Four hours on a teak pirate schooner: snorkel a reef, a calm cove and a WWII shipwreck,
ride the rope swing, then lunch and an open bar. What each ticket includes, and the refund catch.
What's in, what's notLunch, bar, transfers and tips spelled out
Real guest ratingsLive Viator & Tripadvisor figures
Refund rules up frontWhich sails cancel free, and which never refund
Secure checkout on ViatorMobile ticket, instant confirmation
Tickets
Choose your Aruba pirate sail
The Jolly Pirates' morning sail in the centre. Beside it, the same ship's cheaper afternoon
trip, and Red Sail's morning catamaran: the closest like-for-like option that you can still cancel.
The same schooner, crew and open bar, for three hours from 2 PM. You snorkel at two stops, which the operator lists as the Antilla wreck and Boca Catalina, and take turns on the rope swing, but there is no lunch, which is why it costs less. Like the morning sail, it is non-refundable on Viator.
What's included
Three-hour sail from 2 PM
Two snorkel stops and the rope swing, gear included
Open bar and two restrooms on board
Not included: food, hotel transfers and tips; non-refundable on Viator
The Jolly Pirates' 9 AM sail on an 85-foot teak schooner from MooMba Beach on Palm Beach. Three snorkel stops (Malmok reef, Boca Catalina and the WWII Antilla wreck), a rope swing off the rigging, a barbecue lunch and an open bar. This Viator listing is non-refundable, so book once your dates are fixed.
What's included
Four-hour sail from 9 AM, back around 1 PM
Snorkel gear for Malmok reef, Boca Catalina and the Antilla wreck
BBQ lunch (ribs, chicken, rice, salads, fruit) and an open bar
Rope swing and two restrooms on board
Not included: hotel transfers and tips; non-refundable on Viator
The closest like-for-like alternative: a 9:15 AM half day on a large catamaran from the pier between the Barceló and the Hyatt. Three snorkel stops including Catalina Bay and the Antilla wreck, a morning snack, a Caribbean lunch buffet and an open bar. It cancels free up to 24 hours before.
What's included
Half-day catamaran sail from 9:15 AM
Three snorkel stops, gear and instruction on request
Morning snack, Caribbean lunch buffet and open bar
Almost every snorkel boat on Palm Beach visits the same two sites: the Antilla wreck and Boca
Catalina. The differences are the boat, the food, the group size and whether you can get your money back.
Prices are Viator from-prices in USD per adult at the last update. The Jolly Pirates'
own site lists the morning sail from $98 per adult and $68 for youths up to 10, and the afternoon sail from
$76 and $54; Viator's price includes its booking fee. Children 5 to 10 are discounted on every Jolly Pirates listing. All the Palm Beach departures are
walk-up: only Red Sail offers hotel transfers, at extra cost.
Where you actually snorkel
A reef, a cove and a sunken freighter: three stops, one morning.
The morning sail runs north from Palm Beach along Aruba's calm west coast to three sites. Malmok
reef is shallow and close to shore, an easy warm-up. Boca Catalina is a protected cove with calm,
clear water, where guests see yellow-striped grunts, parrotfish, angelfish, brain coral and, often, sea
turtles. The third stop is the SS Antilla, a 400-foot German freighter that its own crew scuttled
off Malmok on 10 May 1940, the day Germany invaded the Netherlands, rather than let the Dutch seize it.
The wreck lies on its side in up to 60 feet (18 m) of water, with parts of the hull close to or breaking
the surface, so snorkelers see its outline from above rather than swimming inside. It is also the most
exposed stop: guests report choppy water there on some days. The crew says which stops suit weaker
swimmers, and you can always stay on deck.
1940
The year the Antilla went down. Its 35 German crew were
interned, and the wreck became one of the Caribbean's best-known dive and snorkel sites.
The Jolly Pirates' ships anchor off MooMba Beach, in the middle of the Palm Beach high-rise strip, between
the Holiday Inn and the Marriott resorts. Look for the big thatched roofs of the MooMba Beach Bar and check in
just beside it at the pirate shop. The trip ends back at the same beach.
