Quetzal Cata Excursion
Quetzal Cata Excursion
5
About
Quetzal excursions, your catamaran specialist, heads for the islands of Saona and Catalina. We are also recognized for our exclusives tours in the hinterland, Buggy, safari, Santo Domingo... Whatever the excursion chosen, it will always be in a small group, for more conviviality and comfort!
Bayahibe, Dominican Republic

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Tours and Tickets by Quetzal Cata Excursion
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(12 reviews)
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
913 reviews
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887
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peyton0018
Lahaina, HI170 contributions
May 2022
EXCELLENTE!!!

Communication with Joy was seamless. She was fantastic to work with and able to satisfy the entire group. We all had a blast and felt like VIPs. The lunch on the beach is highly recommend, it was delicious and plentiful. Thank you Joy and staff for making it the best day ever!!
Written May 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Donna and thanks for your review about your private day with us!! Such a nice group and fun with you! Hope to see you next time Quetzal team
Written May 14, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Tiffany S
4 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
I’ve done several snorkeling trips and this was by far the best.
First off, the communication was great.
They have 2 boats and we got the smaller boat that was still huge! So for the lady whose trip got cancelled and she left 1 star… it is a huge boat to take out just a few people and while that situation definitely sucks, it’s a business decision that I feel like most companies would make.
Joy was our guide and she was very knowledgeable & also gave tips to have the best day, like avoiding scams at the island and she collected money and got everyone pina coladas so we didn’t waste time standing in line when we should be enjoying the beach!
I also loved that Joy snorkeled with us and knew where all the cool stuff was.
All the staff was friendly and fun.
The lunch provided was surprisingly tasty and filling. Definitely more substantial than other tour lunches I’ve had. We had a great day and the entire tour was well worth our money!

-Tiffany and Dylan
Written February 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lindsay R
Kenosha, WI25 contributions
Apr 2022 • Couples
Excellent cruise on gorgeous catamaran! Beautiful scenery, outstanding food and crew, I have not one negative thing to say! Lola and Joy were extremely personable and knowledgeable. English and French speaking. Thank you for the wonderful day😀
Written April 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Lindsay and thanks for your review on tripadvisor! It was a pleasure to welcome you onboard and we hope to see you for your next holidays! Quetzal team
Written April 23, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Belinda B.
Klagenfurt, Austria169 contributions
Jun 2019 • Friends
We found Quetzal through another website and from the start, their customer service and responsiveness to questions was top-notch!
We have booked trips to Saona many times before, but always the "regular" (cheaper) trips and while they were all nice, it was always a nuisance to be on the boats and island with so many other people. So this time, we wanted to do something more exclusive and with a lot less people on the boat. When we found this excursion, it was clear that this was it!

The trip was the most amazing trip we have taken to Saona, not only because the Quetzal crew has gone out of their ways to make us feel welcome and comfortable, but also because we were not going to the same places that the other, regular tours are going to. The catamaran has been built by the captain himself - Bernard - who was as lovely and amazing as the rest of his crew. We were very lucky because due to the low season there were only 8 guests on board, while normally, he only does the trip with a minimum of 10 people. That alone was wonderful, because having his beautiful catamaran to ourselves was exactly what we wished for :)

We got picked up on June 15th at 8:30am at our hotel in Dominicus and were on board of the catamaran 30 minutes later. The first stop was at the old pier at Catuano where we were able to snorkel and see beautiful fish. Apart from our catamaran, only one small boat was there with a handful of people. It seems as if most other tours get there much later, so we had all the locations to ourselves!

The second stop was at a beautiful beach on Saona, and we were the very first group - again - to get there. We also had our own large table where we had a delicious lunch together. Again - the food was way different and more upscale than any other lunches we had on Saona with other - regular - tours. We didn't want to eat fish so we had mentioned that during the reservation and they prepared the most delicious beef filet for us that was cooked medium/rare to the point! We truly were delighted and the crew did an amazing job catering to us.

After a couple of hours at that beach we continued to the natural swimming pools, which are somewhere along the coast line on the way back to Bayahibe. The cruise there was stunning with colors so bright and beautiful, it was almost surreal (check out my photos). Again - we stopped at a spot where no other boats were, so we had it to ourselves again. The waters there were beautiful and shallow, and you could also get their snorkel gear.

The rest of the cruise was very relaxing and we were served coffee and delicious fruits - again - not the "regular" fare but everything prepared so much nicer and way more upscale. One could really feel that everything they do for you, they do with passion. On this catamaran you don't feel like just another tourist but as a special guest!

We highly recommend this trip to everyone who wants to spend a fabulous day on a beautiful, custom-built boat with an awesome crew. Going to Saona with Quetzal is the only way for us, and the next time we'll be back to the DR, we will book their Saona trip again for sure! They also offer private charters, so maybe next time we'll try it out :)

