Which Catamaran Tour to the Arch in Los Cabos Should You Book?
6 min read
Book Cabo Catamaran Snorkel: Arch & Santa Maria, Open Bar, Snacks for most groups. At €62.45 for 3 hours, with 4.3 stars from 127 reviews, it costs less, runs an hour longer and continues from the Arch to Santa Maria Bay. The alternative Cabo Catamaran Cruise – Arch, Snorkeling, Open Bar & Snacks lasts 2 hours and starts at €89.09. Its 1-star rating comes from just one review, but there is no positive record yet to offset it. The choice is unusually clear.
See availability and prices for the Arch and Santa Maria catamaran
The two catamarans compared
| Trip | Duration | Price from | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabo Catamaran Snorkel: Arch & Santa Maria, Open Bar, Snacks | 3 hours | €62.45 | 4.3 (127 reviews) | Groups wanting a proper snorkel stop beyond the Arch |
| Cabo Catamaran Cruise – Arch, Snorkeling, Open Bar & Snacks | 2 hours | €89.09 | 1.0 (1 review) | Travellers who value a shorter schedule despite the weak evidence |
What the recommended trip actually does
The three-hour trip uses a 46-foot catamaran. It first gives you the classic Cabo view past the Arch, then carries on to Santa Maria Bay for the snorkelling part. That second location is the point of booking it: the Arch is a dramatic rock sightseeing pass, while Santa Maria provides the designated in-water portion. Fresh snacks and an unlimited open bar are named in the offer.
This is a social boat rather than a quiet wildlife excursion. The open bar and group snorkel format suit friends or couples who want activity without paddling themselves. It is a poor match for someone who wants silence at Land’s End, a private beach landing or a trip built around serious underwater instruction.
Check dates for the Arch and Santa Maria catamaran
The 4.5 score is not perfect, and that matters: it suggests the experience works for most rather than everyone. Yet 127 reviews give you a meaningful pattern. For a mixed holiday group, that evidence plus the lower price is more persuasive than polished wording on a nearly unreviewed alternative.
What you give up on the shorter cruise
The two-hour catamaran also advertises the Arch, snorkelling, unlimited drinks and snacks. Its short description does not name Santa Maria Bay, so do not assume the swimming location or the length of the snorkel stop matches the longer trip. Ask on the booking page if a specific bay matters to you.
See availability for the two-hour catamaran cruise
Its problem is not simply the low rating. One opinion can reflect an isolated bad day. The problem is that one opinion is all the evidence available, while this trip also costs €23.30 more and removes an hour. There is no compensating detail in the description strong enough to make that gamble sensible for most readers.
Who should not book either one
Neither description promises a landing at Lover’s Beach. Both centre snorkelling and an open bar, so non-swimmers and travellers who do not want a drinks-oriented group atmosphere are paying for features they may not use. Families should check the operator’s current age limits and child equipment on the booking page; no shared minimum age is stated in the supplied tour details.
Clear recommendation
Choose Cabo Catamaran Snorkel: Arch & Santa Maria, Open Bar, Snacks. It is the cheaper, longer and much better-tested booking, and its route clearly separates Arch sightseeing from snorkelling in Santa Maria Bay. The two-hour cruise only makes sense if its exact departure time solves a scheduling problem and the operator answers your questions about the swim stop before you commit.
