Boat Parties in Cabo San Lucas: Which One to Book, and Who Should Stay Ashore
7 min read
The short answer: for a daytime party with a DJ, book the hip-hop boat party with unlimited drinks – three hours, €93.55, 4.7 stars from 135 reviews. For a sunset rather than a dance floor, and the lowest price, book the sunset party cruise with unlimited drinks – two hours, €88.14, 4.3 stars from 131 reviews. Every one of these is adults only: 18 or older.
See prices and dates for the hip-hop boat party
A boat party here is sold next to the sightseeing trips and looks similar in the search results. It is not a sightseeing trip. The Arch is a photo stop between drinks, the headline is the open bar, and what you are buying is a few hours on deck with strangers and a speaker. Choose it for that, and choose the right one.
Three parties compared
| Trip | Duration | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip-hop boat party with unlimited drinks | 3 hours | €93.55 | 4.7 (135) | Friends and stag or hen groups who want a daytime party and a live DJ |
| Sunset party cruise with unlimited drinks | 2 hours | €88.14 | 4.3 (131) | Couples and groups who want the sunset, a catamaran and a lower price |
| Adults-only boat party with drinks and live DJ | 3 hours | €93.55 | 5.0 (10) | Groups who prefer Latin music and reggaeton and want a swim stop |
The daytime party: hip-hop with a live DJ
The most-reviewed of the three, and the best rated of the two that have more than a handful of reviews. The listing promises a live guest DJ, all-you-can-drink well rum, tequila, vodka, beer, soda, water and juice, snacks, drinking games, a stop at the Arch for photos and a champagne shower at the end. The party starts in daylight, which means you see the coast you are sailing past – one reviewer mentions tacos on board as well.
Three conditions in the listing matter more than the playlist. There is a strict beachwear dress code. Bringing your own drinks on board is prohibited. And the type of boat you get changes depending on availability, so do not book expecting the boat in the photograph. A conservation fee of 10 US dollars per person is paid in cash on arrival, so bring it.
Check availability for the hip-hop boat party
The sunset one: a catamaran, two hours
The sunset party cruise runs on a catamaran with an open bar, snacks and music. The listing sends you past Lover’s Beach, the Arch and the sea lion colony and then to the sunset. The Arch photo stop has an extra fee on the itinerary, so ask what it costs before you assume it is part of the price.
Practical details that are easy to miss: round-trip transport is included but has to be arranged 48 hours before departure, and the open bar is for guests 18 and over only. The listing says it is not suitable for wheelchair users. At €73.27 it is the cheapest of the three and the one most people could mistake for a normal sunset cruise – it is a party with a sunset in it.
See dates for the sunset party cruise
The third option, and a caution about its rating
The adults-only afternoon party offers a live DJ playing Latin music, reggaeton and top 40, a swimming and water-activity stop, sandwiches and the champagne shower, at the same €92.18 as the hip-hop party. Its 5.0 rating rests on only ten reviews, which is not a rating you can lean on in the way you can lean on 130. The listing also mentions a $10 port fee; check on the booking page whether it is already in the price.
Check availability for the adults-only boat party
One more party cruise, with an open bar and a 5 p.m. departure from September to April, has been listed with only three reviews so far; we leave it out of the comparison until more people have been on it.
Who should skip this
- Anyone under 18. All of these are adults only.
- Anyone who wants to see the coast properly. For that, the El Arco boat tours are the right category, and the sunset cruises are a quieter evening. The sunset cruise guide compares the dinner boats.
- Pregnant guests and people with heart conditions – one party cruise lists both as not suitable; check the operator’s wording before booking any of them.
- Anyone planning to swim after drinking. One listing includes a swim stop. Open bars and open water do not mix well; the crew’s instructions come first, and we will not give medical advice here.
Our recommendation
For most groups: the hip-hop boat party. It has the most reviews of the three, the better rating of the two with a real number of reviews, and gives you three hours instead of two. Budget the $10 fee in cash.
For a sunset and the lowest price: the sunset party cruise. €73.27, a catamaran and transport – remember to arrange the transport 48 hours ahead.
Skip all of them if you want to see the sea lions and the Arch rather than dance in front of them. There are other boat trips on the things to do page, including the party boats that are sold as sightseeing.
