Palma boat tour reviews mix up two things worth keeping apart: the company that sells you the ticket (GetYourGuide, Civitatis, Click-Mallorca…) and the operator that provides the boat and crew. Almost all complaints about a packed boat or a crowded cove are down to the operator; those about refunds and meeting points are often down to the platform. On this page we bring together our reviews from both sides, with a paragraph on each so you can go straight to the one you need.
How we rate operators and platforms
Each review carries a score from 1 to 5 that is ours, not an average of customer reviews. We look at five things:
- Price and transparency: whether the final price is clear, what is included and what costs extra (drinks, mask, transfer).
- Cancellation: how many hours' notice you get and what happens if the operator cancels for weather.
- Boat and safety: published capacity, group size, whether the captain makes the weather call.
- Service: clear meeting points, real contact details, replies.
- Who is behind it: whether the company publishes its registered name, address and terms.
We use public reviews (Trustpilot, Google, Tripadvisor) to spot recurring complaints, not to copy the score. We earn commission if you book on GetYourGuide or Tiqets, but that does not change the score: GetYourGuide has one of the lowest on Trustpilot and we say so.
GetYourGuide, Viator, Civitatis: platform reviews
GetYourGuide in Palma de Mallorca
It is our main partner and the platform we link to in almost every Palma boat guide. The good: free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and if the provider cancels for bad weather you get your money back. What to know: with "reserve now, pay later" your card is charged 72 hours before, not 24, and if the card expires before then the payment fails. On Trustpilot it had 3.9 when we checked, from 56,625 reviews. GetYourGuide review.
Tiqets
Dutch, strong on entry tickets: the cathedral, Palma Aquarium and the sightseeing bus. It also sells some boats in Mallorca (14 products), though few are in the bay. Note: you can only cancel if the product page allows it. Trustpilot: 4.3. Tiqets review.
Viator
Tripadvisor's platform, with its standard cancellation policy up to 24 hours before and "final sale" products with no refund. If you are looking for a shore excursion from your cruise, compare with what the cruise line sells directly. Trustpilot: 4.4. Viator review.
Civitatis
A Madrid company with 47 activities in Palma, including a bay catamaran at €59 and a boat ride from €19. It has the best Trustpilot score (4.5), but its terms count a service run in bad weather as delivered. Civitatis review.
Headout, Click-Mallorca and Sunbonoo
Headout mainly sells the cathedral in Palma and adds a service fee at checkout; refunds may come as credit (Headout review). Click-Mallorca (CLICK-MALLORCA S.L.U.) is based in Port d'Alcúdia and has a one-hour trip round the Bay of Palma at €19, but its dolphin trips leave from Alcúdia, not Palma; Trustpilot 3.8 from only 27 reviews (Click-Mallorca review). Sunbonoo is a Spanish company with an office in Palma that sells excursions in German; Trustpilot 4.1 (Sunbonoo review).
Boat operators in Palma: reviews
Bay catamarans
Three different companies leave from the same Golondrinas quay, opposite the Auditòrium, and go to the same Llucmajor coast (Cova Verda, Cap Rocat, Cala Vella, Cala Blava).
- Magic Catamarans: the 5-hour catamaran with barbecue at €59, the only one with soft drinks and wine included, and the cheapest sunset in Palma (€20, 90 minutes). Its Plus version limits the group to 35 people. Magic Catamarans review.
- Oasis Catamaran: a company in its own right (Nautical Adventures S.L.), not a Magic boat. Three catamarans, paddleboarding on every trip and smaller groups (22 to 55 people depending on the boat), at higher prices (€78–109). The Oasis Lux boards at the Escala Real (the stone steps by the old quay), not at the Golondrinas. Oasis review.
- Attraction Catamarans: a big boat for 145 passengers, buffet and DJ, €85 without drinks. It is the only one of the three that needs 48 hours' notice for free cancellation. Attraction review.
Party boats, dolphins and short trips
- Barca Samba: the party boat at the Golondrinas, for up to 112 people; sunset from €49.90 with pizza or buffet and water, bar extra. Sunset and night trips are over-18s only. Barca Samba review.
- Life & Sea: leaves from S'Arenal, next to the Club Nàutic, and from Can Pastilla. 2-hour catamaran at €40, 4 hours with barbecue at €65, dolphins at €80 (with a sunrise departure at 06:00) and Cabrera as a day trip at €90. Life & Sea review.
- Palma Cruises: dolphins from the Golondrinas at €55 at the quay or €65 with transfer, 10% less online. Cancelling less than 3 days ahead costs 20%. Palma Cruises review.
- Mallorca City Boat (formerly Cruceros Marco Polo): 55-minute harbour trip at €19, Monday to Saturday, 11:00 to 17:00, from the Escala Real next to the Moll Vell (old quay). No swim stop. Mallorca City Boat review.
