Home / Guides / Aruba Boat Tour Guides
Clear Boat vs Submarine vs Glass-Sided Boat in Aruba
Aruba has three main ways to see under the water without getting certified to dive. They’re all good, they’re just good at different things.
Submarine
A real submarine takes you down to the reef and wrecks. It’s the deepest view you can get without diving, and it’s great for people who don’t want to get wet at all. It’s also the most expensive of the three and the least hands-on: you’re inside, looking out through portholes.
Glass-sided boat
Larger boats with an underwater viewing cabin, like De Palm’s Seaworld Explorer. You sit below the waterline and watch through side windows. Good for big groups, and at the time of writing it’s listed in the mid $50s for adults.
Clear boat
A small, fully transparent boat. You’re out in the open air, the floor and sides are clear, and you stop at three spots: the Antilla shipwreck, Boca Catalina and the turtles at Tres Trapi. You can snorkel at each one with gear included. $60 per person, or $600 for a private charter.
Quick guide
- Nobody wants to get wet, budget is no issue: submarine
- Large group, indoor viewing is fine: glass-sided boat
- Want turtles, the wreck and the option to snorkel: clear boat
- Want the photos everyone posts: clear boat