Our Aruba Wedding

Instead of wedding favors (giving our guests a trinket with our name on it), we decided to treat them to a sailing / snorkeling excursion on Friday, the day before the wedding. After much deliberation, we decided to privately charter Mi Dushi. (Linked here is a post that can tell you more about why we chose Mi Dushi.)

We decided to schedule our sail from 3:30-6:30pm. We knew the sun was supposed to set around 6:15, so we wanted to give our guests a little bit of a ‘sunset sail‘ on the way in. The biggest downside was that Mi Dushi leaves from the DePalm pier down by the Westin, which is probably a 25-30 minute walk (or 5 minute cab ride). Since many of our guests are older (and it was 90º!), we asked those that wanted to take a cab to meet us in the lobby at 2:30. We started running late because we were waiting on the fruit and cheese that the La Vista Restaurant was supposed to have packaged up for us (left over from our welcome party the night before). A little before 3pm, we started loading guests into cabs and sending them on their way. Cab ride fares are fixed – I believe we paid $6 per cab to get to DePalm Pier. (Available to us were nice Toyota truck cabs that could take 5 people each – maybe they were Land Cruisers?) Finally we got into the last cab only to have OUR cab driver drop us at the WRONG pier! He got us about halfway there and we walked the rest of the way down. At least we were the ones needing to walk, not our older guests. We just laughed it off.

Boarding the boat is supposed to be at 3:15. They load everyone onto a ferry shuttle that takes you out to the ship which is anchored further out. We liked the crew the moment we met them! They did a great job in reading our group – they knew how to get the party started. They were fun without being ‘in our faces’. The bar is a premium open bar which includes local beer, premium liquor and a couple specialty drinks like the Aruba Ariba (yum)! As soon as our guests were situated they introduced themselves, told us what to expect and then started taking drink orders!

As we are on our way to our first stop, the Antilla Shipwreck, they start passing out gear which included disposable mouthpieces. I was surprised that probably 70% of our group actually got in the water! (Also, all but 3 of our guests joined us on the excursion – those three weren’t feeling well that day.) One of our concerns when weighing Mi Dushi against Jolly Pirates was that JP takes you to three snorkeling spots and Mi Dushi, only two. I have to say that I was GLAD we did only two. I don’t know how we would have worked in three. I think it would have felt too rushed. We chose the Antilla Shipwreck and one ’shallow reef’ spot.

After everyone got back on board after snorkeling the Antilla, it was time to ramp the party up a bit! People were having a blast and the drinks started flowing. Needless to say, not nearly as many people snorkeled at the second spot because now they were in party mode. We had people standing on the roof of the cabin and dancing and having SO much fun. And, at the second snorkeling spot, out comes the ROPE SWING! It sounds kind of cheesy – who’s really going to get excited about a rope swing?!? Well people just LOVE that thing. It was going non-stop from the time they brought it out til it was time to leave. And for even more fun, you could swing ‘piggy-back’ on the captain who would do flips. I’m not sure if the ladies were interested in those flips or wrapping around his hot bod, but they sure had fun!

While Mi Dushi might not be the sexiest boat on the water (she’s seems a little worn), she and her crew make you feel at home. She’s not as big as Jolly Pirates but holds up to 60 people. Our group of nearly 40 felt perfect – everyone had plenty of room, but you didn’t feel ‘lost’ as you might have on a larger boat. We liked the cozy feel.

Since we privately chartered Mi Dushi, the crew tailored the snacks for our group as we had vegetarians on board. I had read reviews that the snacks were pretty bad so I kind of warned people the food might not be great. They brought out trays of little chicken drummies that our guests snatched right up, and my dad actually liked the ‘Dutch sausage’ that even I wouldn’t try. They also had mini fruit and cheese kabobs that were nice and fresh. And of course we had the extra fruit, veggies, cheese and dip from La Vista that was worth the delay. And I had brought along the individual packs of Oreos that I had forgotten to put in the welcome bags. So we snacked and headed back, enjoying the gorgeous sunset! We had gotten a later start than planned and the crew was gracious enough to extend our time, though we knew they didn’t have to. We got the feeling that they were having as much fun with us as we were with them.

We made it back, took the ferry again to the pier and for many the party was just getting started! There was live music playing at the pier that was calling out to me but we had to get the kids back. The guests kind of scattered from there, most walking back, hitting whatever bar caught their attention.

My husband and I had this grand plan where we would grab some dinner, but then he would go back to the room with his two boys (his boys were staying in a room adjoining his parents) and I would go back to our suite. He’d have that night to spend quality time with them and wouldn’t see me again until the wedding (or at least our pre-ceremony photos). Well, the kids were just exhausted after doing so much snorkeling and the rope swing, so we realized they were going to pretty much pass out after getting some food!

We were on such a high after the excursion that we decided we didn’t want to split up – we wanted to spend that night together. We were SO HAPPY with the decision to have the excursion and were glad we were in a position where we could pay for it. For us it was great to have that opportunity to spend time with them, away from the hotel, phones, wedding planners, meetings… For them, it was an opportunity to cut loose and have fun without having to spend a penny. We were also lucky that no one got seasick, overly drunk or had a bad experience in the water. While I don’t remember hearing the snorkeling was that great (I didn’t get in the water), no one seemed to mind – it was really just a fantastic event all around.

Hosting the sailing excursion and choosing Mi Dushi is without a doubt, one of the BEST decisions we made and was worth every dollar!

