It is always wonderful to find someone who loves what they're doing and does it well. That was our experience with Capt Wilson on the Big Blue. Our group is into snorkeling big time and we had an incredible day out on the water. At each stop, we were given a short briefing about the area . After each spot we all picked the captain's brain about the different fish and excitedly flipped through his Fish ID books pointing out the things we'd seen. There was no rush, no pressure and It was tons of fun.

And yes, absolutely the best day of OUR vacation as well.

Captain Wilson delivers with his in-depth knowledge of the snorkeling spots among the many cays surrounding USVI and BVI. He completely tailored the trip to our interests and pace. He took us to several spots where we were the only snorkelers in the water and the only boat within sight. Before we even got in the water, he told us what kinds of fish and coral to expect. He was very safety conscious as well. We chose this trip over others because we wanted the boat exclusively to ourselves and because ALL of the reviews we read were positive. We were not disappointed! A day on Big Blue with Captain Wilson will be the highlight of your vacation!

I've taken Big Blue excursions a few times. If you're considering going on an excursion (and you should be considering it) definitely use Big Blue. When thinking about an excursion, there are two key considerations: the captain and the boat. Those facets of the excursion can make or break the trip, and Big Blue has the best captain and boat.

Captain Bradley is wonderful. He knows the islands exceptionally well--the good snorkeling spots, the history, the best places to stop for a visit and a meal, etc. He's a fascinating guy and is exceptionally accommodating.

Big Blue's boat is also the best around. When I've been out on the water or on the dock, I've seen the other companies' boats, and they're fine, but they're just not nearly as nice, as spacious, or as new as Big Blue's boat.

I've taken multiple vacations in the Virgin Islands, and each time I've visited I've gone on a trip with Big Blue, and it always makes the trip.

We did the day sail earlier this month. We met Captain Bradley at Red Hook. He was on time and in a good mood.

The boat: in excellent shape. Room for probably 10 folks, but there were only four of us, so it was extremely comfortable. The boat is speedy and the catamaran style makes it stable.

Food and drink: Bradley had inquired about our beverage preferences when booking, so the cooler was stocked full of our favorite beer and soft drinks (not to mention a lot of water). Bradley also recommended a great place for lunch (Foxy's) and we stopped on Jost van Dyke for cocktails at the Stress Free Bar and Soggy Dollar.

Snorkeling: three awesome spots all recommended by Bradley. We saw everything from turtles to sting rays to bright red starfish to thousands of fish of all types.

Overall: Captain Bradley is funny and knows the islands. He was extremely laid back and let us set the pace. When we asked for recommendations, he gave us a few things to pick from, told us about each, and none of them disappointed.

We plan to book with Big Blue again next April.

We recently took a trip with Capt. Wilson(Big Blue) while in St. Thomas for the day. We arrived in St. Thomas aboard the Freedom of the Seas. During our day trip (4 hous) with Capt. Wilson, we went to 3 different spots to snorkel. Each spot was unique. We saw a variety of corals, sea fans and tropical fish. At our last spot, we were able to see at least a dozen green turtles. Our kids (ages 8 and 11) absolutely loved it, as did my wife and I. We will all remember this trip for a long time. Capt. Wilson was very knowledgable about the area and told some interesting stories related to the areas where we were at. He was great with our kids.

Our trip started at Red Hook. Capt. Wilson was at the dock waiting for us. His boat was in excellent condition and was very comfortable to cruise in and snorkel from(easy to get in and out of the water). He provided drinks - beer, wine, soft drinks, and water - and snacks. He also did a great job explaining the conditions we could expect to encounter at each spot and the marine life we would see. He took some great photos of our adventure and posted the pictures to his website. It was great to see the photos when we got back home.

We look forward to our next trip with Capt. Wilson upon our return to St. Thomas. I have been out on numerous fishing and dive charters before, this was definitely one of the best trips I have taken. It was significantly better than any shore excursion trip I have taken through Royal Caribbean or Disney. You will enjoy it!

