You board a catamaran with thirty-three other guests, snorkel the intact Antilla shipwreck for forty-five minutes, then move to Catalina Bay for a second stop. Lunch appetizers and unlimited drinks arrive at your cushioned seat without you asking, and the crew handles snorkel instruction if you need it. You leave with a souvenir and no bar line to remember.
The shuttle boat rocks gently under your feet as it pushes off from the beach hut — thirty meters of calm water between you and the catamaran waiting offshore. You board with a drink already in hand, find your cushioned lounge seat facing the open sea, and realize nobody is standing behind you. That detail matters more than it sounds. The crew brings appetizers straight to your seat, then a rum punch or mocktail, whatever you want, no line at the bar. Around you, thirty-four other guests are doing the same thing — eating, drinking, watching Aruba's coastline slip past. This is the afternoon catamaran experience on the island, and it does not pretend to be anything fancier than what it is: a boat, good food, and two snorkel stops where the water is clear enough to see why you came.
The first stop is the Antilla, a 400-foot German freighter that sank more than sixty years ago and sits intact on the seafloor. You spend forty-five minutes there with the captain and first mate, who will work with you if snorkeling is new — they do not rush you, and the water is shallow enough that you stay in control. The ship is a wreck in the way that matters: big enough to explore, old enough to feel like something, covered in coral and fish that have made it home. Angel fish dart past damsel fish, octopuses hide in the shadows, sea fans wave in the current. After Antilla, the boat moves to Catalina Bay, shallower still, where the same fish are easier to spot and the whole thing feels less like an expedition and more like swimming in an aquarium.
Between snorkel stops, you eat again. Fresh appetizers come to your seat, and the crew keeps the drinks flowing — Aruba Arriba if you want the house special, or rum, gin, vodka, whiskey, whatever is behind the bar. Nobody asks you to stand. The catamaran rocks so little that you barely notice it; this stretch of sea stays calm year-round, which is why the thirty-meter shuttle ride to the boat feels like floating on glass. When the afternoon is done and you head back to shore, you take home an Octopus Aruba souvenir, the kind of thing that actually means something because you earned it by being there.
Boarding happens in the late afternoon, which is when the light turns gold and the water shows off. Bring a towel and sunscreen — the sun on the water is relentless, and you will be in it for hours. Children are welcome, and infants under two do not pay. If you have dietary needs, tell them when you book. The crew includes a certified first responder, and every vessel gets inspected every six months, so the safety part is handled before you step on.
Your afternoon includes hotel pickup (check locally for availability), safety life jackets, professional snorkel instruction and equipment, two guided snorkel stops at the Antilla shipwreck and Catalina Bay, fresh lunch appetizers served to your seat, unlimited drinks from the open bar, a certified first responder on board, and an Octopus Aruba souvenir to take home. The catamaran holds a maximum of 34 guests, and the shuttle ride from the beach hut to the boat is included.
Operated by Octopus Snorkeling, Sailing & Sunset Tours - Private Charter - Boat Rental
Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to snorkel Aruba's best spots without arranging their own boat or worrying about standing in a bar line — the small group size and seat service are what make an afternoon feel unhurried instead of crowded.
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from US$ 75 per person
★★★★★★★★★★4.73629 reviews