Friday, February 24, 2012

“A Great Day in Antigua”

 This is our latest review on tripadvisor
and we are all liking this one. Thanks!!!

Ernie M
Cleveland, Ohio
Reviewer
5 reviews
4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 21, 2012 NEW
We took the Eco-Tour as an independent tour during our cruise on Serenade Of The Seas. Booking online was easy and you get a discount for doing so. We met at the pre-arranged pick-up spot very near the cruise dock , about a five minute walk, at 9AM. We met Captain JD and his crew Nichola and Natalie who would be our guides for the day. After 2 quick stops to pickup passengers from resorts along the way we headed to the North Sound area of Antigua. We had a stop near Long Island where Nickie told us about the island and the on going turtle project there, then we cruised through the mangroves looking for and seeing a turtle and some starfish. Next up was the highlight of the tour , a stop at Hell's Gate. This is a coral formation that only the Eco-Tour goes to. There we were given choices of going over to Hell's Gate and climbing through the cave and up to the top, just sitting in the natural jacuzzi, snorkeling/swimming in the area, or just hanging out onboard. A very good lunch was served with BBQ chicken, pasta and green salads,plantains and a choice of drinks, water, soda, and fruit juices. After lunch it was off to Bird Island for a little hike up to the top, or a swim at the beach. Last up for the day's activities was the longer snorkel at a nearby reef. At this time of year the North Swells can make snorkeling a challenge , so Natalie took the less experienced and kept them nearer to the boat while Nickie took the more experienced out farther. You could see where the coral is starting to recover from the bad storms over the years and reef fish are becoming more plentiful. It was then time to head back to the dock and the Rum Punch and Banana Bread was served on the ride back.
To address some issues brought up in other reviews - We never felt crowded and everyone had a place to sit if they wanted. This is not a "Booze Cruise" or a snorkeling only excursion so if that's what you're looking for, look elsewhere. This is one of the most unique tours offered on any of the islands that we have cruised to and we look forward to going on the other excursions offered by Adventure Antigua when we return to Antigua.
Visited January 2012