The previous reviews have said it all. We as well enjoyed Big Blue. It was the best thing we have done in the VI in 3 years. Captain Wilson was wonderful and kind. The boat was comfortable, clean and roomy. We saw wonderful things at a leisurely pace. We felt like we were alone in paradise. My only regret is that we did not book two days! Next year we definitely will.

My husband and I had never been to the USVI and we only had two days. There is so much to do that we were really struggling with all the options. That's when my husband found Big Blue Excursions. Realizing we had little time and wanted to feel that we'd really seen the islands...they were able to customize a day that we could have only dreamt of. The Captain had us provide our passport information the day prior so that he could handle customs for us and we were able to see not only ST John and St Thomas but Tortola and BVI as well. The day of the trip, we were picked up at the hotel dock so we didn't need to ferry or taxi anywhere. From there we went snorkling at a private island where the coral was still untouched from the masses leaving the cruise ships. It was fantastic swimming amongst fish and against coral in warm clear water in the quiet ofthe morning.
The ship...I mean 30ft power cat -- Yes, the boats fantastic and everyone we ran into asked about it. It got to be a bit funny...how big's your boat...Never seen one of those that big...that boat new...The point is that you are going to be picked up in a top of the line fantastically fast ride that is a treat in and of itself. Many of the tours operate smaller more opertational craft -- this is Bond luxery all the way.
After our morning snorkling excursion we did tour of the St Johns beaches and saw sugar refinery (rum distillery) that was operational when Blackbeard was pirating the islands. We then stopped for brief souvenier shopping in BVI -- we saw Foxy's -- one of the top New Years Eve spots around the globe, where you can actually walk across the harbor boat to boat...Of course, we were not there on New Years so it was quiet and scenic with quaint bit of shopping available. We left there after we shopped (The Captain was busy clearing customs for us) & went to lunch at a restaurant on an island that I can't remember the name of at the moment. However, the rstaurant was the only thing on the island. We ate an authentic Carribean lunch and then hiked us a small trail to a bubbling sauna that was naturally made by a small enclosed rock bed that turns into warm bubbling pit as the tide rises. It was definitely a great way to digest lunch.
After lunch we snorkled in the BVI, home to great giant star fish and green sea turtles. Again we were alone on our adventure. The captain brought underwater digital camera and acted as our professional photographer for the trip so we didn't have to worry about lugging camera's and the like. He also has an ipod connection on the boat so you can bring your own music. We did bring our ipod, but opted to listen to the Carribean beats that he naturally listens too. Oh yeah, the boat is stocked with snacks and beverages and is so clean you'll feel like you're in a five star restaurant.
After our snorkling, we went to a pristine beach to relax before embarking on our sunset and champagne trip back to the hotel. We felt like we had our day in the sun. We felt like we had gotten to see and explore the Virgin Islands. Big Blue made our 48 hours feel like we had a lifetime of experiences. We got to experience tons first hand and we got to hear about much more via the captains experience and knowledge.
You don't get the opportunity to have days like this. Do it. You won't regret it.

Five out of Five stars for Big Blue Excursions! Our group had such a great day touring around on Big Blue with Captain Wilson that we scheduled a 2nd day of adventure for later during our vacation week. We highly recommend a day (or more) on Big Blue. Captain Wilson picked us up at the National park dock in the main harbor of St. John and we were off for a great tour of the northside beaches by water. Then off to the BVIs for a day of snorkeling, island and bar hopping. Don't miss the beauty of Sandy spit and the other small islands around Jost Van Dyk. Our captain knew right where to take us for a postcard beautiful setting. We had a fully stocked cooler and snacks a-plenty to keep us fueled and fortified for a fantastic day-long adventure. He even provided us with an underground camera so we could capture the beautiful scenes and landscapes underwater (as well as the antics of some of our less experienced snorkelers!). Our thanks to Captain Wilson for two fantastic days. We look forward to returning soon.