Cabo catamaran tour or private yacht: what changes for a group of 10 to 18

A Cabo catamaran tour is a shared trip: you buy a seat, board at a set time, and spend the trip on a big two-hulled boat with every other ticket holder. A private yacht puts only your group on board, leaves when you choose, and is priced per boat. For a group of 18, the double-deck Pontoon 38 costs USD 1,269 (MXN 23,999) for three hours with tax included, about USD 71 each before the tip.

We don't have catamarans in our fleet. What we have are private yachts that cover the same snorkel and sunset days the big cats are known for, and two of them are built for large groups.

What a shared catamaran tour in Cabo is like

When people search for a Cabo catamaran cruise, they usually mean the large shared boats that leave from Marina Cabo San Lucas. A catamaran has two hulls joined by a wide, flat deck, which gives it a lot of open space and room for a crowd.

The shared tours sell tickets per person. Each one runs on a published schedule and a fixed route, and you share the deck, the bathrooms and the music with everyone else who booked that departure. Many of them include an open bar and snacks. Some are snorkel trips during the day; others are sunset cruises that lean toward a party.

For a couple or a small group on a budget, a shared catamaran is an easy way to see the Arch. It starts to make less sense when your own group is big enough to fill a boat.

Cabo catamaran tour vs private yacht, side by side

On the day itself, the differences people notice most are deck space, time in the water, and whether the sunset lines up with the trip.

Deck space: how much room your group really gets

On a shared catamaran, the deck is big but so is the passenger count, and a group of 15 can end up spread across the boat wherever there's room.

On a private yacht the whole deck belongs to your group. Three yachts in our fleet suit groups that would otherwise book a catamaran:

• The Pontoon 38 is a 38-foot double-deck party pontoon for up to 18 guests. It has a water slide from the upper deck, an enclosed head with a freshwater shower, a cooler with ice, and a captain and deckhand.
• The Sea Ray 55 is a 55-foot flybridge motor yacht for up to 15. It has air conditioning, cabins and heads, plus bottled water, sodas and ice.
• The Sea Ray 40 is a 40-foot flybridge yacht for up to 12. It comes with a captain and deckhand, bottled water and ice, a cooler, towels and snorkel gear.

On the two flybridge yachts, the upper deck works like the top level of a catamaran: a high, open place to watch the Arch go by. The Pontoon 38 has two decks of its own.

The catamaran snorkeling tour, done privately

A Cabo catamaran snorkeling tour usually means a few hours out with a stop in a calm cove. On a private yacht, the matching trip is our 4-hour Santa María route, which runs 15.5 miles round trip:

1. Pelican Rock, a rocky point at the foot of Land's End inside the bay, where reef fish swim close to the surface.
2. The sea lion colony on the rocks next to the Arch. Captains slow down and idle nearby.
3. The Arch, the granite arch at the tip of the Baja peninsula.
4. Santa María Bay, a sheltered horseshoe cove up the coast with reef along both points and clear water.
5. A swim stop on the way back, then Médano Beach.

The difference on a private boat is time. There's no other group waiting to move on, so you stay in the water as long as the captain says conditions are good. With five to eight hours you can add Chileno Bay, the next cove over, with lunch at anchor.

Our snorkel experience is built around this route, and its best months are July, October and November. Snorkel gear is listed on the Sea Ray 40 and the Sea Ray 55. For the Pontoon 38, check the yacht page and ask about gear when you book. If you're choosing between the two coves, our Santa María vs Chileno Bay guide compares them.

The catamaran sunset cruise, done privately

A Cabo catamaran sunset cruise leaves at the operator's time. On a private yacht, you pick the departure so the boat is in the right place when the light turns.

Our sunset cruise is typically two hours. The Pacific route goes around Land's End to face the sun as it drops toward the Cabo Falso lighthouse, about 12 miles round trip. A rule of thumb is to leave the dock about an hour and a half before sunset, which lands anywhere from about 5:35 PM in November and December to about 7:08 PM in July.

The evening doesn't have to end when the sun goes down. Yachts sail until 8 PM, and yachts from the marina may stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM. A shared cruise heads back on its schedule. Your own boat can sit at anchor while the town lights come on.

For month-by-month sunset times and the bay route versus the Pacific route, see our guide to the best sunset cruise in Cabo.

Open bar on a catamaran vs bring your own on a yacht

This is the biggest practical difference. Many shared catamarans include drinks in the ticket. On our yachts, alcohol is not sold or served. Guests 18 and over bring their own, and you load the cooler before you leave the dock.

