Catamaran Adventure Full Day: Ile aux cerfs,GRSE Waterfall,Snorkeling &BBQ Lunch

Excellent catamaran trip

We had a great experience. It was an excellent trip. The staff were very friendly and attentive. We would definitely recommend this trip

Fun times on board

The crew were very attentive, the food was lovely. Drinks were offered throughout the trip. Really good experience. We would have liked longer at the waterfall experience.

Very friendly and helpfull Taxi Driver

Bad wheater conditions. No Communication about next steps. Very loud music. And the Island is Full of guys who want to make the Deal of their Life with Tourists. BUT!!! Our Taxi driver was very cool i learned more about Mauritius while the Transfer than while the 6 Hours on the boat. He gave us Good Information about the Island and the People. !!! Taxi driver 11/10 !!! Tour 3/10 :) Thanks for this!!!

Nothing to pay for

Good people (meaning staff) but not worth the money- basic beer and cocktail so a lack of variety and we did not get to go snorkeling , the beach was set up as pit stop. Would not recommend.

Fine scenery on this slow boat to nowhere

Transfers - optional The transfers too and from the ‘port’ were private and good. They were optional but as public transportation on Mauritius is unlikely to be door to door for most destinations, a private transfer was a good start/end with our collection and drop offs being safe and on time. Arrival So, to be honest, we got up super early to get to the port for 9am and then seemed to wait around for a while. We then got put onto a speedboat to take us to the catamaran and waited a little while longer. I’d say we didn’t actually start sailing until about 10:15/10:30 so no idea why we needed to be there so early? The various deck hands speedboat drivers seemed to be bickering a lot so perhaps they too were confused about what was happening. Boat and crew The boat was a little beat up but it seemed safe and had cover, toilets and as the boat wasn’t full, reasonable space to sit on board. The crew spoke English and French and were polite, obliging and helpful. We were glad of the boat not being full as we had to all retreat under the covered area a few times to avoid some heavy rainfall. Trip So, having left late, we slowly headed for the water fall, initially though stopping for about 20/30 minutes whilst we were asked who wanted to do water sports. These were extras. It was at this point, a common theme it seems from other reviews, it was announced we wouldn’t be snorkelling as it was too rough. That was a huge blow as for me that was part of the lure of the trip. Normally, they would have an alternative or back up option but in this case, nothing, that despite us being in no hurry and having time to stop to sell watersports. I’m unconvinced they even bothered to load snorkelling gear as when we got to Ile Aux Cerfs later, I asked if I could borrow a snorkel for the waters there and was told it was too cloudy (the water) for it. It wasn’t. Nobody seemed to want to do water sports and we moved on to another location a little further down from the Grand River Southeast Waterfall. Here, a speedboat (just) managed to fit us all in and we headed for a closer look at the waterfall which was lovely. On the way back, a real treat was seeing a bunch of wild monkeys in the trees by the river. That was brilliant and unexpected. By the time the speedboat dropped us back at the catamaran again, lunch had been prepared and whilst simple BBQ fare, it was actually very tasty and there was plenty for everyone. I should mention beer, wine and rum flowed for those who wanted it for the whole cruise, which was nice. Then off to Ile aux Cerfs for the last part of the trip. We ended up with about 90 minutes on what initially struck my wife and I as a bit of a man made island. It probably isn’t but oddly seemed like it. There was some craft stalls, you could buy watersports or simply chill on the beach. Honestly, what appears to be a magical tropical island on the photos was actually more a rest stop with a very average beach and various facilities which were either closed or a little run down. I’m not sure what I was expecting but equally, from the website, it implied we’d have 3 hours here…we had half that although in some ways, that’s not a bad thing. Then, back on the catamaran for the slowest transit back to port where we again jumped in a speedboat to be carted back to shore and all was done. Overall So, I love a boat trip but this one seemed to lack a plan allied to the advice on the website which suggests a more defined chain of events than we experienced. I do understand that the weather (it was a little blustery) will play a part in what you get to do but we seemed to spend a lot of time doing not very much and/or transiting in what must be the slowest catamaran I’ve been on. It’s as if they were constantly buying time? I’d guess if the weather is perfect and you leave around the time the itinerary states on the website, you might experience a difference but for us, this ended up feeling like one long, slow ride on a catamaran. Granted, the views are amazing and that’s a welcome part of the experience. The waterfall was nice and the monkeys a real treat to see in the wild too. Overall, I feel like I’ve been on better organised trips and that Ile Aux Cerfs was a little bit of a disappointment in terms of being the ‘key’ destination. Given how much time we spent on the boat as opposed to doing something, I’d also say this isn’t worthy of a whole day.

