Private Boat Tour Malta vs. Group Cruise: Which One Is Actually Worth It?

You've decided you want to see Malta from the water. Smart choice — the coastline here is genuinely spectacular, and many of the best spots are only accessible by boat. But now you're facing the question that fills every Malta travel forum: should you book a private boat tour or join a group cruise?

The honest answer depends on who you're travelling with and what you actually want from the day. If you're still planning the rest of your trip, our Complete Malta Travel Guide 2026 covers everything you need to know about the islands before you arrive.

What a Group Cruise Actually Looks Like

Group cruises in Malta typically carry between 40 and 120 passengers on a large catamaran or ferry. They depart from Sliema or Valletta at fixed times, follow a set route — usually Blue Lagoon, Comino, and a stop near the Azure Window site in Gozo — and return to port by mid-afternoon.

The price is low, often between €25 and €45 per person, which makes them attractive on paper. But what that price buys you is a shared experience with dozens of strangers, a fixed schedule you cannot change, and a Blue Lagoon arrival that coincides with every other group boat on the island. In peak summer, the Blue Lagoon can have over 3,000 visitors at once. The "crystal clear water" in the photos starts to look very different when it's surrounded by inflatable flamingos and queues for the onboard toilet.

What a Private Boat Tour Actually Looks Like

A private tour means the boat is yours — just your group, your schedule, and your route. You decide when to leave, where to anchor, how long to stay, and whether you want to swim inside a sea cave, snorkel over a reef, or simply drift in a quiet bay with a cold drink.

With Hidden Gems Malta, our private tours run on a 40-foot motorboat with a maximum of 12 guests. We take you to spots that the group cruises simply cannot reach — narrow cave entrances, secluded coves on the north coast of Comino, and anchor points where the water is genuinely empty. Because we're not on a fixed schedule, we can leave early in the morning before the crowds arrive at the Blue Lagoon, spend an hour there in near-silence, and move on before the first ferry of the day docks.

The Cost Comparison (It's Not What You Think)

This is where most people are surprised. A private tour for a group of 6 people typically costs around €60–€80 per person. A group cruise costs €30–€45 per person. On the surface, the private option is twice the price.

But do the maths for a family of four or a group of friends. Four people on a group cruise: €120–€180. Four people on a private tour: €240–€320. The difference is €120–€140 for the entire group — roughly the cost of one restaurant dinner in Valletta. For that difference, you get a completely different experience: no crowds, no fixed schedule, no strangers, and a local guide who can take you somewhere genuinely special.

For groups of 6 or more, the per-person cost of a private tour often matches or undercuts the group cruise price entirely.

Group Cruise:

Private Tour:

Who Should Book a Group Cruise

Group cruises make sense if you're travelling solo and want to meet other people, if you're on a very tight budget and the experience itself matters less than the price, or if you simply want a relaxed day on the water without any planning involved. They're not bad — they're just a different product.

Who Should Book a Private Tour

A private tour is the right choice if you're travelling with family, a couple, or a group of friends who want the day to feel like yours. It's also the right choice if you've seen the Blue Lagoon photos and want the version that actually looks like those photos — not the version surrounded by 200 other tourists.

If you've come to Malta specifically to experience the sea caves, the hidden coves, and the kind of silence that only exists in the early morning on the water, a private tour is the only way to get there.

The Bottom Line

The question isn't really "private vs. group." The question is: what do you want to remember about this day in ten years? If the answer is "a beautiful, quiet morning on the water with the people I love," book private. If the answer is "a fun, social day on a boat with a cold beer," a group cruise will do the job.

We run private boat tours around Malta and Comino daily, with flexible departure times and routes tailored to your group. Spots are limited — we only take one group per day.