Catamaran cruises
Around three hours of sailing, barbecue lunch, local drinks, music, snorkelling and an island stop. Capacity is typically 32 to 40 passengers. Indian food or a picnic lunch can sometimes be arranged instead of the barbecue — ask rather than assume. A full-day cruise runs roughly 08:00 to 15:00.
| Cruise | Coast | What makes it different |
|---|---|---|
| Île aux Cerfs cruise | East | Includes the waterfall visit. Usually redundant — Île aux Cerfs is already in the standard package. |
| Îllot Gabriel cruise | North | An unspoiled island with genuinely beautiful beaches. The strongest add-on for a north-based guest. |
| Dolphin cruise | West | Dolphins plus Crystal Rock and Île aux Bénitiers. Early start; pickup time depends on the hotel. |
If Île aux Cerfs is already in the itinerary, do not sell the Île aux Cerfs catamaran — the guest has seen it. Sell the north or west cruise instead. Same product category, entirely new coastline, and the guest feels they got two different days rather than one repeated.
Dolphin & whale encounters
Operates in the north and west. Very early morning departures. Guests can swim with dolphins in the open sea.
- Dolphins are seen on roughly 99% of trips
- Whales on around 70% — say this number out loud
- Best whale months are August–September; winter is the season
Some operators advertise it and guests find it online. Our operators do not offer it, and a guest caught by the coast guard creates a serious problem for everyone in the chain. Never sell it, and correct the guest if they ask for it.
On a cruise you can see dolphins but not swim with them — swimming is a separate speedboat product. And these are wild animals in their natural habitat: sightings are highly likely, never guaranteed. Say “highly likely”, not “you will see”.
Not recommended for children under five — no legal restriction, but a two-hour early-morning boat trip is uncomfortable for a small child and for the parent.
Blue Safari — submarine & subscooter
- A real submarine, descending to around 35 metres
- Total activity duration around 2 hours, of which 40–50 minutes is underwater
- Capacity 10 passengers plus the pilot — so it books out; reserve early
- Certified by international authorities for design and safety at sea
- Operates in the north, with slots between roughly 08:30 and 16:30 daily
An excellent sell for guests who want to see the reef but do not swim, and for older travellers and children who would not manage a snorkelling trip.
Watersports & diving
Parasailing, tube ride, undersea walk, scuba diving, snorkelling, kitesurfing. Most are sold at Île aux Cerfs or through the hotel’s contracted operator.
Snorkelling quality depends entirely on where the guest does it. A guest staying at a rocky-beach hotel will have a poor time snorkelling off the property — which makes Île aux Cerfs or Blue Bay the right recommendation, and a natural, honest upsell rather than a push.
The reef keeps the lagoon flat most of the time, so rides are usually smooth. When conditions are genuinely poor, activities are cancelled rather than run — the operators do not take risks with weather.