Barbados Luxury Catamarans

Paying more for a Barbados catamaran cruise mainly buys you fewer people on board. The standard lunch cruises on this site cost US$110 to US$123 per person; the small-group cruises cost US$154 to US$175 and cap the boat at 12 to 20 guests, with more crew time per guest, a premium bar and, on most, transport from your hotel. Calabaza’s 5-hour small-group catamaran cruise costs US$175 per person on Viator (typical price, checked November 2026), takes at most twelve guests and is rated 5.0/5 from 1,040+ reviews there (our review). Its one catch: all sales are final.

The price ladder from standard to premium

Prices are per person, checked November 2026. Viator figures are typical schedule prices; GetYourGuide figures are for a real date.

For a couple, Calabaza costs US$350 against US$230 on El Tigre’s lunch cruise, so US$120 more for the day (arithmetic). Elegance comes to US$100 more than El Tigre for two, and Good Times Too about US$88 more than Stiletto. The Tiami half-day cruise sits at the top of the ladder but has only 2 reviews so far, so weigh it with care.

What the extra money pays for on deck

The guest cap is the main difference. El Tigre’s operator limits its lunch cruises to about 36 guests; Calabaza and Elegance take 12. With twelve on board there is more shade and deck space per guest, and the crew has time for each swimmer. Elegance states the crew: three for twelve guests, about one crew member for every four guests (arithmetic). The Tiami half-day cruise lists a crew of four for 20 guests. Calabaza names a professional guide and crew but not a headcount.

Food and drink go up a step too. Calabaza serves breakfast, tea and coffee, tapas, desserts and an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch, with a complimentary premium bar. Elegance includes a Bajan-style buffet lunch, snacks, fresh fruit and an open bar, with a vegetarian option if you ask when you book. Good Times Too includes lunch and alcoholic drinks. Every cruise in the ladder lets you snorkel; Calabaza adds a snorkel lesson, full-face masks, fins in sizes 1 to 13, snorkel vests and floating devices, which helps first-time snorkellers.

Some things stay the same. Nearly every cruise here stops where green turtles gather off the west coast, and touching or feeding them is discouraged by the tourism board, whatever you paid. Tips are not in any of these prices; tipping the crew is appreciated, not required.

How the boats themselves differ

Elegance sails a 41 ft Lagoon catamaran from Bridgetown with taxi transfers included (our review). Calabaza runs a single boat from Bridgetown, and its transport covers the coast between Oistins and Speightstown. Good Times Too starts on the west coast, not in Bridgetown, and aims to reach the turtle site before the main crowd; the operator contacts you with the start point (our review).

Oceanluxx’s two-deck pontoon boat, not a catamaran, is the cheapest step up at US$130. It is a 30 ft motor boat with lounge seating and a water slide, it takes at most 15 guests and it leaves from the Careenage Marina in front of the statue (our review). It is rated 4.8/5 from 240+ reviews on Viator, and the same cruise is on GetYourGuide at US$130 with 4.7/5 from 50+ reviews. Pick it for the group size and the price; pick a catamaran if you want to sail.

Booking rules that catch people out

Calabaza’s two cruises and Elegance are sold on Viator with all sales final: no refund if your plans change. Good Times Too and Oceanluxx use Viator’s standard policy, with a full refund up to 24 hours ahead. If your dates are not fixed, that difference matters more than the US$11 to US$21 that Good Times Too saves you against Elegance and Calabaza.

Calabaza does not confirm a booking without your accommodation details, or your ship’s name and arrival time. Elegance asks cruise passengers for the ship name, docking, disembarkation and re-boarding times when they book. Calabaza takes children from age four only, and the afternoon sail needs at least 8 guests to run and asks for smart casual dress. The drinking age on Calabaza and Elegance is 18.

A catamaran heels less than a monohull, which many people find easier, but it does not guarantee you will not feel sick. A smaller boat moves more in a swell, so take your usual remedy before boarding.

Which premium cruise suits your trip

Calabaza suits couples and families with children aged four and up who want the most food and the smallest group, and can commit to a date. Elegance costs US$10 less per person, also caps at 12 and suits cruise passengers, since it builds the ship times into the booking; our cruise-ship guide covers the timing. Good Times Too suits a hotel on the west coast and a flexible cancellation policy at US$154. For a late-day sail with tapas, Calabaza’s afternoon cruise runs from 2:45 pm to 6:15 pm; our sunset cruise page covers the evening options.

If even twelve guests feels like a crowd, a private catamaran charter costs US$500 per group of up to 10. For the full spread of prices, see the price guide.

Settled on Calabaza? Check dates for the 5-hour small-group cruise and pick them carefully, because the booking cannot be refunded.