We run both, and we have no preference which one you book. What follows is the comparison we would give a friend.
The practical difference
On a shared cruise you buy a seat. You are on board with up to twelve people, at a fixed departure time, at a per-person price. On a private cruise you book the boat itself — same route, same hosts, same drinks — for your group alone, at a price per boat.
That is the whole difference. The route, the welcome Porto Tonic, the local flavours, the skipper and host, the blankets and the insurance are identical.
When the shared cruise is the better call
- You are one or two people. The maths is straightforward.
- You want to meet people. Small groups on a boat talk to each other; it is one of the reasons we cap it at twelve.
- Your plans are loose. More departure times means more chance one fits your afternoon.
When the private cruise is the better call
- You are a group of six or more. Around this size the per-person cost converges, and you get the boat to yourselves.
- The occasion is the point. Birthdays, proposals, anniversaries, a team moment at the end of a work trip.
- You want the pace to be yours. Nobody else’s schedule, nobody else’s conversation.
- You are travelling with children or older relatives and want the flexibility that comes with a group that is entirely your own.
A quick way to decide
Take the private price and divide it by the number of people in your group. If the result is close to the per-person shared price, book private — you get the same experience with more control for roughly the same outlay. If it is well above, book shared and spend the difference on dinner in Ribeira.
What we can and cannot arrange
Private bookings open the door to extras: a photographer, a musician, flowers, a cake, specific wines, particular local food. None of that is a fixed package on this website on purpose — what is possible depends on the date, the group and the notice we have.
For special occasions or custom details, speak with us before booking. We’ll tell you what’s possible.
Both options, both experiences
Day Cruise and Sunset Cruise are each available as a shared seat or as the whole boat. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before either way.
