Bachelorette Party on a Boat in Rio: How to Organise It

A bachelorette party on a boat fixes the problem the bar version does not: the group stays together the whole time. There is no separate table, nobody gets lost on the way, and there is a single bill, settled in advance.

Below is what needs deciding beforehand, with real rates by group size.

What it costs

Price per vessel, 5-hour trip, split across the group:

• 8 people: R$ 2,600 on the 27 ft Speedboat, R$ 325 each
• 10 people: R$ 3,400 on the 30.5 ft Speedboat, R$ 340 each
• 20 people: R$ 9,500 on the 52 ft Yacht, R$ 475 each
• 50 people: R$ 16,875 on the 50-person Schooner, R$ 337.50 each

Since the bill gets split, agree the split before booking. The 50% deposit comes out of the organiser pocket, and chasing ten people for it afterwards is the tedious part of the party.

Sound and playlist

The boats have Bluetooth sound, so the playlist runs off somebody phone. Two things usually fail: battery and signal. Download the playlist for offline use, because streaming drops out in the middle of the bay, and bring a power bank.

Agree in advance who holds the Bluetooth. A fight over the connection mid-trip is predictable and avoidable.

Decoration

• Balloons and a bride banner work well and survive the wind if properly fixed.
• Glitter and confetti do not come aboard. They stick to the deck and end up in the sea.
• Bring tape. Wind in open water takes down anything lightly fixed.

Drinks

You bring them. There is no corkage and no minimum spend, and coolers with ice are included. Sparkling wine in glass bottles is what breaks most aboard, so it is worth opening and pouring into sturdy cups early on.

Five hours of sun with drinks calls for water in the same measure. Bring more water than the group thinks it will drink.

Routes

Urca and Guanabara Bay

The standard route, already included. It leaves Marina da Glória, passes Flamengo Beach and Botafogo Beach, goes as far as Praia da Urca, at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain, and returns through the bay. That is where the photos happen.

Copacabana and Ipanema

Leaves the bay along the coast, in open water. Better photos, rougher ride. Agree it beforehand, since it sits outside the standard route.

Cagarras Islands

Clearer water and a snorkelling spot, but it eats a good share of the five hours in transit. Only worth it if that is exactly what the group wants, and not if the plan is to sit around talking and drinking. The assessment is in are the Cagarras Islands worth it?

What to agree beforehand

• Seasickness. Anyone prone to it should take something an hour before, not aboard. Once it starts, it does not help.
• Sunscreen. Five hours of glare off the water burns more than the beach.
• Rain. Light rain does not cancel. Heavy rain or unsafe sea conditions reschedule the date.

The rest of the list is in what to bring on a boat trip.