Bad planning!

We were picked up very early and we waited at port for more than 1 hour. The tour started late. They took us to island and gave us only 2 hrs. After that lunch was provided on boat and immediately after that asked us to jump for snorkeling. After food who would do snorkeling in choppy water?? Also the snorkeling spot was very bad, nothing exciting to see (if you have done snorkeling in other parts of the world). Tour ended earlier and driver did not come to pick us up. We again waited for 1 hr to be picked up. Note:- Do not give traffic reasons as all other groups were picked up and dropped up at right time. May be they have special policies for Europeans?

A great way to see different sites in Mauritius

Captain and crew really friendly BBQ and drinks great Island very nice and worth the visit. Just about right on time spent at each location.

5 stars to everything

The views were amazing. The food was excellent. The beaches are beautiful. Definitely a trip you must go. Amazing places

Best

Trip was really nice and there was a lot of space in catamaran. We went to place call Ile aux Cerfs and there we had time 2 hours to explore island. Great trip!

Great

They did play a birthday day song for my friend before departing. I do not know Mauritius maritime law!

Too many people on the boat

Trip was ok boat was over crowded but it was a enjoyable experience over all.people allowing their children too run wild and climb over every body spoilt it a bit but no the tour operators fault.

A relaxing boat trip lots of changes to small boats

We booked this trip before travelling to Mauritius it was a relaxed experience and very good, but the initial advertisement was a max of 12 to 15 people on the boat and there were at least 24 to 28 people. The crew were nice but didn’t really engage with us and during the snorkelling section we were advised that the currents were extremely strong so no one on the boat participated in this activity which was disappointing.

It is a must

Absolutely must do when visiting Mauritius. Great excursion on the clear waters, reef snorkeling, waterfall and Ile Aux Cerfs with absolutely cleanest beaches. The grill is prepared on route, the very good selection of food, unlimited drinks and rum.

Awesome catamaran trip!!

we made a last booking with the company and they made it possible for us. early morning our driver kesh took us on time and narrate us a lot about mauritius which was very interesting. Kesh is a nice guy! the crew was very friendly and funny. they played great song onboard.. Ambiance guaranteed for sure. food was very delicious! it was well organized.. looking to book this trip again.

Great cruise with snorkeling

we had a good day in the catamaran trip.. the crew was amazing especially rocky who took care of us. the food was very delicious.. we had a great time during snorkeling. Lots of fun for sure!

Cheaper to book locally. Disappointing waterfall

Much cheaper if booked locally and not through Tripadvisor. Good day out. Disappointing waterfall - would’ve preferred to skip this and spend more than 1 hour on Ile aux Cerfs, which was beautiful. Pretty crowded with 38 on board

