*** Private Charter Review *** Bad Kitty offers group tours…read moreon a larger catamaran and some other rentals , but we just did a private charter. AND, if you are in a group of like 6 or more, it's so worth it - you are on your own schedule and un-rushed. We did a full day + an additional hour in the BVI. HIGHLY Recommend the additional hour if you are going to do the Bathes - it's an hour to get out there! But it was worth it - a really fun hike down and just beautiful water - if you aren't trying to do too much in the day you could definitely negotiate spending more time exploring here. Captain Greg was great (we were an older group so we probably were a little boring ) but he told us about the various locations, made recommendations and found us some secluded snorkeling spots after lunch. It was THE BEST DAY in the Virgin Islands, just island hopping around and being on the open water. Very friendly, very knowledgeable - he had a bunch of dining and bar recommendations too! It's no frills and the boat isn't the newest one out there - but it's a great value!!! I hope it stays that way - it's a family run business so that probably helps, but most other charters charge you 50+ per guest over 6 and they are already pricier than Bad Kitty. Bad Kitty only charges you after 8. They also don't charge you more for going out to the Bathes - I did a lot of comparisons and some will up the charge to go that far out and that doesn't even include gas! So this was really a great deal for a nice boat with plenty of shade, a wet bar for mixing drinks, plenty of snorkeling gear and noodles and some nice upgrades if you want food and drinks, but they also offer ice and a cooler if you bring your own I can't say enough good things, it was a really great experience and a great way to see some of the BVI without being herded around in a large group Some things to consider for private charters: - All charge a customs fee to go to the BVI: I saw some as low as $75 and some as high as $90 pp - I think this has to do something with what BVI charges charters each year to enter their waters, but this is not unusual and many will ask for your passports up front. If you don't want to bother with that, stay in the USVI for the day - you will still be able to get to some cool spots! - All charters do expect gratuity for the Captain - standard is 20% gratuity (I suppose you don't have to give that much, but gee... they hang out with you all day, get you to some hard to reach spots and make sure you are back through US customs before they close at 5 so you aren't stranded! So you better have a good reason not to give 20% ) - You are also responsible for the gas - the further out you go, the more expensive this will be. It was $294 for our day out to the Bathes, then to Norman Island for lunch and a few snorkeling spots (but that is going to be based on the volatile price of gas at the moment - SO DO NOT quote me on that). When I talked to the woman who helped me with the booking, she was able to give me estimates based on where we thought we wanted to go - which was helpful for budgeting :) All-in-all - I can't recommend them enough!! I plan to be back in the USVI again next year and will be looking these guys up again! And thanks again Captain Greg for a truly wonderful, memorable day!!!

Our recent trip aboard Bad Kitty Boat Tours (Bad Kitty 2) in St. Thomas was largely a wonderful…read moreexperience. The boat was clean and well-maintained, and the itinerary took us through some of the most stunning waters and islands the Caribbean has to offer. From swimming in crystal-clear waters to relaxing on pristine beaches, it truly made for a memorable day. Despite the longer wait at BVI customs, it went off without a hitch. The crew--apart from one exception--was friendly, engaging, and attentive. They made sure everyone was safe, comfortable, and having fun. The drinks were flowing, the music set a great tone, and the overall vibe was relaxed yet professional. That said, I would be remiss not to mention the demeanor of Captain Jeremy. While clearly knowledgeable about the boat and the route, his tone throughout the day felt unnecessarily condescending and dismissive, I mean this guy is all business. What could have been light-hearted banter often came off as dismissive or patronizing, which slightly dulled the otherwise positive energy aboard. Despite that hiccup, the Bad Kitty experience was still enjoyable, and I would recommend it to others--with the caveat to manage expectations around the captain's communication style. A bit more warmth and respect from the helm would go a long way toward making this a five-star excursion.

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!

This was our first time using On the Sea, but it won't be the last. Ryan and Megan were very…read moreprofessional, but they also made the trip so much fun! It was a great way to end our vacation.

I have used On the Sea charters for about 6 years and have never had a bad day with them. They ask…read morewhere you want to go and what you're looking to do, not a cookie cutter schedule. The owner Ryan has been our captain for 12 different adventures, and rarely do we do the same thing, unless we bring people who have never been and want that experience. There is not another company I will use. They have gained my confidence and trust in always looking out for my group if things get crazy! (ie: Willy T!) Thank you to Ryan and the entire crew he has for always making our trips enjoyable.

My first time snorkeling was a success and I have nothing but great things to say about C.I.A. We…read morehad the pleasure of snorkeling with this family owned company and I wish I could have snorkeled with them an extra day! Laura, her husband, and their son Damian were passionate about what they do and I absolutely enjoyed my time with them. It was my first time snorkeling, so you can imagine it was a bit scary for me. However, Laura and her family made me feel safe. They helped me adjust my mask until it was perfect and always checked on me to ensure I was safe and having a good time. In addition, they take photos for you and point out the turtles, sting rays, puffer fish, and other rarities so that you don't miss them. They also take photos for you so you don't have to carry your own camera. Booking a round trip ferry ride with C.I.A. is convenient and saves you the hassle of waiting for tickets at Fajardo Ferry (separate review). Booking with them guarantees you a RT ticket; you'll receive a text with details on getting your tickets. When you get to Culebra, Laura meets you and drives you to Tamarindo Beach where the fun begins! For the SeaVenture package, you start off with a short kayak to your snorkeling destination. You snorkel for a while and then kayak back to shore. Here, you'll have a lunch provided to you by Laura and her family. There's fruit, juice, soda, water, and these amazing sandwiches that are seriously to die for! Laura says it's made of blended cheese, ham, and peppers (I should have asked for the complete recipe!). After lunch, you snorkel in a separate area where the beautiful turtles hang out! This was my favorite part! You will be informed as to how to behave around them to avoid scaring them away. After this excursion, Laura drives you to the famous Flamenco Beach and picks you up in an hour (depending on when you finish the SeaVenture). She takes you straight to the ferry and you're off to Ceiba! All in all, I would definitely snorkel with C.I.A. in the future!!

