Adventure Tours
5 hours
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Stuart Cove's
Stuart Cove's
4.5
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Nassau, Bahamas
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Travelers' Choice
2022
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
897 reviews
Excellent
655
Very good
104
Average
58
Poor
26
Terrible
54
Heather R
7 contributions
Mar 2022 • Family
We were staying at Atlantis and didn’t realize it would be a 45 min trip on a bus to where the boat was located. Once we got there the check in process was really slow and had to wait 45 min on the boat until we finally left. Once we left though we had a great experience. The guides were super friendly and knowledgeable. The highlight was swimming with the sharks. I would only recommend going with this snorkeling company if you are staying in Nassau to avoid the long bus ride.
Written March 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Haley F
12 contributions
Aug 2022
We booked the two reef snorkel by boat through Carnival and this was truly the highlight of our trip. Kenja was THE BEST! Clear with instructions, competent, and so helpful. She made me feel so confident as I'm relatively afraid of the ocean and I had the most amazing time.
The reefs themselves were absolutely insane. Niko hopped right off the boat and had us follow him to show us some AMAZING things. We saw amazing colorful fish, staghorn coral (OMG), lobsters, a fish nursery, and I even spotted a stingray. There was buzz that some people even spotted a sea turtle. He also helped us fix our masks when they wouldn't seal correctly. The water was a bit rocky but the crew made us feel so safe, providing options for swimmers of all levels (which was awesome as our group had 7 people).
The boat was packed but so much fun, they even let us do karaoke on the way back. A few people were seasick but they got back into the boat really early and sat while it rocked. I regularly get seasick and had no issues.
In general, this tour was absolutely outstanding. It was 3 hours which was the perfect amount of time for an excursion like this. We maybe would have liked a few extra minutes at the first reef but all in all it was perfect. The price was absolutely reasonable and they were not pushy about tips at all as most tour guides are. This absolutely ignited my passion for the ocean and I can't wait to come back and snuba with them someday!
The reefs themselves were absolutely insane. Niko hopped right off the boat and had us follow him to show us some AMAZING things. We saw amazing colorful fish, staghorn coral (OMG), lobsters, a fish nursery, and I even spotted a stingray. There was buzz that some people even spotted a sea turtle. He also helped us fix our masks when they wouldn't seal correctly. The water was a bit rocky but the crew made us feel so safe, providing options for swimmers of all levels (which was awesome as our group had 7 people).
The boat was packed but so much fun, they even let us do karaoke on the way back. A few people were seasick but they got back into the boat really early and sat while it rocked. I regularly get seasick and had no issues.
In general, this tour was absolutely outstanding. It was 3 hours which was the perfect amount of time for an excursion like this. We maybe would have liked a few extra minutes at the first reef but all in all it was perfect. The price was absolutely reasonable and they were not pushy about tips at all as most tour guides are. This absolutely ignited my passion for the ocean and I can't wait to come back and snuba with them someday!
Written August 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Berz2013
Nassau, New Providence Island1 contribution
Nov 2022
I was on a quick trip. I had not been diving in 5 years. Both the Internet and my hotel, SLS Baha Mar, recommended Stuart's Cove. Booking was easy, hotel transfers were included, and the dive facilities included food and a post-dive bar,
My first dive was a refresher with Samuel. He was excellent. He had everything you want in a dive guide: safety first, respect for the reef, and a sense of fun. It's like riding a bicycle; within two dives, I was ready for the next day. He was fantastic.
The next day I did a two-tank dive with Robin (aka Nirob), Miah, and Dario (Captain). Same creed, safety, respect, and fun. We did the Twin Sisters and willialaurie. Great boat, nice clients, and great staff.
The whole experience was easily set up and a great addition to a wonderful 20th anniversary in Bahamas, I highly recommend
For a recreational and fun dive, I highly recommend the company and the staff.
My first dive was a refresher with Samuel. He was excellent. He had everything you want in a dive guide: safety first, respect for the reef, and a sense of fun. It's like riding a bicycle; within two dives, I was ready for the next day. He was fantastic.
The next day I did a two-tank dive with Robin (aka Nirob), Miah, and Dario (Captain). Same creed, safety, respect, and fun. We did the Twin Sisters and willialaurie. Great boat, nice clients, and great staff.
The whole experience was easily set up and a great addition to a wonderful 20th anniversary in Bahamas, I highly recommend
For a recreational and fun dive, I highly recommend the company and the staff.