- Cruceros Costa de Calvià: the Esmeralda Dos glass-bottom boat from Magaluf (€30, children €20) and the Britannia Jet for a day at sea and the run to Palma. Cruceros Costa de Calvià review.
Outside the bay
- Barcos Azules: the operator from Port de Sóller to Sa Calobra, €35 return, with only two return sailings a day (13:45 and 16:40). Barcos Azules review.
- Cabrera boats: four authorised companies, all from Colònia de Sant Jordi; Excursions a Cabrera has been crossing since 1965. Cabrera boats review.
- Skippered llaüts: there is no single big company but several traditional Mallorcan boats; from the Real Club Náutico, one of them goes out at €590 for up to 5 people. Llaüts review.
GetYourGuide5 hours
Leaves from Palma
Palma de Mallorca: 5-Hour Catamaran Cruise with Lunch & Swim
4.6 (12,441)
from €59Check availability
GetYourGuide3 - 4 hours
Leaves from Palma
Palma de Mallorca: Sunset Boat Tour and Music
4.4 (3,445)
from €44.91Check availability
GetYourGuide4 - 5.5 hours
Leaves from Palma
Palma Cruises Morning Dolphin Watch
4.4 (395)
from €55Check availability
GetYourGuide4 hours
Leaves from Palma
Palma: Deluxe Catamaran with Snacks, Drink, SUP & Snorkelling
4.6 (928)
from €45.60Check availability
See all on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 6 October 2026
Palma harbour, cruise lines and yacht clubs
These three pages are not reviews of a service you book but practical guides: what each one is and how it affects you as a visitor. The port of Palma is managed by the Autoritat Portuària de Balears; its page explains the quays and access. The cruise lines page covers which companies are based in Palma (Marella, TUI Cruises, AIDA) and which call there (MSC, Costa and others). And the yacht clubs page tells you which club private boats leave from: the Real Club Náutico, the Club de Mar or the Club Nàutic S'Arenal.
If you arrive by cruise ship and want a short trip, the cruise port guide explains how to get from the terminal to the excursion quays.
Book direct or on a platform?
It depends on the operator:
For
- Platform: on GetYourGuide cancellation is free up to 24 h before by default, unless the product page says otherwise.
- Platform: one place to compare times, photos and reviews from several operators.
- GetYourGuide refunds the difference if you find the same activity, with the same provider, cheaper.
Against
- Direct is sometimes cheaper: Palma Cruises and Barcos Azules take 10% off online.
- Barca Samba warns that, at short notice, resellers may show places it no longer has.
- A complaint about the boat ends up being settled by the operator, wherever you booked.
Our rule: for bay catamarans and trips with transfers, use a platform; for the Sóller to Sa Calobra line and the Cabrera boats, compare with the operator's website before you pay. The guide to comparing boat trips has every option in one table.
Common complaints in the reviews
Reading the public reviews of platforms and operators, the complaints keep coming back to the same points:
- Unclear meeting points. It happens with GetYourGuide, Civitatis and Sunbonoo. In Palma, the classic mistake is going to the Golondrinas when the boat leaves from the Escala Real, or the other way round.
- Cancellations and refunds. Especially when the weather or the provider lets you down. Read the cancellation policy on the product page before you pay.
- Packed boats. For Attraction, one Google review complains of an overcrowded boat and that only one of the two planned swim stops took place. If you want a small group, pay for it: Magic Plus (35 people) or Oasis Blue (22).
- What is not included. Drinks, snorkel masks and transfers are charged extra on many boats; each operator's review spells it out.
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Frequently asked questions about the reviews
Is GetYourGuide reliable in Palma de Mallorca?
Yes, for booking boat trips: free cancellation up to 24 hours before and a refund if the provider cancels for bad weather. Complaints centre on providers who cancel and unclear meeting points. With pay later, you are charged 72 hours before.
Is it better to book the boat direct with the operator or on a platform?
It depends. Palma Cruises and Barcos Azules are 10% cheaper on their own websites. On GetYourGuide cancellation is free up to 24 hours before by default; check each product page in case the operator needs more notice.
Are Magic Catamarans and Oasis the same company?
No. Oasis Catamaran is Nautical Adventures S.L., with its own three boats. Both board on Palma's Paseo Marítimo, but the Oasis Lux leaves from the Escala Real.
Which Palma boat trip has the best reviews?
Among the products we link to, the 5-hour catamaran with lunch scores 4.6 from more than 12,000 reviews on GetYourGuide. At the top end, the premium catamaran to Cueva Verde and Cala Vella scores 4.7.
Who decides whether a boat trip is cancelled for weather?
The captain or the operator, never the platform. If they cancel, you usually choose another date or a refund. We explain it in the guide to the best time for a boat trip.