For a lot of groups that works in their favor. You bring the drinks you like, in the amount you want, and nobody waits in line at a bar. Cans travel better than glass on a moving deck.

The exceptions are the Azimut 70, with complimentary beer and cocktails and a menu on board from USD 4,199 (MXN 79,799) for three hours, and the McKinna 70, where the crew serves complimentary drinks and a chef cooks a multi-course menu on board. Each takes up to 12 guests with a 3-hour minimum; the McKinna 70 starts at USD 4,499 (MXN 85,499). If the open bar is the reason you were looking at catamarans, that's the yacht to look at.

Food on the other yachts is optional. You can order from our menu in the planner: a Mexican feast is MXN 2,600 for 6 to 8 people or MXN 4,550 for 14 to 16, and a large cheese and charcuterie board is MXN 2,520. Those are cash prices; paying by card adds 16%.

What a private yacht costs per person for a big group

These are per-boat prices with the 16% IVA tax included. The per-person column assumes a full boat and does not include the customary 15% crew tip.

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

What it costs per person

Guests:

14

Hours2 h3 h4 h6 h

1. Loading

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

In pesos, the Pontoon 38 is MXN 16,599 for two hours, MXN 23,999 for three and MXN 30,799 for four. The Sea Ray 55 starts at three hours: MXN 40,399 for three and MXN 51,499 for four. The Sea Ray 40 is MXN 16,799, MXN 22,799 and MXN 28,499.

The 15% crew tip is a suggestion, paid in cash on board, and isn't included in these prices.

To compare, take the per-person price of the shared tour you're looking at, multiply it by your headcount, and set it against the per-boat price above. Remember to add the drinks you'd bring yourself.

When a shared catamaran is still the better pick

A shared catamaran makes more sense in a few cases:

• You're two to four people and the lowest price matters most.
• You want a crowd and a bar someone else runs.
• The set departure time already works for you.

For a full side-by-side of shared boats versus private ones at every group size, our private yacht vs shared boat tour guide covers the math for groups of six and up.

What about a private catamaran charter?

Some people search for a Cabo catamaran charter because they want the catamaran's space without the strangers. We don't book catamarans, so if it has to be a catamaran, we're not the right fit.

If what you're after is room for a big group on a private boat, the Pontoon 38 (18 guests) and the Sea Ray 55 (15 guests) are the two to compare. The Pontoon 38 is the more social boat, with the slide and two open decks. The Sea Ray 55 has air conditioning and cabins, which matters for older guests, small kids, or anyone who wants to get out of the sun. Groups larger than 18 don't fit on any one of our yachts.

Booking the private version

Both trips board at Marina Cabo San Lucas, downtown, and you get the exact slip with your confirmation. Of our yachts, only the McKinna 70 does fishing trips; the others are pleasure yachts with no fishing permits.

If the Port Captain closes the harbor under a storm threat, which happens mostly between September and mid-October, you choose a new date or get a full refund.

Start with your headcount and the kind of day you want, snorkel or sunset. Compare the boats on the fleet page, then open the planner to see the exact price in USD and MXN and add food. We reply within two hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time, and once the date is confirmed in writing you pay by secure Stripe link.

Yachts in this guide

Pontoon 38Double-deck party pontoon · up to 18 guestsfrom $869 / 2 hSea Ray 55Flybridge motor yacht · up to 15 guestsfrom $2,129 / 3 hSea Ray 40Flybridge yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $879 / 2 hAzimut 70Flybridge motor yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $4,199 / 3 h

Questions people ask

Do you have catamarans in Cabo?

No. Our fleet has thirteen private yachts, from a 28-foot sport boat to a 70-foot motor yacht, and none is a catamaran. For a big group, the Pontoon 38 takes up to 18 guests and the Sea Ray 55 up to 15.

Is a private yacht cheaper than a catamaran tour for a group?

Often, once the group is 12 or more. The Pontoon 38 for 18 guests is USD 1,269 (MXN 23,999) for three hours, about USD 71 each before the 15% crew tip, with tax included.

Can we snorkel on a private yacht like on a catamaran snorkel tour?

Yes. The 4-hour Santa María route stops at Pelican Rock and then snorkels Santa María Bay, 15.5 miles round trip. The Sea Ray 40 includes snorkel gear; on other yachts, check the yacht page.

Is there an open bar on a private yacht in Cabo?

Only on the Azimut 70 and the McKinna 70, where the crew serves it. On every other yacht we don't sell or serve alcohol, and guests 18 and over bring their own.

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