Boating

Aruba offers sailing adventures on yachts, pirate ships, and catamarans day and night. Some include snorkeling, swimming, and lunch; others feature sunset vistas. For night owls, dinner-dance-and-booze cruises include a midnight dip in the sea. If you have something special to celebrate, you may want to charter a private yacht (about $175-$200 per hour).

De Palm Tours (tel. 297/582-4400; www.depalm.com) offers more sailing options than anyone else -- six different snorkel sails on catamarans and trimarans, and several sail-only cruises. Some cruises feature dinner catered by former chefs from Le Dôme; others offer "snuba," a cross between scuba and snorkeling. Ranging from 2 to 5 hours in length, the trips depart daily in the morning and afternoon and at sunset. Prices start at $45 and climb to $315.

Boarding at the Hadicurari Pier at Moomba Beach between the Holiday Inn and Marriott, Jolly Pirates (tel. 297/586-8107; www.jolly-pirates.com) features unique 4 1/2-hour sail, snorkel, lunch, and rope-swing excursions. Friendly and athletic deckhands will astound you with their mast-climbing antics followed by an acrobatic swing into the sea -- think Tarzan meets "marine boy." While challenging to follow this act, grab hold and let loose with your best cannonball. Just remember to release the rope and grab hold of your swimsuit before you hit the water! Lucky ladies can double up with Tarzan-boy for a tandem piggyback swing that would make Jane jealous. Morning cruises embark daily ($50, including tasty, full-service barbecue lunch), as do 2-hour sunset trips (Mon and Fri; $26) and 3-hour afternoon sail and snorkel tours (Tues-Thurs and Sat; $30). All three options include an open bar, and unlike on any of the catamaran tours, the bartender circulates, takes your order, and brings your drinks to you while you relax and enjoy the ride.

Mi Dushi Sailing Adventures (tel. 297/586-2010; www.arubaadventures.com) offers three cruises on a 23m (75-ft.) sailing vessel built in 1925. The 5-hour morning cruise combines sailing, snorkeling, swimming, and a rope swing, with continental breakfast, barbecue lunch, and open bar. The boat departs from the De Palm Pier Tuesday through Friday at 9:30am. The price is $59, $20 for children 6 to 12, and free for children under 6 (though they get no lunch, and parents of children under 4 are strongly discouraged from subjecting their young children to 5 hr. of confinement in an area full of slippery decks and ledges lacking safety railings). Also featuring shallow reef snorkeling, swimming and rope swing, the 3-hour sundown cruise sets sail at 3:30pm from the same pier on Tuesday and Thursday, and costs $35 and $20 for children; the price includes snacks and an open bar for adults. On Wednesday and Friday, the boat leaves at 5pm for a 2-hour all-you-can-drink sunset sail with light snacks. This party is $25 for adults and $20 for children under 12.

Pelican Adventures (tel. 297/587-2302; www.pelican-aruba.com) offers morning, afternoon, and sunset cruises on four different catamarans. The 2 1/2-hour snorkel cruise departs daily at 2pm and includes snacks and open bar ($43, $22 for children). The 3 1/2-hour brunch cruise features continental breakfast (okay, really just some pastries and juice), champagne lunch (the paella is good), snorkeling, and open bar (Wed and Fri 9:30am; $69, $42 for children). The sunset booze cruise lasts 2 hours and includes snacks and drinks (Tues-Sat 5pm; $40, $22 for children). The 4-hour dinner cruise leaves at 5pm; the $73 charge ($43 for children; free for children under 4) includes a meal at the informal Pelican's Nest restaurant at the end of the Pelican pier and unlimited drinks once aboard the catamaran. All trips leave from the Pelican Pier near the Holiday Inn, and private charters can be arranged.

Red Sail Sports (tel. 877/RED-SAIL in the U.S. and Canada, 297/586-1603 in Aruba; www.redsailaruba.com) boasts three large catamarans and several sailing options. The 4-hour luncheon snorkel sail visits three snorkeling sites and includes a deli-style lunch and an open bar (no beer however; daily 9:15am; $65, $39 for children 3-12). The 2 1/2-hour afternoon snorkel sail includes snacks and beverages (daily 2:30pm; $44, $26 for children). The 1 1/2-hour sunset cruise features snacks and an open bar, including wine and beer (daily 5:30pm; $45, $27 for children). On full-moon nights only, the 2-hour moonlight sail includes wine and cheese and live steel-pan music (8:30pm; $49, $29 for children). For a truly special evening, the three-course dinner cruise [STST] will set you back $95 ($58 for children), but considering the elegant table settings, white-glove service, unlimited champagne, and delicious food, it's worth the splurge. All trips leave from Hyatt Pier, and group charters are available.

Operated by the same folks who own Mi Dushi, Tattoo (tel. 297/586-2010; www.arubaadventures.com) conducts nocturnal booze and dance cruises with dinner buffet and $1 to $3 drinks (Wed and Fri 8pm-midnight; $39, adults over 18 only). On Wednesday and Friday, it offers a 4-hour snorkeling and swimming cruise that departs from De Palm Pier at 11:30am. The $35 price ($20 for children) includes a barbecue lunch, but alcoholic drinks are extra ($2-$3 per drink). All Tattoo cruises feature a rope swing and three-level water slide.

How about a yacht cruise? Family-owned Tranquilo (tel. 297/585-7533; www.tranquiloaruba.com) has several programs. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, a 6-hour lunch cruise features snorkeling, fishing, lunch, and drinks during a trip down Aruba's southeast coast (10am; $70). Available upon request for a minimum of eight people, the 2-hour sunset sail is $37 per person. An exclusive 3-hour sail for two is offered on Wednesday and Saturday at 5pm. It includes a menu of lobster, shrimp, or Argentine steak and total privacy ($475 for you and your love). Charter cruises, available on request, start at $155 per hour.

Catamaran cruises from the Pelican Pier (behind the Holiday Inn) are conducted by Wave Dancer Cruises (tel. 297/582-5520; www.arubawavedancer.com). A 4-hour trip with three snorkeling stops, snacks, lunch, and drinks is $50; a 2-hour tour hits one snorkeling reef and includes snacks and drinks for $45; and a 2-hour sunset cruise is an extended happy hour at sea ($37).

Savvy Sailing

When deciding which sailing excursion to select, take a walk down the beach and check out the goods. All piers are lined up along Palm Beach and the boats are moored close to land. Go for the operator with the prettiest and newest boat (DePalm is top dogfish at the moment). If you prefer a wooden hull to a fiberglass catamaran, Jolly Pirates is your best option. But if you want a more traditional sailing experience (and a roomier deck), be sure to kick the tires before plunking your money down as older boats can be run down and, in the case of my last sail, may have structural damage on the sunbathing nets, which limits access. Be sure to bring a towel since there are none to be had once on board. A final warning, the champagne brunch consists only of a few pastries and maybe some fruit, but don't expect a full buffet or coffee. The open bar is a bit of a misnomer because beer and wine are not included, and drink options are limited to hard liquor, soft drinks, juice, and champagne.