While in Antigua, my husband and I decided to try an Island Cruise on Saturday June 11, 2022. I wanted to spend a little time seeing the island. Some of the things that I was concerned about prior to the trip were social awkwardness, and maybe having the time with my husband and myself not be as private.
First Impression
We arrived at the beach a few minutes late for pick up, which I was concerned about, but luckily we did not miss it. The catamaran arrived about 30 minutes behind schedule. We were the first of many resorts that the catamaran would stop at, so the seating was ample when we stepped aboard. The crew was comprised of the captain, who would speak over the intercom, and tell us about the island, and various stops along the way; and 3 other crew members. The impression I got, was that the crew weren't particularly happy to be there. The music was kind of all over the place, from Spanish pop songs to pop covers, and reggae every now and again. It made it hard to get into a flow, because the genre was inconsistent. There was ample shade, which after a full day on the ocean, I was very grateful for.
Wadadli Cats Experience
Once brought aboard the crew offered us non-alcoholic beverages. Once all of the passengers were brought onboard from the various resorts, the crew served sandwich choices of tuna or cheese. As the snack was being distributed we arrived at the beach which we would snorkel at. The captain advised to consider your health before deciding to snorkel, and that all snorkelers should know how to swim, and be able to swim for about 30 minutes. Once the passengers decided on whether or not they would be snorkeling, they were given snorkel equipment and instructions.
The Snorkeling lasted about 30 minutes, in which time we were able to see some coral, various types of fish, a conch, and some sea turtles. When snorkeling was finished the bar was opened for alcohol, and lunch was served. For lunch the crew served buffet style garlic bread, rice and beans, chicken, fish, and mac and cheese. There was still time to swim following lunch and a few drinks. We set sail once again to continue our tour of the island. We were able to stop at one more beautiful white sand beach for some brief swimming. Then we set sail one last time and began dropping off all of the passengers at their respective resorts. The whole tour was about 7 hours.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Able to see the entire island, snorkeling, shade on board, open bar, lunch served
Cons: Not included in the all-inclusive price, tuna and cheese sandwiches not the most refreshing in the heat, music selection, unhappy crew.
Overall Wadadli Cats Rating
In case you are not aware of my rating scale, let me elaborate, because I don’t want it to seem harsh. I rate 1-5 stars. If you ever have reviews at your job on their 1-5 scale, its kind of like that.
1 star = falls below standards
2 stars= needs improvement, falls short of expectations
3 stars = meets expectations
4 stars = exceeds expectations
5 stars = entirely another category of awesome – way above target.
So essentially 3 stars is good, rather than mediocre.
Category | Rating |
Arrival & Welcome | 2 |
Wait Time | 2 |
Appearance, Crowd & Cleanliness | 3 |
Interest Level | 3 |
Talent | 3 |
Duration | 4 |
Kid Friendly | 3 |
Price | 3 |
Average | 2.875 |
Overall it was not a bad experience, but it was not one I would choose to go on again. To be fair, the rest f the experiences we had in Antigua were so completely above expectation, that it may have tainted my opinion of this one.
Gone on Wadadli Cats? Feel free to leave a comment and share your experience.
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