How to plan a Cabo bachelorette boat day (and the trip around it)

A private Cabo bachelorette boat for four hours costs USD 909 (MXN 17,399) for up to 10 guests on the Chaparral 28 and USD 1,619 (MXN 30,799) for up to 18 on the double-deck Pontoon 38. Those prices are per boat, with the 16% tax included and the crew tip not included. Only your group is on board, the drinks are yours, and the playlist is too.

Below is how to match the yacht to your headcount, what to bring, what the onboard menu costs, and a 4-day trip with the boat day in the right spot. The bachelorette experience page has photos and the usual route.

How much does a Cabo bachelorette boat cost?

Four hours is the typical length for a bachelorette charter. It gives you time for the Arch, a swim stop, and a slow ride back with music on. Here is what four hours costs on the yachts that fit bachelorette groups best, and what that works out to per person if every seat is filled.

Set your group size and hours to see what each yacht costs per person.

What it costs per person

Guests:

10

Hours2 h3 h4 h6 h

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Per boat, 16% tax included, tip not included. Pick a yacht to see its page.

The crew tip isn't part of the price. If you want to leave one, 15% is the usual suggestion: about USD 243 on the Pontoon 38 for four hours. If you do, collect it in cash before the day so nobody is digging through bags at the dock.

The minimum is two hours on every yacht in this table except the Sea Ray 55, which starts at three. If your group wants a shorter warm-up before a night out, the Pontoon 38 is USD 869 (MXN 16,599) for two hours and USD 1,269 (MXN 23,999) for three. The full price list for every yacht is in our yacht rental cost guide.

Which yacht fits your bachelorette group?

Count everyone, the bride included. The guest limit on each yacht is a hard number, and the crew can't stretch it on the morning of.

Up to 10 guests

The Chaparral 28 is a 28-foot sport boat that comes with a Bluetooth sound system, a lily pad floating mat, snorkel gear and a cooler. It's the lowest price in the fleet and works well for a tight group that wants to swim and play music.

11 or 12 guests

The Sea Ray 36 comes with a captain and deckhand, bottled water and ice, towels and snorkel gear. The Sea Ray 40 is a flybridge yacht, so you get an upper deck with a view over the bow for group photos, plus the same inclusions.

13 to 15 guests

The Sea Ray 55 is a 55-foot flybridge motor yacht with air conditioning, cabins and heads. For a bachelorette this matters more than it sounds: a cool cabin to change in and a real bathroom make four hours on the water easier for everyone. For the swim stop it carries a floating pool, a paddle board, a lily pad and a floating platform.

16 to 18 guests

The Pontoon 38 is the only yacht in the fleet that takes 18. It has a water slide from the upper deck and an enclosed head with a freshwater shower, and two decks give the group room to spread out.

More than 18 people won't fit on any single yacht we list. Compare all of them side by side on the fleet page.

Can you bring alcohol on a Cabo bachelorette yacht?

Yes, as long as everyone drinking is 18 or older. The yachts don't sell or serve alcohol, so the group brings its own. Buy it in town the day before and pack it into the cooler when you board.

Check the yacht page for what's already on board. The Pontoon 38 includes a cooler with ice, the Sea Ray 55 includes bottled water, sodas and ice, and the Chaparral 28 lists a cooler. We'd pack cans over glass bottles, since a deck moves and bare feet are everywhere.

The exceptions to the BYO rule are the Azimut 70, all-inclusive with complimentary drinks and food served by its crew of three from USD 4,199 (MXN 79,799) for three hours, and the McKinna 70. Its crew serves complimentary drinks, and a chef cooks a multi-course menu on board. It takes up to 12 guests, has a 3-hour minimum, and costs USD 4,499 (MXN 85,499) for three hours. For a bride who wants nobody in the group playing bartender, that's the one.

Decorations, music and food on board

A cardstock sign and paper decorations, sashes, a veil, matching swimsuits: all of that is fine. Balloons are out, because the Port Captain doesn't allow them on board. Skip loose confetti and glitter too. The wind takes it over the side and into the water, and what stays on board ends up in every seam of the deck. Tell us what you're planning to bring when you book.

For music, the Chaparral 28 comes with a Bluetooth sound system. On the other yachts, ask about the sound setup when you book, and bring a charged phone with the playlist downloaded so the music doesn't depend on cell signal out on the water.

Food is optional. You order it in the planner along with the yacht, and it's waiting on board. These are cash prices in pesos; paying by card adds 16%.

• Boards and cheese: small MXN 780, medium MXN 1,440, large MXN 2,520, XL MXN 3,120
• Mexican feast: MXN 2,600 for 6 to 8 people, MXN 4,550 for 14 to 16 people
• Burrito platter: MXN 901
• Drinks: bottled water MXN 17, soda MXN 51, Gatorade MXN 68, Red Bull or Monster MXN 102

For a group of 14 or more, the Mexican feast for 14 to 16 is the simplest single order.

