My family and I are thinking about not booking any snorkeling excursions thru the Cruise line...we plan to take a taxi...are there any places at any of the beaches to rent snorkel gear?

Bledsoes,  Yes, you can rent snorkel gear at Coki Beach.  Best thing to do to check this out is to go to Google.com.  Then type in whatever subject you want info on, enter it and read away.  This is one way I have found out lots of info about ports of call I have been to....also raises your interest in where you are going.  Really raises my level of excitement....am sure it will do the same for you also.

Rob

 Rob,

Thanks for the input...I actually did just that and found some interesting and helpful hints concerning the ports we will be visiting.  Also, "You Tube" had some pretty cool videos of Coki Beach and St. Thomas in general.  Thanks again!!!   3 days and counting!

Bledsoes,  Today is September 1 and I just found your response to my reply.  By now you are on your cruise and hopefully gettin only a bit fat but very happy.  Do me favor if you could....let me kow how your cruise turned out.  Did you guys have a great time, were you able to have a great time doing what you wanted while on the different island you visited?  I will be on the Carnival Glory leaving Port Canaveral October 24, 2009 and now I can't wait!

Rob

 Rob...It was absolutely beautiful snorkeling at Coki Beach...only had 1 issue...we took a taxi from the port, cost us 9$ per person each way.  Another family on the same taxi said they were quoted 5$ for the kids by the dispatcher.  Big argument followed, taxi driver drove like a maniac, had my wife in tears:(  Other than that there were plenty of taxi's, even did a little shopping b4 we headed to Coki.  There was one other ship already in port when we arrived...still, Coki was not as crowded as anticipated.  At the beach...5$ for 1 lounge chair, 10$  for the Umbrella,  5$ for a life jacket (6yr old), 1$ for 4 dog biscuits to feed fish, we actually brought a small box of them from home.  And we brought our own snorkeling gear too.  We spent about 4hrs there and it was awesome, it was nice to be able to come and go as we pleased.  Will definitely look into taking our own route as oppose to ship excursions, much, much less expensive.  HAPPY SAILING!!!!!

Chris

 Bledsoes....Just returned from my cruise last saturday, October 31 and really liked Coki Beach.  2 other ships(NCL) were already in port, so Coki Beach was pretty crowded, but we were able to rent to lounge chairs.  Sand was nice, water even nicer and so many fish to see under water.  Thanks for you input.  We did our own thing, didn't do an excursion from Carnival while in St Thomas or St Maarten.  Just gotta know what time it is and be a careful as one can be.

Rob