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Aruba Semi-Submarine Cruise from Palm Beach

Badge of Excellence
Aruba
High interest
Booked 10+ times today.
  • 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.4
·
· Teresa_V ·
Feb 2026
It was a fun experience, especially for a six year old. A comfortable way to view the reef and the shipwreck. The viewing area is air- conditioned. There were plenty of fish, especially at the shipwreck site. The tour guide gave a lot of information on the Antilla (ship) and the many types of fish. We enjoyed the tour.
· Susan_U ·
Jan 2026
Really great experience! We’ve done almost all excursions in Aruba and this was definitely worthwhile. We were lucky and saw 2 turtles and tons of fish. It’s a short ride along the coast to the submarine and nice to view Palm and Arashi beaches from the water.

Overview

Go below the water without getting wet with this 90-minute semi-submarine excursion from Aruba. Safe and dry in the hull, get views of the underwater world, including the Arashi Reef and The Antilla, a WWII German shipwreck.
  • 90-minute semi-submarine cruise from Oranjestad
  • Get underwater views on this semi-submarine tour in Aruba
  • See the Antilla, the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean
  • Visit the famous Arashi Reef

What's Included

  • 90 minute Semi-Submarine Tour
  • Local taxes
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • De Palm Pier
    J.E. Irausquin Blvd 1, Aruba

    De Palm Pier is located on Palm Beach, between the Hilton Resort and RIU Palace. https://goo.gl/maps/xcsoWERwcfWMoMkH8

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.11:30 am

Itinerary

Find your way to Oranjestad's the De Palm Pier in time for the tour's 11:30am departure. 

Board a transfer boat bound for the Seaworld Explorer, waiting for your group near Aruba's Arashi Reef. Once you climb into the semi-sub, descend into the glassed-in viewing space, submerged just under the surface of the water. Your captain will navigate around the teeming reef, providing commentary about the underwater world. A marine expert is on hand to answer any questions. 

Move on to the Antilla, a 423-foot (128 meter) German freighter destroyed during World War II. Now only partially submerged in about 60 feet (20 meters) of water, it is a popular place for both underwater animals and bird life. 

Return to shore after 90 minutes.
1

De Palm Pier

30 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

2

Adventure Sports Aruba

25 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

3

Arashi Beach

30 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Not recommended for those with motion sickness
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 44 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions (8)

Q:What is a Semi-Submarine?

A:This vessel, which was originally used for research on Australia's Great Barrier Reef, remains above sea level at all times, while its hull, which sits 5 feet below the surface, provides spectacular viewing of the undersea wonderland around Aruba.

May 2021

The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Dana_B
Angie! She was an amazing tour guide who was funny and had us laughing the whole time. She also was very informative and knew what she was talking about. The views were pretty incredible! Our son loves sunken ships and was in amazement at how clearly You could see the Antilla. I would absolutely recommend this adventure to anyone who is looking for something to do. We loved it.

Reviews

4.4
based on 610 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

It was focused on the...

Donald_B, Mar 2026
It was focused on the shipwreck. The area didn't provide a view of as many fish as I've seen on other semi-sub tours. Somewhat disappointing.

Pretty cool.

Greg_G, Mar 2026
This was pretty cool. The boat ride to the submarine was awesome. Saw the shipwreck, and other marine life. If you are expecting to see sharks or large fish, this isn’t your trip. We did see a green sea turtle.

Fun Family Excursion

Cassandra_M, Mar 2026
This was a fun inexpensive activity to see the aquatic life around the coral reef and ship wreck. The guide was knowledgeable and pointed out what the different fish were. The entrance to the pier for check in is in between the Riu and Hilton. If you’re driving to the area give yourself 30-45 mins to find street parking. This area is very congested. Check in was easy and we sat at the local restaurant and had an appetizer while we waited to board the boat. You will board a shuttle boat and then transfer to the semi-submarine boat. The boats are tied together and you walk over a ramp. This is not an excursion for someone with mobility difficulties. It was fun and I would do it again. People please tip the crew! Out of 8 families only three of us tipped.

Unique experience!

Glenn_W, Mar 2026
This is a great and unique experience as you get to see a fair amount of undersea life and a really cool WWII era shipwreck all without getting wet! Angie our tour guide is very knowledgeable about the history of the wreck and the types of sea life we encountered. During the trip you can go up to the deck of the boat if you want and you should also be aware that the boat picking you up at the pier is a shuttle that takes you out to the semi sub which is not clear from the tour description. Overall a worthwhile trip. Recommended!

Check visibility in water...

Magda_L, Mar 2026
Check visibility in water before going. When water is murky (e.g. after storm, big wind, or big waves), you cannot see well. I have done this quite a few times with visiting friends, and today was the worst. The boat ride is still nice though.

One fish, two fish

Jason_L, Feb 2026
You WILL see plenty of fish, get a glance at the Antilla and chuckle with your sub tour guide. Recommend the rightside for a better view of the Antilla.

Nice trip!

Teresa_V, Feb 2026
It was a fun experience, especially for a six year old. A comfortable way to view the reef and the shipwreck. The viewing area is air- conditioned. There were plenty of fish, especially at the shipwreck site. The tour guide gave a lot of information on the Antilla (ship) and the many types of fish. We enjoyed the tour.

