Yes, two people can book a private boat in Madeira on their own. The price is per boat, not per person, so two people pay the same 400 to 600 EUR as a group of five and nobody else comes on board.
How much does a private boat cost for two?
Exactly the same as for five, because the price is for the boat, not for each person on it. A Chifbay boat takes up to 5 guests, and the price does not move if you are fewer. Split between two, it works out like this:
- Sunset Trip, 2 hours: 400 EUR for the boat, so 200 EUR each.
- Sunset Trip, 2 hours 30: 500 EUR, so 250 EUR each.
- Day Trip, 2 hours 30: 500 EUR, so 250 EUR each.
- Day Trip, 3 hours: 600 EUR, so 300 EUR each.
Food on board and drinks are in that price: local wine, poncha, beer and soft drinks. So are the pictures: proper camera shots of the two of you, a 360° Insta360 film of the outing, and aerial clips whenever the wind lets the drone up. There is no smaller "couples rate", and no extra charge for being only two. Our guide to what a private charter costs in Madeira goes through the numbers in more detail.
Is it odd to take a boat for five when you are only two?
Not at all. Having the boat to yourselves is the whole point of a private trip. Nobody else is coming on board, so there is no waiting for strangers on the pontoon, no sharing the best seat at the bow and no one else's playlist. It is the two of you and the skipper.
In practice it simply feels roomy. On a white 9 metre motor boat with grey cushioned seats, two people can spread out, move from the shade of the canopy to the sun at the front, and change their minds about where to sit as often as they like. There is a bathroom on board, which matters more than people expect on a trip of two or three hours.
What changes when there are two of you instead of five?
The route does not change. Two guests get the same coastline as five: Câmara de Lobos, the drone pass under Cabo Girão, a swim and the boards at Fajã dos Padres, a second dip off Ribeira Brava, then full speed home. Book 3 hours and you add the half hour on to Ponta do Sol. What changes is the feel.
It is quieter
Five friends on a boat make a party. Two people make a conversation. The sea gets louder, in a good way: water slapping the hull at Fajã dos Padres, the gulls off the cliffs, the hiss of the wake on the run home.
Decisions are easy
At a swim stop, five people rarely agree on when to get back in the water. Two usually do. You can both jump in at once, or one of you can take a paddle board while the other stays dry with a glass of wine.
The photos are all about you
With two people on board, almost every frame of the photos, the 360° video and the drone footage has the two of you in it. Couples who care most about the pictures can see what the aerial files look like in this piece on drone footage from the boat.
The price per head is higher
This is the honest trade. Five people on the 2 hour Sunset Trip pay 80 EUR each. Two pay 200 EUR each for the same boat. You are paying for the space and the quiet, and you should only do it if those are what you want.
Which trip suits a couple best?
It depends on what kind of afternoon or evening you have in mind.
The Sunset Trip for two follows the light, not the clock: you sail 1 h 15 ahead of sunset on your date, near 16:45 in December and close to 20:00 in June. Nobody swims on this one. The 2 hour version turns at Cabo Girão, the 2 hours 30 version turns at Ribeira Brava. It is the slower, softer option: a drink, the light going gold on the cliffs, and Funchal's lights coming on as you head back.
Pairs who want to be in the water should pick the Day Trip with swims at Fajã dos Padres, starting at 10:00 or 14:00. Planning to propose, or marking an anniversary? Read how to plan a proposal or anniversary at sea for timing and the small things to ask us.
Who should not book a private boat for two?
There are times we would point you elsewhere.
- If the budget is tight. Shared trips on big catamarans from the same marina sell single seats, and two seats cost far less than a whole boat.
- If you want company. Some couples enjoy chatting with other travellers. A private boat will not give you that.
- If one of you dislikes boats. A small boat moves more than a large catamaran. If one partner is nervous, start with the 2 hour Sunset Trip on a calm evening rather than the 3 hour Day Trip.
And if there is something you need to know before booking, such as whether you can bring a cake for a birthday or what the boarding is like for someone with limited mobility, ask us on WhatsApp first. It is better to check than to guess.
How do you book the boat for two?
The same way as any group. Book on chifbay.com, or on GetYourGuide, Viator or Click&Boat, and enter two guests. There is nothing extra to arrange for a couple. Then turn up at the marina 15 minutes early and look for your skipper on the pontoon. The practical page has the meeting point details and what to bring.
On a long weekend, put the trip early in your stay. Cancelling costs nothing until 24 hours before you sail, and if the skipper calls the sea off, you move to a spare day or get your money back. Want a slot outside the two timetables? Ask Chifbay on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Is a private boat trip cheaper for two people?
No. You pay for the boat, not the seats: 400 EUR for 2 hours at sunset up to 600 EUR for the 3 hour Day Trip, the same whether two come or five.
Can two people swim and use the paddle boards?
Yes, on the Day Trip. Both of you can swim at Fajã dos Padres and again off Ribeira Brava, and take the paddle boards out. There is no swimming on the Sunset Trip.
Do couples get the photos and drone video too?
Yes. Every trip comes with camera photos and a 360° film, plus drone clips on days it can fly.
Will anyone else join our boat?
No. The whole boat is yours. Only your group is on board, plus the skipper.
Five people make a party on the water. Two people make a conversation, and the sea joins in.