If I’m visiting a coastal city, I usually try to get out on the water.
Videos by TravelAwaits
In the last year, I’ve enjoyed sailing and boating excursions in places like Savannah, Lisbon, and Sicily. Because I’m not a sailing aficionado and usually avoid open water, I tend to stick to TripAdvisor and Viator tours. They’re accessible, they’re affordable, and they fit my (very basic) needs.
That being said, there are other options when it comes to booking boating trips on vacation.
Companies like GetMyBoat let you find captains of boats and yachts who are willing to take you to the high seas… or maybe just for a trip around the bay.
If you’re a boater, you can nerd out with the different vessel offers. There are 70-foot luxury boats, 35-meter classic sailboats, powerboats that can zip across the water, and tons more. Plus, houseboats, jet skis, and more. Some vessels fit a few people, while others can comfortably board more than 60 guests.
In short, you’ve got the freedom to find an exact fit for your day on the water, from date nights to family outings. There are even bundles available, like boating-hot air balloon packages.
Here’s how you can use GetMyBoat, along with five things I loved about using the platform on a recent excursion in Barcelona. Hint: it’s easy to use, has tons of unique offers, and is surprisingly affordable.
How to use GetMyBoat
To start shopping around for excursions on the water, head to GetMyBoat and sign up. It doesn’t take any longer than registering with a site like TripAdvisor. From there, choose your location and dates, then start looking for boat trips that work for you.
The date and location settings will filter out any unavailable captains. After you’ve created a shortlist, you can request the excursion. The captain will get back to you and confirm the trip, along with any other details. I like the immediate chat feature because it makes it easy to make requests or changes.
There’s just one catch: Make sure you double-check in the operator’s listing about whether they charge more per person. You might not see the final cost reflected in the price that you’re shown when filling out the reservation information (date, time slot, number of people, etc).
I recommend reaching out directly to the captain to make sure what you’re seeing on GetMyBoat is the correct and final price.
5 things I love about GetMyBoat
The choices are varied and exciting
You’ll find offers on GetMyBoat that you could also book on Viator and TripAdvisor… at least, when it comes to more basic two and three-hour boating tours. However, GetMyBoat stands out because of the range of experiences—many of which you won’t find on other tour platforms.
Where I live in Barcelona, GetMyBoat has offers for sailing yachts and monohulls, along with classic wooden two-mast sailboats, submarine wine-tasting sailing tours, and sailing-to-winery tours.
In Los Angeles, you can book electric Duffy boat adventures, double-decker pontoons, jet skis, and even canoes—and that’s in addition to luxury yachts and sailboats.
In Puerto Escondido, a scenic coastal hub in Oaxaca, Mexico, you can book waverunner tours, deluxe yacht adventures, and even boats with a jacuzzi onboard that you can book during the day or night.
In short, there is an insane range of boating experiences that you can find on GetMyBoat, which you aren’t likely to find on other platforms. And with listings in over 9,000 locations around the world, you’re likely to find something special no matter where you wander next.
The trips are (almost) always private
I love booking boat tours—I’ve done them often and in many locations around the world. Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell when boat tours are fully private. I accidentally booked a shared tour a few years ago when planning a bachelor party, which had an impact on the experience.
With GetMyBoat, you’re guaranteed to find more private bookings than on other sites. Again, that instant chat feature makes it easy for you to clarify how many people can join the tour and whether or not it’s a private trip. In the vast majority of cases, trips are only for the number of guests that you select and invite.
If you see adventures like pirate ship tours or whale watching excursions, reach out to clarify whether or not they’re private. These types of offers are sometimes open to the public.
There’s a price point for every traveler
If you were thinking that GetMyBoat would be pricey because it’s specialized, think again. Boat owners and captains are allowed to list the prices they think are reasonable for the experience, and have tons of flexibility to help you pump up your experience with add-ons and special surprises.
GetMyBoat is used by many established boating companies and boat rental companies, but you can also find indie captains, so to speak.
Plus, you’ll find price points for any type of budget. Again, because you coordinate the experience directly with the captain, you can also request special add-ons, in case you want to ‘scale things up’.
There are instant book features for last-minute trips
GetMyBoat has instant booking features that let you reserve a tour at the last minute. These aren’t available for every experience—it’s up to captains to decide whether or not to allow last-minute bookings. However, there are plenty of accounts with instant book availability, meaning you can (usually) find the perfect experience even if you’ve waited until the last minute.
It’s a global platform
Like I already mentioned, GetMyBoat is available in over 9,000 locations around the world—and it’s still growing as a platform. If you like knowing that you can find reliable, diverse boating tours on multiple continents, sign up with GetMyBoat and make a reminder to check out the app on your next trip.
One last reminder: I recommend hammering out the details of your booking with your captain prior to the big adventure. You should confirm the price (based on person, not just hourly), along with your meetup location and any extras that you’re expecting.
