Cabo San Lucas Yacht Charter: 8 Boats Compared (2026)

A Cabo San Lucas yacht charter gives you a private boat, your own crew, and a custom route past El Arco and Land's End without sharing the deck with strangers. Many travelers use the terms yacht charter and yacht rental interchangeably in Cabo San Lucas, and this guide covers both, whether you want a luxury yacht rental for a celebration or a budget private boat for a few hours on the water. The choice comes down to four things: the size and style of the boat, how many people you are splitting the cost across, whether you want food and a premium open bar included or prefer to bring your own, and your budget. Get those right and a charter is the best day on the water in Cabo; get them wrong and you have either overpaid for a boat you didn't fill or under-bought for the group you brought.

This guide compares eight yacht charters in Cabo San Lucas side by side, from a $399 private day boat to a $1,450 all-inclusive sailing catamaran with hotel transport, so you can match the right boat to the day you actually want. If you would rather a shared cruise, see our guide to Cabo sunset cruises, which covers the open-bar catamarans and dinner boats instead.

Our picks at a glance:

• Best overall charter: Cabo Private Yacht Tour
• Best value for small groups: Cabo San Lucas Private Yacht Cruise with Open Bar
• Best budget private charter: Boat Trips Club Private Yacht Tour with Snorkel
• Best all-inclusive with transport: Papillon Yachts Private Sailboat Tour
• Best shared luxury option: Wild Cabo Tours Luxury Sailing Yacht + Chef Dinner

Seven of these eight are fully private, so the deck is yours alone, and the eighth is a shared luxury sailing dinner for anyone who would rather not pay for a whole boat. This is where charters really differ: boat size, what is included, and how many people you can split the cost across. Below we break down each charter with photos of the actual boats, so you can see what you are booking, ordered by the kind of day you are after.

With a 5.0 rating across 191 reviews, a private captain and crew, and a $999 per-boat price that covers up to 20 people, this is the charter we would book first for most groups. The 3-hour trip runs past El Arco, anchors at Chileno or Santa Maria Bay for snorkeling, and serves steak and chicken fajitas, ceviche, and chips and guacamole alongside margaritas, beer, and tequila. Split across 10 people it lands near $100 per person (about $50 with a full 20) with food and drinks included, which is why it is our best-overall pick. Check availability.

If you are a couple or a group of up to eight and want a private boat without a four-figure price, this 2 to 3 hour charter is the value sweet spot. It carries a 4.8 rating over 320 reviews, runs an open bar with snacks, and adds snorkeling and a paddleboard at Pelican Rock and Chileno Bay, all for $599 per boat. For six people that is roughly $100 each, and about $75 each with eight. We would lean toward this one for a first charter where keeping the cost reasonable matters more than a cooked lunch. Check availability.

At $487 per boat for up to eight, this 30-foot Maxim yacht is one of the lowest headline prices on the list. It carries a 4.9 rating over 33 reviews and serves chips, salsa, guacamole, and nuts alongside beer, mixers, and juice, with snorkel gear and a floating mat for the El Arco and Land's End route across a roughly 3-hour trip. It has fewer reviews than the bigger operators, and our date checks found bookable departures only from October to April, with none from May to September, so treat it as a cooler-months option when your priority is a private boat for a small spend. Check availability.

This 3-hour private charter for up to eight leans into the water activities, pairing unlimited drinks and snacks with snorkeling and a paddleboard at the calm bays. It holds a 4.8 rating over 62 reviews and is the lowest price on the list at $399 per boat, plus a $5 dock fee paid on the day. We would book this one if the swim-and-snorkel stop is the part of the day you care most about, or if budget comes first. Check availability.

One of the most-reviewed boats on this list, with a 5.0 rating across 249 reviews, is a 42-foot Sea Ray sport cruiser priced at $1,147.50 per boat for up to four guests. It includes an unlimited premium bar, snacks and lunch, and a fully customizable route along the coast and out to the Arch. It is pricier per head than the larger group charters, so it makes the most sense for a couple or a foursome who want a comfortable, upscale boat rather than the biggest deck. Check availability.

The two all-inclusive boats here both come from Papillon Yachts, one of the most established and highly regarded yacht operators in Cabo San Lucas. The catamaran listing shows a smaller review count (57) because it is newer, but the company itself carries well over 1,000 five-star reviews and a strong repeat-booking reputation, so that lower per-listing number understates its track record. This private sailboat is the value entry point: $870 per boat for up to six, with an unlimited open bar, quesadillas, guacamole, and fruit, snorkel gear and a paddleboard, plus round-trip hotel transport, all on a 3-hour sail with a 5.0 rating over 206 reviews. Check availability.