Written November 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
William L
3 contributions
Aug 2021
We booked 4 days of diving with Stuart Coves 4 am and 2 Pm trips. The first day we had the same pickup problems, They were supposed to be there at 8:10, and at 8:30 we called and they were running late, arrived at 8:50. When we arrived, the site was very busy, disorganized, and disjointed, unlike the old place we remembered 10 years ago. I had two pony bottles that needed to be filled and were out of VIP. They knew we were traveling with the pony bottles and performed the VIP and put a piece of tape not a label on them that stated the date of the VIP, not a regular VIP sticker, see attached picture. The diving was sub-par as the area was basically void of animal life. we did two dives and canceled the upcoming afternoon dives and it was not worth the experience. We later canceled one of the morning dive trips as there was very little to look at as the reef was severely damaged, so they were taking us to wrecks.
Since we were traveling we had to remove the valve from our tanks to fly home. I drained the tanks and attempted to remove the valve but it would not budge. We finally had to clamp the tank to a stationary post and took a 14" adjustable to break the valves loose. There was no reason to have to tighten the valves that tight especially since we were traveling. Had I not had access to the tools I would have not been able to travel with the tanks. Also, I don't understand what they did not put a proper VIP sticker on the tanks.
Needless to say I will not be going back to Stuart Coves EVER.
Since we were traveling we had to remove the valve from our tanks to fly home. I drained the tanks and attempted to remove the valve but it would not budge. We finally had to clamp the tank to a stationary post and took a 14" adjustable to break the valves loose. There was no reason to have to tighten the valves that tight especially since we were traveling. Had I not had access to the tools I would have not been able to travel with the tanks. Also, I don't understand what they did not put a proper VIP sticker on the tanks.
Needless to say I will not be going back to Stuart Coves EVER.
Written August 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lindsay
5 contributions
Feb 2022 • Family
This tour had some excellent aspects and also some super disappointing periods of time. We arrived at 8:45 on a windy morning and departed around 9:45. The ship was not overcrowded, but combined snorkeling with a diver certification. 9 snorkelers and 5 divers. The first spot was fairly deep, 30-40 ft, with not great visibility and terrible snorkeling conditions. I saw less than a dozen fish. The water was so choppy it was difficult to swim at all. The guide didn’t even get in the water. This would have been fine if it were a quick 15 minute spot and we moved on. However, we were stuck waiting for the diver instruction course for over an hour. The boat was getting tossed all around in the wind and waves. If you get seasick- thankfully we didn’t- this is NOT THE TOUR FOR YOU. Honestly it was miserable. The second stop was at the state park beach to see reef, sunken statues and the crashed plane. We were about 100 yards off the beach. There were some great fish, the guide showed us around on this stop and we saw dolphins which was super cool. Again this was a long stop for the scuba instruction, but the conditions were better. The final, very quick because we were out of time, stop was to watch the shark feeding. You jump in with snorkel gear and hold on to a rope to view the reef sharks eating from a feeder below. The sharks are fairly close maybe 20 ft, which was super cool. We were in the water for 5 minutes before we returned back to the dock which was a 20 minute ride. We got back to the dock around 2:00. Without the first stop, this would have been a great tour. It could have been an excellent 1.5 hour trip. Just know if you book a snorkeling trip, you are going to sit, waiting in less than ideal conditions for very long periods of time. Also, there is no food or beverages provided so bring your own. I don’t think I’d book this tour again. It was a lot of waiting for about 20 minutes of cool snorkeling. On a calm day, you might be able to talk me into it.
Written February 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pshurd
Everywhere USA812 contributions
Jun 2022
Advertised as 2 Reef Snorkel by boat. Booked from Carnival Dream. The crew were organized & helpful as they met us immediately as we left the ship. The boat was not particularly comfortable for the almost hour ride to our 1st snorkel destination of Thunderball Reef - it appears to be a dive boat with holders for the tanks interfeering with comfortable seating. But it was obvious that the water was clear & calm & the ride out was pleasant. Kenja gave clear & concise instructions for our first 30 minute snorkel stop & the snorkeling was exceptional - water was very clear & fish were numerous & the coral gorgeous & healthy. We were brought back to the boat for a 15 minute move to our 2nd site. This was closer to Rose Island. We anchored over Little Sister of the 3 Sister's reef & were given instructions on where to swim to see Big Sister & the Elkhorn Coral. We were given permission to swim to the beach if we wanted to. My husband & I spent the 30 minutes snorkeling over Big Sister & it was amazing. Clear, calm, shallow water. We were easily able to stay away from the crowd of swimmers & highly enjoyed the beautifully colored healthy looking coral & the hundreds of fish. Wish I had carried my underwater camera, the fish were amazing, but the highlight was seeing the Elkhorn Coral. Absolutely loved it. The crew were enthusiastic & their obvious pleasure of being there made it easy for us to enjoy it also. On the way back to the Dream, Kenja narrated info about wealthy owners of the many extravagant homes & resorts. The only real problem was that her sound system was abysmal. It was frustrating to not be able to understand much of her information. If she had had better equipment, it was have been one of the top experiences for snorkeling that we had had, but this was definitely a detriment to the overall experience. Also disappointed that they charged for sodas & chips. That seems a little chintzy after the price of the trip. But overall, we highly recommend this adventure. The entire crew was wonderful.
