Private boat trips in Mallorca with a skipper: llaüts, motorboats and yachts by port

On a private trip the skipper, the fuel for the agreed route and insurance are usually included, and the crew takes care of anchoring, preparing the aperitif and keeping an eye on swimmers. You choose the format: about two hours at sunset, a four-hour half day or a seven-to-eight-hour full day. Each boat has a maximum group size, which in our listings ranges from 6 to 12 people on most vessels.

What you should check is the small print: whether fuel is extra (in Cala Ratjada, for example, it is charged per mile), whether there is a supplement per person above a certain number, whether food is included or must be ordered, and what happens if the sea does not allow the trip. Prices on booking portals often appear in dollars or do not match each other, so we only quote the price published by the operator itself.

Fenicia is a Mallorcan llaüt built in 1977 that sails from the Club de Mar in Palma. It is booked for your group alone for a half day, a full day or a sunset trip of about two and a half hours, with an itinerary of your choice and complimentary drinks. It is the most traditional way to cruise the bay: slower and with more character than a catamaran. Our listing has no verifiable price.

If you prefer sail, Islander Charter also leaves the Club de Mar on a 35-foot yacht for up to 9 people, with skipper, fuel, drinks, snorkelling gear and paddleboards; our sailing guide covers the other private yachts in Palma. For large groups, The Boat Charter Mallorca, based in Puerto Portals, arranges skippered charters for 2 to 98 people, also departing from Palma, Cala d'Or and Sóller, with formats such as stag and hen parties, sunset, family, water sports or a private chef. It publishes no rates: quotes are made to measure.

From Port de Sóller, Octopus Mallorca runs private trips of about four hours with a skipper and local guide for up to eight people. There are two routes: east to Sa Calobra and the mouth of the Torrent de Pareis, or west to Na Foradada and Cala Deià. According to the listings, the aperitif, drinks, fuel and snorkelling gear are included, and there is a sunset version.

Compared with the scheduled boat to Sa Calobra, which carries many passengers on a fixed timetable, the private trip lets you stop to swim wherever the sea allows and avoid the busiest hours. The prices shown on booking portals are inconclusive, so ask the operator for a quote. If you only want to get to Sa Calobra, our Sa Calobra guide compares boat, car and hiking.

PM Charter Marine leaves Port de Pollença on a motor yacht towards the Formentor peninsula and coves such as Cala Murta, with swimming and snorkelling. You choose morning, afternoon or a full day, there are several boats for groups of up to nine and, according to SeeMallorca, soft drinks, fruit, snorkelling gear and towels are included. The same company runs Mystic, a fishing boat of about 10 metres for private four- or seven-hour trips with trolling, bottom fishing and jigging; gear, licence and fuel are included and the meeting point is the Moll Nou.

In Can Picafort, Royal Charters offers a 42-foot boat with sonar, GPS and radar for deep-sea fishing, family fishing, snorkelling or simply a cruise, with licences, gear, snacks and drinks handled by the crew; pick-up costs extra. If you do not need the whole boat, Smolin Adventure leaves the same port with groups of no more than six: three hours without a fixed script, visiting coves such as Coll Baix, the Alcúdia lighthouse and a few caves, with drinks, snorkelling gear and a paddleboard included, at 87.50 euros per person on offer according to its website.

Boat Tours Tirant, a family business sailing since 2006, leaves Cala Ratjada harbour on Tirant IV with a professional skipper, an aperitif with drinks, mask and snorkel and pool noodles; paddleboards cost extra. The half day lasts four hours and the full day seven, with a light lunch and white wine. According to its website, the base price is 750 euros for four hours for up to seven people (30 euros more per extra person, up to 10 on board) and 1,450 euros for seven hours; fuel is not included and is charged per mile sailed.

The same company runs a private two-hour sunset trip with cava, which you will find in our sunset boat trip guide. If you are spending several days in the area, our day trips from Cala Ratjada guide gathers the other options in the port.

In Sa Ràpita, the llaüt Sol, a handcrafted wooden boat, cruises the Es Trenc coast with swim stops and soft drinks included according to the listings; there are two- and four-hour versions that reach Es Carbó via Colònia de Sant Jordi. Boarding is at the end of pontoon H at the Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita. If the weather prevents the trip, another date or a full refund is offered; some formats carry a skipper supplement.

For Cabrera, Corb Marí Sea Experience leaves Colònia de Sant Jordi on a traditional llaüt for a single group of up to 7 people, from 10:00 to 18:00. The route reaches Cabrera harbour and sa Cova Blava, and on the island you can walk up to the castle and have a drink at the canteen. Skipper, an aperitif of local produce, drinks, paddleboards, snorkelling gear and insurance are included. According to its website, it costs 980 euros per boat from 15 June to 1 November and 820 euros from 15 April to 14 June, plus 150 euros of extra fuel for Cabrera; bring your own lunch or order it. There is also a two-and-a-half-hour sunset trip.

Write to the operator with the date, the exact number of people (and children's ages), the duration and the area you are interested in, and ask for a fixed price in euros stating what is included: fuel, drinks, food, snorkelling gear and paddleboards, fees and VAT. Also ask about the deposit, the cancellation policy and what happens if the skipper decides not to go out because of sea conditions.

Book early in your holiday, especially in July and August, so you have spare days if the trip has to be moved. And arrive at the meeting point in good time: in marinas you cannot always park nearby or walk onto the pontoons freely.