Turtle Cove Catamaran Snorkel and Sail at Little Buck Island STT
Description
Come swim with the resident green sea turtles and tropical fish on this 3 hour snorkel & sail adventure in St. Thomas aboard The VI Cat. From your departure, set sail on our 54-foot US Coast Guard inspected catamaran to the idyllic Caribbean waters of Turtle Cove at Little Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge. Seeing the green sea turtles in their natural habitat truly is a life-long memory. Note this is Little Buck Island located off of St. Thomas. Enquire about a morning tour during the busier holiday weeks. *Turtle sightings are often reported and not guaranteed as the green sea turtles are in their natural habitat.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Arrive at 12:30pm to check-in with The VI Cat crew on the wooden dock of the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove. Tour departs promptly at 1pm (AST - Atlantic Standard Time). Guest is to provide their own transportation to the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove. After checking in with security, follow signs that say "public access to the beach". Free parking can be found in a large gravel parking lot on the right hand side AFTER the security booth.
Board 'The Cat', a spacious 54-foot sailing catamaran for an exhilarating sail to the uninhabited Little Buck Island, located off of St Thomas. You'll snorkel at Turtle Cove, Little Buck Island, the National Wildlife Refuge, where you'll experience an unforgettable, fun-filled, marine life adventure. Your friendly crew will provide snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins, snorkel vest), brief instruction and safety tips and if needed, a beginner's snorkeling lesson when you reach Little Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge. You may choose to swim and snorkel in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, tan on the special deck of the catamaran, or relax in the shaded cabin area. However you choose to spend your day on the boat, you will no doubt have fun! Water, light snacks and a variety of beverages. NOTE: Alcoholic, non-alcoholic beverages and light snacks are served AFTER the snorkeling/in-water portion of snorkel & sail trips.
Enjoy the relaxing sail back to the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove, where your fun-filled tour will conclude.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Must arrive 30 minutes prior to departure. Check-in with Cat Crew on Dock of Marriott's Frenchman's Cove. We cannot accommodate late-comers.
- Use Google Maps. Type "The VI Cat" or "Marriott's Frenchman's Cove". 1. Pull into the Marriott Frenchman's Cove (the property with all of the colorful buildings). The Marriott Cove has a large stone/brick entrance. 2. Check in with the security guard at the security booth. They will ask that you park in the large, flat gravel parking lot on the right AFTER the security booth. 3. After parking, walk down the hill, on the road, towards the pool and follow signs that say public beach access. 4. Look for the wooden dock located off of the beach. 5. You will check in with The VI Cat crew on the wooden dock approximately 30 minutes prior to departure.
- The VI Cat's Standard Cancellation Policy: To receive a full refund, customers may cancel up to 72 hours before the excursion start date in the local timezone. No refunds will be given after that time period. "No-Shows" will be charged the full price of the excursion. In the event The VI Cat cancels the excursion due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, customers may receive a full refund or rebooking.
- Note that the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove is the time-share portion of the Marriott. This location is different than The Westin Beach Resort & Spa at Frenchman's Reef
- All tours are listed in local time - Atlantic Standard Time Zone (PLEASE NOTE THIS MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN YOUR SHIP TIME)
- Be sure to mention any allergies or medical conditions to the Captain
- The Marriott's Frenchman's Cove is 7-10 minute taxi ride from the WICO cruise ship dock and 20-30 minute taxi ride from the Crown Bay cruise ship dock
- At time of booking, cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Children MUST be accompanied by an adult • Minimum drinking age is 21 years
- Alcoholic beverages will be offered after the in-water activities.
- If guest or vessel's Master determines safety issue, a full refund will be given.
- To find dock, please reference map in photos.
- MUST arrive 30 minutes prior to trip departure time. We cannot accommodate late arrivals.
- Any guests with medical concerns (including pregnant travelers) are encouraged to address them with their own medical professional prior to attending excursion.
- Facial coverings are optional while onboard.
Reviews(2,272)
Great snorkeling. See multiple turtles, a ray, way more fish than on other snorkel excursions we did on St. Thomas. Crew was great as well.
Great experience crew was amazing I do suggest take ur own snacks or eat well before going other than that it was great!!!!
Great trip, leaders, and experience! We saw turtles, sea urchins and many colorful fish. They provided everything including equipment, drinks and snacks!