Written June 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
billpa81
Pittsburgh, PA58 contributions
Jun 2022 • Friends
My group of 12 booked a snorkeling tour with Stuart’s cove. We have been on many snorkeling tours all over the Caribbean and this one was the worst. First we left the dock an hour late because they were waiting for cruise passengers that missed their pickup time. The boat was overcrowded. Next we went to the shark spot. They put out a rope off the stern of the boat that was around 30’ long and told everyone to hold on with both hands. I was near the end of that rope with my teenage son (great swimmer) and 3 of his friends. The 5 of us had to use the last 3’ of the rope to hold on to. We basically treaded water for 20 minutes because if you tried to snorkel the ball at the end of the rope would hit us in the head. I think they tried to get all the passengers on the rope at once! It was very dangerous!!!
We then went to a snorkeling spot that was pretty good. We were told by the first mate we had 25 minutes at this spot. After 25 minutes almost everyone had come aboard when the captain said we had another 25 minutes! Terrible communication!
There were also divers and snuba divers on board which is fine but it was too crowded for them and their gear was everywhere. They had dedicated staff for them the snorkelers did not.
There were first time snorklers aboard and I thought the safety practices and procedures were rushed.
We then went to a snorkeling spot that was pretty good. We were told by the first mate we had 25 minutes at this spot. After 25 minutes almost everyone had come aboard when the captain said we had another 25 minutes! Terrible communication!
There were also divers and snuba divers on board which is fine but it was too crowded for them and their gear was everywhere. They had dedicated staff for them the snorkelers did not.
There were first time snorklers aboard and I thought the safety practices and procedures were rushed.
Written June 12, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carl P
13 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
A real mixed bag!
Booked diving here for 4 days whilst on the island. Dive sites were incredible but sadly the final review is reflective of the service of two members of staff.
Was particularly concerned that we were little rally rushed off the boat despite protesting saying we would like to do our buddy checks. The person rushing us was an instructor taking out 4 open water students! I think this sadly reflective of a poor standard of teaching. I would say that any open water students witnessing a pair of divers being rushed off the boat protesting about not doing buddy checks is concerning and makes a mockery of many of PADIs mantras.
My other half is a new diver and we had to sit a dive out after being shouted at so much on a chaotic, potentially understaffed dive in current. We felt with the stress levels, it best to sit a dive out.
This place is incredible and the dive sites beautiful. As an experienced diver, I would not recommend this place for training based on what I’ve seen. I would imagine if you went on dives without the two individuals we were with on some dives, it would be a very different experience.
I would say on the opposite end of the spectrum, Andreas is possibly one of the best I’ve been in the water with. The most patient and clear concise briefings. He made the shark dives incredible. All of the local staff were professional and couldn’t do enough to help.
I’m sure anyone reading can see why I gave this place 3 stars. Safety in diving is paramount and no one should be encouraged to skip these steps, even more so by an instructor. But stars gained back due to the good. I think 3 stars is fair.
Booked diving here for 4 days whilst on the island. Dive sites were incredible but sadly the final review is reflective of the service of two members of staff.
Was particularly concerned that we were little rally rushed off the boat despite protesting saying we would like to do our buddy checks. The person rushing us was an instructor taking out 4 open water students! I think this sadly reflective of a poor standard of teaching. I would say that any open water students witnessing a pair of divers being rushed off the boat protesting about not doing buddy checks is concerning and makes a mockery of many of PADIs mantras.
My other half is a new diver and we had to sit a dive out after being shouted at so much on a chaotic, potentially understaffed dive in current. We felt with the stress levels, it best to sit a dive out.
This place is incredible and the dive sites beautiful. As an experienced diver, I would not recommend this place for training based on what I’ve seen. I would imagine if you went on dives without the two individuals we were with on some dives, it would be a very different experience.
I would say on the opposite end of the spectrum, Andreas is possibly one of the best I’ve been in the water with. The most patient and clear concise briefings. He made the shark dives incredible. All of the local staff were professional and couldn’t do enough to help.
I’m sure anyone reading can see why I gave this place 3 stars. Safety in diving is paramount and no one should be encouraged to skip these steps, even more so by an instructor. But stars gained back due to the good. I think 3 stars is fair.
