Had a GREAT time on the Jolly Roger on 5/19/13. I had tried to book with another company who said they were full, so I contacted Mike who was friendly and helpful. He said they usually only have around 24 people, but some other boat wasn't able to go out so we had about 30 on our trip.
The staff on board was great. They were friendly and helpful. Your mask, snorkel and fins are all provided, but you can also bring your own. It's not a huge boat, but a good size and it was a really great ride out to Buck Island.
You book in advance, but you pay when you get there to sail. They take both cash or credit cards, but only Visa & MC! On the way back, they also give you an opportunity to buy t-shirts. I even bought one because I had such a great time.
It took about an hour to get to the island. When we arrived, we started out at a sandy beach where we could get our snorkel gear all set up and make sure everything was fitting properly. Then we hopped back on the boat and headed out to the Buck Island Snorkel Trail. It was a little rough that day which was a bummer and in all honesty, the trail was a disappointment. I'd read other reviews that said that the trail was not very exciting or colorful, but I was going to Buck Island no matter what. But, the truth is, the trail is just not all that exciting. We did the route following one of the staff members, which isn't a good way to snorkel because you're always looking at the people in front of you in the snorkel parade instead of looking at what's around you. But, even then, the stuff around us wasn't all that exciting to look at and a lot of the little plaques along the trail are unreadable. But, remember this is the Buck Island part and certainly not a reflection on the Jolly Roger.
On the way back, we powered under sail which was cool. Once we were away from the National Park waters, we were provided a DELICIOUS rum punch that flowed for the rest of our trip back to the docks.
We really enjoyed our trip and it was awesome. I think the only thing that might have improved it would be if we had some snacks, too. And, that $70 per person price tag is a bit of an ouch. But, if you're trying to pick which boat to take to Buck Island from St. Croix, I highly recommend Mike and his crew. read more