Boat Trips Cape Town: Private Crewed Charters

Boat Trips in Cape Town: Enjoy a Private Crewed Charter

Boat trips Cape Town through Chartercraft are private crewed charters from two hours to a full day, departing the V&A Waterfront Marina. Rates starts at the entry-level tier per hour on Le Cat. Trips are destination-led: the question is where you want to go, not which boat. Common routes head south along the Atlantic Seaboard to Clifton, on to Hout Bay and the Cape fur seal colony at Duiker Island, or, when the weather allows, all the way down to Cape Point. The fleet covers small intimate groups through to 140-guest power catamarans. Every vessel is SAMSA-licensed.

What we mean by private boat trips Cape Town

Private boat trips Cape Town through us are exclusive use of the vessel. Your group, your route, your start time, your music. That’s the difference from the scheduled tours that run from the same V&A on fixed timetables. Those are shared with sixty to a hundred passengers and follow a set route. A private trip costs more per person than a shared scheduled cruise but less than people often expect: mid-tier rate per hour on Enigma divided across fifty guests works out under entry-level per-person rate for a two-hour run, comparable to the published rates on shared sunset cruises.

The advantage isn’t just exclusivity. A private trip can change route mid-charter (skipper’s discretion), add a swim stop, run later if the sunset is unusually good, or come back early if a guest is uncomfortable. None of which is available on a scheduled product.

Boat hire Cape Town routes

Where boat hire Cape Town actually goes. Five routes cover most of what we book:

  • Atlantic Seaboard short. Two hours. Out past Mouille Point, Sea Point, Clifton, Camps Bay, back. The classic sundowner route.
  • Granger Bay anchor stop. Two to three hours. Short hop east, drop anchor in the sheltered bay, swim or paddle, back. Kid-friendly.
  • Clifton drift. Two and a half to three hours. Anchor off Clifton 4th if the swell allows. Lunch or canapés on board.
  • Hout Bay and Duiker Island. Four to five hours. South via the Twelve Apostles, past Chapman’s Peak from the water, close pass of the Cape fur seal colony at Duiker Island (about a thousand seals), back along the Atlantic Seaboard.
  • Cape Point full day. Eight hours plus. Weather-dependent. Motor yachts and the larger catamarans only. Books out three months ahead in summer.

Other variants on request: Llandudno bay (rough waters, sheltered cove), False Bay if conditions allow, harbour-only inside Table Bay for weather-restricted days.

Half day boat trips Cape Town and full-day options

Half day boat trips Cape Town are the four-to-five-hour bookings that most groups end up choosing. Long enough to get out beyond the Atlantic Seaboard and reach Hout Bay or Duiker Island; short enough to fit comfortably between morning meetings and an evening commitment. Catering on board, optional swim stop, return by mid-afternoon. Pricing: a mid-tier to premium-tier range for the boat for half a day, depending on which vessel.

Full-day options (six to eight hours plus) are the Cape Point voyages and the longer wedding-party charters. Cape Point is weather-dependent and only on motor yachts and the larger catamarans; we book a specific Saturday and watch the forecast. Three-day cancellation cushion is standard for weather-dependent full-day trips.

Two-hour bookings are the minimum charter and the pricing floor; mostly used for sundowner cruises and short coastal runs.

Boat trips Cape Town — motor yacht on the Atlantic Seaboard

What’s included

The per-hour rate covers:

  • Exclusive use of the vessel for the booked period
  • Skipper plus crew (ratio matched to guest count)
  • Fuel
  • Pre-departure safety briefing and equipment
  • On-board sound system, Bluetooth-enabled

Quoted separately: catering and bar package, photographer, custom décor, wedding officiant, on-board entertainment. Most arranged through Cape Town suppliers we book through often.

Why book the trip through us

  • Independent agency, no operator bias. We recommend the right boat for your trip and your weather, not the one we own.
  • Fourteen-plus vessels across four classes (motor yacht, sailing yacht, power cat, sailing cat)
  • Per-hour pricing in Rand, two-hour minimum, no resort fees
  • Annual operator inspection, SAMSA-licensed crews
  • Single booking manager per trip with direct mobile
  • Quote in 24 hours, signed terms before payment, card or EFT
Private boat trips Cape Town off Clifton 4th

What’s on the cruise route

  • Table Mountain from sea level
  • The V&A Waterfront’s working harbour and the Silo Hotel
  • Robben Island silhouette to the north (a UNESCO site)
  • The Atlantic Seaboard: Green Point, Sea Point, Clifton, Camps Bay
  • The Twelve Apostles mountain range
  • Duiker Island’s seal colony (four-hour cruise plus)
  • Chapman’s Peak Drive from the water (four-hour cruise plus)
  • Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope (full-day cruise)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do private cruises Cape Town cost?

A private boat cruise starts at the entry-level tier per hour on Le Cat (12-guest sailing catamaran, two-hour minimum). The most-booked group rate is in the mid-tier rate per hour on Enigma (50 guests). Half-day trips on a mid-size vessel typically sit in the mid-tier to premium-tier range total.

How long do trips run?

Two hours minimum. Most are three to five hours. Full-day Cape Point voyages run eight hours plus.

Where do they leave from?

V&A Waterfront Marina. Specific berth in the reservation email.

Will we see seals, dolphins or whales?

Seals, yes, on a four-hour-plus Hout Bay route (Duiker Island colony, about a thousand seals). Dolphins, occasional sightings year-round, common on coastal runs. Whales, June to November is the Southern Right migration season; the boat goes near, never close (regulation distance is 300 metres). Penguins occasionally near Boulders Beach on Cape Point voyages.

Can we swim on a trip?

Yes, weather-permitting. The skipper picks an anchor spot (usually Clifton 4th or Granger Bay) and drops the swim ladder. Bring a towel and swimwear. Wetsuits aren’t needed in summer; most guests find the Atlantic too cold for more than a quick swim outside December to March.

Are kids OK?

Yes. Power catamarans and motor yachts are stable, life jackets supplied, adults supervise. Small kids do better on shorter runs (two to three hours) than on full-day voyages.

What about the wind?

The southeasterly is the dominant Cape Town summer wind. Strong southeasterly days, the skipper picks a sheltered route (False Bay side or harbour-only). The boat doesn’t run if it’s unsafe; you reschedule or refund.

How far ahead?

Weekday: 48 to 72 hours. Weekend or peak summer: 2 to 3 weeks. Cape Point full-day: 1 to 3 months for the right Saturday.