It might depend on the numbers who book, but we were delighted to discover that a private tour, meant just the two of us and our lovely driver and guide, Samantha. There are very clear instructions to the meeting point and it was easy to find Samantha, despite the crowds and bustle.
The wildlife sanctuary is a must, we were taken around by a sanctuary guide, with only one other solo traveller, which gave us plenty of time to interact with the parrots, monkeys and sloths — unlike the groups that came by bus.
Our sanctuary guide, Wayne, explained what to do, and what not to do, to maximise photo opportunities and avoid spooking the animals. This was useful as the parrots are suprisingly heavy when they land on your head, but the sloths are surprisingly light when you are given the opportunity to hold them.
From there we headed to the Henry Morgan resort at West Bay for swimming and snorkelling. You could easily spend the day there, as there are loungers, shades, showers and toilets, bars and restaurants. Basically everything you would expect from a good resort or beach club.
For safety, there is a marked area for swimming to avoid the boats and jet skis, and when it's time for snorkelling, you board a small boat which takes you to a nearby point. It's described as guided snorkelling, and our guy did point out a few things and dive for a conch, but there were no guides to identify the many fish that inhabited the reef — but there were many. A subsequent Google confirmed the largest were different parrot fish and on the way back, our captain spotted a turtle, which was an added bonus.
We chilled for another hour or so, enjoyed a beach massage (US$20 for 30 minutes) and the local beer. After what, for us, was plenty of time at the beach, we headed to a restuarant with a panoramic view of the bay which Samantha recommended. And top marks for an excellent recommendation. The seafood platter which consisted of grilled lobster, battered shrimp and 'fish fingers' — which are in fact goujons of delicious white fish — was stonking.
After a leisurely lunch, watching the crows circling and the cruise ships in the distance, Samantha drove us back to the cruise port with plenty of time to shop and meander back to the ship. The company has a policy of getting cruise passengers back an hour before last boarding, so there's zero stress.
We thought the tour was excellent value as it gave us a real taste of the island of Roatan and Hondouras, included the must-dos of wildlife and the beach/snorkelling with the luxury of a private car and an excellent driver/guide. Would recommend the company, and Samantha in particular.