Stepping up from the sailboat, Papillon's all-inclusive sailing catamaran runs $1,450 per boat for up to six and folds a premium open bar, quesadillas and ceviche, watersports gear, and round-trip air-conditioned transport into one price. It holds a 4.8 rating over 57 reviews and offers more deck space and a steadier ride than the sailboat, for groups who want the catamaran experience with everything handled. Check availability.

If you do not want to charter a whole boat, the Tu Enamorado luxury sailing yacht is the one shared option here, at $199 per person, plus a $5 dock and protected-area fee paid on the day. It is not private: the boat seats up to 40 adults (18 and over) and pairs a chef-prepared dinner with a premium open bar as you sail the coast at dusk. It carries a 4.5 rating over 310 reviews, lower than the private boats, and the reviews are more split: with up to 40 guests it can feel busier than the "intimate" framing suggests, it often runs under motor rather than sail, and steak doneness gets mixed feedback. Set expectations accordingly. It is the one to consider over a private charter only if you are a couple wanting a polished dinner-at-sea without paying for the entire vessel. Check availability.

Most of these yacht charters run year-round in Cabo, and because they are private, you set the start time. The season mostly changes what you see and how much you pay, not whether boats sail, though the Baja Vikings Maxim showed no bookable dates from May to September.

For a private charter, a morning departure usually means calmer water and better snorkeling, while a late-afternoon start trades the swim time for golden light at the Arch. We'd give the morning slot the edge if snorkeling is your priority, since calmer early water means better visibility, and save the afternoon for groups who care more about photos at the Arch. For the full month-by-month picture, see our Cabo in summer guide and the seasonal weather guides linked throughout the site.

Nearly every Cabo San Lucas yacht charter departs from the marina, either the main Marina Cabo San Lucas or the IGY Marina docks beside the Puerto Paraiso mall in the heart of downtown. Your confirmation names the exact dock, so arrive about 20 minutes early and allow time to find it, since the marina is large and walking between docks can take 10 to 15 minutes.

• Meeting point and docks: Charters board from numbered or lettered docks around the marina horseshoe, and several boats, including the all-inclusive Papillon Yachts fleet, check in near the IGY Marina by Puerto Paraiso. Match the dock or kiosk named on your confirmation rather than guessing.
• Parking: Paid lots and a garage sit around the marina and at the Puerto Paraiso mall, which backs onto the boardwalk. Street parking is limited at peak times, so a paid lot is the reliable choice for a morning departure.
• Taxi and Uber: Taxis and rideshare reach the marina easily from the Tourist Corridor and San Jose del Cabo. Agree on a taxi fare before the ride, since most are not metered, and have the driver drop you at the marina's main entrance or Puerto Paraiso, then walk to your dock.
• Walking from downtown: If you are staying in or near downtown Cabo San Lucas or Medano Beach, the marina is a flat 5 to 20 minute walk from most central hotels, the simplest option for an early start.
• Charters that pick you up: Papillon Yachts' two all-inclusive boats, the sailboat and the sailing catamaran, include round-trip air-conditioned transport from your hotel, which is part of why they cost more.
• The route from the marina: Boats head out past Pelican Rock, the Land's End sea lion colony, Lover's Beach, and El Arco, then continue along the corridor to anchor at Chileno Bay or Santa Maria Bay, both protected reserves with clear water and reef fish, for the snorkeling stop.

Because the boat is yours, the itinerary is flexible: you can spend more time snorkeling at Chileno Bay, ask to linger at El Arco for photos, or cut the swim short and cruise the coast instead. The map below shows how these spots line up along the route from the marina out to Land's End.

Almost every charter follows the same headline run along Land's End before anchoring at a calm bay, and because the boat is yours, you decide how long to linger at each stop. These are the spots your captain can work into the route:

• El Arco (The Arch): The iconic rock arch at Land's End and the signature photo stop on every trip.
• Pelican Rock: A sheltered snorkeling spot just inside the bay with reef fish and clear water, popular for the first swim.
• Lover's Beach and Divorce Beach: The twin beaches at Land's End, one facing the calm Sea of Cortez and one the open Pacific, reachable only by boat.
• Chileno Bay: A protected reserve along the corridor with some of the best snorkeling, a common anchoring point for the swim stop.
• El Medano Beach and Pedregal: The main town beach and the cliffside Pedregal coastline you cruise past leaving and returning to the marina.

The map above shows how these stops line up along the route from the Cabo San Lucas Marina out to Land's End and along the corridor, so you can picture the day before you book.

