McKinna 70 vs Azimut 70: which 70-foot yacht to charter in Cabo

The McKinna 70 and the Azimut 70 are the two 70-foot all-inclusive yachts we book in Cabo, and the choice comes down to the crew and the kitchen. The McKinna 70 carries a crew of five including a chef who cooks a multi-course menu on board, from USD 4,499 (MXN 85,499) for three hours. The Azimut 70 carries a crew of three, a set menu on board and complimentary beer and cocktails, with two cabins and an A/C salon, from USD 4,199 (MXN 79,799) for three hours; a chef is an extra charge. Both take up to 12 guests and have a three-hour minimum, and on both the crew serves the drinks as a courtesy (alcohol is never sold on board).

Prices are per boat with the 16% IVA tax included. The customary 15% crew tip is not included on either yacht.

McKinna 70 vs Azimut 70 side by side

"Not listed" means the McKinna 70's yacht page doesn't mention it. If you need one of those items, ask before you book and we'll check with the operator.

Who's on board: crew of five vs crew of three

In practice, the crew is where the two yachts differ most. On the McKinna 70, a crew of five works your charter, including the captain, deckhands and the chef. The chef cooks, and the rest of the crew serves, runs the boat and handles the swim stop. The crew is bilingual. For a group of 12 that wants to be looked after all day, five crew makes a real difference.

On the Azimut 70, the crew of three runs the boat and serves the menu and the drinks. The menu is set, so nobody cooks to order unless you add the chef. For a group that mostly wants the yacht, the flybridge and the swim stop, with food and drinks taken care of, three crew is plenty.

What you eat: multi-course vs set menu

On the McKinna 70, the chef cooks a multi-course menu during the charter. It starts with welcome snacks and fresh guacamole and continues course by course while you're under way or at anchor. Our private dinner cruise guide covers how a sunset dinner on it is timed.

On the Azimut 70, the menu on board is fish ceviche, sashimi, beef or chicken fajitas, and guacamole with chips, served by the crew. If you want a chef cooking to order on the Azimut 70, that's an extra charge quoted with your booking.

Neither yacht sells alcohol. On both, the crew serves drinks as a courtesy: complimentary drinks on the McKinna 70, complimentary beer and cocktails on the Azimut 70. Guests 18 and over may also bring their own, as on every yacht we book.

Cabins, A/C and the flybridge

The Azimut 70's page lists two cabins, an air-conditioned salon and a flybridge, so a group of 12 can split between the upper deck in the sun and the salon out of it, and there's a cabin to change in. It also lists snorkel gear and water toys for the swim stop.

The McKinna 70's page lists the crew, the chef and what's served, and doesn't list cabins or a flybridge. If a specific space on board matters to you (a cabin for a nap, a shaded upper deck), ask when you book and we'll confirm it with the operator.

Where each one boards

The Azimut 70 boards at the IGY Marina Fuel Dock in Marina Cabo San Lucas. There's no dock fee. The McKinna 70 boards at Marina Cabo San Lucas too, with no dock fee; the exact dock comes with your confirmation. Both are downtown, a walk from the Médano Beach hotels and a taxi ride from the resorts along the corridor.

Because both leave from the marina, both can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM after sailing hours end at 8 PM. The Sea Ray 65 can't, since it meets you at Fisherman's Landing restaurant, by the Cabo Escape terminal, and must be back by 8 PM.

McKinna 70 prices

Per boat, 16% tax included, 15% crew tip not included. The per-person column assumes 12 guests.

Azimut 70 prices

Same basis: per boat, tax included, tip not included, 12 guests.

Set your group size and hours to see both yachts per person.

What it costs per person

Guests:

12

Hours2 h3 h4 h6 h

1. Loading

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

Which one for which day

Pick the McKinna 70 when the meal is the reason for the trip: a rehearsal dinner, a client dinner, an anniversary with both families, or a sunset dinner where nobody in your group should have to touch a cooler. The chef and the rest of the crew of five come with the McKinna 70's price.

Pick the Azimut 70 when the water matters more than the food: a long swim stop with the water toys, friends on the flybridge at the Arch, a cabin to retreat to, while the crew serves ceviche, fajitas and cold beer. Add the chef if you want cooking to order.

Both yachts take 12 and neither takes a 13th guest. If your group is bigger, the Sea Ray 55 takes 15 and our large groups guide covers two-yacht days.

How a three or four hour charter runs on either yacht

Three hours covers the standard route with a swim stop: out past Pelican Rock, the sea lion colony and the Arch, a look at Lover's and Divorce Beach, then anchor on the calm bay side before the ride back along Médano Beach. Four hours is enough for the Santa María snorkel route up the coast (15.5 miles round trip) when the bay is open; it's closed for snorkeling for now and expected to reopen in November, so meanwhile the swim stop is at Pelican Rock next to the Arch. Eight hours is the full day with both Santa María and Chileno.

For a sunset on either yacht, leave about an hour and a half before the sun goes down. In Cabo San Lucas the sun sets around 5:35 PM in late November and December and around 7:08 PM in July; the trip guide has the time for your date.

Things that are the same on both

• Up to 12 guests, firm.
• Three-hour minimum, departures from 7 AM to 7 PM, sailing until 8 PM, anchored in the bay until 10 PM.
• The CONANP conservation fee for the protected area around the Arch is included.
• A professional photographer can join for USD 180, with all the photos, paid directly to the photographer.
• Drone, flowers, cake, decorations (cardstock and a sign only; no balloons) and hotel pickup are extras quoted separately.
• If the Port Captain closes the harbor, you get a new date or a full refund.

Booking either one

Open the planner, pick the yacht, your date and three or more hours, and it shows the price in USD and MXN. We reply in writing within two hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time, and send a secure Stripe link once the date is confirmed. If you're still weighing the two, say so in the notes with your group and the occasion, and we'll tell you which one we'd book. The rest of the top of the fleet is on our luxury yachts page and in the all-inclusive guide.

Yachts in this guide

McKinna 70Luxury motor yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $4,499 / 3 hAzimut 70Flybridge motor yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $4,199 / 3 hSea Ray 55Flybridge motor yacht · up to 15 guestsfrom $2,129 / 3 h

Questions people ask

What is the difference between the McKinna 70 and the Azimut 70 in Cabo?

Both are 70-foot all-inclusive yachts for up to 12 with a three-hour minimum. The McKinna 70 includes a chef and a multi-course menu cooked on board with a crew of five; the Azimut 70 has a crew of three, a set menu on board, complimentary beer and cocktails, two cabins and an A/C salon, and a chef is an extra charge.

Does the Azimut 70 in Cabo include food and drinks?

Yes. The price includes a menu on board (fish ceviche, sashimi, beef or chicken fajitas, guacamole with chips), complimentary beer and cocktails served by the crew, water, sodas and ice, plus snorkel gear and water toys. A chef on board is available at an extra charge.

Where do the McKinna 70 and the Azimut 70 board?

The Azimut 70 boards at the IGY Marina Fuel Dock in Marina Cabo San Lucas with no dock fee. The McKinna 70 boards at Marina Cabo San Lucas, also with no dock fee; the exact dock comes with your confirmation.

How many hours do you need on a 70-foot yacht in Cabo?

Both have a three-hour minimum. Three hours covers the Arch route and a swim stop; four hours adds a sunset at anchor or the ride up the coast; eight hours is the full day with Santa María and Chileno.

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