An amazing amazing amazing trip to Turtle Cove, saw everything and anything!! The staff were top notch, highly highly recommend!! AAAA++++++
This was a great trip! My daughter is 16 and loves to snorkel and she said this was the best snorkel she’s ever gone on! Being able to swim freely but also have a navigated host was amazing! The views were incredible!! We would rebook this over and over again!!
rosemW5666PQ, Thank you for the wonderful review! It means so much to hear this was your daughter's favorite snorkeling experience. We're thrilled you enjoyed the balance of guided exploration and the freedom to enjoy the beautiful waters of Turtle Cove. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming your family back aboard again!
None, but I would prefer the experience to be closer.
luisdamianp2026, ¡Gracias por compartir su opinión y por navegar con nosotros! Lamentamos que la distancia del recorrido no haya cumplido con sus expectativas. Nuestros tours están diseñados para llevar a nuestros huéspedes a algunos de los mejores lugares para disfrutar de las aguas cristalinas y la belleza natural de St. Thomas, y el tiempo de navegación forma parte de la experiencia. Agradecemos sinceramente sus comentarios, ya que nos ayudan a seguir mejorando. Esperamos tener la oportunidad de darle la bienvenida nuevamente a bordo de The VI Cat en una futura visita.
Was a great tour. Took boat out to Little Buck Island. There we snorkeled with one of the staff who guided us to the sea turtles, puffer fish and other sea creatures. afterward we were served drinks and snack foods on the way back. would definitely recommend.
Angela, Thank you for the fantastic review! We're so glad you enjoyed snorkeling at Little Buck Island and had the opportunity to see sea turtles, pufferfish, and so many other incredible marine creatures. We're happy our crew helped make your experience memorable, and we truly appreciate the recommendation!
We loved most of this experience, but I rated it 2 stars because of one crew member. Captain Mike was incredible. He made the trip so fun. We went with a family group of 12 adults. When we got in the water we were divided into 2 groups. Half went with an amazing tour guide who world find a turtle and say "hey come see this turtle." They would all gather round and watch the turtle. However, bald of us went with Willie. He was extremely rude, disrespectful, and unprofessional. I have had several eye surgeries and can't see as well as most people. I couldn't see the turtle until it was underneath me. Willie yelled at me twice to "not swim over the turtles". As soon as I saw the turtle I quickly swam away. I did not swim over that turtle again once I knew where it was. Willie even turned to another swimmer and made a rude remark about me. She happened to be my daughter in law. He didn't know that. He was also extremely rude to another man. He was struggling with his mask and didn't even know they there was a turtle below him. Willie yelled at him for being over the turtle. The man didn't even know he was. He could have been much more diplomatic and just asked the man kindly to move over a little. Let me emphasize that the other guide never mentioned swimming over the turtles. The turtles are only about 12 ounces in diameter and sit on the ocean floor. We can only saw two the entire time. Neither one of them surfaced while we were in the area. Because of Willie, I would book this excursion with a different company. The excursion was great, but Willie ruined it for me and my family because of the way he treated me. Oh, and just FYI, the snacks provided are pretzels. Plenty of drinks, however. The catamaran was named catamaran cat.
Sharalyn, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We're very glad to hear you enjoyed the overall excursion and that Captain Mike helped make the trip fun for your family. However, we're truly sorry to learn that your interaction with one of our crew members left you feeling disappointed. That is not the level of hospitality or professionalism we strive to provide. Protecting the turtles and their habitat is an important part of our tours, but we always expect our crew to communicate with guests respectfully and patiently. Your feedback has been shared with our management team and will be taken seriously as we continue coaching and developing our staff. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and hope you'll consider giving us another opportunity to provide the experience we're known for.
Capt Martin, Sam and Tim where great The experience was well worth the cost. We had a group of 12 , ages 9 to 62 and they helped everyone with the snorkeling and floating by the boat. Give them a try, you will enjoy.
505daphner, Thank you for the fantastic review! We're thrilled Captain Martin, Sam, and Tim helped make your family's adventure such a memorable one. We love welcoming guests of all ages aboard, and we're glad everyone in your group enjoyed the snorkeling and time on the water. Thank you for the recommendation. We hope to see you all again soon! 🐢⛵🌊
They were a great bunch, we enjoyed every minute!
Ruthw691, Thank you for the kind words! We're thrilled you enjoyed your time with our crew and had a great experience aboard The VI Cat. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon!