Three snorkeling stops with lots of different fish at each location. We even saw some sea turtles! Staff was incredible - they kept the energy high and checked in with people all day.
★★★★★
We booked this excursion for our port day in Aruba on a cruise and had so much fun! The guys were attentive, engaging and very informative. They would even snorkel with us to help find sea turtles and ocean life.
★★★★★
We got to see the shipwreck, turtles and lots of fishes. My kids enjoyed jumping off the ship and swinging on the rope. The portion of food for lunch was a lot.
★★★★★
The spots were beautiful and it was so family friendly! They advise which spots might not be the best for some swimmers and it was a blast!
★★★★★
Full day, snorkeling, food and a celebratory atmosphere for a reasonable price. When we arrived, we realized it was the same trip we'd booked 13 years ago! The amenities and crew were as good as ever.
★★★★★
Bring a lot of sunscreen! And just enjoy every moment, it's sooo much fun! The crew was excellent at entertaining everyone, all ages.
★★★★★
Great cruise, staff were excellent, on and off boat was quick. Rope jump was awesome. Food and drink was very good.
★★★★★
We went with 2 adults and 3 kids (11, 9, 7). We had so much fun, the guys were all awesome. We did the tour that included lunch and it was delish!
★★★★★
This was our best excursion of our entire stay. The crew is so entertaining. They made sure to point out turtles, the food was actually delicious and the rope swing was awesome!
Quotes from verified Viator bookings of the morning sail, lightly trimmed for length.
Not a snorkeler?
Take the ship out at sunset
No masks and no fins: the same schooner, the open bar and the rope swing, with the sun going
down behind the sails.
Sunset Pirate Cruise with Open Bar
★ 4.6 · 473 reviews · 2 hours
The same pirate schooner at 5:30 PM: two hours along the west coast with the open bar, the rope swing and the sun going down behind the sails. No snorkeling and no food, so it pairs well with a morning snorkel trip on another day, or works on its own if you just want the ship.
Aruba's morning pirate sail is one of the island's longest-running boat trips: a four-hour snorkel
cruise on a wooden schooner, with lunch and a bar that never closes. Here is what you get, what it really costs
and the one piece of fine print most people miss.
What the morning pirate sail is
The trip is run by Jolly Pirates, a Palm Beach operator that has sailed out of MooMba Beach since 1997 with
twin 85-foot teak schooners. The ships look the part, with dark hulls, cream sails and a rope swing rigged off
the side, and the crew plays up the pirate theme with music, jokes and backflips off the rigging. Underneath
the theatre it is a proper snorkel trip: three stops along the calm west coast, gear included, and a crew who
get in the water to show guests the turtles. The morning sail is the flagship: it is the only Jolly Pirates
trip with lunch and all three snorkel stops, and it rates 4.9 from 1,163 reviews on Viator.
Illustration: the kind of shallow reef life guests describe at Boca Catalina.
What it really costs
On Viator the morning sail is from $108 per adult, with a discount for children 5 to 10. The Jolly
Pirates' own website lists it from $98 per adult and $68 for youths up to 10, so booking direct is cheaper on
the headline price. What you do not get either way is transport: everyone makes their own way to MooMba Beach.
Tips for the crew are extra, and most guests leave some. If you only want the ship and the bar, the afternoon
sail ($89) and the sunset sail ($70) cost less, but neither includes food.
The honest small print: the Viator listings for the Jolly Pirates sails are
non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. Booked direct, the operator refunds when it cancels for
weather or technical problems, but not for oversleeping or a change of plans. If your dates might move, or
you are on a cruise ship with a tight schedule, book a sail that cancels free, such as Red Sail's morning
catamaran, or wait until your plans are fixed.
Morning pirate sail or a catamaran?
Most Palm Beach snorkel boats visit the same Antilla wreck and Boca Catalina cove, so the choice is about
the boat and the mood. The pirate schooner is the social, noisy option, with up to 65 guests, music and the
rope swing. Catamarans such as Red Sail and Pelican have trampolines
and more shade, and they cancel free up to 24 hours before. For a quieter morning,
Octopus caps its group at 34 and the Black Pearl sails with up to 12.
