Published on Apr, 2025
We took the Palm Pleasure for their four hour morning snorkel cruise and were very happy with our choice. There are a ton of catamaran options that probably offer fairly similar experiences but we went with Palm Pleasure because they have a 4 hour tour option in the morning which allows for three snorkel stops instead of just two. It also seemed to be a professional operation which proved to very much be the case. We booked online directly through their website, which worked just fine.
It's a bigger vessel than some so be prepared to have plenty of other passengers along with you. Our boat had a head count of 78 and it seemed a little crowded in the queue to board the ship but everyone could cram into the seating area under the deck on our ride out to the first snorkel site. Then once they allowed us to move on to the upper surface, there was definitely more room to spread out. It was then your option to sit out on the deck or stay inside the shaded interior.
The crew was definitely professional and were not casual about safety, taking several minutes to go over basic procedures in both Spanish and English. Everyone is issued an inflatable swim vest, mask/snorkel, and fins on boarding but none are required to wear in the water. Shout out to Cesar who was our main MC and did a great job of balancing safety and fun as the host, bartender, and primary communicator. He was a great balance of casual and responsible while trying to allow everyone to have a fun time.
The first snorkel site was the Antilla shipwreck, which had the roughest water and strongest currents of the three different stops. The wreck is at about 60 feet of depth so you don't snorkel the wreck itself but it's definitely fun to swim around above it and look down at the wreck and the scuba divers below. It might be intimidating with the open ocean feel and the stronger current but we felt perfectly safe and appreciated the pushing power of our swim fins. The second and third stops at Arashi and Catalina are a little calmer and allow more chances to see marine life like turtles and coral and fishes of different types. Also being closer to shore may help folks with ocean swim anxiety. All three stops are popular with the various snorkel tours so there are plenty of boats and other swimmers around but it never felt oppressively crowded.
There is a lively vibe on the boat with musics and drinks but it's not an over-the-top party scene. They have a well-stocked bar with beer, sodas, and the standard watered down punch cocktails but they don't seem to be pushing that over the line at all. Definitely a fine option for some drinks along the way but not unfriendly for a family atmosphere. They had light breakfast foods (fruit, sandwiches) after boarding and a full lunch buffet after the last snorkeling stop which was somewhat limited for vegetarians but fine for gluten-free eaters. If you want a good vegetarian choice beyond salad, just be sure to request ahead of time and they were happy to provide that.
This wasn't necessarily an intimate cruise experience but it was a good choice for us with a professional and hard-working crew. And a nice option if you want to go a little longer with 4 hours in the morning and three different snorkel stops. A medium booze cruise vibe but we always felt very safe with the crew and very much looked after.
Free Cancellation
