No trip to Cabo San Lucas is complete without a tour on a pirate ship. The Buccaneer Queen is a 96-feet long ship that has been used in movies and television commercials and now gives boat tours in the water around Cabo San Lucas.

There are different types of tours you can take on the Buccaneer Queen: The Sunset Cruise and the daytime Snorkeling Tour, which start at 11am and 6pm respectively. The boat can also be privately chartered and the Buccaneer Queen also offers whale-watching tours on season from January through April.

The boat can be found in the main marina in Cabo San Lucas near the Hotel Hacienda and is unmistakably easy to spot with its bright black and gold décor. You will need to provide your own transportation to the marina. If you are staying directly in Cabo San Lucas you should be able to walk to the marina or take a short taxi ride.

You can book reservations through a company such as Viator or you can contact the Buccaneer Queen ship directly at:

Phone: (624) 144-4217 and 144-4218.
Monday through Friday 10:30am to 2:30pm; 6pm to 8pm
E-mail: bbucanero@prodigy.net.mx.

Currently the 11am snorkeling tour is offered at $50 if you book directly with the Buccaneer Queen. Note that the Buccaneer Queen participates in the Prepaid Voucher Program. (See my Planning Activities review for more information).

The staff of the Buccaneer Queen dresses up like pirates and is knowledgeable about the area and its history. They have props, hats and plastic swords that they have your wear to take pictures in pirate regalia. This is especially fun if you have children. In addition to taking pictures that they try to sell you later they also eagerly take pictures with your own camera.

A trip on the Buccaneer Queen is good year-round as with most boat tours in Cabo San Lucas, and the view from the boat is amazing. This tour is particularly well known and popular. The optional snorkeling is around Chileno Bay and is a tried and true endeavor – they systematically get the group ready, including lending out snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel and fins) free of charge, and then they have the group jump in the water one at a time and snorkel around the rocks. The snorkeling group returns back to the boat 35 minutes later in like manner.

After snorkeling they serve sandwiches and sides for lunch. For us they served tuna sandwiches, though I’m not sure if it is the same everyday. If you are vegetarian or have special dietary needs you may want to check with the staff to see how they can meet your individual needs. More importantly, the ship has an open bar–all alcoholic and non-alcohol beverages are free. The bar is a full one, so in addition to canned beverages they also have liquor and can make mixed drinks. That said, I highly suggest not drinking heavily before a snorkel for obvious reasons.