Don't even finish this review - book this trip now. Why are you still reading?!? Did you book it?... Good. Nobody - and I mean nobody has such rave reviews on TripAdvisor. Fury Charters certainly delivers and they are highly recommended. Hopefully the following review will help you decide to book if you haven't already:
Our recent trip was on the Norwegian Epic - a monstrous cruise ship. I (40 years old) went with my parents, both 60, my wife, 40 and my son who is 10 decided on an NCL cruise for February vacation. We would typically rent a home on an island for vacations, but with a 10 year old we wanted to be sure that there was plenty to do - the Epic delivered.
My back story is valuable purely for understanding more about the tour provided by 'Captain Mike', Chris and Donny. I am not a fan of the sheer volume of people involved with cruising on such large ships. Mostly because of the fact that excursions and tours tend to be impossibly busy and you get virtually no time to actually do any of the advertised activities. Between organizing the large tours, bus and taxi rides, generally late/rude travelers - you get zero time to enjoy anything. Plus, with a diverse age group going I wanted to find something that appealed to everyone in our party.
Knowing that The Epic has nearly four thousand people on board and that there were six other cruise ships (?!) in St. Thomas on this day I was looking for a small, intimate event that my family and I could enjoy. Megan's Bay Beach was recommended, but with probably 10,000 other cruise passengers descending on the same strip of sand I thought it better to find a slightly less crazy venue.
On short notice (the weekend before we sailed - you should book earlier) I called Captain Mike and asked if there was any space available on short notice. Mike took my call on Saturday evening at 9PM (sorry Mike!) and was both wiling to take my reservation as well as email a confirmation as well as instructions on getting to the dock for the tour. The entire booking process was fast and flawless.
The tour was with in walking distance from the ship so there was no need for a taxi - saving time and money, both a big plus. We booked the early tour (8:30AM departure) and we were greeted on time by Captain Mike at the designated spot - The Fat Turtle restaurant just off the pier where The Epic docks. Captain Mike introduced us to his crew, Chris and Donny, and then Mike bid us farewell. Unfortunately my dad was feeling seasick, so he had to bail out. My mom, wife, son and I decided to make the trip as my dad went back to the ship.
There were only 18 of us in total which was exactly what I was looking for when deciding on an excursion with fewer people. We quickly boarded Fury and started our sail out to an island just off St. Thomas. We motored out of the harbor and then the crew put up the sails for a little sailing. It took us about 45 minutes of smooth sailing to reach the island.
Chris and Donny were very helpful to those that needed support in setting up snorkeling gear (we brought our own) and we were in the water within fifteen minutes of getting to the location. Donny provided us with a guided tour (if we wanted to partake) and showed us a few of the local creatures. He brought us right to the location of where numerous sea turtles were feeding and we took some time to watch the turtles graze and occasionally come up for air.
We then snorkeled a little closer to the island in order to see more coral and fish. We were allowed almost an hour and a quarter of snorkel time in total. Plenty of time to take in all of the sights in this location. The water is actually fairly cool (relative to body temperature), so you can get a little chilly after a while - keep that in mind.
After being helped back on board we were then treated to drinks (beer, rum punch, soda and juice) and snacks. Their was quiet music playing in the background during the entire trip that I think added nicely to the overall experience. Both Chris and Donny are what I expect in The Islands - very laid back, personable and helpful.
This trip is a bargain at twice the price! Very well run, extremely organized and had a personal touch that is rarely found in trips like this. All of these guys are local folks (Chris's in-laws have been on the island since the seventies) and they deliver a product that is exceptional in every way.
If you haven't decided to book the trip by now... well, there probably is no help for you. You shouldn't even bother looking for anything else and just stay on the ship.
We'll be sure to look these guys up when we are in St. Thomas again. Thanks guys for a fantastic trip!
