Which boat, for how many people
Capacity is printed two ways for a reason. The number a boat can legally carry under way is not the number that fits comfortably at anchor, and neither is the number you should book for.
Every listing here shows guests cruising and guests at anchor. They are different numbers, and the gap between them is the single most useful thing on the card.
Cruising versus at anchor
Cruising capacity is what the boat is licensed to carry while moving, and it is fixed by the certificate. At anchor capacity is higher on some hulls because people spread out onto the swim platform and the foredeck once the engines are off. A Lagoon 42 carries 12 under way and holds 16 comfortably sitting still.
Rough guide
| Group | What works | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| 2 people | Shared day tour, or a small self-drive | €38 pp, or €250 a day |
| 4 to 6 | Self-drive 8 m, or a skippered RIB | €250 to €620 |
| 6 to 10 | Sailing yacht or mid-size motor | €1,200 to €1,800 |
| 10 to 16 | Catamaran. The flat deck is the point | €1,800 up |
| 16 to 30 | Party boat, crewed | €2,400 up |
The catamaran argument
For any group above about eight, a catamaran beats a monohull of the same length on comfort by a wide margin. Two hulls means no heel, a deck you can walk across without holding anything, and a shallow draft that lets it anchor closer in at Comino than a keelboat can. It costs more per day and it is usually worth it.
Do not book to the maximum
A boat rated for 12 with 12 aboard, coolboxes, towels and a tender is a full boat. If the group is 12, look at a hull rated for 16. The price step is smaller than the comfort step.
