of the water and sand, similar plants, etc., they are unique in what you can see underwater when you're snorkeling, and unique in the views from the beach.     - - - Taxis to and from - - -   To get to and from Cinnamon Bay Beach, you can drive or take a taxi.  The taxis on St. John, at least the ones we saw, are all trucks, with the driver in the cab, and the passengers sitting, open air, in the back... on benches with a roof over our heads.  The taxis run all day and will stop at multiple beaches to drop off and pick up passengers along the way.      - - - Cell / Mobile service - - -   Cell phone service is present, but the signal is a bit weak - 1 to 2 bars of signal strength.      - - - The beach - - -   Even if you never get in the water, the scene is beautiful... the water color is such a beautiful shade of blue...   Enya's "Caribbean Blue" (from 1991 album "Shepherd Moons") was playing in our heads, and was surely inspired by waters like these...   The sand is light and soft   Beautiful green trees and plants along the beach.     - - - The view from the beach - - -   Cinnamon Bay Beach is a beautiful beach and view of the British Virgin Islands' (BVI's) Jost Van Dyke in the distance and Great Thatch island closer... both BVI; St. John's Whistling Cay is visible, closer to the left, and Mary Point, closer to the right; Cinnamon Brach curbs east, and out into the water to a point that becomes Maho Bay and we stayed within Cinnamon Cay..     - - - The water... snorkeling - - -   On any given day, the water quality and aquatic life are things you cannot control.  The day we visited water quality and aquatic life were both goo -  the water was so clear and we saw so many fish, especially as we snorkeled out toward the island... which is much closer than it looks.. 5-10 minutes of calm to quicker leg kicking should get you there.     - - - Snorkeling - what we saw - - -   While snorkeling we were blessed to see: ⁃            a stingray swam by right as we started out !! ⁃            many more parrotfish-like blue-green-purplish fish and others ⁃            on the way back in, two squid!!     - - - Back on the beach - - -   We enjoy laying back and relaxing... and taking photos of our feet as they point toward the sand + surf... and we captured another one here on Cinnamon Bay Beach.   What a great afternoon!     - - - The surf, the lack of on St. John - - -   We have been blessed to visit the Caribbean a couple times and have noticed that there is not much surf, not many waves. On an early trip someone explained that the Caribbean is just at a position in the ocean that the rides are not small; brief internet searches suggest the tide only varies a few inches to a foot or so... such small changes don't lead to many waves. You'll likely see and enjoy hearing waves "lapping at the shore," but you're not likely to do much body surfing... if you have a boogie board, while you could bring it on your flight, you'll likely be better off leaving it at home. - - - Gift Shop - t-shirts, hat pins and more - - - - - - Thank you - - - Thank you to all the park team members who maintain Cinnamon Bay Beach, and to the taxi drivers getting us visitors to and from the beach! ----- ----- -----

Full disclosure I didn't actually swim at this beach but I spent an hour or so here because it's…read moreactually a huge beach! The internet says it's one of the most famous ones and I can see why - the water is crystal clear, bright blue (as are most of the other national park beaches lol). It's spacious though, and in addition to the beach itself, there is a snack vendor area where you can buy lunch (like sandwiches and drinks), and a gear rental place for snorkeling etc. They also have a small restaurant adjacent to the campground cafeteria area which does breakfast and dinner (but not lunch). They have pretty clean bathrooms and showers too, and the most parking of all the beaches that I went to. They even had an info booth; the lady there was fairly knowledgeable about the park although I don't think she was an actual ranger (she wasn't in the ranger outfit). There's also a little area right at the entrance to the beach that is part of some ruins, it's a nice photo op spot. Overall this is a great beach! Def recommend.