What time of day is best for a bachelorette boat?

Departures run from 7 AM to 7 PM, and yachts sail until 8 PM. Yachts that leave from the marina can also stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM, which is a nice way to end the day with the town lights coming on.

Two plans work well for a bachelorette:

1. Midday snorkel day. Four hours on the Santa María route: Pelican Rock, the sea lions, the Arch, then up the coast to snorkel Santa María Bay and a swim stop on the way back. It's 15.5 miles round trip and the most time in the water.
2. Afternoon into sunset. Leave so the last hour lands at golden hour. Sunset in Cabo runs from about 5:36 PM in late November and December to about 7:09 PM in early July. Check the trip guide for your exact dates.

Cabo stays on Mountain Standard Time all year and does not observe daylight saving. If half the group flies in from the East Coast and half from California, set the boarding time in Cabo time on the invite.

The bachelorette experience works best from November through June. Harbor closures happen only when there's a hurricane or storm threat, and most of them fall between September and mid-October. If the Port Captain closes the harbor on your date, you get a new date or a full refund.

A sample 4-day Cabo bachelorette itinerary

The airport for Cabo is Los Cabos International (SJD), about 30 miles from Cabo San Lucas. The drive takes 40 to 50 minutes. Here's a plan that keeps the boat day away from travel days.

The boat goes on Day 2 for a reason. Everyone has slept, nobody is hungover from the big night yet, and if a storm threat closes the harbor you still have Day 3 to move it.

Day 3 belongs to Médano Beach, Cabo's swimming beach: the long strip facing the bay with the beach clubs. It's 0.8 miles from the marina, a walk from the Médano hotels. You'll see it from the water on Day 2, because afternoon cruises often come back along it.

If you'd rather be on the water in the morning, swap Day 2 and Day 3, and book the snorkel route instead of the sunset run. You can find more day-by-day plans in our Cabo itinerary guide.

The day of the charter

Every yacht in this guide boards at Marina Cabo San Lucas in downtown Cabo. You get the exact slip with your confirmation. Arrive 15 minutes early so the group can load coolers and get photos on the dock without eating into your time on the water.

Swimsuits go on under the outfits. Bring flat, soft-sole shoes, towels if your yacht doesn't include them, a light layer for the ride back, and reef-safe sunscreen. The full packing list, with outfit ideas for the group, is in what to wear on a boat in Cabo.

How to book your bachelorette boat

Open the planner, pick the yacht, the date and the number of hours, and add food if you want it. We reply within 2 hours, between 8 AM and 8 PM Cabo time, or you can message us on WhatsApp at +52 624 300 8029.

Once the date is confirmed in writing, you pay through a secure Stripe link by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Prices appear in USD and MXN. Keep the 15% crew tip in cash for the end of the day.

For groups of 16 to 18, start with the Pontoon 38. For 13 to 15 who want air conditioning and cabins, look at the Sea Ray 55.

If the trip is a girls' weekend without a bride, our girls' trip yacht day guide has that version, and the groom's side is in the bachelor party yacht guide.

Yachts in this guide

Chaparral 28Sport boat · up to 10 guestsfrom $519 / 2 hPontoon 38Double-deck party pontoon · up to 18 guestsfrom $869 / 2 hSea Ray 36Express cruiser · up to 12 guestsfrom $659 / 2 hSea Ray 40Flybridge yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $879 / 2 h

Questions people ask

How much does a yacht cost for a Cabo bachelorette party?

Four hours runs from USD 909 (MXN 17,399) on the Chaparral 28 for up to 10 guests to USD 1,619 (MXN 30,799) on the Pontoon 38 for up to 18. Prices are per boat with 16% tax included; the customary 15% crew tip is extra.

Can we bring our own alcohol on a Cabo bachelorette boat?

Yes. The yachts don't sell or serve alcohol, so guests 18 and older bring their own. The exceptions are the Azimut 70 and the McKinna 70, which include complimentary drinks served by their crews.

What is the biggest boat for a bachelorette group in Cabo?

The Pontoon 38, a double-deck party pontoon for up to 18 guests. It has a water slide from the upper deck and an enclosed head with a freshwater shower.

Can we decorate the yacht for the bride?

Yes, with cardstock decorations and a sign. The Port Captain doesn't allow balloons on board. Sashes and a veil are fine too, but leave loose confetti and glitter at home because the wind blows it straight into the water. Tell us what you're bringing when you book.

What happens if the weather cancels our bachelorette boat day?

The Port Captain closes the harbor only under a hurricane or storm threat, and most closures fall between September and mid-October. If it closes on your date, you get a new date or a full refund.

Plan your day on the water

Pick a yacht, the hours and the food in the planner. A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Check availabilitySee the fleet