And the winner is - Mi Dushi! I think on Monday we’ll be signing the contract to privately charter Mi Dushi! The decision of Jolly Pirates vs Mi Dushi was a really tough one. I’ve read great things about both of them and have found them both really helpful in their email communications – very responsive! Jolly Pirates’ pre-scheduled excursion is about $5 pp less than Mi Dushi if you book online, but chartering their ship privately is considerably more expensive. Another upside of Jolly Pirates is that they launch from Moomba Beach right by the Marriott. Mi Dushi’s biggest negative (for us) is that they launch from the other end of Palm Beach, from the DePalm Pier by the RIU & Westin. This might be too much of a walk for our older guests, so we’ll arrange a cab for them. (Anything in Palm Beach is ‘walkable’ for most – I’d say the DePalm pier is maybe 3/4 mile from the Marriott, walking the beach. Maybe 15 minutes? I’ll post again when I find out for sure.)

So why Mi Dushi?! We decided we liked the additional control we get with the private charter. Instead of going from 3:00-6:00, we’re going to go from 3:30-6:30 so we can come in during sunset (sun sets around 6:15 at the end of October). I really like their bar offerings – good liquor selection, a few tropical drinks AND beer. (Some excursions don’t include beer — I don’t know whether JP does or not, but think that I at least saw one of the catamaran excursions that didn’t include beer.) The initial proposal offers two ’shallow reef’ snorkeling spots, but I asked about Antilla since that was something JP offers. They say yes, we can instead do one reef spot and the Antilla Shipwreck. (Now I need to figure out if we want to go to Antilla.) Finally, Mi Dushi offers snacks, something not included in JPs prices. And since its a private charter she says they can customize the snacks a bit for our group with some more cheese and add some fruit. The cost? At the date of this post, minimum $1100 + 3% tax for the private charter (this could be different at the time you inquire and keep in mind October is ‘off-season’, so I have no idea the price during a busier season). That includes up to 30 people. Additional people are $36 each. This includes 3 hours of sailing / snorkeling, all snorkeling gear (including a disposable mouthpiece), snacks, unlimited drinks and rope swing.

Update: Read our Mi Dushi Review»

One note: for either excursion you need to bring your own towel! They do not provide towels. I’m going to email the Marriott and see if we can use their beach towels. Probably not but its worth asking. I decided against towels for the welcome bags since Marriott provides nice ones on the beach, but never thought about the excursion! Also, they recommend bringing a long sleeve shirt since it can get cool when the sun goes down, and if you’re going to take a cab, you’ll want dry pants / shorts. Mi Dushi’s website FAQs are really helpful» (and here are Jolly Pirates’ FAQs»)

I am determined to make a decision on the sailing excursion by Monday! I’m leaning toward the ‘pirate style’ ship because I think it might be more fun for the kids (I hear they like laying on the nets and people of all ages seem to love the rope swings). So, from what I can tell, here are the pros, cons and questions I have identified.

Jolly Pirates:

• Cost: we can join their pre-scheduled “Something Fishy’s Going On” excursion for around $30pp if we register online which saves us 12%. They have a sunset excursion which costs even less but its only 2 hours doesn’t include snorkeling. To charter JP privately costs 60% more than Mi Dushi. Joining an existing excursion won’t allow us privacy but it might be fun to meet other people – might be more of a party!
• Excursion: 3 hours (3:00-6:00pm) and 3 snorkeling sites including the Antilla Shipwreck. All gear is provided as well as an open “premium” bar. I did just learn that snacks are not provided though.
• Communication: Wow – Carla is on top of things! She has already responded to my questions even though I emailed her less than an hour ago. When I asked her why I should choose their boat over Mi Dushi, she says she has worked with many boats and crews around Aruba and that we can’t make a bad choice. That’s really classy.
• Open Bar: Includes Open Bar (could not find contents of bar / kinds of liquor and drinks served)
• Launch: Jolly Pirates departs from the Mooba Beach right by the Marriott
• Children: Jolly pirates has no age restriction

Mi Dushi:

• Cost: we can privately charter Mi Dushi for around $36pp (based on 30 people). They do not have a regularly scheduled excursion Friday afternoon (there is a 3:30-6:30 available Tuesday-Thursday).
• Excursion: 3 hours with 2 snorkeling stops in a ’shallow coral reef area’, snacks and snorkeling gear with disposable mouthpiece. Does not include the Antilla Shipwreck.
• Open Bar: Includes “premium” open bar. Bar Description from their site: “Sky Vodka, Bacardi Rum, Dewars Scotch, Bombay Gin, Jack Daniels Bourbon, Sodas and Juices and of course our famous Sailor Coladas and Mi Dushi Potent Passion Rum Punch.” That’s more than enough to get my gang into trouble, but maybe then they’ll run out of steam early and be functional for the wedding the next day.

• Launch: departs from DePalm pier down by the RIU on Palm Beach. It is walking distance but definitely further. Maybe a 10-15 minute walk?
• Communication: Cindy has been great to exchange emails with an seems glad to go out of her way to make the excursion as enjoyable as possible for our group. I’m waiting now to see if the date is still available.
• Children: for their regularly scheduled excursions, children have to be at least 6 years old. With a private charter, children of all ages are welcome

So there are pros and cons of both and it looks like either could be great. I guess the biggest questions are, 1) Do we want a private charter?,  2) How big of a deal is the Antilla shipwreck – is it super cool or over-rated?, 3) Do we care if snacks are provided since its only a 3 hour trip. (Note: photos borrowed from the Mi Dushi and Jolly Pirates websites.) Oh – and “thumbs up” to both for having awesome websites – thank you!

Next on deck – trying to firm up a Sailing / Snorkling excursion for Friday, the day before the wedding. Our wish list is for 3 hours of sailing and snorkeling, open bar and some snacks on a privately chartered boat. I have a proposal already from Jolly Pirates and Mi Dushi (Mi Dushi is much more affordable), but want to get a couple of other proposals before committing. Today I’ve emailed DePalm Tours, Red Sail Sports and Pelican Adventures.