Tenerife: Catamaran Cruise with Brunch and Unlimited Drinks

Sea air, whales, and a proper lunch. This catamaran trip from Las Galletas gives you a relaxed half-day on Tenerife’s south coast, with time for marine-life watching and a swim in the Atlantic. I like the friendly crew and the simple, local-style brunch, both of which make the $71 price feel fair. The main catch is that wine, cocktails, champagne, and snorkeling gear cost extra.

You can choose a three-hour outing with a lighter snack or a four-hour cruise with the fuller brunch. I especially like that pickup is offered from many hotels in southern Tenerife, though the transfer can take about 45 minutes. Also, if you get seasick, the boat heads well offshore, so a paid day bed may be worth considering.

Key things to know before booking

• Whale and dolphin watching near Punta Rasca: The route gives you a real chance to spot pilot whales, dolphins, flying fish, and possibly turtles, with the crew keeping a respectful distance.
• Two food options: The three-hour version includes a turkey sandwich, fruit, and cheesecake. The four-hour version adds a suckling pig burrito and vegetable dumplings.
• Unlimited does not mean everything: Beer, soft drinks, and water are included. Wine, cocktails, and champagne are not.
• A swim stop at Diego Hernández Beach: You can cool off in the sea, rest on deck, or use the water for snorkeling if you bring or arrange your own equipment.
• Optional comfort upgrades: VIP seating and Balinese-style day beds provide more space and a place to lie down, but the standard seating still offers the main experience.
• Pickup from southern resorts: Collection is available from many hotels around Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos, Palm-Mar, and nearby areas.

Setting off from Marina del Sur in Las Galletas

Your day begins with pickup at a designated point near your hotel. The list covers many southern Tenerife resorts, including Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos, and Palm-Mar. You need to be ready 10 minutes early, since the driver waits only about five minutes after the scheduled time.

The coach ride can take around 45 minutes. That is useful if you are staying away from Las Galletas, but it also means the advertised three or four hours does not include all the time spent getting to the port. If you are staying near Marina del Sur, you have a clear advantage.

Las Galletas has a working marina feel rather than the polished resort atmosphere found in parts of Costa Adeje. That suits this trip. You are not simply being driven to a platform built for tourists, then sent out for a quick look at the sea. The harbor gives you a proper starting point for a coastal cruise.

Once aboard, the catamaran heads west. The boat provides open views of Tenerife’s southern shore, and the live commentary is offered in English and Spanish. The crew points out marine life, coastal features, and landmarks as the boat moves along.

What the catamaran ride is really like

The main pleasure here is space and time. You can sit back, feel the breeze, and watch the coastline change from resort beaches to rocky headlands and cliffs. The catamaran layout also gives you several ways to spend the outing: sit upright near the commentary, stretch out on a day bed if you have paid for one, or move around when you want a different view.

The group may be around 50 people, although the exact number can change. That is large enough for a social atmosphere, but the boat can still feel comfortable when everyone spreads out. The crew has to steer, serve drinks, explain the sights, and watch for wildlife, so service is friendly but not the same as having a private crew for every table.

The crew’s approach to whales and dolphins matters. Sightings are never guaranteed, yet the trip has produced encounters with pilot whales, dolphins, flying fish, and turtles. The boat does not need to chase animals for the experience to work. Keeping a respectful distance gives you a better chance of watching natural behavior and avoids turning the search into a noisy pursuit.

You should also prepare for open-water movement. One person described the sea conditions as difficult for a seasick passenger, and that is a fair warning. The boat travels well offshore during the wildlife search, where the motion can be stronger than it is close to land. If you know you are sensitive, choose a seat where you can lie down, bring your usual remedy, and avoid treating the unlimited drinks as a challenge.

Punta Rasca and the search for marine life

Punta Rasca Lighthouse is one of the first major points along the route. The lighthouse gives the coastal journey a clear marker, but the real reason to pay attention here is the wildlife search. The planned stop lasts about 45 minutes, giving the crew time to scan the water instead of rushing through a brief photo opportunity.

