Antilla Shipwreck and Catalina Bay Snorkel Sail: Explore Aruba Above and Below the Water

Aruba is famous for its turquoise Caribbean waters, and one of the most exciting ways to experience them is aboard the Antilla Shipwreck and Catalina Bay Snorkel Sail. This three-hour catamaran excursion combines sailing, snorkeling, marine life, refreshments, and two of Aruba’s well-known underwater locations in one afternoon adventure.

For current availability, departure times, pricing, and booking details, check the Antilla Shipwreck and Catalina Bay Snorkel Sail here⁠.

Set Sail From Palm Beach

The experience begins at Piet’s Pier on Palm Beach, located between the Barceló Aruba and Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort. Guests are instructed to meet at the pier approximately 30 minutes before the scheduled activity.

From there, you board a Red Sail Sports catamaran and head out onto Aruba’s Caribbean waters. Rather than simply transporting guests from one snorkeling location to another, the catamaran is part of the experience itself. Bite-sized appetizers are served onboard, and drinks are available from the open bar.

The excursion lasts approximately three hours and includes two snorkeling stops.

First Stop: Catalina Bay

The first major snorkeling destination is Catalina Bay, also known as the Boca Catalina area, on Aruba’s northwestern coast.

Its relatively shallow, clear water makes this stop particularly suitable for getting comfortable with snorkeling. Before entering the water, participants receive snorkeling equipment and instruction.

The water here reaches approximately 15 feet (5 meters) in depth in the snorkeling area described by the tour. Depending on conditions and wildlife activity that day, snorkelers may encounter marine life such as queen angelfish, blue parrotfish and damselfish among coral and sea fans.

Because marine animals are wild, sightings of any particular species can never be guaranteed. That unpredictability is also part of what makes snorkeling in Aruba so interesting—every trip beneath the surface can be different.

Check availability for the Catalina Bay and Antilla snorkeling sail⁠.

Snorkeling Over the Antilla Shipwreck

The second snorkeling location provides a completely different underwater experience: the Antilla shipwreck.

The Antilla was a German freighter that sank in Aruba’s waters in 1940. Today, the wreck has become one of the island’s best-known snorkeling and diving locations and provides habitat for a variety of marine life.

During this excursion, snorkelers explore the wreck from the surface rather than entering it. Parts of the wreck begin approximately 10 feet below sea level, while reported underwater visibility around the site can average approximately 30 to 50 feet (9 to 15 meters).

The wreck itself has accumulated coral and attracts numerous species. Depending on conditions, snorkelers may encounter yellowtail snapper, butterflyfish, southern stingrays, green moray eels, barracudas, bluehead wrasse and schools of white grunts.

Conditions at the Antilla can be different from the calmer waters around Catalina Bay. Current, visibility and other sea conditions vary, so participants should always follow the crew’s safety instructions.

Relax on the Catamaran Between Snorkeling Stops

One of the advantages of this excursion is that the afternoon isn’t spent entirely in the water.

Between snorkeling sessions, guests can return to the catamaran, enjoy bite-sized appetizers and order refreshments from the open bar. After snorkeling at the Antilla, the catamaran sails back toward Palm Beach, giving passengers another opportunity to relax on the water before returning to the starting point.

The combination makes the excursion appealing to travelers who want snorkeling to be the centerpiece of their afternoon without giving up the relaxed atmosphere of a Caribbean catamaran sail.

View current prices, times and availability for the Antilla Shipwreck and Catalina Bay Snorkel Sail⁠.

What Is Included?

According to the current tour information, the Antilla Shipwreck and Catalina Bay Snorkel Sail includes:

• Approximately three hours aboard a catamaran with two snorkeling stops
• Snorkeling equipment
• Snorkeling instruction
• Bite-sized appetizers
• Open bar

Hotel pickup and drop-off and gratuities are not listed as standard inclusions. Travelers staying at certain major hotels that are not within walking distance of the pier can contact the supplier about transfers, which are offered only on request and subject to availability.

What Should You Bring?

Guests are advised to bring a swimsuit, towel, sunscreen and camera. Sun protection is particularly important in Aruba, especially when spending several hours on an open boat and in the water.

If children in your group cannot swim, the tour operator asks that you notify them so that a mandatory life jacket can be arranged for those children while onboard.

The experience is weather-dependent. If poor weather causes the operator to cancel the excursion, the current policy states that travelers will be offered another date or a full refund. The experience also requires a minimum number of travelers to operate.

Why Choose This Aruba Snorkeling Excursion?

What makes this excursion particularly interesting is the contrast between its two snorkeling locations.

Catalina Bay provides shallow Caribbean water and an opportunity to look for colorful reef fish, coral and sea fans. The Antilla offers something entirely different: the chance to snorkel above an enormous historic shipwreck that has become part of Aruba’s underwater environment.

Add a catamaran sail, snorkeling equipment and instruction, appetizers and an open bar, and the result is an easy way to combine several classic Aruba experiences into a single afternoon.

For travelers who want to spend part of their Aruba vacation exploring beneath the surface of the Caribbean, the Antilla Shipwreck and Catalina Bay Snorkel Sail offers a memorable introduction to two very different underwater sites.

Prices, departure times and availability can change, so check the live booking page for the details applicable to your travel date.

Book Your Aruba Snorkeling Sail

Ready to explore Catalina Bay and snorkel above the Antilla shipwreck?

BOOK HERE – Antilla Shipwreck and Catalina Bay Snorkel Sail⁠