Jolly Pirate vs. De Palm for snorkeling/sunset?!?

BigOldXJ · 05-15-2009, 07:17 AM

Hi everybody! We will be arriving in Aruba in 3 weeks! My wife and I would like to do a short snorkeling trip one day and a sunset cruise on another. What company is the best? It seems the Jolly Pirate and De Palm are the most popular? Any good/bad things about either of these companies? Jolly Pirate does seem to be much less expensive. Thanks in advance!

cindyo · 05-15-2009, 07:42 AM

I have written many times on the Depalm boat. We have been on the boat 7x now. We have done both snorkel and sunset. Both, imop, are great. The depalm boat in huge, you would never know if there were 100 people on it if you didn't count them. Snorkel equp is included, it makes 2 stops, boca catalina and the german boat. The german boat is way to deep for me, but the other stop is nice. Basically, all the boats stop at boca catalina.
Price, can't answer that as I don't know the jolly's prices. Lots of people on this board love the JP, so I am sure they will weigh in also...whatever you choose you will enjoy.

fattypatty · 05-15-2009, 10:49 AM

jp is cheaper...i believe by 5-10 if you book online. jp is more lively and entertaining but the boat is smaller as it is shaped like an actual pirate ship - thus, elongated. depalm is a cataraman and thus its wide which provides a lot more room to move about. also, jp tour guides actively participate in the fun via swings, jumps, etc. i guess that's the mainstay of their distinguishment from the rest - they a swing set that you can use to catapult/flip in the water.

jp stops by 3 places (the same 2 spots as depalm + 1 more) but the last one is ways off from the ship's anchoring spot - you have to swim your way to coral rocks - which no one did when i went on it.

depalm stops by 2 places - and like cindyo stated, the sunken boat is way toooo deep for a novice.

both offer food and free drinks. they both taste the same.

jollypirates9394 · 05-15-2009, 04:40 PM

definately go for jolly pirates

their crew is very friendly, their prices cheap, and they are very entertaining. if you snorkel they take you to a german wreck and reefs, and they have the rope swing. also depending on what cruise, the rope swing

so if you are up for a more upbeat ship go for jp. when you get back let us know about your trip and who you went with the sailing. wish i was there. have fun and take pics and post.

orionredwing · 05-18-2009, 12:38 PM

cool tips. i went on a catamaran in hawaii, so this time, i picked jolly pirates for their schooner. they seem busy as i booked on sat after i arrived, and wed's slot was the earliest. this is supposedly a slow month too.

i'll let you guys know how it goes after wed.

p.s. i loved going on a catamaran. it was so fun. it's definitely worth trying out too.

05-15-2009, 07:17 AM	#1 (permalink)
BigOldXJ Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 15	Jolly Pirate vs. De Palm for snorkeling/sunset?!? Hi everybody! We will be arriving in Aruba in 3 weeks! My wife and I would like to do a short snorkeling trip one day and a sunset cruise on another. What company is the best? It seems the Jolly Pirate and De Palm are the most popular? Any good/bad things about either of these companies? Jolly Pirate does seem to be much less expensive. Thanks in advance!

05-15-2009, 07:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
cindyo Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Reniassance Island MJ's, Casa Tua,Yemanja,Pinchos, CILO, Cafe Plaza Posts: 2,921 Images: 109	I have written many times on the Depalm boat. We have been on the boat 7x now. We have done both snorkel and sunset. Both, imop, are great. The depalm boat in huge, you would never know if there were 100 people on it if you didn't count them. Snorkel equp is included, it makes 2 stops, boca catalina and the german boat. The german boat is way to deep for me, but the other stop is nice. Basically, all the boats stop at boca catalina. Price, can't answer that as I don't know the jolly's prices. Lots of people on this board love the JP, so I am sure they will weigh in also...whatever you choose you will enjoy. __________________ *Cindyo* Family with Bully, arubalisa & family Next Aruba trip in 14th Visit w/ 24 members of our family

05-15-2009, 10:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
fattypatty Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 416	jp is cheaper...i believe by 5-10 if you book online. jp is more lively and entertaining but the boat is smaller as it is shaped like an actual pirate ship - thus, elongated. depalm is a cataraman and thus its wide which provides a lot more room to move about. also, jp tour guides actively participate in the fun via swings, jumps, etc. i guess that's the mainstay of their distinguishment from the rest - they a swing set that you can use to catapult/flip in the water. jp stops by 3 places (the same 2 spots as depalm + 1 more) but the last one is ways off from the ship's anchoring spot - you have to swim your way to coral rocks - which no one did when i went on it. depalm stops by 2 places - and like cindyo stated, the sunken boat is way toooo deep for a novice. both offer food and free drinks. they both taste the same. __________________

05-15-2009, 04:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
jollypirates9394 Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oranjestad Posts: 49	definately go for jolly pirates their crew is very friendly, their prices cheap, and they are very entertaining. if you snorkel they take you to a german wreck and reefs, and they have the rope swing. also depending on what cruise, the rope swing so if you are up for a more upbeat ship go for jp. when you get back let us know about your trip and who you went with the sailing. wish i was there. have fun and take pics and post. Last edited by jollypirates9394; 05-15-2009 at 04:43 PM.

05-18-2009, 12:38 PM	#5 (permalink)
orionredwing Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 3	cool tips. i went on a catamaran in hawaii, so this time, i picked jolly pirates for their schooner. they seem busy as i booked on sat after i arrived, and wed's slot was the earliest. this is supposedly a slow month too. i'll let you guys know how it goes after wed. p.s. i loved going on a catamaran. it was so fun. it's definitely worth trying out too.