Snorkeling in Cabo An Evaluation of Excursions Offered
by Arlene (Mississaugamom)
As you may have gathered from my first article about the Curacao Sea Aquarium, I have a great love for aquatic excursions. I've been researching snorkeling options in Cabo San Lucas currently offered by DCL. I know there are other excursions offered through places such as shoretrips.com, but the Disney pricing is comparable and I feel safer booking through them for snorkeling. The information I've put together is based on the descriptions offered by DCL and internet research. I'm sure others have been doing similar research. I'd love to hear from them and what their thoughts are on the various excursions!
Santa Maria Sail & Snorkel Experience (4 - 4.5 hours) "Encore! Encore! This enjoyable excursion earns a standing ovation for most fun under the sun! Guests will board a sailing catamaran for an approximate 3 1/4-hour tour to Santa Maria Cove. En route, you'll pass by Lover's Beach, a colony of sea lions and the towering rock formations of Land's End. At Santa Maria Cove, the ship will drop anchor in this protected, palm-studded oasis, where underwater reefs teem with colorful tropical fish. Snorkeling instruction and equipment are available for those who wish to explore the reefs, or you may simply swim and relax for approximately 1 hour. Then it's time to enjoy an open bar and snacks during the approximate 1-hour return sail; when the catamaran enters the bay, have your camera ready for a great photo opportunity as it sails past your cruise ship. Adult Price: $59 (Ages 10 and above) Child Price: $36 (Ages 5 - 9) Departure Times: 9:20 am, 10:00 am
First off, I believe there is an error in the sailing time given for the catamaran trip to Santa Maria Cove. It should be 1-1/4 hours. There is no clue given for which catamaran or company will be conducting this tour. However, the destination itself is described in Los Cabos Magazine - Issue #6 - 1999 and other internet sources.
Santa Maria Beach - Playa Santa Maria "As you gaze out to the azure sea you will see the peaceful horseshoe shaped beach with sand the color and consistency of pink rice. Relatively secluded, Bahía Santa María is a protected marine sanctuary, so bring along a bag of bread or tortillas and feed the multi-colored creatures of the deep. Watersports are heavenly if it's not too windy. This is an excellent spot for snorkeling or just relaxing on the beach. This marine preserve is a prime destination for many charter boats that offer snorkeling and SCUBA diving excursions departing from the Cabo San Lucas harbor. If you want to see a world of friendly colorful tropical fish, this is the place to go. Mornings, when it's calm, is usually best for optimum underwater visibility. Gorgonians (sea fans) line the rock walls and abundant colorful tropical reef fish make for fine snorkeling and diving for all ages. There are no facilities available other than a dirt parking lot and a few beach vendors so bring what you need with you. This is truly one of the most beautiful places in Los Cabos and well worth a visit."
Disney is offering this excursion twice: the first group departing at 9:20 am, and the second departing at 10:00 am. With the anticipated tour length, return to the Magic will be sometime between 1:20 pm and 2:30 pm. Our "all-aboard" time for Cabo San Lucas is currently scheduled for 4:30 pm.
Chileno Bay Snorkeling Adventure (4 - 4.5 hours) "It's the cat's meow! Come aboard the "Tropicat," a sleek, 65-foot catamaran featuring state-of-the-art accommodations, including a waterslide. You'll cruise by Cabo's most famous points of interest, including Lover's Beach, the sea lion colony and Los Arcos at Land's End, during the approximate 45-minute cruise along Cabo's gold coast en route to Chileno Bay. At Chileno Bay, the catamaran will drop anchor for approximately 1 hour of snorkeling among the colorful sea life that inhabits the Sea of Cortez; instruction and equipment is provided. The bay's large reef attracts a variety of marine animals, including parrotfish, angelfish, moorish idols and manta rays, who make their home amid the vibrant corals. During the return voyage of approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes, you'll enjoy complimentary beverages and snacks. Adult Price: $59 (Ages 10 and above) Child Price: $36 (Ages 5 - 9) Departure Times: 8:40 am"
This destination was also described in Los Cabos Magazine - Issue 9, July, 2004. "Bahia Chileno (Chilean Beach) - Best All-Round Beach Well known for excellent snorkeling, diving, and clear aquamarine water teeming with marine life, Chileno (Chilean) is the best all-round beach in the Tourist Corridor. Why? Easily accessed, Chileno Beach is wide, fairly flat, perfect for strolling, running or sunning with safe swimming. It's civilized, with restrooms (bring your own tissue), garbage cans, and a palm grove for shade. Like Santa María, Chileno receives snorkel tours around midday - head northeast toward the Hotel Cabo San Lucas or south around the bend for more privacy. And, unlike El Medano and Playa Bledito, motorized watersports are banned at Chileno. Rocky reefs run parallel to the beach with tropical fish, sea turtles, moray eels, invertebrates, sea urchins, gorgonians (sea fans), sponges, and starfish, all right in front of you. A Cabo Acuadeportes dive shop on the beach's southwestern end rents kayaks, snorkel and dive gear, and sells bottled water and sodas. Access to Chileno is southwest of the Hotel Cabo San Lucas, look for the parking lot and dive flag sign at Kilometer 14.5. A bus stop is nearby to the northeast."
