My husband Bill and I recently took a cruise in the southern Caribbean on the SeaDream I. We were to start our cruise on November 13th in St. John’s, Antigua, but embarkation was not going to start until 2:00pm. Having cruised with SeaDream Yacht Club before, Bill and I knew that we would have to find something to do until embarkation started. Last time, we went to a restaurant and had a long lunch. Remembering that SeaDream would be providing food and beverages when we boarded, I wanted to find an activity that wasn’t about food. After doing some research, I came across Adventure Antigua’s Xtreme Circumnav tour, a tour that would take us all the way around Antigua in a high powered speedboat with several stops along the way.
Booking
Initially, I wanted to book our tour for Saturday, November 12, because I didn’t want anything to interfere with catching our ship. When I contacted Adventure Antigua, I was told that there weren’t any tours planned for November 12 because there weren’t any cruise ships scheduled to be in port. However, the Xtreme tour would be offered on the 13th, because there were going to be several ships in port that day. Although Adventure Antigua also offers a popular Eco Tour, a slower tour on a larger vessel that focuses on Antigua’s wildlife and ecology, the Xtreme tour was the only one that would be offered during our short stay in Antigua. Luckily, Bill and I preferred the Xtreme tour.
Our contact at Adventure Antigua wrote that the tour would run from approximately 9:00am until no later than 4:00pm. The Xtreme Circumnav tour costs $170 per person, though a 10 percent discount is offered to those who book online and pay in cash. To reserve our spots on the boat, we needed to make a deposit of approximately $25 per person by credit card, then pay the balance in cash when we boarded. Antigua’s currency is East Caribbean dollars, so my credit card was actually charged slightly more than $50.
Getting started
We arrived at the port just before 9:00am to wait for Adventure Antigua’s powerful speedboat to arrive. While we were waiting, several others arrived, some of whom had come from one of the cruise ships docked nearby. By the time we were invited to board the boat, there were about fifteen people. We were asked to remove our shoes before boarding and hand over any personal items we wanted to stow for safe keeping. We made a stop at Jolly Beach to pick up a few more people, then started our tour.
I positioned myself near the front of the boat, where the biggest waves are. The tour leaders instructed those of us at the front of the boat to straddle the bench we were sitting on as if we were riding a horse. That’s because the front of the boat takes the brunt of the shock when the boat hits swells of water. Those who are pregnant or have a bad back are encouraged to sit at the back of the boat, where the ride is smoother.
Stingray City
After passing Antigua’s beautiful Hell’s Gate, we made our first stop at Stingray City, a marine park where tourists can swim with stingrays. The tour guides were careful to explain that the stingrays at Stingray City are friendly and gentle and pose no threat to humans. We stopped at a manmade island, enjoyed a cup of juice, then met the Stingray City guides who told us more about these fascinating marine creatures. We swam with the stingrays, fed them, and some of us had our picture taken with them. One lady in our group got up close and personal with a female ray who was especially friendly! At this point, snorkeling equipment is available to borrow, or you can bring your own. If you’re like me and can’t get used to the fins and mask, you can just swim. Swim belts are also available for those who don’t feel comfortable in the water, though it is relatively shallow.
Green Island, Antigua
After about an hour with the stingrays, we all got back on the boat and sped toward our next stop, Green Island. Green Island is a beautiful, private, uninhabited island on the eastern side of Antigua. Our guides explained that some very wealthy people had purchased the land, but didn’t mind them stopping there. After everyone donned shoes, we took a brief walk to the other side of the island, where there was a nice beach where we could swim. Unfortunately, there was also a lot of trash left there by others.
After our walk, we came back to the side of the island where we initially landed. It was time for lunch and the tour guides had set out a spread of barbecued chicken, pasta salad, plantains, salad and dressings, and banana bread. We enjoyed lunch in the company of lizards, tropical birds, and hermit crabs! Some of us went swimming again before getting back on the boat.
English Harbour and Nelson’s Dockyard
Our tour continued to the southern part of the island, where Antigua’s famous English Harbour and Nelson’s Dockyard are situated. After cruising around the harbor, we were allowed to swim and snorkel. We had a brief rain shower while we swam, but it was quite refreshing. When people started to get tired, they headed back to the boat, where some of us had started chatting. It was at this point that I noticed my skin was starting to sting, despite having slathered lots of sunscreen on over the course of the day.
Rendezvous Bay
Our last stop was at Rendezvous Bay, where we had another chance to swim, walk along a beautiful beach, and drink some very potent rum punch. Since I could tell I was getting sunburned, when I was finished swimming, I went back to the boat and changed into shorts and a t-shirt.
Heading back to the dock
The tour guides continued to point out some of Antigua’s most popular and beautiful beaches and hotels as we continued back to the dock, where we would disembark. It was about 3:00 when we arrived; we were about a half hour early.
Tipping
Tipping is neither required nor expected; but if you feel inclined to tip, it will be graciously accepted.
Overall
We had an excellent day on the Xtreme Circumnav tour. The tour guides were great and keen to tell us all about Antigua. There was plenty of time to swim, chat, enjoy scenery and see wildlife and stunning scenery. There were also plenty of opportunities to enjoy the speedboat’s incredible power at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. The Atlantic side of the island is a bit rougher than the Caribbean side, which made the boat ride more like roller coaster! It was a lot of fun, though I would not recommend it to anyone who doesn’t enjoy speed or bumpy boat rides!
A few insider tips
* Be sure to bring plenty of high powered sunscreen. You will be on a boat all day and will want protection from the sun’s powerful rays. I brought SPF 30 sunscreen and still managed to get very burnt on my face and shoulders. You might also want to bring a hat, though make sure it won’t fly off when the boat speeds.
* If you are prone to seasickness, take a remedy before boarding the boat.
* Bring clothes to change into if you don’t want to wear a wet swimsuit. The boat has a place where you can change as well as toilet facilities. At the end of the day, I was glad to get out of my wet bathing suit and into dry clothes. You will be able to store your dry clothes in the boat.
* Wear shoes you don’t mind getting wet. Waterproof sandals are a good choice, especially for Green Island.
* Bring a beach towel and your camera.
* Be sure to bring the credit card you reserve your spot with. The tour guides will have to make an imprint of it to comply with Antiguan law. You will not be charged again.
* Food and drinks are provided.
* Bring cash to pay for the rest of the tour.
For more information: www.adventureantigua.com