Four hours on a catamaran out of Port Zante, with about forty five minutes in the water over a reef. US$105 an adult, US$55 a child from 6 to 12, under 6 free. Snorkel gear, a buffet lunch and the bar are all in the price. It suits anyone who wants a swim and a sail without giving up the whole day, and the boat only goes out two or three times a week, so the date decides this one more than anything else does.
What it costs
| Price | What is in it | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | US$105 | Boat and crew, snorkel gear, a lesson if you have never used it, light buffet lunch, open bar after the snorkel stop, music on deck |
| Child, 6 to 12 | US$55 | The same, without the bar |
| Under 6 | free | The same, with an adult alongside |
Towels are not included, so bring one from your hotel or your ship. An underwater camera is not included either, so if you want photographs of the reef you bring your own. Tips are not in the price.
What do you actually do out there?
You board at the marina beside the cruise terminal at Port Zante, which means you walk to the boat from your ship.
The sail comes first, then the snorkel stop, and you get about forty five minutes in the water. Gear is handed out on board, and anyone who has never snorkelled gets a lesson before going in. It takes a few minutes and it is the difference between a good forty five minutes and a wasted one.
The crew get in the water with the group and stay there until the last person is back up the ladder. There is a reason for that. St Kitts has no lifeguards, on any beach or at any reef, and no warning flags anywhere on the island, and Canada’s government travel advice says rescue services here may not meet international standards. So the people who know the site are in the water with you.
Lunch is a light buffet, served on board.
The bar opens when the snorkelling is over, and not before. Say that out loud to your group if anyone was picturing a rum in their hand on the way out.
Music plays on deck for most of the trip.
How long does it take, and will it fit a cruise day?
About four hours, boarding to back on the dock.
The usual run is 11:30 out and 15:30 back. Some weeks it sails 09:30 to 13:30 instead, and we tell you which when we confirm. Ships in Basseterre are normally alongside from about 8am to 5pm or 6pm, so even the late departure leaves an hour or two in hand, and the walk from the marina to the ship takes a few minutes. If your call is shorter than that, say so on the form before anything is paid.
What should you bring?
A towel. Nothing on board is going to dry you and the sail back is breezy.
Your swimsuit, already on under your clothes. Forty five minutes is short and you want to be in the water for all of it.
Sun cover. Four hours on open water in the middle of the day, with the glare coming off the sea as well as down from the sky.
Seasickness tablets if you are prone to it, taken before you board. They do very little once you are already feeling it.
Cash in small notes for the crew. US dollars are accepted everywhere on the island.
Who should not book this one
You do not need to swim to come on the boat. You do need to swim to get off it at the reef. A flotation vest is available to anyone who wants one and the crew are in the water throughout, but a weak swimmer who goes in at the snorkel stop is still a weak swimmer in open water with no bottom under them.
Children come with an adult who stays responsible for them, on deck and in the water.
What happens if the weather turns, or your ship is late?
Rain does not stop a sail. Sea state does. If the captain calls it off you pay nothing, and anything already paid comes back in full.
If your ship docks too late for the departure, the same applies. One thing to be straight about: with two or three sailings a week there is often no next day to move you to, so a missed departure on a cruise call usually ends in a refund.
Book it
Tell us your date, how many adults and children, and your ship name if you are on one. Give us a second date if you have one, because this boat does not sail daily. We confirm the slot and come back to you within one working day, and only then do we send a payment link. Nothing is charged until the sailing is confirmed.
Questions people ask
Is there a cheaper way to do the same trip?
Yes. A cruise line sells a shorter three hour version from US$69.99 an adult, which is cheaper than our US$105 and we will not pretend otherwise. The fourth hour is what buys a full forty five minutes in the water, and the buffet lunch and the open bar on the way back come with it. An online agency sells a comparable four hour sail with lunch at US$99, six dollars under us. There is no statutory taxi fare to hold any of it against, because the government fare schedule covers road transport and says nothing about boats. What you are paying us for is the date hunting and a person who answers when a sailing moves.
When does the bar open?
After the snorkelling, every time. Drinks start once everyone is back on board and the gear is stowed.
Can someone snorkel for the first time on this trip?
Yes. Gear and a lesson are included and the crew expect first timers every sailing.
Is lunch a proper meal?
It is a light buffet on board, enough to see you through the afternoon. It is not lunch ashore at a table, so plan your dinner as normal.
How many dates are there in a week?
Two or three sailings, and the days change from week to week. Send us every day you could do and we will tell you what is open.
Do we tip the crew?
Tips are appreciated and not required. Ten to fifteen percent is normal here.
Written by Khareem Cabey. Prices and fees last checked 30 October 2026.