A Disappointing Day Out

To be honest, the experience left much to be desired. Here’s a breakdown of my day: The Long Waiting Time: After being dropped off at the beach by our taxi driver, we were left waiting for about 45 minutes without any communication about the delay or the reason behind it. Lack of Proper Guidance: The announcements and navigation on the trip were not clear. We were left uncertain about which boat we were supposed to board. Endless Sailing: Most of the time was spent simply sailing on an empty sea with little to no activities or entertainment. Underwhelming Snorkeling: We didn't see any marine life. Snorkeling equipments were dirty and not good status. The Waterfall: Frankly, the waterfall was underwhelming in size. It was really SMALL. Worse, it was crowded with numerous tourist boats, taking away from the serenity one would expect. BBQ Lunch: Aboard the boat, the staff prepared a BBQ on a small grill and distributed meat to all the guests. While taste is subjective, I found it to be quite average. Up-sell at the Beach: Upon reaching the beach, we were incessantly approached by vendors trying to sell us other activities. This was quite annoying. Not-So-Scenic Views: Contrary to the images portrayed, the waters around Île aux Serpents were, disappointingly, not that beautiful. The pictures seem to have been exaggerated. The Return Taxi: To add insult to injury, a cockroach made an appearance during our taxi ride back. Furthermore, the entire trip process felt mechanically impersonal. It seemed as though the staff had little interest in ensuring the guests' enjoyment. In conclusion, if you're considering spending your valuable time and money on this activity, prepare for potential disappointment. I felt that the overall experience did not live up to its promises.

False Advertising

I was a bit disappointed as we paid to have 15 or less individuals on our trip and there were more than 40! It was not what was advertised. As we had so many individuals, the space available was very limited. There were lines to get off of the Catamaran on to the transfer boat, we did not receive clear instructions on arrival to the island, our time was reduced because multiple trips had to be made to transfer everyone to the varying activities including the waterfall and the island! Although we obtained some nice photographs, the lasting memory was that of being on an overcrowded boat and the bad taste knowing that we had paid for the 15 person or less experience and was jammed on a boat with almost 40! I forgot to mention that the boat left 45 minutes after scheduled due to the number of transfers required!

Catamaran Adventure

Was picked up from our Hotel in the north of the island and taken to the meet point to board the Catamaran. There was 4 of us 2 couples. The boarding was a bit un-organised TBH however once on board the experience was very good, going down to ile-aux-cerfs and down to the waterfall where we saw the monkeys as well. Stopped for snorkeling and a BBQ lunch and then headed to the beach at ile-aux-cerfs for an hour stop over. Would recommend this as a very good day out

Must-Do Mauritius

Crystal blue waters, the amazing food and of course the scenery. Full day's outing so don't schedule anything else to do on the day

Actual itinerary of the trip

I’ll leave an honest itinerary since the one provided by the tour providers is wrong and dishonest: - You’ll get picked up at 7:45am by a private pick up. You’ll arrive at the harbour at around 9am. - You then have to wait 1.5 hours at the harbour without any information or communication for the speedboat to arrive, which will quickly take you to a waterfall - You’ll then board a catamaran, where the “small group of max 15 people” is actually around 30 people. There is almost no space, you’ll feel like Sardines in a can. - You take one 25 minute stop for swimming. There is no snorkelling gear on the boat as advertised, so you won’t be snorkelling. - Then the “3 course dinner - veg and non veg” is served. It’s actually one course, which is rice and pasta and chicken. The veggie option is just rice and pasta, without sauce. - The staff on the boat are great and they are the saving grace of this trip. They are very attentive and serve lots of drinks - there are unlimited drinks, alcoholic and non alcoholic. - You arrive at the island at 1:30pm. They tell you to wait at the beach for your 4pm pick up. - We pay 3000 MUR to go snorkelling on the island with a separate boat as the catamaran don’t actually have snorkelling gear. - We wait at the beach for our 4pm pick up. The boat doesn’t arrive until 5pm. - You get back to the harbour at 5:30 - Your taxi drops you off at 6:45, you’ve spent 11 hours out instead of 8. It’s been a long day full of no good surprises. You would never book this trip again.

Catamaran trip

The taxi ride from hotel to the boat was great experience . The snorkeling was pathetic. Food was average and the drinks ok . Really not worth the money paid .

Lovely day

Very friendly staff, lovely lunch, really relaxing day out, would highly recommend, get a whole day out on the sea. Beautiful to see the waterfalls and the monkeys!

Perfect

Ile aux Cerfs is very beautiful island, white sand and crystal clear turquoise water. Trip was well organized, lunch was perfect, great selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. We had plenty of time to swim and to explore the island. The waterfalls were also beautiful. Luckily we had perfect weather.