We found this tour quite by accident, they are a relatively new tour company and aren't as well…read moreadvertised. We checked the details of their excursions on their excellent website. I called them up to get some more details and make reservations. Damien Sr was very helpful in getting our ferry tickets even though we gave them a short notice. We needed transportation but ended up renting our own car, because they needed a min of 8 people to arrange transportation. Taxi is 20$pp, so paying 160$ for just the two us didn't make any sense. We were greeted by Laura at the Culebra terminal promptly on time. She drove us to Tamarind beach for snorkelling trip. The trip took a little while to start, we had to wait for some other guests to join us which a little bothersome as we were raring to go. Damien Jr explained the basics of kayaking and the tour details. The tour is split into two parts 1) Kayaking for 20 min to reach a good section of the reef and then snorkeling. 2) Snorkeling in another section to see the turtles and some coral reefs. They provided food/refreshments after we got back from the first section of the trip. They also took lots of pictures which was great. We saw a lot of fishes, sting rays, turtles, different kinds of corals. I would have liked to know more about the different kinds of fish and the coral that we saw. We spent a good amount of time in the water and after that Laura dropped us off at Flamenco beach. Flamenco beach was awesome, it has turquoise blue water and white sand, we spent around an hour at the beach. We left around 4 to catch the ferry back to Fajardo terminal. We had a great experience! Double thumbs up!

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.

We did the Day Water-sports Package All Day Rental on Honeymoon Beach. We chose the boat shuttle to…read moreget there. They pick you up right where the ferry drops off at which is so convenient. The boat shuttle is a small little boat that fits up to 6 people and it took all of 5-10 minutes to get from the ferry dock to Honeymoon. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. They set up your chairs wherever you want on the beach. They pull out the kayaks for you and give you the snorkel gear. I was a little disappointed because if you are just doing the equipment rental you're not allowed to kayak passed the confines of honeymoon beach, which is kind of small. I have a feeling that is for your own safety though so you don't get overzealous and find yourself lost out on the water without a tour guide! We didn't end up using the SUPs but they were available if we wanted. We snorkeled and unfortunately there wasn't a lot of fish. But we did see a couple sea turtles which was what I was hoping for!! I will say, the food and drinks they sell in the hut are super expensive and downright not worth it. So bring a mini cooler with snacks and water if you can! It was a leisurely day and we liked being able to snorkel and kayak of our own free will!

We thought we were going to the beach we experienced during a cruise, but we're sadly disappointed…read more The beach is nice no waves clear water just what you want in the Caribbean. And the beach was free but it cost $10 to taxi ride down to the beach. The pizza was good The drinks were overpriced. But the souvenir cup was worth it. Not sure I come back again but who knows so sure?

This is THE go-to charter on St. John to maximize fun with the best people possible running the…read moreboats! Jimmy, Bridgett and Sarah were all so great during our snorkeling adventure day (3 different stops....4 if you count lunch at Lime Out ). Can't say enough about all of them, just a very fun, very knowledgeable group who made the entire experience unforgettable. Will absolutely be coming back to spend a day with Palm Tree when we return to the island and highly recommend you do too!

This was an amazing charter. We rented the private boat and got to pick where we wanted to go. It…read morewas a little pricey but totally worth it. We went to the baths in British Virgin Island, Willie Ts for lunch, and then a place to go snorkeling. Landry our boat captain was amazing and very informative. He gave us history, and picked the best music. You can bring your own drinks on and snorkel gear if you want. Totally worth it to go wherever you want to!

Steve was SO nice and extremely helpful. They have really great gear and he had expert advice…read more Check out the prescription lens snorkel masks if you wear glasses.

We had a lovely excursion with Sam in Hurricane Hole. We stopped in our first day here and made a…read morereservation for later in the week. They were flexible and accommodating. Our guide, Sam, was knowledgeable about geology, biology, and local history. We kayaked a couple bays, snorkeled one and hit the edge of the open ocean on our way home. Sam pointed out lots of coral, crustaceans, and fish and knew all their names. He took a bunch of pictures for us and was prepared for any eventuality. Highly recommend this organization and Sam as a guide!

Highly recommend Culebra divers, family owned business. They provide great dive experiences and are…read morealso wonderful photographers that captured the best of our dives. One of the best dive companies we have seen in our international travels. Our friends also had a great experience during their training dives with Trevor. Heather was super easy to contact and the training setup for our friends was smooth. Very affordable dives as well. (They must survive on tips)

Culebra divers was amazing. On time and extremely well run. The knowledge that both Heather and…read moreTrevor possesses is truly a gift. I did my advanced open water training and i must say-I learned more in my two days with them then all the diver instructors i have dove with combined! Visit Culebra and if diving is your thing, go with them!

My husband and I had the best time here! The trip was the perfect amount of time and the captain…read moreand crew were so much fun and made the experience even better. We saw sharks, jellyfish, sea turtles, so many beautiful fish, a barracuda, and even got to hold a starfish. It was honestly such an amazing experience and one of our favorite things we did on the trip. I would recommend it to everyone!

Came here for an excursion while visiting St. Thomas for vacation. The staff are amazingly kind,…read morehumorous, and readily available to save your life at any moment! Thanks, Captain Greg, Jess, Reina (sp?), and Jason!