We booked this tour last minute while we were in Fajardo since our other plans got canceled. We found it on TripAdvisor, and it cost $190 per person. When we read about “What to expect,” there was no mention of snorkeling, but we assumed we would get to snorkel since we were going to the island.
However, just before the trip, we received an email stating that it was not a snorkeling tour. It was disappointing, and by then, it was too late to cancel for a full refund.
When we boarded the boat, we spoke with another couple who, like us, had just found out that it wasn’t a snorkeling tour. We’re not sure how much they paid, as their package included a bus ride from San Juan.
For us, we paid about $40 for an Uber to the pier for the round trip. So, in total, this trip cost us $420 for the two of us.
Honestly, we didn’t feel like it was worth what we paid.
The boat wasn’t very comfortable to sit on, and we didn’t get to choose our seats. Each passenger was assigned a seat with a wristband, and it was quite crowded, we were elbow to elbow – couldn’t move!
The crew, however, provided excellent service, offering water and snacks throughout the trip. There were also two toilet rooms on the boat.
It took about an hour to get to Culebra Island, and I was close to getting seasick even though I took motion sickness pills!
Once we arrived, the crew gathered us on the top deck, but it was hard to hear what they were saying.
Eventually, we learned that we were only allowed to stay here on Flamenco Beach (only) until 2 pm.
Lunch was served at 11:30 am, and there were unlimited drinks available.
So, it turned out that the trip was just for swimming at Flamenco Beach for the day.
But I have to admit, Flamenco Beach was the most beautiful beach we saw on the trip! The water was incredibly clear, and the sand was truly white.
We walked to the main beach entrance, where there were shops, showers, and toilets. We noticed that there were more local tourists here.
We returned to the boat for lunch, for what we paid we got chicken sandwiches (while others got something different).
The sandwiches were not great, and I was afraid that if I dropped my chicken, it might make a hole in the floor!
But the drinks were decent…
After lunch, we noticed more tour boats arriving, and the atmosphere on the beach turned into a party scene.
Each boat had its own speakers blasting music, and young people were dancing with cans of beer in hand.
It reminded us of the Full Moon Party in Thailand from 10 years ago!
We felt like the oldest tourists on the tour, but it didn’t bother us too much, even though most of the other tourists were drunk.
We spent the rest of the day swimming around until it was time to head back to the main island.
Overall, the trip was great for young people, but it didn’t match our expectations or ages.
We later found out that if we had booked the same tour through their website, it would have cost $165 per person and I found another tour package included snorkeling.
So, there was nothing wrong with the tour itself, it just wasn’t what we were looking for at $420 cost we paid.
I can’t help but think that if we hadn’t paid for the trip and just stayed at the resort, enjoyed the resort island, played at the hotel fun park, and then had dinner with four lobsters, it would still cost less than $300! Just a thought!
Note: when I tried to call UBER in the boat when we returned, the app said $60 for the ride! But when we walked to the land, and then we called uber again, it’s $20!
So be careful when you’re using UBER app!
Read through and learn from our mistakes!
>> Trip Itinerary : Cost Break Down : Pros/Cons
– Condado Beach
– Old San Juan
– Pinones Beach
– Vieques Island
– FULL DAY IN VIEQUES ISLAND
– Fajardo at El Conquistador Resort
– Culebra Beach Day Tour by Catamaran from Fajardo * You are here