On a budget, the Arusun does two stops in 2.5 hours from $63.
Illustration: the morning sail's lunch is a barbecue of ribs, chicken, rice, salads and fruit.
Making the most of the morning
Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early with your swimsuit already on, and put on reef-safe sunscreen before you
leave the hotel. Snorkel first and save the rum punch for the sail home: the Antilla stop is the deepest
and the most exposed, and guests report choppy water there on some days. Tell the crew if you are a nervous
swimmer; they point out the easiest stops and keep an eye on the water. Then enjoy the part everyone talks
about afterwards: lunch on deck and your turn on the rope swing.
Illustration: the kit for a snorkel sail: towel, rash guard, reef-safe sunscreen and a phone pouch.
Straight answers to what people ask most about Aruba's morning pirate sail.
How much is the Jolly Pirates morning snorkel sail?
On Viator the morning pirate sail is from $108 per adult in 2026, with children 5 to 10 at a discount. The Jolly Pirates' own site lists it from $98 per adult and $68 for youths up to 10. The Viator price includes its booking fee; the direct fare has different fine print. See the price guide.
What is included on the morning pirate sail?
A four-hour sail on an 85-foot teak schooner from 9 AM, snorkel gear for three stops (Malmok reef, Boca Catalina and the Antilla shipwreck), the rope swing, a barbecue lunch and an open bar. Hotel transfers and tips are not included. See the ticket.
Can I cancel the Jolly Pirates morning sail?
Not on Viator: the listing is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. Booked direct, the operator refunds if it cancels for weather or technical problems, but not for a change of plans. If your dates might move, the Red Sail half day and the other catamarans here cancel free up to 24 hours before.
Where does the morning pirate sail leave from?
MooMba Beach on Palm Beach, between the Holiday Inn and the Marriott resorts (J.E. Irausquin Blvd 230, Noord). Check in beside the MooMba Beach Bar at the pirate shop 30 to 45 minutes before the 9 AM departure. There is no hotel pickup. Map and directions.
What are the snorkel stops?
Malmok reef, a shallow reef close to shore; Boca Catalina, a calm, shallow cove full of reef fish; and the SS Antilla, a German freighter scuttled in May 1940 that lies in up to 60 feet of water with parts of the hull breaking the surface. Read the Antilla guide.
Morning or afternoon pirate sail: which is better?
The morning sail is four hours with lunch and three snorkel stops; the afternoon sail is three hours from 2 PM, without food, with two snorkel stops, and costs less. Mornings usually bring calmer water. Compare them in morning vs afternoon.
Is the Jolly Pirates cruise good for kids?
Yes for children who are happy in the water: guests regularly book it as a family trip, children 5 to 10 get a discount, and under-5s are a separate age band. Children must be with an adult, and the open bar is 18+. See Jolly Pirates with kids.
Do I need to be a good swimmer?
No, but you should be comfortable in open water. Boca Catalina and Malmok are shallow and calm, while the Antilla stop is deeper and can be choppy; the crew advises which stops suit weaker swimmers, and you can stay on board at any stop.
Is the drink really unlimited?
Yes: the open bar is included on every Jolly Pirates sail, with rum punch, beer and soft drinks among what guests mention. The minimum drinking age is 18. A few guests report the punch being light on rum while people are still snorkeling.
What should I bring on the pirate sail?
Swimwear, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen (Aruba banned oxybenzone sunscreens in 2020), sunglasses, cash for tips and a dry layer. Snorkel gear is provided. See what to bring.
Is the morning pirate sail worth it?
For most people, yes: it rates 4.9 from 1,163 reviews, and guests single out the crew, the rope swing and the lunch. Skip it if you have back or heart problems, need wheelchair access, or want a quiet, small-group trip: the ship takes up to 65 guests and the mood is a party.
Ready to book
Find the sail that fits your crew.
Instant confirmation on Viator. The pirate sails are non-refundable; the catamarans cancel free up to 24 hours before.
Cheaper, no lunch
★ 4.63 hours534 reviewsNon-refundable
