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3 hours
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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.
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.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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.
Little Buck Island
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.
Use of snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, snorkel vest, fins)
Local guide
Unlimited Drinks (alcoholic beverages after in-water activities)
Snacks
Gratuities (suggested)
Souvenir T-Shirts and Dri-Fit Shirts (available for purchase)
Guest provides own transportation to and from the Marriott's Frenchman's Cove
2,233 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Janine W,Apr 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
A great day with Captain Sam, Dan,Anders and D A great team very professional and we were well looked after. Saw everything we hoped to and more. Thank you
Coach913,Apr 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Captain Sam and his crew were excellent! Snorkeling and seeing lots of fish, stingrays and turtles! They look out for everyone’s safety! We really enjoyed our afternoon, drinks and snacks served on the return trip back to Norwegian Luna!
Luci D,Apr 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
Sam, Sam and Dakota are the best crew! they are awesome! Our excursion had a lot of little kids and the crew was so good with them, which was great. We normally would look for a kid-free experience but this was still really nice and very orderly. They empathized all the rules and safety; I think we all felt like we were in very capable hands.
elizabethcC5921YC,Apr 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
We loved this excursion! Friends of ours had done it in the past and recommended it to me and my husband. It was well worth it! It’s an affordable price, the 4 staff were super kind and fun to hang with, we saw tons of turtles and the reef life was amazing! So thankful we did it. Only a 3 hour deal and it’s open bar on the return. So fun!
davidbB8515PB,Apr 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
We did the 3 hour snorkel tour 1-4 PM. The tour was fantastic - very well organized, guides the guides were excellent - very informative and great sense of humor. We saw many beautiful fish, reef and turtles. Enjoyed the snacks and drinks, as well. Very fun experience for a very wide age range. Highly recommend.
Sarah P,Apr 13, 2026
- Review from Viator
We had the absolute best time!! Very crew member was friendly and helpful. We saw turtles, tons of fish and someone saw an octopus! It was so much fun and we will definitely be going back!!
saraheX6378NG,Apr 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Fantastic excursion ! The crew was exceptional and the boat was clean ! Captain Sam and his team were hospitable and informative. I highly recommend this team and the trip to turtle cove ! We would book again for sure.

U343YDanthonyg,Apr 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
Awesome experience! Very professional & knowledgeable staff- excellent gear, training, & fun atmosphere! We all loved getting to see multiple sea turtles in the wild too!
David W,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Viator
Captain Sam, Sam, and Dakota (I’m sorry it’s the only names I remember) were great! The crew did awesome making us feel welcome and helping us find the wildlife. The post snorkel beverages were fine. Overall vibe was fun, definitely family friendly. I give them 5 stars mainly for the professionalism, overall attitudes and vibe. If you’ve been to the keys and have experienced snorkeling there this reef may be a little underwhelming, but otherwise it was awesome!!
BoggySwamps,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
This has been the highlight of our vacation. Staff was awesome. Captain is a good dude and very experienced. Beautiful catamaran, beautiful people. We will be back!




Operated by The VI Cat