Miami · Biscayne Bay
A private yacht for your birthday costs $1,320 for 4 hours — captain, fuel, ice and sound included, $110 per person split 12 ways. Bring the cake and your own bottles; we handle the rest.
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Straight numbers
All-in prices. The quote you get is the total you pay.
A 4-hour birthday yacht rental in Miami costs $1,320 on a 40–49 ft yacht for up to 12 guests — exactly $110 per person. Step up to a 50–59 ft yacht and it's $1,800 for up to 13. For groups of 20 or more, a party catamaran starts at $3,600 for 4 hours and carries up to 65 guests.
Every private charter includes a licensed USCG captain, fuel, ice and water, a cooler and bluetooth sound. Plenty of Miami listings advertise a low "boat price" and then stack crew and fuel on top at checkout, so the real number only appears after you've picked a date. We don't do that. Compare categories side by side on our Miami prices page — what you see there is charter-day reality.
| Yacht | Guests | 4 hours | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yacht 40–49 ft | up to 12 | $1,320 | $110 |
| Yacht 50–59 ft | up to 13 | $1,800 | $139 |
| Yacht 60–79 ft | up to 13 | $2,800 | $216 |
| Party catamaran | up to 65 | $3,600 | $120 at 30 guests |
One rule shapes every guest list: private yachts carry a maximum of 12–13 guests under USCG regulations, no matter how long the yacht is. If the birthday crowd runs past 13, you need an inspected vessel — that's our party catamaran, and it's built for exactly this.
Pick your level
Three honest layers: the yacht, the decor, the party crew.
Our birthday packages are simple addition, not a mystery bundle. The yacht price is canonical, and every extra is arranged at Miami market rates and quoted upfront — you'll see each line before you pay a deposit.
4 hours on a 40–49 ft yacht for up to 12 guests. Captain, fuel, ice, water, cooler and bluetooth sound included. BYOB is allowed, and your cake rides in the cooler. You bring the party; the bay does the scenery.
The same yacht plus a professional birthday setup — balloon garlands, table styling, a photo backdrop — installed and secured before you board. Decor runs about $350 at Miami market rates, arranged through vetted local pros and quoted upfront.
Yacht, decor, and a bartender at about $75 per hour (≈$300 for 4 hours), plus catering quoted per menu — platters, sushi, paella, whatever the birthday wants. Add a photographer or a jet ski from $120/h per ski. Every line itemized before you commit.
That's the whole trick: extras are arranged at market rates, quoted upfront. We don't invent a "premium birthday package" with a rolled-up fee — you pay what the decorator and bartender actually charge, and you see it in writing first. If the birthday doubles as a girls' trip, our bachelorette yacht party format covers that playbook too.
Do the math
Same night, same crowd, better venue.
Split 13 ways, a $1,800 birthday yacht works out to about $138 per person — less than plenty of South Beach clubs charge to stand near a table with a bottle minimum. On the yacht those same dollars buy four private hours, your own playlist on the sound system, BYOB instead of club pours, and a skyline no VIP room has a window to.
Drag the slider and watch the per-head number drop. It's the same arithmetic that makes a boat party in Miami the best-value night in the city — and unlike a club, nobody charges your friends $20 at the door.
Prefer drinks handled for you at a per-ticket price? A booze cruise runs $59–$109 per person with an open bar — a solid plan B when the group won't commit to a private charter.
The plan
Skyline photos first, sandbar swim in the middle, cake at golden hour.
The best birthday format is 4 hours in the afternoon, timed to end at sunset. Here's the route our captains run most.
Guests board at Miami Beach Marina or Sea Isle Marina downtown. Coolers loaded, playlist on the sound system, captain's two-minute safety brief, lines off.
Cruise Millionaire's Row and Star Island with the downtown skyline behind you. This is the light for group photos — get them done early, before the swim.
Anchor at Nixon Beach Sandbar south of Key Biscayne — calmer than Haulover, waist-deep water, floats off the stern. On weekends the captain may call Haulover for the bigger raft-up scene.
Back toward the bay for the cake cutting in the best light of the day. Candles are fine at anchor; sparklers stay on shore. Happy Birthday carries surprisingly well over water.
Cruise home with the sun dropping behind the skyline. Want the party to end in the dark instead? Book 6 hours, or see our sunset cruise timing guide.
