Mermaid Boat Trips Curaçao Review
The Mermaid is the most-reviewed boat to Klein Curaçao, at 4.8 from 339 reviews. What the $155 day includes, how rough the crossing is, and who it suits.
Mermaid Boat Trips is one of the most established ways to visit Klein Curaçao. Its full-day trip holds 4.8 out of 5 from 339 reviews on our booking partner, more than any other boat on the crossing, and it costs $155. The day is built around the island: a beach house of its own, breakfast and a barbecue lunch on the sand, and free snorkel gear. The catch is a crossing that reviewers describe as rough in wind.
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Why book it?
The main strength is the beach-house set-up on the island. Mermaid guests get exclusive use of their own beach house, with shaded palapas and beach chairs already set out before the boat lands. On an island with no mains water, no shop and no shade of its own, that base is what makes six hours on the sand comfortable.
The boat is a purpose-built sea-going motor vessel and not a sailing catamaran. It leaves the Fishermen’s Pier at Jan Thiel at 06:45 every day except Saturday, and coffee and tea are served from the moment you step aboard. The operator puts the run from Spanish Water at around two hours, which is the longest of the four boats on this route.
In the recent guest reviews we read, the praise goes to the crew and the organisation, with the food and the island close behind. That fits a trip where most of the value is on the beach.
Food and snorkelling
The full-day trip includes breakfast served on the island, a barbecue lunch, and coffee and tea aboard. Both meals are in the ticket. Alcohol is the one thing that is not: beer, wine and mixed drinks cost about $5 aboard and cocktails about $10.
Snorkel masks are free to borrow, and the reef starts a few metres off the beach. A walking-tour booklet points you at the lighthouse, the shipwreck and the windward shore. Scuba diving is available on the island for an extra fee that depends on your certification level. What the snorkelling is like.
The main drawback: the crossing
The outward crossing can be rough in windy conditions. Klein Curaçao is about 15 miles offshore, and the run out is into the prevailing wind and swell, while the return has the sea behind it. One guest wrote that the boat moved a lot in the wind and waves and told other travellers to take motion-sickness pills. The listing itself says the trip is not suitable for people who are strongly prone to seasickness on open water.
Take tablets before boarding and not once you feel unwell, and sit outside amidships if you can. Which boat and which seat help most.
Two practical points before booking. The Mermaid does not sail on Saturdays, so check your day. And one reviewer found the time on the island a bit short, leaving at 3:30 p.m.
What it costs and what is extra
The fare is $155 per person, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. It covers the return crossing, the beach house, breakfast, barbecue lunch, snorkel equipment and the walking booklet. Hotel transfers to the pier, gratuities, alcohol and diving are extra. The pier is at Jan Thiel, about 20 to 25 minutes by road from central Willemstad, so book a taxi the night before. Where each boat leaves from.
Best for
Families and anyone who values comfort on the island. A shaded base and a set meal make the long day easier with children, provided they will cope with a crossing of up to two hours each way. Klein Curaçao with kids.
It suits you less if the boat itself is the point of the day, or if you want a bar included in the fare. Irie Tours is the cheaper, more social catamaran option, at $140 with the open bar included.
Verdict
Choose the Mermaid if you want a well-organised beach day and not a sailing-focused excursion. It has the deepest review record on the route, a proper base on the island and both meals in the fare. Weigh that against a crossing that is the longest of the four and rough in wind. If a freshwater shower and restrooms matter more than the review count, look at Miss Ann, which quotes about an hour each way. Which boat suits you.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Mermaid crossing to Klein Curaçao?
The operator puts the run from Spanish Water at around two hours each way. That is the operator’s own figure, and the Mermaid is a heavier motor vessel that trades speed for a steadier ride in a swell.
What is included in the Mermaid trip?
The return crossing, exclusive use of the Mermaid beach house, coffee and tea aboard, breakfast on the island, a barbecue lunch, shaded palapas, beach chairs, snorkel equipment and a walking-tour booklet. Alcohol, diving, hotel transfers and gratuities are extra.
Does the Mermaid run every day?
It runs every day except Saturday. Boarding at the Fishermen’s Pier in Jan Thiel starts at 06:45.
Pick Your Boat, Then Check the Date
Crossing time, group size, shade, toilets and what lunch actually looks like differ more between these boats than the price does. Compare them, then check availability for your date.
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