This part of the trip depends on nature. You might see pilot whales or dolphins, and some outings have also produced flying fish and turtles. You might also spend time looking at empty water. That uncertainty is normal, and the live commentary helps keep the search interesting.

Bring sunglasses and keep your phone or camera ready. Marine life appears quickly, and the best view may be on the opposite side of the boat from where you first sit. You will want to stay alert without spending the whole time staring through a screen.

The coastline itself adds value even when animals stay hidden. Tenerife’s south coast has dry, volcanic scenery, cliffs, beaches, and long views back toward the resort areas. A boat gives you a different angle on places you may already have visited on land.

Diego Hernández Beach: lunch and a swim

The main stop is Diego Hernández Beach, where the boat pauses for food and time in the water. The planned stop is about an hour, which is enough for a leisurely meal and a swim rather than a hurried splash.

The food changes with the length of your booking. The three-hour option includes a sandwich with roast turkey, seasonal fruit, and cheesecake. The four-hour option offers a larger box with a roast turkey sandwich, a suckling pig burrito, vegetable dumplings, and cheesecake.

Calling this a full restaurant brunch would set the wrong expectation. It is a well-presented packed meal served on a boat. That format works well at sea because you can eat without losing much time, and the food is substantial enough for an afternoon outing. The four-hour menu has more personality, especially the suckling pig burrito and vegetable dumplings, which give the meal a Canarian flavor rather than making it a generic sandwich lunch.

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-free menus are available, but you must contact the company no later than the day before. Do not wait until boarding. The regular menu is not designed around every dietary need, so advance notice is important.

The swim is one of the strongest parts of the trip. The blue water and open setting make it feel more special than a hotel pool, and you can choose to swim, snorkel, or stay dry. Snorkel equipment is not included, so bring your own if you want to look beneath the surface. You can also simply sit on deck with a drink and watch others use the water.

Towels are not listed as part of the standard package. One person who upgraded to a day bed appreciated having a towel included with that arrangement, but you should not assume the same applies to a regular booking. Pack accordingly unless your selected upgrade specifically confirms it.

Passing Playa de las Américas and Los Cristianos

After the swim and meal, the catamaran continues past Playa de las Américas and Playa de Los Cristianos. Each coastal passage is listed at about 15 minutes, so these are viewing points rather than long shore visits.

From the water, the two resorts show their broad beachfront character and busy holiday development. If you have spent your whole holiday inland or at a hotel, the boat gives you a useful sense of how the resort towns fit along the coast. If you already know them well, these sections are less about sightseeing and more about relaxing between the main stops.

The short timing is helpful. The cruise does not pretend you have several hours to explore the towns on foot. You stay aboard, take photographs, listen to the commentary, and let the coastline pass by. That keeps the trip focused on the sea rather than turning it into a rushed land tour.

Palm-Mar and the return to the marina

Palm-Mar brings another change in scenery and is used for a photo stop. The boat spends roughly 45 minutes in this part of the route before turning back toward Marina del Sur.

This is a good time to claim a different viewpoint if the boat is not crowded. The coastline looks different when you are returning, and the afternoon light can make the cliffs and beaches more attractive than they appeared on the way out.

The return boat ride takes about 30 minutes, followed by the return transfer to your hotel area. The exact finish time depends on the option you choose, traffic, sea conditions, and the number of hotel stops. Do not schedule a tight dinner reservation immediately afterward.

Food, drinks, and what unlimited really covers

The included drinks are beer, soft drinks, and water. That is enough to keep you refreshed during a sunny boat trip, and it contributes a lot to the value for people who would otherwise buy several drinks separately.

Wine is not included, despite the general description referring to Canarian wine. Cocktails and champagne are also extra. One booking included a small bottle of Moët as an additional purchase, but it was only enough for about two small glasses between two people. If you want a bottle for a group, check the price and size before ordering.

