Ideas for Family of 6 with Snorkel or Snuba

[CorrieCJ]

We will be in Aruba in August on the Carnival Horizon. We were hoping to Snuba dive, but it seems the only way to do that is to pay for DePalm Island and then separately for Snuba. Does anyone know if there are alternatives to this, or any tour companies doing Snuba?

 

If Snuba is not possible, we are also interested in snorkel, and would love to see Eagle Beach or Palm Beach as well. None of the ship tours seem to incorporate beach time AND snorkel time (unless I'm missing something). We are there all day and have plenty of time. Youngest in our group is 11 and all are experienced with snorkel/swim.

 

Would especially appreciate suggestions on how to do some of this either on our own, or with non-ship excursions. Thanks!

 

 

[TTEllis]

7 hours ago, CorrieCJ said:

We will be in Aruba in August on the Carnival Horizon. We were hoping to Snuba dive, but it seems the only way to do that is to pay for DePalm Island and then separately for Snuba. Does anyone know if there are alternatives to this, or any tour companies doing Snuba?

 

If Snuba is not possible, we are also interested in snorkel, and would love to see Eagle Beach or Palm Beach as well. None of the ship tours seem to incorporate beach time AND snorkel time (unless I'm missing something). We are there all day and have plenty of time. Youngest in our group is 11 and all are experienced with snorkel/swim.

 

Would especially appreciate suggestions on how to do some of this either on our own, or with non-ship excursions. Thanks!

 

 

I don't know anything about snorkeling on Aruba. If you choose to do a beach day you want to take your family of 6 to Eagle Beach and spend your day. 

When you get off the ship walk outside the security area and directly across the street to the bus station, tell them you want to go to Eagle Beach cheap tickets I think $3 very easy very quick bus stops RIGHT ON Eagle Beach. Walk down the sidewalk they'll rent you palapas and chairs. Everything is there nicest beach on the island water is AWESOME, Amsterdam Manor Beach Bar one of the top 5 easily best beach bars in the southern Caribbean. 

Have fun. 😉🙂

[mcmarya]

If you want to snorkel, the best places are farther north.  Arashi beach has services and decent snorkeling.  From there you can also snorkel where all the tours go at Catalina Cove/Boca Catalina.  Boca Catalina is a great entry spot but there were no rest rooms.

[TeresaJ]

Check out Jolly Pirates snorkel tours. You leave from Palm Beach and will have time for the beach after the excursion. We took our kids several years ago and they loved it. Snorkeling but no snuba.

[NateUpNorth]

On 6/11/2022 at 2:00 PM, CorrieCJ said:

 

 

Would especially appreciate suggestions on how to do some of this either on our own, or with non-ship excursions. Thanks!

 

 

We did "Sailaway Tours" pre-Covid and had a magnificent time. We had 4 kids with us and they enjoyed the entire experience. 
3 snorkel spots.... 1 was a bit rough for them.. but the other two spots were calm and perfect. Rope swing off the side of the boat for fun also.

[mitsugirly]

I don't know if you've left yet (since it's August) but if you want to do snuba...DePalm is the place. IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! The reef is awesome. Better than you'll get snorkeling from the beach at places like Boca Catalina to Arashi. You can find my blog and tons of pictures HERE on the day we did snuba there. 

[ssbeard1]

On 8/6/2022 at 8:52 PM, mitsugirly said:

I don't know if you've left yet (since it's August) but if you want to do snuba...DePalm is the place. IT IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! The reef is awesome. Better than you'll get snorkeling from the beach at places like Boca Catalina to Arashi. You can find my blog and tons of pictures HERE on the day we did snuba there. 

 

[ssbeard1]

De palm island looks awesome.  However, it states if you are a cruise passenger you have to book through your cruise ship - I don't normally book tours through the cruise ship.  Is there another way to get to the ferry terminal.  Do you know if it is far from the cruise port (too expensive for a cab)?  Is there a hotel close to the cruise terminal?

Edited August 9, 2022 by ssbeard1

[mitsugirly]

20 hours ago, ssbeard1 said:

De palm island looks awesome.  However, it states if you are a cruise passenger you have to book through your cruise ship - I don't normally book tours through the cruise ship.  Is there another way to get to the ferry terminal.  Do you know if it is far from the cruise port (too expensive for a cab)?  Is there a hotel close to the cruise terminal?

 

I'm sorry, I can't answer that question since we've always went there while staying on the land and went to Arashi when we came by cruise ship. You might be able to message them and ask if there's a way? I usually don't book cruise ship excursions if I don't HAVE to but some things I will if it's really something I want to do. I'm not sure how much time they give you there (by cruise excursion) but the snuba is just amazing! That reef is what you picture in your head when you see online pictures of diving. 

 

I don't know of any other places in Aruba to do Snuba. There's places that do the SeaBobs. Then of course snorkeling between Boca and Arashi is the place to go if you just want to snorkel. 

[ssbeard1]

We’ve taken frequent cruises and there is usually a work around to that requirement. However it seems their bus times for pickup in town will not work with our port time.  🤦‍♀️    We will have our 2 granddaughters with us, aged 9 and 7.   What would be a good beach for them.   They are excellent swimmers and will have their in snorkel and fins if that matters.  

[mitsugirly]

1 hour ago, ssbeard1 said:

We’ve taken frequent cruises and there is usually a work around to that requirement. However it seems their bus times for pickup in town will not work with our port time.  🤦‍♀️    We will have our 2 granddaughters with us, aged 9 and 7.   What would be a good beach for them.   They are excellent swimmers and will have their in snorkel and fins if that matters.  

 

There is a small beach there for swimming but the snorkeling is off a dock/pier. You step down into the water on the steps and the reef is right there. It's fairly shallow water. I think they make you wear snorkeling vest and there is a life guard. They do provide (free) snorkel and fins if you didn't feel like lugging yours around. There is another beach (you have to book separate) beside the regular beach and they have flamingo's on that beach. There are certain times they open it up to public for pictures with them. There's a water park and water slides and animals there as well. There's a few peacocks running around too. It's a pretty neat place. They also have the SeaTrek, which we do these a lot and every place we can find one on vacation and I have to say Aruba is the best place for it there. 

 

You can find our days there HERE  and HERE and HERE There's tons of pictures for you to check out if you'd like. 

[moposh]

On 8/9/2022 at 5:23 PM, mitsugirly said:

I'm not sure how much time they give you there (by cruise excursion)

I have it booked in April.  Our hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Ship leaves at 5:00 p.m.