Miami Yacht Rentals: How a Private Boat Day Works
How renting a captained yacht in Miami works: group sizes, where boats leave from, routes, what to bring, and which of our own boats fit which day.
Miami visitor guide · Updated November 2026
Renting a yacht in Miami usually means a private, captained charter: you book a boat for a block of hours, a licensed captain runs it, and the group chooses between a cruise, a sandbar stop and a swim. This guide explains how that works, what group size means for the boat and what to check before paying.
A disclosure first
Out.Miami does not rank boat companies. The owner of this site, Fernando Yemail, is a licensed captain and yacht broker and also owns Feeling Yachty, a Miami charter company, so a ranking of his competitors would not be worth much. Every boat named below is a Feeling Yachty boat. This page is our own recommendation of our own fleet, not an independent review.
Small groups and first timers
Six people do not need a 60 ft yacht. For a couple of hours on the bay, the 20 ft Pontoon out of Miami Beach carries up to 6 guests, and the 26 ft Hurricane from Downtown Miami carries up to 11. The 26 ft Sea Ray Sundeck is a similar size and boards in Little Havana.
Those three sit with the other lower-priced boats under cheap yacht rentals in Miami, which is the place to start when the budget is fixed before the guest list is.
Mid-size yachts for up to 13 guests
Most of the boats listed carry up to 13 guests whatever their length, so a bigger yacht buys deck space, shade and comfort rather than a longer guest list. In that range the 53 ft Azimut 53 and the 65 ft Viking both leave from Little Havana, the 60 ft Sea Ray Seduction leaves from South Beach, and the 64 ft Fairline Maximus leaves from Downtown Miami. For a wider, steadier deck, the 60 ft PowerCat Catamaran boards at Epic Marina downtown.
Larger yachts
At the top of the list are superyachts such as Zeus, a 90 ft Horizon from Downtown Miami, and big catamarans such as Sunreef, a 70 ft PowerCat from Miami Beach. On a standard charter they still carry up to 13 guests. A larger party needs a vessel licensed for more passengers, so raise it before anyone pays a deposit. The whole fleet is under all Miami yachts for rent.
Pink boats
Miami has a whole category of pink boats, popular for bachelorettes and birthdays. Barbie, a 40 ft pink Silverton, Hello Kitty, a 50 ft pink Maxum, and Pink Panther, a 60 ft Azimut, each carry up to 13 guests. The rest are under pink yacht rentals in Miami.
Specials
Some boats are listed at a promotional rate. Current examples are Princess, a 48 ft Sea Ray that boards at Epic Marina, and Aicon 67, a 67 ft yacht from Downtown Miami. The list changes, so check the Miami yacht specials page instead of relying on this paragraph. The company's own page on how private Miami yacht charters are booked covers deposits and terms.
On the water
For what to do once you are aboard, read our best Miami sandbars and how to visit them guide, Miami restaurants you can visit by boat, and the best things to do in Miami on the water.
1. How renting a yacht in Miami works
A private charter is booked by the block of hours, commonly from two hours to a full day. The price on a listing should say what it includes. On the Feeling Yachty boats named above, the captain, crew and fuel are included in the listed price. With any other operator, ask, because fuel, the captain, gratuity and marina charges are often quoted separately.
Ask for the total in writing before paying anything: the hours, the boarding marina, what is included, the gratuity, and what happens if the weather turns.
2. Group size decides the boat
Count everyone, children included, before looking at boats. Most of the yachts in this guide carry up to 13 guests however long they are, so a longer boat adds deck space, shade and cabins, not seats. Six people are comfortable on a 26 ft boat for a short cruise. Twelve adults will want something over 50 ft for a half day.
A captain can refuse to leave the dock with more people than the boat is allowed to carry, so do not plan on adding guests at the marina.
3. Where boats leave from
There is no single yacht dock in Miami. The boats in this guide board at marinas in Downtown Miami, where Epic Marina is a common one, in Little Havana and Grapeland Heights along the Miami River, and in Miami Beach and South Beach. The boarding marina is fixed by the boat you choose, so check it against where the group is staying and allow for traffic and parking.
A departure from up the Miami River spends the first part of the charter at slow speed on the way out to the bay. A downtown or Miami Beach departure reaches open water sooner.
4. Routes: skyline, islands and sandbars
A two or three hour charter usually stays in Biscayne Bay: the downtown skyline, the Venetian Islands and Star Island, then an anchor stop to swim. Four hours or more makes a sandbar stop realistic, with Nixon Beach off Key Biscayne and the Haulover area the best known. The captain picks the stop on the day from the wind, the tide and the traffic.
A sandbar stop is never guaranteed. If a calm swim matters more than the scene, say so when booking.
5. What to bring and what to ask
Bring ID, towels, sunscreen, soft-soled shoes or none, and whatever food and drink the operator allows. Many charters let you bring your own and some sell packages. Ask about ice, a cooler, floating mats, music, and whether glass or red wine is allowed on board.
Leave hard luggage at the hotel and plan the ride home before the first drink.
6. Weather, timing and cancellations
Afternoon storms are common in summer and winter cold fronts bring wind. Terms for a charter the captain calls off for weather differ between operators, so read them. Morning charters are usually calmer and cooler. Sunset slots are the most requested and go first on weekends.
Check the cancellation terms before paying a deposit, not after the forecast changes.