A must do when in Mauririus

The trip started with heavy rain, but it rurned out to be a very Nice day. Fantastic trip with fantastic crew. A little to high music.

Great day out on a catamaran.

The catamaran was spacious, the crew are super friendly and helpful. The BBQ lunch was great and it was well presented and well prepared. The drinks were ample. My wife and I had a great time.

Beautiful mauritius!!

my friend recommend me this trip and it was a good trip. we had a nice time with family. the chicken barbecue was very good. lots of fun in the catamaran. mauritius is a very beautiful island. great trip!!

Nice experience is Mauritius

Great day with my wife. the crew especially dev is a great guy. The snorkeling was awesome. We enjoy a lot. The food was good and great ambiance in the catamaran. It was a nice experience in mauritius

Underwhelmed

Driver Nasser was very punctual and knowledgeable. Boat crew was friendly, lunch was nice, catamaran was spacious. However there was no scheduled snorkeling stops as advertised. Other than stopping at Ile Aux cerfs, the only other time we stopped was for some passengers to take up the optional additional paid for paragliding trips. This resulted in a stop of more than an hour where there was no snorkeling, just swimming with ni corals, reef or marine life in sight. From what I could see, there appeared to be no snorkeling equipment and life jackets on board. So definitely not a value for money experience and turned out to be an expensive boat trip with lunch.

Wouldn’t recommend

We were disappointed with our day out on this boat. Firstly, we didn’t even snorkel. There wasn’t even snorkelling gear on the boat at all. Secondly, they took us to beaches that were too overcrowded. We felt like tourists on a conveyor belt. Thirdly, we were disappointed with the staff, they weren’t very friendly or welcoming. The poured our drinks so strong and didn’t have any ice. Fourthly, the food was very mediocre. My girlfriend was vegan, she had to eat rice and plain pasta. This trip was way over priced, can’t believe the fees we paid compared to the trip we had. I would not recommend it to anyone.

Don t go to Ile aux Cerf

We wait more than 1 hour on the beach. On the catamaran we were about 26 people, no space to stay covered from the sun. Ile aux Cerf was extra full of people with plastic on the beach.

Amazing day..

We had a very good day cruising to ile aux cerfs island. Crew were very helpful and friendly. We were scared of snorkeling, but the crew help us. Our driver keshav is an awesome guy. The food was very delicious. Thanks to the whole team!

Very bad experience. Wouldn’t recommend this company

There was no information given, where we’re going, name of the captain, no itinerary. The boat broke down at one point, didn’t tell us, one of the guests on the boat figured it out. Got to the island, there was no information, just what time to get back. No information on where to get drinks, toilets, no explanation on the Island. No drinks offered on the catamaran on our way to the island. The boat drivers were late to pick us up after giving us instructions to be at the pick up point from the island. The cab service was meant to be private, on the way back, why did the driver have 2 people in the back?

Great catamaran cruise

we had a great time in the catamaran. our driver keshav was on time for the pick up. it was a long drive to the jetty. the waterfall is very beautiful. Great island to explore. we did parasailing on the island. Everything was well organize especially the transfer, catamaran, food. Great trip for our holiday

Lovely time

Crew were friendly and kept us informed. All you can drink with special rum cocktails on request. My wife and I loved it with other friendly participants being a big reason. Our driver (Irshaad) picked us up promptly from our hotel and was waiting for us when the boat docked. He was awesome. Unfortunately the toilet was blocked up and there weren’t any fish/marine life to see during snorkelling

Best day of our holiday!

The crew were friendly and did everything they could to make your trip special. Lovely happy vibe on board. Food was really well cooked and delicious

Be Careful

The trip itself was brill, great scenery, great food! I paid additionally for a paragliding experience which was 2,500Mur - I only had 3x1000 but was assured I would be given change when we got back to port. I was advised to leave the boat and wait for 2 mins for a crew member to go and get change... the crew member never returned and I felt robbed. In short, great trip but take the correct money otherwise you too will most likely be robbed! I attempted to contact the organisers via email who assured me it would be refunded but after 3 further emails with no reply, this clearly isn't happening. Please be careful

This was more like a...

