Catamaran Cruises with Lunch and BBQ in the Dominican Republic: Our Top 15

1.Catamaran Boat to Saona Island with Buffet Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,822 reviews · 8 hours · from $82Our pick

Travel from Punta Cana to Saona Island by speedboat and catamaran, stopping at a clear natural pool filled with starfish. Guides such as Christian, Alex, Eduardo, and Juan lead the day, which includes beach time, buffet lunch, drinks, and music on the return boat.

“We had an amazing tour to Isla Saona with Eduardo! He was incredibly kind, friendly, and very informative — you could really tell he cared about making sure everyone had a great experience. He explained everything clearly and made the whole day fun and relaxing. Our hotel pickup driver was also fantastic — he made sure everyone got back to their hotels safely. The entire experience felt well-organized and welcoming from start to finish. The VIP experience was also excellent as the lobster and shrimp were absolutely delicious! There was such amazing effort from the photography team - their pictures were gorgeous! The speedboat and catamaran crew were all excellent…”

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2.Catamaran Tour to Saona Island with Open Bar and Buffet

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 111 reviews · 9 hours · from $81

You’ll travel from Punta Cana to Bayahibe, then sail toward Saona Island with music, an open bar, and a stop at a shallow natural pool. Expect a Dominican buffet, about three hours on Saona, an English or Spanish guide, and hotel pickup if selected. Guide Alex has earned special praise for his friendly leadership.

“The natural pool stop was a highlight. Very enjoyable experience.”

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3.Island Escape to Saona • catamaran & Beach lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 74 reviews · 570 minutes - 10 hours · from $59Best value

Travel from Punta Cana or Bayahibe to Saona Island for a starfish-filled natural pool, buffet lunch, and beach time. Guide Mama Diari may assist in English, Spanish, and French. Expect a long day with bus transfers, a shopping stop, and a music-filled catamaran return.

“Très bonne ambiance. Et avec la guide Mama Diari qui était top ! Elle fait même l’effort de traduire en français pour ceux le moins a l’aise avec l’espagnol ou l’anglais. Petit bémol pour l’arrivée tardive sur l’île, en toute fin de service pour le déjeuner. Résultat : presque plus rien à manger (plus de viande du tout) alors que la prestation est incluse. D’où le 4 (au lieu d’un 5/5)”

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4.Catamaran Party Cruise with Snorkeling & BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 45 reviews · from $84

Spend a half-day off Puerto Plata at Sosua Beach, snorkeling two reefs, swimming, eating BBQ chicken wings and sausages, and enjoying music, soda, and alcoholic drinks aboard a catamaran. Pickup is offered, groups are capped at 20, and crew members such as Alex help keep the party moving.

“They picked us up from our hotel with an open air truck. We drove for an hour to Sousa and got onto a catamaran. The staff were friendly and helpful. The music and barbecue were fantastic. They had snorkeling equipment and a slide on the boat. The staff takes pictures that you can purchase at the end. Would definitely do it again!”

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5.Catamaran Snorkeling Trip w/ Buffet & Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 41 reviews · 5 hours · from $79

Spend about five hours sailing from Sosúa Bay to Ocean World Marina, with two snorkeling stops, equipment, a Dominican buffet, open bar, music, and multilingual guides. Pickup is available from Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Cabarete, Amber Cove, and nearby resort areas.

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6.Punta Cana Private Catamaran Cruise: Snorkeling, Beach & BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 39 reviews

Charter a private catamaran for up to 10 people and cruise Punta Cana’s Bavaro coast with an English-speaking crew. Snorkel at a coral reef, stop at a shallow natural pool, visit a private beach, and enjoy BBQ food, drinks, music, and Wi-Fi. Crew members may include Omar, Coco, Luis, René, or Genesis.

“We had so much fun!! The crew was amazing! The photographer caught so many amazing candid photos! So many drinks and the food was great!!”

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7.Saona Catamaran Cruise with Lunch and Natural Swimming Pool

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 39 reviews · from $75

Travel from Punta Cana to Bayahibe, cruise toward Saona Island with music and drinks, stop at Palmilla’s natural pool, then enjoy a Dominican buffet by the beach. Guides such as Carlos and Tio Luis add warmth, but long transfers, crowded boats, and changing transport can affect the day.

“I would use the company again. The tour leaders looked after us well and made sure we were safe, even in bad weather for traveling. The natural swimming pool and first beach were beautiful. Saona Island wasn’t what we thought it would be. The beach was rough and the bathroom there was disgusting and unusable.”