Every age
The format changes with three variables: daylight, alcohol, group size.
Every milestone has a version that works on the water. The honest constraints are Florida's drinking age of 21 — enforced on the water exactly as on land — and the 13-guest cap on private yachts.
A no-alcohol daytime charter: skyline run, sandbar swim, cake, music. Under-21 guests are welcome on every private charter — the captain simply enforces the no-drinking rule. Parents can be aboard or wave from the dock.
First legal drinks with a skyline backdrop. BYOB is allowed on every private charter, coolers and ice included. Book the late slot, cruise into the night, and see our yacht party page for the full night-charter format.
The sunset format: a 50–59 ft yacht at $1,800, catering and a bartender arranged, golden-hour cake, no club line at midnight. This is the birthday most people wish they'd had at 21.
Miami reality: a quinceañera guest list is 30–40 family members, which means a party catamaran from $3,600 — up to 65 guests, room to dance, and abuela gets a proper seat in the shade.
House rules
Short list. Everything else is fair game.
Cake, balloons, BYOB, your own decorations, kids, grandparents, a photographer — all welcome. The banned list is short and every captain in Miami enforces it, so plan the decor around it from the start.
Cake yes. Sparklers no. Confetti no. Sparklers are an open flame on a fiberglass boat — no captain will allow them. Confetti and glitter blow straight into Biscayne Bay, and the cleanup fine lands on you. Balloons are welcome but must be secured; a loose balloon at 20 knots is gone in two seconds.
Worried about rain ruining the date? Don't be. Weather calls belong to the captain, and if conditions aren't safe your charter moves at no charge. You can also reschedule yourself for free 48+ hours out. Most Miami rain is a 40-minute cell that passes through and leaves the bay flat — many "rainy" forecasts turn into normal charter days, and November–December brings the flattest water of the year. A birthday date on the calendar is not a gamble here; the reschedule policy means you never pay for weather.
Answers
A 4-hour private charter costs $1,320 on a 40–49 ft yacht for up to 12 guests — $110 per person. A 50–59 ft yacht runs $1,800, and party catamarans for groups of 20+ start at $3,600. Captain, fuel, ice, water, a cooler and bluetooth sound are always included.
Yes. Arrive 15–20 minutes early and we'll coordinate dock access with the captain so everything is up before guests board. Balloons must be secured, and skip confetti, glitter and sparklers — they're not allowed on board. If you'd rather not DIY, we arrange a professional setup at the Miami market rate of about $350.
Absolutely — cake is welcome on every charter, and the included cooler and ice keep it fresh until golden hour. Bring a knife, plates and napkins, or ask us to add them to the plan. Regular candles are fine at anchor; sparkler candles are not.
Yes — private charters are family-friendly, and kids and teens are welcome with life jackets provided. The drinking age on the water is 21, same as on land, so for an 18th or Sweet 16 we run a no-alcohol daytime format with a sandbar swim stop. The captain enforces the rule.
Tell us it's a surprise when you book. We time boarding so decorations go up before the guest of honor arrives, send confirmations only to you, and brief the captain. The cover story that works best: "we're grabbing lunch by the marina" — then walk the dock.
Yes — we arrange photographers through vetted local pros at market rates, quoted upfront. Golden hour on Biscayne Bay with the skyline behind the group is the shot people frame. You can also bring your own photographer; there's no vendor fee.
You reschedule for free. Weather calls belong to the captain — if conditions aren't safe, your date moves at no charge, and you can also reschedule yourself free 48+ hours before departure. Most Miami rain passes within the hour, so many gray forecasts still turn into normal charter days.
Send the date, guest count and hours — we reply within 1 hour, 9am–9pm ET. A 30% deposit holds your date, payable in USD by card or crypto (BTC, ETH, SOL, USDT). The balance is due on charter day.
Send the date, guest count and hours. Exact quote within 1 hour, 9am–9pm ET — every extra itemized upfront.
Keep exploring
Tell us about your day on the water — we reply with 2–3 matched boats and a firm all-in price. Within an hour, 9am–9pm ET.
We're matching boats for your date right now. Expect a reply within an hour, 9am–9pm ET.
Meanwhile — the full price list or the sandbar guide.