A private boat can be the right choice without being the cheapest one. Start with the number of people actually coming, then compare the time, food and boat you get for the money. This guide compares our private charter with two named Pelican catamaran trips, using published starting prices checked on September 26, 2026.
What a private charter actually costs, and the math that surprises people
Our current charter price is $900 for the whole boat, for three hours and up to 10 guests. The booking payment is $180 to Aruba Playbook and $720 to the crew in cash at the dock. The deposit is part of that total.
Here is our calculation for groups paying adult fares. These are activity-price comparisons before any booking-channel fees, transport, optional purchases or gratuities. Check the final quote for your date.
| Adults | Private boat: group total (per person) | Pelican afternoon: $70 each | Pelican brunch: $95 each |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $900 ($450 each) | $140 | $190 |
| 4 | $900 ($225 each) | $280 | $380 |
| 6 | $900 ($150 each) | $420 | $570 |
| 8 | $900 ($112.50 each) | $560 | $760 |
| 10 | $900 ($90 each) | $700 | $950 |
At ten adults, privacy costs $200 more than the afternoon sail. That is $20 more each. Against the brunch sail, the private ticket total is $50 lower, but the brunch trip lasts an hour longer and includes meals. Those are different days, not interchangeable tickets.
The general test is simple: divide the private quote by your group size and compare it with your actual shared-ticket basket. At the current $70 adult afternoon fare, the private charter does not become cheaper within its 10-guest capacity. Do not use adult-only arithmetic for a family: Pelican currently lists afternoon tickets at $50 for ages 4 to 11 and free for ages 3 and under. Two adults and two children aged 4 to 11 therefore start at $240, before additions.
The whole boat, private, for up to 10 guests
$900 for a private 3-hour charter with captain and crew: three departures daily, snorkel stops included.
What you get on each boat
| Choice | Time on the water | Food and drinks | Main reason to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our private motorboat | 3 hours | Drinks and snorkel gear included; confirm any food request | A boat reserved for your group |
| Pelican Sailing & Snorkeling | 2.5 hours | Light snacks, open bar and snorkel equipment | Lower activity cost and a shared sailing-catamaran deck |
| Pelican Champagne Brunch | 4 hours | Breakfast, lunch, drinks and snorkel equipment | A longer morning with meals included |
Our private option is a center-console motorboat, not a private sailing catamaran. If lying on bow nets or traveling under sail is what you want, boat type matters as much as whether the booking is private.
The vessel used for our private-charter offer. Existing crew photograph; this is not a catamaran.
Pelican's shared sailing catamaran. Photograph: Pelican Adventures, from its Sailing & Snorkeling gallery.
Who the private charter is for
Choose private if keeping your group together is worth the premium: a celebration, a mixed group that wants to discuss the swimming plan with one crew, or a couple deliberately paying for a private outing. Ask about the specific arrangements before booking; a private reservation does not promise unlimited route changes, empty snorkeling sites or one-to-one swimming instruction.
Choose shared if the main goal is a boat trip at a lower total cost, if you want a sailing catamaran, or if the included meals make the longer cruise attractive. A two-person private outing costs $450 each before extras. There is no need to spend that just to get on the water.
For a wider choice of shared boats, see our snorkel-cruise comparison. That is a separate question from whether this particular private charter is worth its price.
The stops and departure times
The private itinerary includes west-coast snorkeling around Boca Catalina and the Antilla wreck. Conditions decide which stops are suitable and how the time is divided; clear water, calm seas and access to any particular stop are not guaranteed.
Our booking page offers requests for 9:00 AM, 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM departures. A three-hour trip would finish around noon, 3:30 PM or 7:00 PM respectively, before allowing for disembarking and onward travel. These are planned timings, not a return guarantee. Choose around the rest of your day, not a promise that one slot always has better water.
If you arrive by cruise ship, check our port-day timing guide before choosing a departure. A boat finishing before your ship sails may still finish too late for all-aboard.
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Details to settle before paying
- Boarding and swimming: tell the crew about children, non-swimmers and mobility needs. Confirm entry steps, assistance and suitable equipment for your group. Do not assume that a private boat is wheelchair accessible or provides supervised swimming lessons.
- Transport: confirm the exact meeting point and return ride. A Palm Beach sailing pier and a charter dock are different pickup instructions; a boat ticket does not itself confirm a cruise-port transfer.
- Food and extras: ask what drinks are stocked, whether you can bring food, and the price of any special request. Do not count a full lunch or an alcoholic open bar as included on the private charter without confirmation.
- Payment: plan for the cash balance. Our direct page shows the current split and request process.
How booking direct works
Send the date, departure and group size through our charter page. The team confirms availability before sending the deposit link; submitting a request alone does not reserve the boat. Follow the confirmation for payment and meeting instructions.
Our refund terms govern the Aruba Playbook deposit: cancellation at least 48 hours before the activity receives the deposit back, and crew cancellation for weather allows a deposit refund or another available date. The crew handles money paid directly to them. Read the terms for the channel you use; another seller's policy is not automatically ours.
Sources and method: charter price and capacity checked against the crew's published offer; payment rules match our direct booking page. Shared specifications come from Pelican's afternoon sailing page and brunch page. Group totals and value judgments are our own comparisons. Photos show the products, not a promise of conditions on your date.