Most private Cabo San Lucas yacht charters cost between $399 and $1,450 per boat for a roughly 3-hour trip, priced per vessel rather than per person. Budget private day charters run about $399 to $599, full-service yachts with food and a bar sit around $999 to $1,147.50, and all-inclusive charters with an open bar, food, and round-trip transport run about $870 to $1,450. A shared luxury sailing dinner is the one per-person option, at $199 plus a $5 dock fee. Check current prices to compare what is available on your dates.

If you are weighing a private yacht charter against a shared sunset cruise or a large catamaran, the difference comes down to exclusivity, timing, and how the price is structured. All three pass the same Land's End sights, El Arco, Pelican Rock, and the sea lion colony, so the real choice is the kind of day you want.

• Private yacht charter or rental: The whole boat is yours, with a custom route past El Arco and a swim stop at Chileno Bay or Santa Maria Bay. Priced per boat, from about $399 to $1,450, so it is best value when you fill the deck with a group and want to set your own pace.
• Shared sunset cruise: A set departure on a larger boat with other guests, priced per person at roughly $60 to $115, with open bar and the Arch at golden hour. Cheaper for a couple or solo traveler, but you share the deck and the schedule. See our Cabo sunset cruise guide for those options.
• Luxury catamaran: A middle ground, available both as shared cruises and as private all-inclusive rentals like Papillon Yachts' sailing catamaran, with more deck space and a steadier ride than a monohull sailboat.

Our rule of thumb: for two people on a budget, a shared sunset cruise wins on price; for a group, a private yacht charter usually costs about the same per head while giving you the boat, the route, and the timing to yourselves.

A yacht charter takes up a half-day, which leaves the rest open for another activity. From December through April, the same waters host gray and humpback whales, so if your charter does not turn into a whale sighting on its own, a dedicated whale watching tour is a natural pairing. For a quieter end to the day, a shared sunset cruise covers the Arch again in golden light without chartering a second boat.

If you would rather mix water and land, a morning charter pairs well with an afternoon ashore. See our Cabo snorkeling guide for the best reef stops if you want more time underwater, or our things to do in Cabo San Lucas guide to build out the rest of the trip.

• Fill the boat to get the value: Charters are priced per vessel, so the more people you split it across, the lower the cost per head. If your group is small, the $599 open-bar yacht or the $399 Boat Trips Club yacht make more sense than a large boat.
• Compare inclusions, not just price: A cheaper charter may be bring-your-own alcohol and food, while a slightly pricier one includes an open bar and a cooked lunch. Read what is actually covered before judging which is the better deal.
• Check for per-person add-ons: Some boats quote a low base price for a small group, then charge per extra person. Confirm the all-in price for your exact group size.
• Budget for fees and tips: Some charters add a marine-park or dock fee paid on the day (about $5 on the Boat Trips Club yacht and the shared sailing dinner), and crew gratuity is customary and rarely included. Bring cash for both.
• Decide if you need transport: Most charters do not include hotel pickup. If you would rather not arrange a taxi, the two all-inclusive Papillon charters include round-trip transport, which is part of their higher price.
• Confirm your anchored swim time: The stop where you anchor in a calm bay to swim, snorkel, and use the floating mat is what most groups rate highest, sometimes an hour or more. A charter that anchors longer often beats one that spends the time cruising, so ask how the time is split.
• Ask the captain to prioritize whales in season: From December through April, crews on private boats routinely detour toward whales, and because the itinerary is yours, you can trade some swim time for a longer look when they appear.
• Tell the operator about any celebration: Crews frequently add a cake, decorations, or birthday music for birthdays, anniversaries, and honeymoons, so mention the occasion when you book rather than on the day.
• If a listing calls itself a "sailing" yacht, ask whether the sails go up: Some sail-style boats motor the whole way, which disappoints guests expecting to actually sail. Confirm the vessel and how it runs if sailing is the point.
• Build in a weather buffer: Cabo's harbor occasionally closes in high winds, which can cancel a sailing, so avoid booking on your last possible day and favor charters with free cancellation.
• Bring a light layer for late departures: It cools off noticeably on the water once the sun drops. Some boats hand out blankets, but not all, so pack a sweater or windbreaker for an afternoon or sunset charter.
• Book December to April ahead: Peak-season weekends and the whale-watching overlap mean the best-rated boats fill up. A few days' notice is usually enough.
• Pick your departure time on purpose: A morning charter usually means calmer water and better snorkeling; a late-afternoon start trades swim time for golden light at the Arch.
• Going for whales too? If you are visiting in season, our whale watching guide covers the trips that pair well with a charter.