There is also a description of the catamaran used for this excursion: Come and experience Cabo's newest and most luxurious super cat, 'Tropicat'. At 65', this catamaran is truly in a class of its own. With seating for 100, and two full size nets in front for lounging, Tropicat offers first class accommodations, whether you plan on spending the day snorkeling in the azure waters of the Sea of Cortez, looking for whales or sailing into a gorgeous Cabo sunset, Tropicat is sure to deliver the experience of a lifetime. Tropicat features a full size kitchen with a wrap around bar, two large restrooms, a slide for water fun, a fresh water rinse, and much more. Whether your group is for 30 passengers or for 100, this is the boat for you. Perfect for weddings, birthdays, corporate groups, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and anniversaries.
Capacity: 100 passengers
Dimensions: 65' long and 30'wide
Equipment: 'Tropicat' is a state of the art 65' catamaran equipped with waterslide, two restrooms, cellular phone, vhr radio, and all Coast Guard Approved safety equipment.
With a scheduled tour departure time of 8:40 am, people on this tour will be one of the first tender boats away from The Magic. The snorkeling will also be earliest in the day, which is typically the best visibility. Return to the ship is expected between 12:40 and 1:10 pm, still leaving a few hours in the afternoon for some shopping or other local sightseeing in Cabo San Lucas.
Snorkel & Sail Fiesta (3.5 - 4 hours) Party on! Board the catamaran Pez Gato for the ride of your life. You'll sail for approximately 20-minutes to Pelican's Rock, where you'll enjoy swimming, snorkeling and sunning for approximately 1 hour. Snorkeling equipment and instructions are provided, so jump in and enjoy the underwater view. Then, the cruise continues for approximately 20 minutes to the fabled Los Arcos rock formation that marks the boundary between the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific Ocean. After crossing over to the Pacific, the catamaran's sails are hoisted for a cruise through San Lucas Bay to see its pristine shoreline dotted with romantic tropical coves and luxury resorts. The approximate 1-hour sail back to the ship is a high-seas celebration, as the friendly crew serves spirited drinks while you revel in the fiesta atmosphere. Olé! Adult Price: $45 (Ages 10 and above) Child Price: $30 (Ages 5 - 9) Departure Times: 10:15 am
This excursion has the shortest sailing distance, but the snorkeling at Pelican Rock is in an area more open and likely to be have more waves with poorer visibility than the longer, more sheltered excursions. The snorkeling is also more "mid-day" with greater sun exposure, but is probably still a fun day on the water!"
Here is a description of the boats used for this excursion: "The Pez Gato offers open style catamarans, trimarans that offer stable, smooth sailing. There are three different sailing ships to different locations."
If you have any questions about this summary, feel free to send me a message. Happy Planning ~ See ya on the reefs!
What a bunch of chatty cathy's today!!
Peter, I was looking for that 
winter here in CA...
But it was rebooked with a NEW confirmation number. And HOW was I supposed to know that!! The only thing correct on the reservation was the date and where we were going. She was very helpful and took all of my information and now I have reservations from the port to the hotel 