It was cancel and supposedly rescheduled but after 3 messages we still don’t know if we can use the QR code on Thursday

Ronald_S, Feb 2026
We haven’t had it yet it was cancelled and we were offered a Thursday appointment but Glenda hasn’t responded after three text messages

Under the Sea

Margaret_S, Feb 2026
The check in directions once you get there aren’t helpful. The staff boarder lined on rude. However once the ship arrived the crew was fantastic, friendly and informative. The trip was so much fun, even for our age group which was 70 - 86. My husband walks with a cane and he was able to board the sub in the middle of the ocean.

Does not look as clear...

JUDY_L, Jan 2026
Does not look as clear and colorful as the pictures on website, but is an awesome adventure! Highly recommend for anyone who is considering taking the excursion.

Really great experience!...

Susan_U, Jan 2026
Really great experience! We’ve done almost all excursions in Aruba and this was definitely worthwhile. We were lucky and saw 2 turtles and tons of fish. It’s a short ride along the coast to the submarine and nice to view Palm and Arashi beaches from the water.

100/10 rating

Tamara_G, Jan 2026
It was beautiful. A very unique experience, I’d never imagine being apart of. Definitely worth repeating.

Semi Sub

Kelly_G, Jan 2026
The moderator was very knowledgeable and funny. I recommend this trip for people who want a short excursion and a lot of cute fish.

Another Must-See Tour

Julia_B, Jan 2026
This is another must-have trip in Aruba. It is very informative and entertaining. The best part - you do not need to get wet to see the underwater world!

No refund or response

Julie_R, Dec 2025
Our experience was pathetic. Less than 45 minutes prior to our reservation, they cancelled the trip due to choppy water conditions. Since we couldn’t reschedule, I replied to the cancellation email as instructed to ask for a refund. I have reached out multiple times but have not even received the courtesy of a response —72+ hours later. I do not recommend booking this as they do not respond and have not made any effort to refund our $$. DO NOT BOOK THIS!!

Boring and Limited

Rachel_A, Dec 2025
Because there were winds, we were unable to go to see the reefs and turtles. We stayed in one spot by the shipwreck the entire time and saw a few kinds of fish only. It was so boring. Half of the people on the ship had to go above deck because it was making people nauseous to stay in one place and his sway. We were so disappointed. We should have been offered a refund because this was not cheap.

Excellent tour.

Miranda_W, Dec 2025
Another excellent experience. Saw marine life and divers, a shipwreck and a lovely boating experience. Would do it again. Staff was super friendly and helpful. Very fun and Will be booking again when in Aruba.

Quick 15 min taxi from...

Brian_N, Nov 2025
Quick 15 min taxi from cruise port. Excellent for those leary about snorkeling in open waters. Shipwreck and the reef are stunning. Guide on board was knowledgeable and entertaining

Great scenery without getting wet

Jenifer_W, Nov 2025
Very educational about sea life and the SS Antilla ship wreck from early 1939. Nice company well done by DePalm tours. Viator books the best companies always. Great transport boat to the viewing site boat.

10-15 minute boat ride to...

Kelly_C, Sep 2025
10-15 minute boat ride to the semi-submarine. You get to see some cool fish and the boat wreckage. Very nice and informative staff.

Great excursion!

Lisa_S, Aug 2025
Really cool experience, loved being able to see the coral reef and ship wreck. The guide for the trip was very knowledgeable and I learned so much!

I really enjoyed the boat...

Angela_G, Aug 2025
I really enjoyed the boat ride too the submarine. The submarine experience was very educational. I loved the vibes. l

Took our kids on this...

Elizabeth_S, Aug 2025
Took our kids on this tour and they totally enjoyed it! Our tour guide Angie made the experience much more fun! If you have young kids would definitely recommend this tour.

We went with our 2 kids-...

Amanda_S, Aug 2025
We went with our 2 kids- ages 3 and 6. Everyone loved it! The captain and guide were professional and helpful. We got to see a lot of fish and a turtle too. Heads up- I did get nauseous on the semi-submarine, so if you tend to get seasick make sure you take precautions!

Underwater dream.

Cassandra_W, Aug 2025
It’s really fun, just be mindful of sea sickness. Have a joy for exploring fishes and just take in the blue sea.

A two for one trip!

Laura_N, Jul 2025
A two for one trip! Nice boat ride out to the main boat, then an exciting underwater boatride. Angela was our tour guide; she was so animated in her bilingual presentation! Everyone loved participating with her! The views of the wreckage from the ship were mesmerizing, as were all the beautiful fish we saw! Great trip!

Great for family 👪! Lo

SHARON_R, Jul 2025
Do it!!!! Great for multigenrational families to enjoy together ( if they can navigate 12 steps to go below deck and not fearing small spaces). Beautiful way to experience under the sea!

Pleasant staff, very...

Payam_B, Jul 2025
Pleasant staff, very interesting trip. Lots of fish . German ship wreck. Easy to get to. Love aruba.

Sea tour

Shawn_M, Jul 2025
Great tour worth every penny. We appreciated every aspect of the tour. The tour was on time and it was well run.

This was a lot of fun and...

Anne_C, Jul 2025
This was a lot of fun and the crew was great. My family enjoyed the whole adventure and we were all very comfortable. We saw the shipwreck, beautiful fishes and coral.

From $63.00

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 15 days in advance.

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