On Monday January 27th, 2020, from the town of Castries, St. Lucia, my wife and I took an NCL shore excursion SLUL0411, namely Between the Pitons – Catamaran Cruise for a duration of four hours. We left the ship NCL Bliss early morning to meet at the pier around 8:15 am. We then went for a walk to the other end of the St. Lucia Cruise Ship Terminal where our catamaran the Queen of the Carnival (QOC) was docked. The QOC is 70ft long and has a capacity of 170 guests; it was designed and built by Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing in Cape Town, South Africa. Currently, Carnival Sailings Limited operates a fleet of four catamarans including the QOC. During the cruise, people could sit in the shade on the lower deck or up on the upper deck for sunbathing. We were not overcrowded, but it was busy.

As we sailed out of Castries Harbour, we cruised along the west coast of St. Lucia, passing the picturesque peninsula of Vigie and La Toc Beach. Following the scenic coastline, we passed by the oil refinery at Buckeye St. Lucia Terminal LTD. Then we cruise gently to Marigot Bay, one of the islands most picturesque bays, and a Yachtsman’s haven famous for its rich history and filming locations for Hollywood films; we cruised by Doolittle’s Restaurant & Bar, Chateau Mygo, the Marigot Beach Club & Dive Resort. Then to Roseau Bay and the small villages of L’Anse La Raye and Canaries. We continued along the coast to the scenic bay of L’Anse Cochon. QOC staff served us an assortment of dry snacks along with refreshing drinks before guests took on swimming and snorkeling in the lovely waters of the Caribbean at L’Anse Cochon Beach. During our stop, local kayak vendors were desperately trying to sell hand made souvenirs by the side of the catamaran.

Finally, we arrived in Soufriere Bay where we saw the Pitons which are two mountainous volcanic domes. The Petit Piton is 2,438 ft while the Gros Pitons is 2,618 ft. Both Pitons are located on either side of Jalousie Bay near the town of Soufriere. They rise majestically out of the Caribbean Sea and are designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As the catamaran circled the bay, we took many photos of this natural wonder. While cruising back to the ship it was party time, QOC staff entertained guests with some dancing while others made sure tropical drinks were being served and everyone was happy. We had a good time with Carnival Sailings and would rate this excursion as five-stars and would recommend it to our friends and family wishing to visit.