This is a useful distinction when judging the $71 cost. The package is good value if you want transport, a boat ride, wildlife searching, lunch, swimming time, and beer or soft drinks. It is less of a bargain if your main aim is premium drinks or a champagne cruise.

The crew may accept card payments, but an offshore connection can fail. Bringing some cash is sensible, especially if you plan to buy wine, cocktails, or an upgrade while at sea.

Standard seating, VIP space, and day beds

The regular package gives you access to the catamaran and its main facilities. You do not need a VIP seat to enjoy the wildlife, meal, swimming stop, or commentary.

VIP seating offers priority access and preferred seating when selected. Day beds provide a more comfortable place to stretch out, and they may be particularly useful if you are prone to seasickness. One person who upgraded found the ability to lie down made the longer cruise much easier.

A day bed is not essential for most people. If you are happy sitting, moving around, and sharing the open deck, standard seating should do the job. If you want a quiet place to relax, are traveling as a couple, or expect to spend much of the cruise lying down, the extra cost may be justified.

Smoking is permitted at the back of the catamaran according to one booking, while toilets are available onboard. Nudity and alcohol or drug misuse are not allowed, so the atmosphere remains suitable for a mixed group.

Who will enjoy this outing most

I would choose this cruise if you want a calm half-day at sea rather than a high-speed water ride. It suits couples, families, and groups of friends who like a blend of scenery, food, drinks, and wildlife watching.

It is also a good choice if you are staying in southern Tenerife and want hotel pickup. The long list of collection points removes the need to arrange a taxi to Las Galletas, though the transfer adds time.

You should think twice if you dislike open water, become seasick easily, or want guaranteed animal sightings. You should also compare the three-hour and four-hour options carefully. The shorter version may suit you if you want a taste of the experience without committing to a longer afternoon. The four-hour choice is better if the food and swim are central to your plans.

Is the $71 price good value?

At $71 per person, I consider this a solid mid-range boat outing. You are paying for the cruise, live commentary, hotel transfers from selected southern locations, food, swimming time, and unlimited beer, soft drinks, and water.

The value improves if you use the pickup and have a few included drinks. It also improves if you see marine life, though that part can never be promised. The price feels less attractive if you plan to buy several extras, including VIP access, a day bed, cocktails, wine, champagne, and snorkeling gear.

The four-hour package gives you the fuller meal and more time on the water. For a relaxed afternoon, it is probably the better choice. The three-hour option makes sense if you want a shorter outing or prefer a lighter snack.

Should you book this catamaran cruise?

Book it if you want a friendly, easygoing boat trip with a real chance of seeing pilot whales or dolphins, a swim in the Atlantic, and a filling Canarian-style meal. The crew receives especially strong praise for being helpful, professional, and careful around marine life.

Choose the four-hour version if you value the fuller brunch and longer swim stop. Add a day bed if you are prone to seasickness or want to lie down. Skip paid upgrades if you are content with ordinary seating.

I would not book it for luxury dining, guaranteed whale sightings, or an all-inclusive alcohol package. I would book it for the simple pleasure of getting offshore, watching Tenerife from the sea, and letting the crew handle the driving while you eat, swim, and keep an eye out for fins.

FAQ

Where does the catamaran cruise depart from?

The cruise departs from Marina del Sur in Las Galletas, in southern Tenerife.

Is hotel pickup included?

Pickup and drop-off are included from selected locations in southern Tenerife. You must wait at the designated pickup point 10 minutes before the scheduled time.

What drinks are included?

Unlimited beer, soft drinks, and water are included. Cocktails, wine, and champagne are not included unless you purchase them separately.

What food is served?

The three-hour option includes a roast turkey sandwich, seasonal fruit, and cheesecake. The four-hour option includes a roast turkey sandwich, suckling pig burrito, vegetable dumplings, and cheesecake.

Can I request a special menu?

Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and allergen-free menus are available. You need to contact the company by the day before the cruise so the food can be prepared.

Is snorkeling equipment included?

No. Snorkeling equipment is not included, so bring your own if you want to use it during the swim stop.