Catalina Island : Snorkeling in Coral Reefs

Beware before booking!

Beware before booking this excursion. When I made the tour reservation I sent a message to confirm pick up for my hotel was included. I received a response, yes...then the night before the tour I inquired what time was the pick up and I was told no there is no pick up from my hotel. I questioned a refund and they only apologized and said I can meet them at the docking pier by taking an Uber or taxi. had I received the correct information and was told no pick up, I would’ve cancelled and made other arrangements. so at the last minute I could not make arrangements to get to the docking pier. I have screenshots of the confirmation of my question stating yes to pick up. No resolution on their end and had to dispute with my bank.

via Tripadvisor

I didn't like Catalina! Sauna is incomparably better.

Frankly I didn't like it, I've been to Saona three times and logically I want to visit Catalina for the first time to have an opinion formed, because friends, a disappointment, a beach full of stones, but if you get into the water. Even the boat was a disappointment, music to the screams without any quality, the drinks very weak, very bad, the only thing that prevails is the sympathy of the people.

Response from the operator: Lamentamos que sua primeira experiência na Ilha Catalina não tenha sido como você esperava, especialmente sendo um grande conhecedor de Saona. Queremos esclarecer que o que você viu na beira da praia não são pedras, mas sim recifes de corais naturais. Justamente, o grande destaque da Ilha Catalina não é apenas a areia, mas também sua vida marinha: lá oferecemos uma hora do melhor snorkel do país, onde é possível apreciar corais vibrantes, peixes tropicais e estrelas-do-mar. Além disso, caso decida voltar, gostaríamos que soubesse que existe uma área da praia totalmente livre de corais; basta caminhar alguns metros para a direita para aproveitar um banho completamente tranquilo. Agradecemos sinceramente seus comentários e esperamos ter a oportunidade de lhe proporcionar uma experiência muito mais agradável no futuro. Atenciosamente! 😊

via Tripadvisor (translated)

Recommend with some improvements.

The excursion was fantastic. We wish we had spent more time snorkeling at the Walls. It would have been great if they had snacks available after lunch. As some mentioned, the music on the boat was incredibly loud, but the crew was having a great time. The photographer did a great job, but their pricing was a bit steep at $5 per picture. I genuinely believe they could generate more revenue from photos if they charge per person. Another issue was the return trip to La Ramona. It took over an hour because the crew was trying to sell photos. When you charge per photo, people tend to look at each one and choose what they want. Our biggest concern was the pick-up point. When we booked the excursion, the pick-up point was at the hotel lobby. However, when the operator shared the pick-up point, it was 15 minutes away from the hotel, which cost an additional $20 for a taxi. Would you recommend this to others? Yes. Crew was very friendly and made sure we had fun. Island was beautiful. There are some areas for improvement, particularly in the pick-up point and photos.

Response from the operator: Dear Customer, Thank you very much for your kind review and for recommending our Catalina Island experience. We are truly happy to know that you enjoyed the beautiful island, the snorkeling, and the energy of our crew. We also greatly appreciate your valuable feedback, as it helps us improve our service. We have taken note of your suggestions regarding snorkeling time, snack availability, music volume, and the photo service. Your comments are very important to us and will be shared with our team to enhance the overall experience for future guests. Regarding the return time, we understand your concern and will work on improving the organization to ensure a smoother and more efficient process. Concerning the pick-up point, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. In some cases, due to hotel access or logistics, a nearby meeting point is required, but we always aim to communicate this clearly in advance and will continue improving in this area. Thank you again for your trust and for choosing us. It was a pleasure having you with us, and we hope to welcome you again in the future. Kind regards, Carmen Puntaca Tours

via Viator

Waste of time and money

We feel like we wasted a full day of our holiday. Pick up was at 7am from our hotel in punta Cana, after several other pick ups and then a change of mini buses we arrived at 10am at the boat pick up point , so we spent 3 hours travelling. We then got on a overcrowded diving boat that didn’t have enough seats for everyone, and waited for more people to get on for 30 mins. we set sail for Catalina island and after about 1 hour we stopped at a reef and they said we were stopping here for 45 mins, 1 hour and 20 mins we stayed there and that is because it was a scuba diving boat and we had to wait for all the scuba divers to finish and get back on the boat. We then sailed to Catalina island and transferred to a small speed boat and eventually taken to the island, we got there at 12.50pm and they said we had to leave at 3pm, we were hurried to a terrible lunch and then spent the next 2 hours being pestered to buy lobster, pineapple, coconuts, massages, painting etc. The beach was just ok, it’s basically the same as our hotels beach in punta Cana but with people pestering you. Then it was a rush back to the boat where the same journey back started. We got back to the hotel at 6.30 pm. We only spend 2 full hours at Catalina island the rest of the day was just travelling. Total waste of a day. No information from anyone all day. Won’t be using Viator ever again

Response from the operator: For future occasions, we offer VIP activity options, which are available at a higher cost than the regular tour. This option includes private bus transportation, private yacht navigation, and return transfer in private transportation. Additionally, guests have access to a private beach area, without sharing the experience with other groups, ensuring greater comfort, privacy, and a more personalized service.

via Viator

Ok..

A bit chaotic journey there. Snorkeling was mediocre, perhaps not the best in DR. Music on the boat was too loaded for my sensibilities! Agent was helpful and cost was very reasonable. Trip back to hotel was smooth.

Response from the operator: Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re sorry to hear that the snorkeling activity did not fully meet your expectations and that the music on the boat was too loud for your comfort. We truly appreciate this feedback, as it helps us improve our services. We’re glad to know that you found our agent friendly, the price reasonable, and that your return to the hotel was smooth and relaxing. We hope to have the opportunity to provide you with an even better experience in the future.

via Tripadvisor