A Cabo graduation trip on a yacht: the group boat day, the 18-and-over rule and how parents book it

For a Cabo graduation trip, the Pontoon 38 takes up to 18 guests for USD 869 (MXN 16,599) for two hours, about USD 48 each, and boards at Dock E of IGY Marina Cabo San Lucas, by Ultrajewels. It's a double-deck pontoon with a water slide. A group of 10 fits on the Chaparral 28 for USD 519 (MXN 9,799) for two hours. The boat is for your group only, and the route passes the Arch and stops for a swim. Prices are per boat with the 16% tax included; the 15% crew tip is extra. If anyone in the group is under 18, plan around the drinks rule: the legal drinking age in Mexico is 18, and the yachts don't sell or serve alcohol.

If you're coming in March, our spring break yacht guide has the weather and the whales. The yacht by group size page lists the whole fleet by headcount.

The boats for a graduation group

Count everyone. Guest limits are firm, and a 19th person means two boats.

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.

The Pontoon 38 is the graduation boat for the same reasons it's the party boat: two flat decks, a water slide from the upper deck, an enclosed head with a freshwater shower and a cooler with ice, at the lowest price per head in the fleet when it's full. The Chaparral 28 has a Bluetooth sound system and a lily pad floating mat for 10. The Sea Ray 36 adds a captain and deckhand, towels and snorkel gear for 12. The Sea Ray 55 is the comfortable one for 15, with A/C, cabins and heads and a floating pool, paddle board, lily pad and floating platform. Our party boat guide goes deeper on the Pontoon 38.

The 18-and-over rule, for parents and graduates

The legal drinking age in Mexico is 18. The yachts don't sell or serve alcohol on any charter, and guests 18 and over may bring their own. Under-18s come on the boat, swim and use the slide; they just can't drink, and the crew enforces it. For a mixed-age group, the simplest plan is a daytime charter built around the swim stop.

The other rules the crew keeps: swimming is only when the boat is anchored and the crew says go; anyone who's been drinking heavily stays on deck; Divorce Beach on the Pacific side is a photo from the boat, never a swim (big surf and a strong undertow). Life jackets are on board, and anyone who isn't a strong swimmer wears one in the water.

A three-hour graduation boat day

Daytime, late morning, so the water is calm and the group is back for dinner.

1. Board at your yacht's dock in Marina Cabo San Lucas (it's on your boarding pass) at 11 AM. Arrive 15 minutes early to load the cooler (water, sodas, snacks; see food below).
2. Out past Pelican Rock, a slow pass by the sea lion colony, the group photo at the Arch. If you added the photographer in the planner (USD 180, paid directly to them), this is where they shoot it.
3. Anchor on the calm bay side near Lover's Beach for an hour. Slide, lily pad, swimming.
4. Food at anchor.
5. Back along Médano Beach, Cabo's swimming beach, by 2 PM.

For a sunset version, leave about 90 minutes before sunset; the trip guide has the sunset time for your date. Yachts from the marina may stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM. Our yacht day itinerary guide lays out two, three and four hours.

Food for a group of 10 to 18

Food is optional and ordered in the planner at cash prices in pesos (card adds 16%). For a graduation group, the Mexican feast for 14 to 16 is MXN 4,550, a burrito platter MXN 901 and the burrito box lunch MXN 289 each. Bottled water is MXN 17 and sodas MXN 51 if the yacht doesn't include them; the Pontoon 38 includes a cooler with ice, the Sea Ray 36 and Sea Ray 55 include bottled water and ice.

What parents need to know when booking

• One adult books. Open the planner with the date, the yacht and the hours, and pay by secure Stripe link once the date is confirmed in writing. Prices show in USD and MXN.
• Put the ages in the notes. We need them for the life jacket sizes and so the drinks rule is clear to the crew. Tell us if a parent or chaperone is coming along; they count toward the guest limit.
• The boat is run by an independent licensed operator with a captain on board, and a deckhand on most yachts.
• The guest limit is firm. A group of 19 needs two boats on the same route; our large groups guide has the pairings.
• Decorations are cardstock and a sign only (the Port Captain no longer allows balloons on board); a cake is an extra quoted separately. No fishing, except on the McKinna 70's sport-fishing charter.
• If the Port Captain closes the harbor under a storm threat, mostly between September and mid-October, you get a new date or a full refund. Book the boat early in the trip so there's a backup day.

Cabo stays on Mountain Standard Time all year, so the boarding time on the group chat should say "Cabo time."

What every yacht on this page includes

• A captain, and a deckhand on most yachts.
• The CONANP conservation fee for the protected area around the Arch.
• Departures from 7 AM to 7 PM, sailing until 8 PM, anchored in the bay until 10 PM from the marina.

Booking the graduation yacht

Count heads, pick the boat, and open the planner with your date and three hours. We reply within two hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time, or on WhatsApp at +52 624 300 8029. For up to 18, the Pontoon 38; for 10, the Chaparral 28; for 10 to 12 with more room, our best yacht for 10 to 12 guests guide.

Yachts in this guide

Pontoon 38Double-deck party pontoon · up to 18 guestsfrom $869 / 2 hChaparral 28Sport boat · up to 10 guestsfrom $519 / 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

What is a good graduation trip activity in Cabo?

A private yacht day for the group: the Arch, a swim stop at Lover's Beach and the ride back along Médano Beach. The Pontoon 38 takes up to 18 for USD 869 (MXN 16,599) for two hours, about USD 48 each, per boat with tax included.

Can high school graduates under 18 drink on a yacht in Cabo?

No. The legal drinking age in Mexico is 18, and the yachts don't sell or serve alcohol; guests 18 and over may bring their own. Under-18s come on the boat and swim, they just can't drink. The crew enforces it.

How much is a graduation trip yacht in Cabo per person?

With a full boat for three hours, about USD 71 each on the Pontoon 38 (18 people), about USD 71 on the Chaparral 28 (10) and about USD 77 on the Sea Ray 36 (12), before the 15% crew tip. One person books and pays by Stripe link, then splits it.

Can parents book the yacht for the graduates and not go?

Yes. A parent books and pays, the group boards at the yacht's dock in Marina Cabo San Lucas with the captain and crew, and for a group with anyone under 18 we need the ages when you book so the life jackets fit and the drinks rule is clear. Tell us if an adult is coming along.

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