Thanks to Captain Bernard and the whole crew (sorry I only remember Florence's name) - you are amazing!!! We had such a great time and we'll be back soon!
Written June 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for this very kind comment. We remember perfectly this day and it was a great pleasure to have you on board with us :) Quetzal team
Written June 30, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Nina D
Avon, IN7 contributions
Feb 2022 • Couples
A cruise that exceeded my expectations!! The crew was not only helpful but extremely kind. If you’re expecting a review about bad weather or shocking animals in the water, this is not it. It’s about how beautiful the boat itself is, how kind and hardworking the crew was and how welcoming the captain was. The locations are the cherry on top of an already incredible sundae. What did I love the most? The amount of people they allow on the boat. Why is this important? If you go on this boat with 30 people everyone has a place to relax. You will sail by other boats filled and packed to the brim. Hubs and I were not looking to stand for 8 hours. The food was great and the drinks were always available, water, beer, and rum. We had a private area on Soana which gave us shade when we needed a break from the sun. I cannot express how happy I was to pull the trigger on this excursion! The crew, Lola, Joy and Bernard friendly, responsive and made sure our safety was number 1 by answering any questions and assisting when needed. When we are back in Punta Cana, we would do this again! Thank you all very much! Hubs and I are still blown away!
Written February 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeff C
Colorado Springs, CO32 contributions
Feb 2022
We did the day trip Saona Island with Quetzal Catamaran and had a fantastic time!  With 30 or so guests - which even today I can't believe there were that many people onboard - the boat never felt crowded, and the crew makes sure everyone is comfortable and enjoying themselves.
Saona Island is a must visit if you've never been with awesome sand, sea, and scenery.  The island visit with Quetzal was just about our only time swimming in the sea because of the rough waters at our Punta Cana resort (about an hour and 15 minute private taxi ride to Bayahibe - arranged by Quetzal - where you board the boat to begin the day).
The chicken and beef onboard lunch was delicious and they even made sure to bring fish for my wife.  If Joy knows ahead of time about any finicky dietary issues, she'll make it happen! My wife's fish was perfecto!  The crew provided drinks and cocktails all day long as well as snacks and sandwiches (even meatless nibbles for my wife) before the island stop.  We all wore masks at the self-serve buffet lunch but that was the only time we had to wear them.  We felt extremely safe both ocean and covid-wise the entire day. 
The two swim/snorkel or jumping-into-the-sea stops during the tour were very different and seemed well-spaced.  And my wife did actually find a starfish! 
This was our only outside-the-resort activity during our 6 night stay in DR, and we are glad we did it.  The spacious boat, smaller group, and stellar crew make this a no-brainer.  Oh yeah, and the lunch and drinks!  We highly recommend this tour!
Written February 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chauny C
New York City, New York24 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
Seriously our best excursion during our visit. If you want a saona island experience with a small group at a leisurely pace this excursion is for you. You do have an early start, but the beautiful day ahead is so worth it. The catamaran is roomy & gorgeous, you can sunbathe in the front or hang in the shade in the back. The excursion includes two snorkel stops, a visit to Saona, open bar, and a very tasty lunch. We upgraded and added 🦞 lobster. One lobster is more than enough to feed two. We even bought champagne on board with us to enjoy during lunch. Captain, Joy, and crew were so pleasant. They even took my mom and one of the other guest out in the small boat so they could still join in on the fun of seeing the starfish, since they both were not great swimmers. Such a memorable day on the water.
Written October 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Carter and thanks for your review ! It was a pleasure to know you and you family was so lovely!!! Even if you weren't great swimmers you enjoyed the tour in the right way!!! Hope to see you for your next holidays Best regards Quetzal team
Written October 26, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

SavyGal
Baltimore, MD26 contributions
Feb 2019 • Family
We are a family of 4 and we really enjoyed this excursion. Unlike other boats and catamarans that were fully overloaded with loud music, this was a first class quality tour which had limited people onboard. While beverages were offered including beer and mixed drinks, this was not a booze cruise thankfully. The people on this tour were other families and couples who were out to really enjoy the water and the boat. It was fun going to the island where we had a white table cloth lunch. The fun was good but certainly not excellent. (The lunch is provided by the others and not Quetzal Excursions) Snorkeling was fun but do not expect to see lots of fish. Still, it was great fun and the water was warm and lovely. The French captain of the catamaran was very nice, polite and professional. The boat is beautiful and we had great views from the front of the boat. We had rented a condo at least an hour away and Quetzal Excursions arranged for transportation to pick us up and take us home. The transportation was cheaper than what I believe we would have been charged had we tried to arrange it and it was on time on both ends of the trip. All in all, I would highly recommend this trip.
Written March 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for this message, we hope we will have on bord a lots of your friends and families. The Quetzal Team
Written March 17, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Jaclyn G
Pewaukee, WI29 contributions
Mar 2022
Bernard, Lola, Ricki, Pineapple and the remaining crew were fantastic! We had so much fun on the amazing catamaran. The views were spectacular and we got to see a pod of whales. One of them even breached! My family enjoyed the snorkeling with Lola who was a very strong diver that pointed a lot of the sea life amongst the coral reef. A snack and drinks were provided early on the excursion and a delicious full buffet was served for lunch. The crew went out of their way to make it enjoyable for all. This is a trip that you don't want to miss. The boat ride was so relaxing and memorable! We will definitely go again when we are in the DR.
Written March 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Jaclyn and thanks for your review for Catalina island! Such a good day and such a surprise to see the whales on that side of the island!! Hope to see you next time Quetzal team
Written April 5, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Mar
1 contribution
Oct 2021
Oh yes, when your mother and yourself are excited about taking an excursion and you get a wonderful message reading: "Unfortunately, your booking request has been declined by the operator. Moreover, it shows that THERE IS STILL AVAILABILITY for that date. So WHY IS THAT? Can't claim they don't get to the minimum as the excursion in 22 days from now. " But hey, at least they did not cancel the day before as I saw another reviewer. Still, very distasteful. Fortunately, there are plenty of tours of Saona you can take on site.
Written October 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello and thank you for showing us your disapointment...however it is sad that you judge a company and the know-how of certain people without having been able to try the tour by yourself. However, when you made your booking for SAONA island, we offered you an alternative date ... First: the date you requested was open for CATALINA island and not SAONA Second: we already had a certain number of booking for the substitution date - so we were sure that the tour would happened ... We prefer to act in this way to limit disappointment a few days before the tour and not have to cancel for lack of passengers ... I am sure you will find an excursion to Saona that you will enjoy, with a professional team worthy of your trust! Quetzal Team
Written October 26, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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