‘I booked the 1/2 day Snorkel tour with Irie Tours on my own, and it was one of the highlights of my trip to Curaçao. It was also my first time snorkelling, so I was a bit nervous going in.
The crew made the day. Captain Jay, Charlie, Roossandy, Dayney, Rey, and Richard were friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly enjoying themselves, and that energy spread to everyone on board. They took safety seriously without it ever feeling like a lecture. As a solo traveller, I never felt left out. They treated me exactly as they treated the couples and groups.
Our first stop was the Tugboat. The water was choppy that day, and between the current and struggling with my mask and mouthpiece, I got a little overwhelmed. Charlie was in the water checking on me the whole time, and everyone offered tips to help me get comfortable. Seeing the tugboat, the colourful fish, and the scuba divers below was really cool. Our 2nd stop, Playa Lagun (?), was much calmer. We jumped off the side of the boat, filmed each other, and Charlie joined in (and rescued my goggles!) It's not something I'd normally do, and I'm SOOO I did. Made new friends and had a blast
The bar opened as soon as we hit the water, with specialty drinks, pop, juice, and what looked like canned beer. Watermelon was passed around on the way out and pineapple on the way home. Lunch was barbecued chicken and beef skewers with pita and fresh veggies, and it was delicious perfect for a boat lunch.
Booking was easy from start to finish, and the team replied quickly and professionally on WhatsApp. I had a pickup mix-up, which was entirely my fault (plus some wrong directions from my hotel). There are two pickup options for my hotel, and I picked the wrong one. Our driver, Dayney, was so kind about it. He never made me feel bad, checked on me again on the way back to confirm where I was staying, and reminded me that everything is "poko poko." I was stressed and not on island time yet, and his kindness really stuck with me.
I have only two small wishes.
1) I'd love consistent music throughout the day, because when it was playing it added so much.
2) I wish I could have tipped by card/tap. I really wanted to thank the crew and didn't have cash on me.
Tips for future guests:
-Double-check the pickup location you selected.
-If you're new to snorkelling or the water is rough, grab a snorkel vest or pool noodle, especially at the Tugboat.
-It's very windy, so secure your hat.
-Bring reef-safe sunscreen, and your own snorkel and fins if you have them.
-Bring cash for tips.
- have a good quality waterproof phone case to film underwater
Thank you to the whole WE JAMMIN' crew. One of my top experiences here!!’
