When I think back on all the wonderful vacations we’ve had in far-off tropical places, there’s one particular common thread that spans decades.
There’s one type of vacation activity or experience that is sure to be a good time – unless you are prone to seasickness. That experience is the phenomenon known as the catamaran party cruise!
We have enjoyed ourselves on catamaran cruises in Maui, Costa Rica, the Turks & Caicos islands and Mexico. No matter where in the world you have this experience, catamaran cruises are universally fun, exciting and typically worth every penny.
Whether they are billed as sunset cruises, snorkeling cruises or something else, the formula seems to be the same in beautiful locales around the world.
Take one large catamaran boat, fill it with tourists and play festive dance music. Offer tropical drinks, snacks or a meal, and entertainment in the form of dancing, singing or simply lip-syncing sailors. The crew on these cruises are usually an absolute blast!
While we’ve typically gone on these catamarans for snorkeling purposes, I know from experience that the journey back to the port is always going to be my favorite part. That’s when the music gets turned up, the catamaran earns its “booze cruise” nickname and an epic dance party usually breaks out!
In Maui many years ago, I experienced a catamaran sunset cruise for the first time. It was beautiful and even though I don’t drink, I remember enjoying the booze-infused dance party that erupted once people had taken some of those tropical rum punches on board.
In the Turks & Caicos, we weren’t planning to splurge on the pricey snorkeling cruise, but a mishap at our resort resulted in us getting to go for free as a “we’re sorry” gift. We had a terrific time on that catamaran visiting an island inhabited only by iguanas, snorkeling at multiple spots and then of course having an epic dance party with the crew while sailing back to our resort. Our little Z also got to jump off the top of the catamaran into crystal clear blue water – a sight I’ll never forget!
During a Norwegian Cruise to the Mexican Riviera, we enjoyed a snorkeling and adventure “eco-cruise” side trip on a catamaran through the waters off Puerto Vallarta. We had close encounters with humpback whales and got to try our hand at sea kayaking at one of our stops. On the return trip, the crew dressed up in costumes and lip-synced wildly to popular songs, whipping the passengers into a cheering frenzy!
And in Costa Rica, our sunset catamaran cruise delighted us with snorkeling, dolphin sightings and perfect skies before turning up the music and becoming an epic dance party featuring a large group dancing to “The Wobble” and other classics.
Yes, taking a catamaran cruise is a touristy thing to do, but the amount of amazing sealife we’ve seen on these voyages – plus the wildlife on board and antics of the crews themselves – make this a definite yes from me every time.
Have you taken a catamaran cruise while vacationing, and did you have an amazing time as well? I’d love to hear your catamaran party cruise stories in the comments below or over on Facebook or Instagram!
