Monforte III Luxury Cruise

from Menu International Aruba 2022

SET SAIL FOR SUPPER:

THE MONFORTE III EXCLUSIVE DINNER CRUISE

Twenty-five of us are sipping glasses of sparkling wine at Pelican Pier as the Monforte III crew prepares the Brazilian-made 115-foot schooner for our evening sail and four-course dinner.

The musician hops aboard with his violin (there’s always a live musician, either a violinist, guitarist, pianist or vocalist) while our head waiter, bartender and captain offer hands to help us across the gangplank.

The on-board chef and her sous are already down below preparing the grouper ceviche with sweet potato crème and diced mangoes for our first course. Our head waiter, Alex, welcomes us to the ship, announces that the premium bar is open and invites us to wander between the bow and the stern to take pictures and enjoy the view as we head to Boca Catalina, where we’ll anchor for our meal.

This is not your typical boat tour. A number of tables with comfortable banquette seating have been set for anywhere from two to eight people, according to reservations. Each is set apart, with two elevated two-person seating areas at the stern allowing for more intimate experiences; at one, newlyweds sip specialty mojitos with their legs stretched out in front of them on plush pillows, like a Moroccan tent as the anchored boat rocks gently in the bay.

With a three-hour duration from 6-9 p.m. (plus a pre-dinner drink when you arrive for check-in at 5:30), the Monforte III dinner cruises always come with a sunset, no matter the time of year. They also come with the visual show of chefs plating courses directly in front of you. Ours carefully places cherry tomatoes on top of the second-course poached shrimp salad and swirl strawberry sauce onto plates for the coconutcaramel flan dessert. The menu varies each year, but the chefs are happy to accommodate vegetarians, guests who don’t eat raw fish or have any other dietary restrictions. They’ll even change the menu for returning guests upon request.

Photography: Kenneth Theysen

The adult-only dinner cruise has been drawing food-loving guests looking for a relaxing evening and a stunning sunset since 2017. But for those looking to get into the water, the same boat also services the morning Luxury Lagoon Cruise, which comes with pre-swim fruit, an assorted cheese platter, lunch of fresh fish and peanut sate as well as snorkeling, kayaking, rope swinging and the same unlimited bar.

In addition to the sequestered newlyweds, several other couples and families are celebrating this evening. One couple in their seventies is on Aruba to celebrate their fiveyear anniversary, they tell Alex. When our violinist, Omar, asks them if they have any requests during the main course (exquisitely grilled beef tenderloin with red wine sauce, creamy lobster salad and roasted potatoes), he serenades them with their wedding song, a rendition so beautiful that half the boat is dabbing at tears, either from the romance or the salty ocean breeze. “I have loved you for a thousand years. I’ll love you for a thousand more,” the couple mouths along to the violin as it tremolos to a high note and the husband reaches for his wife’s hand.

It’s no wonder the Monforte III has seen its share of weddings and vow renewals. It’s also seen a number of proposals – a sunset serenade is seemingly the moment of choice to pop the question, though there’s something special about the period after dinner when the schooner heads back towards the shore.

As we stand up from our tables and move to the open-air deck with our after-dinner cognac, high-end whisky or one last caipirinha, the violinist has retired for the night and cheerful music is playing gently on the speakers. The close-knit crew is relaxing around the helm after a job well done. As lights twinkle in the high-rise hotel area ahead, the stars are unobstructed above, creating a glittering canvas to end an already stellar evening. And as we step off the boat at Pelican Pier, our land legs welcome us back to shore, accompanied by a warm farewell from the crew. We’ll be back. At least a thousand more times.

The Monforte III Exclusive Dinner Cruise

$149 per person.

Four-course dinner with unlimited premium beverages. DEPARTURE: Pelican Pier. DESTINATION: Boca Catalina Bay, West Coast. DURATION: 6:00-9:00 p.m. DAYS: Mondays and Thursdays. Additional dates are listed on the Monforte III website.