Catamarã Snorkeling All-Inclusive Day-Trip

For Tip Top, safety is paramount! I often go catamaran sailing, but never with a conscientious team. The itinerary is strange; we venture far to return to our starting point. A small buffet for dinner includes pasta salads, white rice, boiled vegetables, and pieces of chicken: wings, drumsticks, one per person. Followed by sailing for only two hours, the return bus ride was long and tedious during rush hour.

Snorkeling with the tropical fish was on my bucket list, so of course I had to do this excursion. Overall it was a great experience and the guides/entertainment was great. There was a lot of peoples on the boat and it was a little hectic, the bus ride was cramped and uncomfortable, but other than that everything else was great.

DO NOT BOOK THIS TOUR UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!! DANGEROUS AND OVER CROWDED! We went on April 11 and the seas were so rough that people were puking all over the place. First they take you from a beach(no marina) in a 20 foot fibreglass boat to the catamaran and you risk your feet trying to get onto the catamaran in bouncing seas. While trying to get in the boat I noticed several small holes in the exterior of one of the pontoons )how is that safe? We only made 1/2 hour on the tour when we had to get off. 2 boatloads of people removed themselves from the excursion due to the rough seas and getting sick and there was no place to sit. Our travel friends were taken off in a 12 foot rigid hull inflatable and dumped on the hotel beach in 10-12 foot waves! Neither of them can swim and they were told to just jump in ! What the hell?? The boat did not go the the beach but stayed in the surf! My wife and I along with a full boatload of others were taken back to the main beach, dumped there and told we had to make our way back to resort! There is NO concern for safety it seems. The tour did not go out after our day for an entire week until April 17 when it was finally calm enough. When we talked to the local NEXUS tour’s representative, he made an inquiry and came back that the only thing the “supplier” Tip Top Catamaran would do is offer a 20% refund. Not only is this not acceptable it shows the outright lies the supplier is telling. They said there was nothing wrong with the trip. Even involving Sunwing , they said that the supplier was not budging. What ever happened to customer service, taking the customers word? The only thing the “supplier” Tip Top Caramaran is interested in is their commissions and not the safety of their passengers on an overcrowded and probably unsafe boat. This review is just the start. Please please Please do not book this trip if you value your travel money and your life.

This was SO much fun. I had never been snorkeling before, but the crew helped me learn and made me feel safe the entire time! They provided the snorkeling gear (and life vests for everyone) and you just had to bring a towel, sun block, and any additional snacks you wanted. We sailed to two different snorkeling spots, and after snorkeling lunch was provided. Afterward we sailed for about 2 hours back to Puerto Plata. It was such a fun time, I would definitely do it again.

It was a fun time on the boat! The food was great and the staff was extremely friendly! Our family really enjoyed snorkeling and loved the catamaran had ample space to accommodate everyone. The nets allowed many to sunbathe and enjoy the cruise! Would definitely book again!

This boat day was SO much fun. There are a lot of people on the boat, so expect a very social, lively environment. You’ll likely be sharing tables and space with others, and there aren’t really quiet or private areas. That said, if you’re open to it, it really adds to the experience. The crew completely made the trip. They were hilarious, engaging, and did an amazing job getting everyone involved—dancing, laughing, and just having a great time. Huge shoutout to Benjamin and Mawii (the photographer), who were especially fun and added a lot to the vibe. The day starts with two snorkeling stops. You can fully snorkel with equipment, just swim, or even stay on the boat if that’s more your speed. My friends and I chose to just get in the water and swim, which was perfect. Life jackets are provided and required in the water, but not while you’re on the boat. After snorkeling, the open bar kicks in and you cruise while eating and drinking. The food was buffet-style, with plenty of options and generous portions—you can go back for as much as you want. A couple practical tips: • There are bathrooms on board • Definitely bring sunscreen and a towel • Take motion sickness medication beforehand—this is a big one Even if you’re comfortable on boats, the waves can be intense. I grew up on the water on a boat every weekend in Florida and still took Bonine beforehand, and I’m really glad I did. I felt completely fine, but probably a third of the boat got seasick. The crew does their best to help (cold washcloths, crackers, water, buckets, etc.), but it’s much better to prevent it. Bonine is great because it doesn’t have noticeable side effects, so it’s 100% worth taking as a just in case. Overall, I would definitely recommend this experience. It’s high-energy, social, and just a really fun way to spend a day on the water.

Such a fun day. The view was beautiful, the crew were kind and friendly, the food was delisous and the drinks were mixed with love. The whole family had a fantastic time!

What a way to spend the day in the water ,snorkling ,swimming .great guide and food and drinks.

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy this excursion. Both spots we snorkeled were identical with only like 4 species of fish and that was it. After a very mediocre lunch, we spent nearly 3 hours sailing and doing nothing. Very boring and felt like a waste of time. I would not recommend it. Not worth the $$$ you pay.

A nice trip on the beautiful coastline in a big catamaran! What a great way to see the island. Snorkling was at 2 different locations in Sosúa bay with beautiful colorful fish, corals and sponges. The crew fed the fish, bananas and bread, which made them come even closer. Ultimately our disappointment around snorkeling was that it was short - we were in each spot for about 25 minutes. The spots where we snorkeled had other TipTop boats and other “party boats” with other snorkelers which made the spots more crowded and less enjoyable and relaxing as we were hearing loud music and trying to evade bodies in the water. The crew was very nice and worked hard to entertain us, but sometimes taking it a little too far. When they could sense our enthusiasm was waning, they started to try to hype up the energy. They would pretend to douse people with large buckets of water; which turned out to be empty and squirt people with water guns. My group was most interested in snorkeling and would have preferred at least one person on the crew who was familiar with and could talk to us about the biodiversity of the area. The fish themselves were very beautiful and the visibility the day we went was great. When we came back aboard we thought we would go back to where we started. Instead we went all the way to the far side of the island which turned out to take another two hours on the boat. It was uncomfortable as there wasn’t a lot of seating and very little shade. The food seemed to cater to American tastebuds and it didn’t seem to provide an authentic Dominican experience. A lot of people were in it for the unlimited alcohol after the meal was served, and that became readily apparent. It definitely turned into a party boat. After two hours we docked in the Ocean World Marina. There was confusion on where to go but bus transport arrived - included in the fee. It was such a tough end to the day to spend over an hour on a hot crowded bus when we could have just ended our time at Sousa Bay where we started.