Black Pearl Sailing Aruba — Local services in ABC islands

This is a beautiful experience on the water for small groups to book as a nice way to start your day. The staff were kindhearted and hard working. We really enjoyed spending time with Captain Jon, Carlos and Eugenia on our VIP excursion. They fed us well and offered a variety of drinks. They did their job perfectly.

Now for the rub, the overall snorkeling experience was a bit of a disappointment. We were asked to meet at the Orange Gates on the pier, but there was nobody there to greet us. When six of us discovered what boat it actually was to be boarding, the crew let us know that we were late. More signage or a greeter required.

As for the snorkelling, this was a bit of a miss. Our booking consisted of 8 couples that were taken to the same spots as other boats, at the same time, which we've come to learn had paid half of what we did.

We saw turtles and loads of fish, but we were hoping to visit spots that we couldn't get to ourselves. Truth be told, we returned to the same beach area two days later with our own snorkel gear and repeated the experience for free.

They also offer a complimentary video, which we never received...and the crew may have forgotten about.

We recommend this trip for first time snorkelers that are looking for a private boat and kind staff. If you're looking for a unique sail to destinations unreachable by swimming, this is...

Our group rates this as just okay - we had John, Johnathan and Regina as the crew - they were pleasant but were not very interactive with any of the passengers - they were pretty much just interacting with each other - we were told there were new owners so maybe it’s a new crew? We also were given a cheese and tomato sandwich after our second stop and then 15 or 20 minutes later a half of a grilled cheese, which was burned on one side - some people were offered another half but not everyone - we were told these were the best grilled cheese ever….not what we thought…. We did like the fact that it was a small group and the lounge seats were comfortable but we did not really lounge on them to see things - the drinks were good but we did not have many because we got off to do the snorkeling - we had to ask for the life belts after we did the first stop without them. Seeing the sunset was the best part of the trip / absolutely...

Our family chartered the Black Pearl for a snorkeling trip. The boat is comfortable, relaxing and the crew is top notch! They were friendly, attentive and gave great directions for our 1st time snorkelers. Family members from ages 7 to 80 all had a great time. The ladder to get in and out of the water makes it easy for even those with some minor mobility issues to get in and enjoy the beautiful water. There is an open bar and sandwiches including their secret recipe grilled cheese. Super fun!...