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8.Saône Island from Punta Cana Catamaran, Natural Pool and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 26 reviews · from $78

Travel from Punta Cana or Bavaro to Bayahibe, then cruise toward Saona Island with music, rum, and soft drinks. Stop at a natural pool, eat a Dominican buffet on the beach, and return by speedboat. The day lasts about 6 to 8 hours and groups are capped at 30.

“Group of 7 We all paid in advance. Waited for over an hour and the tour guide never showed. The nu.ber to contact them wa a bad number. Chatted on WhatsAppapp and they couldn't help. Requested a refund but have not received it 👎🏾”

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9.Los Haitises & Cayo Levantado (Lunch included, from Samana in Catamaran or Boat)

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 22 reviews · from $68

From Samaná, you’ll cross the bay by catamaran or boat to Los Haitises for mangroves, caves, rock islands, and Taíno paintings, then continue to Cayo Levantado for a Dominican buffet and beach time. Expect a 6 to 8 hour outing, bilingual commentary, and variable boat comfort.

“1. Departure was indicated as 8:30, we arrived after an hour drive, were told will be leaving 9:30. 2. The description said ‘ no more than 20 people in the group’, 24 people were stuffed like sardines in a little beat up dingy, that could fall apart aRead more”

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10.Puerto Plata Catamaran Cruise with Snorkeling, BBQ & Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 20 reviews · from $99

Spend three hours aboard a shared catamaran in Sosua Bay, with a beginner-friendly snorkeling stop, grilled chicken, sausage, fruit, music, and an open bar. Pickup is available from Amber Cove, Taino Bay, and nearby hotels, though the ride to the boat can take 30 to 50 minutes each way.

“Amazing communication throughout the whole experience! Very professional. Very responsive and helpful with questions!”

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11.Saona Island Tour Catamaran Buffet Lunch & Full Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 20 reviews · from $75

Travel from Punta Cana to Bayahibe, stop at a natural swimming pool, then spend 3 to 4 hours on Saona Island with a Dominican buffet lunch. Hotel pickup, boat transfers, a guide, and group entertainment are included. Expect a long day and potentially crowded transport.

“On est venus nous chercher à notre hôtel à 7h30 à Punta Cana où on a rejoint Bayahibé. Le transport a été un peu long puisque nous sommes montés dans le bateau pour l’île de Saona vers 10h30. Sur place , nous avons bénéficié d’un guide francophone . L’île de Saona ainsi que la piscine naturelle sont merveilleuses.”

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12.Bacardi Island Excursion with Catamaran, Beach and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $115Top rated

You’ll leave Punta Cana early for Samaná Bay, swim in a natural pool, then spend about three hours on Cayo Levantado, also called Bacardi Island. Expect a catamaran ride, buffet lunch, two drinks, hotel pickup, and a group of up to 40 people. Guides such as Nacho, Emilio, and Daniel may vary by departure.

“So good :) Nacho the guide is an awesome guy, he makes the tour funnier. I would recomend it to anyone visiting Dominican republic.”

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13.Catamaran Catalina Island Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 16 reviews · from $85

You’ll ride from Punta Cana to La Romana, board a catamaran, snorkel at The Wall, and spend three hours at a private Catalina Island beach. A PADI-certified team handles the water briefing, while lunch, drinks, music, equipment, and round-trip transport are included.

“Next time I would book through our hotel as this group seemed a bit disorganized. Multiple van transfers on the way there and confusion seemed to add at least a half hour to the drive each way. The snorkelling was great at our first stop Read more”

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14.Cayo Arena Catamaran Cruise from Puerto Plata with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 13 reviews · from $160

Spend about 10 hours traveling from Puerto Plata to Punta Rucia, then cruise by catamaran to Cayo Arena. You will snorkel with a guide, stop at an ocean sandbar with Champagne and an open bar, explore mangroves, and eat a beachside Dominican buffet. Lobster is replaced by seafood paella during the stated fishing-restriction period.

“The staff was great, photographer was everything, the food was awesome, drinks could’ve been better but they were unlimited!”

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15.Catamaran Cruise with Snorkeling and lunch on board!

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 12 reviews · from $75

Cruise from Sosúa Beach aboard a 52-foot Lagoon catamaran, stopping at two snorkeling sites. You get gear, a BBQ of chicken wings, pork chops, and sausages, plus water, soda, local beer, and rum. Hotel pickup is offered from Puerto Plata, Cabarete, and Sosúa.

“I always enjoy time on a small(ish) boat especially in the sunshine. (The catamaran has capacity of 70, though I’d say the 45 on board was just about right) The crew was awesome. The snorkeling was “average” the two reefs that we were takRead more”

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