Boat trips · CATAMARAN CRUISES IN PORTUGAL
Good catamaran cruises in Portugal fill up weeks ahead and the calm mornings go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Review of Madeira’s eco catamaran whale and dolphin cruise, with wildlife tips, onboard features, value, access, and booking advice.
“A lovely afternoon and highly recommended. The highlight was seeing pilot whales 🐋”
Review of Madeira’s 3-hour Seaborn catamaran cruise, with dolphin and whale watching, Cabo Girão views, swimming, tips, and honest advice.
“We enjoyed a cruise along the coast in an Easterly direction. We were very lucky to spot a pod of Pilot Whales including a mother and baby swimming along together. This put the icing on the cruise cake! We celebrated with a small glass of beer and wine from the onboard bar on the way back! I can recommend this 3 hour activity to anyone looking for a shortish trip out on the ocean. I should also say that we had very calm weather which helped make the trip comfortable.”
Cruise from Albufeira to Benagil by catamaran, with coastal caves, a swim stop, local guides, music, and excellent value.
“We had an amazing time! The guide was great, they had good music playing in the boat at a respectable volume. We got to jump off the boat for a swim half way into the tour. Lots of room on the boat to bring a bag and sit comfortably. Definitely recommend this tour!!”
Review of Lisbon’s 90-minute sunset catamaran cruise, with Tagus River views, music, a welcome drink, blankets, and practical tips.
“It was a really fun boat trip. The music was great!”
Review of Madeira’s $47 catamaran cruise, with whale and dolphin watching, Cabo Girão swimming, practical tips, and honest value advice.
“Great staff we saw half a dozen pilot whales at least very interesting nice bouncy sail back into port once the waves got up ! Would recomend this trip”
Paddle through Ponta da Piedade caves from a catamaran, then swim and use the boat slide on this lively Lagos adventure.
“The kayaking was great. The guide was entertaining and even though it was foggy it was a great experience overall.”
Review of Madeira’s luxury catamaran whale and dolphin tour, with Cabo Girão views, swimming, wildlife, group size, value, and practical tips.
“This was excellent. Loved every minute. Really chilled out trip. The guides were amazing, made us feel really welcome and looked after. Made us all feel at home. the boat was spacious and plenty of seats anywhere on the boat or under the canopy in the shade if needed. One free drink and then very inexpensive to buy another £2.50 for a beer. The whole thing was great. The guides did their very best to get us to see the dolphins which were mostly quite a few meters from the boat but we got quite close at one point with 3 swimming directly in front of the boat. Actually the…”
Review of Lagos’s 150-minute catamaran cruise to Ponta da Piedade and Praia da Luz, with swim stop, paddle boards, views, and practical tips.
“We loved it! A fantastic way to see the beautiful landscape and lots of fun when we stopped at Luz. Highly recommend”
See wild dolphins, enjoy Algarve coast views, and slide into a secluded bay on this family-friendly Lagos catamaran cruise.
“We loved the tour. It was very informative and we saw lots of dolphins! Also had a lot of time do swim and jump from the boat. Super fun! Our female guide (Nadja) was very friendly and knowledgeable.”
Review of Albufeira’s 3-hour catamaran cruise to Benagil, with caves, swimming, coastal views, champagne, practical tips, and honest drawbacks.
“Perfectly organized and amazing experience! Even if we just booked a tour along the coast, the crew decided to drive a little more away from the coast at the end of the trip, so we saw many dolphins! We didn’t expect this and it was incredible! Thank you again!”
Explore three Ria Formosa islands from Faro, with swimming, wildlife, oysters, a fishing village, and fresh seafood for $47.
“Excellent!!!! Everything was great! I was driving this boat :)”
Review of Faro’s 3-hour catamaran trip to Farol and Deserta Islands, with Ria Formosa wildlife, beaches, practical tips, and honest value advice.
“Went on this trip yesterday our guide was Pedro and the trip was excellent and our guide was very informative, well organised and made the trip special for the 5 people on board . Overall would recommend this tour”
Paddle into Lagos’s Ponta da Piedade caves by double kayak, with a catamaran escort, swimming stop, friendly guides, and weather backup.
“As a solo female traveler, I was a bit nervous about joining the Ponta da Piedade Caves Kayak Tour, especially wondering how they’d fit me in and worrying about my lack of experience. But honestly, this was one of the best parts of my trip! When I got there, I noticed most people were in pairs, which didn’t help my nerves, but then a trio showed up, and the mood instantly lightened. The staff was warm and welcoming, which made a huge difference. I ended up paired with one of the trio, and our guide, Ricardo (who totally looks like Adam Sandler!), was fantastic. He made sure I felt comfortable…”
Cruise Algarve’s coast from Albufeira, visit Benagil caves, enjoy a beach BBQ, open bar, swimming, and champagne for $76.
“Amazing value for money, the food and drinks were brilliant, the whole trip was great from start to finish! Would definitely recommend when in Albufeira”
Review of Faro’s catamaran trip to Ilha Deserta, with Ria Formosa scenery, beach time, boardwalks, lunch, and practical tips.
“Fast, cheap. I can recommend. The desert was incredible.”
River hour, cave run, whale ground or a deck with lunch on it.
