Turtle Cove Catamaran Snorkel and Sail at Little Buck Island STT
Overview
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3 hours
Mobile ticket
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.
Additional Info
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.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
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.
What‘s Included
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
Options
Turtle Cove Catamaran Snorkel and Sail at Little Buck Island STT
Reviews
2,099 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
This is the snorkel cruise you want in St. Thomas!
mattMS1SD,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience. Got the outfit here, off of TripAdvisors and am so glad we came to this platform! Alex, Nick, and Anders made a great trio, serving 25 of us on an pm trip to snorkel with the turtles...which we did! Great "PainKillers" serves on the way back, too!
Amazing experience! Must do!
tylerhW5125SB,,Dec 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Incredible experience! The staff is so welcoming. The turtles were easy to find! We saw more than 6 while we were in the water. The reef is small, but lots of different fish. Highly recommend! Free Pain Killers (alcoholic beverage) for the ride back was a nice bonus
Best day ever!
626murraye,,Dec 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wow! Had the best day ever with my fiance and friends for a 30th birthday. Tim, Portia, and captain Serena were go efficient getting everyone on board and the rules out of the way so that the whole trip ran seamlessly! The weather was amazing and the crew was so fun, conversational, and knowledgeable! We saw 5 sea turtles, the coral reef with TONS of different fish, and even a spotted eagle ray!!! drinks and snacks followed on the way home and it was a blast. there’s a beach you can visit after the boat day if you’re not too tired from such an awesome time! 10/10 would do again.
Don't miss this one
Mike R,,Dec 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00My wife and I went on this excursion and had a great time. I will say that the 1p time slot that we went on seemed better (in hindsight) because the folks from the cruise ships had all been on the morning excursion. This meant that there were only about 11 folks on our boat. Tim, Isaac, and Serena (the crew members) were so nice and lightheaded that it made the trip even more memorable. The sea turtles were a treat and Tim, the snorkeling guide, was awesome.
We saw turtles
Thomas M,,Dec 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Do it! Fun time. Good views, food, and music. And of course, drink. Large variety of drink hard and soft. Serena, Isaac, and Tim were great hosts.
Great time
K8461KDbrandonk,,Dec 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Tim, Porsche, Serena were an awesome crew. Got us to and from safe fast. Tim was very knowledgeable about the animal and reef did an amazing gues during the normal tour. Porsche was great bartender kept the glasses full great humor. Can tell the crew enjoys there jobs
Highlight of our vacation
Jim A,,Dec 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Highglight of our trip. Honestly one of the best snorkeling trips we have done anywhere. We saw several green turtles up close and the tropical fish just off Bucks Island were spectacular in variety and color. Professional captain and crew. Very well organized. A do not miss.
Amazing trip
Q2173MQdouglasm,,Dec 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had an amazing experience over Thanksgiving week. We got the opportunity to go on a snorkeling adventure with castaway girl catamaran. The crew was amazing, and the adventure was everything we had expected. Their team went above and beyond to make our experience amazing. We will definitely go back and hope we get the same crew again. Y’all were amazing thank you.
Fun Adventure aboard The Cat
Annette A,,Dec 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Professional. Quality equipment. Great snorkeling guide. Saw many turtles and colorful fish. Yummy drinks.
Amazing Experience - Recommend to everyone who is visiting St. Thomas
Artem B,,Dec 2, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Amazing tour with approx. one hour of snorkeling with an amazing crew. My family really enjoyed the boat and the views. When we went snorkeling, the crew made sure that we were safe and knew everything before we got into the water. The tour was around 20 minutes and then, you can go explore on your own within the perimeter. Recommend it 100% to everyone!
From US$119.00
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