Cabo boat tour cancelled for weather? Port closures, rain, wind and your money back

A Cabo boat tour is cancelled for weather only when the Port Captain closes the harbor, and that happens only under hurricane or storm threat or in extraordinary situations. Most closures fall between September and mid-October. If the harbor is closed on your date, you choose a new date or a full refund. Rain on its own doesn't cancel a charter, and it's rare: from December to June it falls on 5% of days or fewer.

Here is the policy in full, how often it comes into play, and what happens on the in-between days with a bit of wind or a passing shower.

Who decides if boats go out in Cabo?

The Port Captain. In Mexico, the Capitanía de Puerto is part of the Mexican Navy, and it controls whether boats can leave the harbor. Neither we nor the yacht operators decide to close the port.

This is our weather policy, word for word as we apply it:

The Port Captain (Capitanía de Puerto, Mexican Navy) closes the harbor only under hurricane or storm threat or extraordinary situations. Most closures fall September to mid-October. If the harbor is closed: new date or full refund.

What happens if the port is closed on my date?

You pick one:

• A new date.
• A full refund of what you paid.

Our terms add two related cases. If your captain decides conditions are unsafe before departure, even with the port open, you get the same choice. And if a charter has to end early because of weather, we refund the unused hours.

Refunds go back to the original payment method. We process them within 3 to 7 business days of confirming the cancellation in writing, and your bank may take another 5 to 10 business days to show the credit.

When do port closures happen in Cabo?

Most closures fall between September and mid-October. Outside that window, they are uncommon.

The rain numbers from our trip guide show the same pattern. These are the share of days with at least 1 mm of rain, averaged over 10 years (2015 to 2024):

August and September are the only months where rain shows up on about a third of days. From November through June, a rainy charter day is unusual.

Early fall also brings the warmest water of the year, around 85°F (29°C) in September and October. If you travel then, book your boat early in the trip, so a closure still leaves days to reschedule. Our guide to Cabo in October goes deeper on that month.

Which months have the most settled boat days?

Our trip guide rates every month for "days on deck": highs between 76°F and 86°F (24°C and 30°C) and rain on 10% of days or fewer. Here is how the year looks for a boat day:

The two "possible" months are the ones with the most rain, and September also sits inside the window when most harbor closures happen. July and October lose a step mostly for heat, so a morning or sunset departure makes them comfortable.

August and September are still bookable, and the water is at its warmest. If your dates are flexible and a boat day is the main event, though, November to June gives you the best odds of a dry, settled day.

Sunset and whale trips

For sunset cruises, clouds and wind matter most. The guide rates a month "best" for sunsets when rain falls on 7% of days or fewer and the daily top wind stays at 13 mph (21 km/h) or less. That holds in January, February, March, June, November and December.

Whale trips line up with the dry season. Humpbacks start arriving in November, and the official season ran December 15 to April 30 for 2025 to 2026, with January and February as the peak. Those are some of the driest months of the year, with rain on 1% to 5% of days.

What happens if it rains on my Cabo boat tour?

Most of the time, you go. Our terms say it plainly: light rain, clouds or a choppy sea that the captain considers safe are not grounds for cancellation.

A few ideas if the sky looks gray:

• Bring a light layer. Evenings on the water can feel cool, more so if you're wet from a swim.
• Pick a boat with room below deck. The Sea Ray 55 has cabins and air conditioning.
• Keep phones in a dry bag or a zip bag.

What about wind?

Wind matters more than rain for how the day feels. It usually builds after midday, so mornings tend to be calmer. Spring is the breeziest season: our climate data puts the typical daily top wind at 13 to 15 mph (21 to 24 km/h) from March to June, against 11 to 12 mph (18 to 19 km/h) from October to December.

Here is the live forecast for Cabo San Lucas.

The bay and Land's End are usually calm. The Pacific side and the open water up the corridor have more swell.

So on a windy day, the route changes. Under our terms, safety decisions by the Port Captain and by your captain are final, and that includes changing the route, skipping a stop or returning early. In practice, the captain can do things like:

• Staying inside the bay: Pelican Rock for a snorkel, Lover's Beach for a swim, the Arch and the sea lions, and back along Médano Beach.
• Skipping the Pacific side of Land's End, or keeping it to a quick look from a distance.
• Swapping a long run up the corridor for more time in the bay.

Authorities also sometimes close specific spots, like the beach under the Arch or Divorce Beach. A closed stop is skipped, and that isn't grounds for a refund. If you get seasick easily, read our guide to seasickness on a Cabo boat for calm routes and the best time of day.

What if I need to cancel for another reason?

If your own plans change, our terms set the refund by how far ahead you cancel:

No-shows, late arrivals, seasickness or asking to return early don't qualify for a refund. If the yacht itself has a mechanical problem and can't leave, you choose a comparable yacht if one is available, a new date, or a full refund.

How to plan around Cabo weather

• Check the forecast on the trip guide. It covers about nine days, and for dates further out the planner shows typical conditions for that exact week.
• Book a morning departure if calm water matters to you. Departures run from 7 AM to 7 PM, Cabo time, which is Mountain Standard Time all year.
• Put the boat day early in your trip from September to mid-October, so a closure leaves time for a new date.
• For the months with the least rain and steady conditions, see the best time to visit Cabo.

Booking with the weather in mind

Send your date, group size and preferred time through the planner. We reply in writing within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time. Your date is booked once we confirm it in writing and your payment goes through the secure Stripe link. If the Port Captain closes the harbor on that day, you choose a new date or a full refund.

Yachts in this guide

Sea Ray 55Flybridge motor yacht · up to 15 guestsfrom $2,129 / 3 h

Questions people ask

Who cancels boat tours in Cabo for weather?

The Port Captain (Capitanía de Puerto, part of the Mexican Navy) closes the harbor, and only under hurricane or storm threat or extraordinary situations. Most closures fall September to mid-October.

What happens if the port is closed in Cabo San Lucas on my charter date?

You choose: a new date or a full refund of what you paid.

Is my Cabo boat tour cancelled if it rains?

No. Under our terms, light rain, clouds or a choppy sea that the captain considers safe are not grounds for cancellation. Rain is also rare: from December to June it falls on 5% of days or fewer.

What happens on a windy day?

The captain can change the route, skip a stop or return early for safety, usually keeping you inside the calmer bay. If a charter ends early for weather, we refund the unused hours.

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