This was more like a booze cruise not as it looks in the information. The food was rubbish and only fit for the bin the boat was very tied and in need of a refit.

Nothing to explore except brutally loud french rap and too much alcohol

It started with a maximum loading of the boat, there were 35 guests on board, although the group size was specified with a maximum of 15 people. The crew declared the catamaran to be a "party boat", by which they meant brutally loud rap, which boomed continuously at headache volume from the speakers turned up to the maximum. In addition, there was plenty of alcohol, about 20% of the passengers were drunk at the end of the trip. Most of the catamaran ride was spent in waiting for the "speed boat", to take us to the waterfall or to the island. Our boat was the last one at each destination. The pure travel time of the boat was maybe 90 minutes. Therefore, the time was only enough for one snorkeling stop and just 90 minutes to stay on the Ile aux cerfs. Neither the waterfall nor the island are really worth the trip, by the way, because every hotel beach on Mauritius is better than the island beach, which is overrun by the boat tours. In summary, it was the worst boat tour of our lives and one can neither recommend the organizer nor the crew.

Party boat not what I expected.

I was expecting more of a catamaran cruise that is more focused on the beautiful sea, nature, island, waterfalls but sadly, the boat was focused more on loud music, drinking (with drunk people), not considering the other guests. It was not the trip that I expected and I could not wait to get off the boat in all honestly.

Brilliant day out

We had a brilliant day bit of a bad start with the transport turning up late but worked out OK. The catamaran crew were brilliant and made the day so good.

Too costly for the...

Too costly for the activities planned. In fact since the weather was not good, we couldn't do snorkeling.

Nice trip

Very nice trip, everything went well. The persons from the boat were very nice and very helpful. Only sad because of a lot of wind in that day, but nothing that can be controlled. I recommend this trip. The food is also very nice. Unlimeted drinks were accomplished. Thanks for the day

Enjoyed every moment of the trip

We had a wonder time on the journey to Ile Axu Cerfs. Music, food, great friendly hospitality and unlimited rum, wine and soft drink on board! The food was delish better than expected. We didn't do Snorkeling as the sea was a bit choppy but the swim on Ile Aux Cerfs was refreshing. We would love to do it again!!

Nice friendly cabin crew

I booked this because it was meant to be 15 max person's. But there was 25ish. The trip itself was fairly pleasant. The BBQ was cold ( but he had to cook 3 different foods for 25 people so I understood. But the BIG positive was the staff. Made everyone welcome and made sure every one was having a good time ( everyone time your hand was empty a drink was poured haha)

Too much people,...

Too much people, waterfall is not really nice. The barbecue was on Board and a little cold. We will Do this trip not again

Great day, well organised...

Great day, well organised and good value for money. Good food and transportation. The crew were excellent, very professional

Nice trip but needs some improvements

Overall a good trip but some items need attention, the waterfall was lovely but you were only there a few moments as the boat sailed by. I felt our catamaran had too many people on - 26 in total which made sitting out the front difficult. It was not clear when the opportunity to snorkel was so this was a missed opportunity. The toilets on board were terrible (even though I appreciate they are marine toilets) and no water to wash hands. Pick up and drop off were great! Scenery was lovely. Crew were friendly and worked hard.

Sailing on the catamaran a good experience

Booking this tour was easy and convenient. A big thank you to our driver Samad for picking us on time and was waiting for us after the tour ended. I even received a sms and whatsapp messages from him, providing us with details on the day of departure. The tour was a good experience, but was just underwhelmed with the "snorkeling". Just being and sailing on the catamaran was an experience on its own. Something that I've never done before. Definitely an experience I'll always remember.

Great day out on a catermeran with bbq and snorkelling.

Great day out with bbq, snorkelling and waterfall were lovely. Note no snorkelling equipment was provided due to Covid-19