Written January 13, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Caroline C
Cumming, GA8 contributions
Mar 2022 • Friends
I went snorkeling with Stuart’s Cove and really had a great time! Brittney, Snape, and crew were awesome and super helpful. We visited 3 sights, and I especially loved the shark snorkeling sight and a huge turtle came up right next to us on the surface which was so cool. Only con was pickup for the bus was really confusing if you’re coming from a cruise ship, but if you are know the meeting spot is at the fountain outside of the tourist/police station to the left of where you get off of the cruise in a pink building. Other than that, it was so fun!!
Written March 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alpay Y
1 contribution
Nov 2021 • Friends
We were a group of 7 students. First we learned the basics and had a little dive session to get used to everything as we had never done it and the staff was extremely competent and kind. One of us had trouble at first and panicked, so the instructor took her by the hand and stayed with her the whole time. Afterwards she was thrilled and said without his patience and kindness she couldn't have done it.
Later Stuart took us out to dive with the sharks, it was an unbelievable experience and one I'll never forget. The prices were really cheap too! One of us was a dive master and he said he'd never seen it this cheap before. Overall a group of extremely kind and enthusiastic people at a place that will be pretty hard to beat anywhere in the world.
Later Stuart took us out to dive with the sharks, it was an unbelievable experience and one I'll never forget. The prices were really cheap too! One of us was a dive master and he said he'd never seen it this cheap before. Overall a group of extremely kind and enthusiastic people at a place that will be pretty hard to beat anywhere in the world.
Written December 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TonkasMom
DeBary, FL36 contributions
We are looking to book this excursion for September 2022. Will be in Nassau on a cruise ship. We will be snorkeling. How likely are we to see sharks?
iqbal66
Baltimore, MD108 contributions
Sorry for the late reply as I did not see your question earlier. I hope you went of this excursion because you will definitely see sharks. I believe Stuart Cove is not the only operator doing snorkel with Shark tour. There was a bowie to mark the spot. They throw shark bait to attract the sharks. I believe the sharks know they can get easy food when boats arrive so the sharks are in the area. We saw 20 plus sharks (large and small).
friedavdw
Essen, Belgium867 contributions
Hi,
how far is the pick up spot for the bus coming from a cruise ship, trying to find out if we can make it in time. ( snorkel trip )
the website says Meet the Stuart Cove bus in front of the Tourist Information Center
I cannot find any tourist information center on google earth
thanks
Erik H
4 contributions
We drove a rental car from a Vrbo. It is about a 45 minute drive to Stuart’s from cruise ship terminal. The pick up is downtown close to margaritaville resort , probably a 10 minute walk to shuttle bus.
daryleann
Denver, CO216 contributions
For sub use is it necessary for wet suit? Also, is it safe for hearing aids/glasses? The review about the oxygen problem did not sound too safe- for anyone!
udaramr
Chicago, IL27 contributions
Hello, I'm planing to Visit Nassau On June 9th. Our ship Navigator of the Seas's itinerary says it's arrival time is 8am. I talked to Stuart Cove person and she mentioned their shuttle leaves the port at 8.30am. This is the first time I'm going on a cruise. Will I have time to get off the ship and meet the shuttle by 8.30? Royal Caribbean does not have this excursion on their list so I have to book separately through Stuart Cove. Any information would be appreciated.
Thanks
Brian W
Houston, TX23 contributions
Hi, for anyone that was on a dive recently dec/Jan, what was the visibility and temperature of the water? Have heard water temp is around 23-25 C and am curious if anyone did a dive without a wetsuit. And, how warm was it once out of the water on the boat waiting for 2 nd dive. Our recent dive in Cape Verde was pretty chilly even with wetsuits and similar water temp but ambient temp was a bit cooler than Bahamas this time of year. And, visibility was not fantastic with little marine life. Your opinion on your recent dive would be appreciated as we will be in Bahamas late Feb. thx
David R
Londonderry, NH22 contributions
I wore a wetsuit, so I can’t speak to the temperature without one. But as for clarity/visibility, it was crystal clear. I dove on 26-Dec and it was perfect.
Can I bring my own bcd and computer?
stessie911
Soissons, France102 contributions
Yes you can
Paradise253354
Colorado Springs, CO
When is the best time to go to see sharks?
PACVAN
Sturgeon Bay, WI151 contributions
Almost anytime is a good time to see sharks !!! The shark feed is exhilarating and a must do if you want to see them up close !!!
These guys have a top notch operation that I've had the pleasure to dive with on over 20 dives. 5 stars from me.
