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Cruise Tickets in Miami

Ready to learn about the boat tour options available in Miami? Contrary to what many travelers may think, there are many alternatives and here are the most interesting ones.

Alex Grande

Alex Grande

11 min read

Cruise Tickets in Miami

Port of Miami Cruises | ©Thank You (20,5 millions+) views

If there is one place worth taking a boat excursion to, it is undoubtedly the south coast of Florida. Cruising the waters of the Atlantic Ocean is one of the best things to do and see in Miami during your next vacation.

As you will see, numerous local companies offer this type of experience in safe boats with specialized guides and in several languages, seeking to give the traveler the best possible experience so that you will always be eager to return to enjoy the warm weather of the city. Choose the one that best suits your itinerary and budget.

1. Biscayne Bay and Millionaire's Row Boat Tour

Biscayne Bay| ©Rick Vink
Biscayne Bay| ©Rick Vink

The traditional tour of Biscayne Bay or Biscayne Bay in Spanish is one of the most requested tours by travelers touring the city. For that reason, you will find numerous companies offering this experience in the city.

What do these tours include?

In addition to a quiet boat ride to get to know the bay and the city of Miami from another perspective, the experience of a tour of Biscayne includes the accompaniment at all times of an expert guide.

The cruise takes place aboard a scenic boat and you will arrive at Miami's Millionaire's Row to admire the beautiful waterfront enclaves.

It is a group tour and the number of crew members will depend on the size of the boat you hire for the experience.

The tours usually start from a common meeting point and participants are usually asked to arrive about 20 minutes before departure time to accommodate the crew and provide basic safety briefings during the tour. The tour usually takes about 80-90 minutes to complete.

Finally, keep in mind that, like other experiences in Miami, you may find companies with Spanish-speaking guides, so check availability with the company you decide to hire before making payment.

Useful Information

  • Price: Varies depending on the participant. Adults and young people over 12 years old will pay about 35€, children between 4 and 11 about 20€ and children under 5€. These prices are approximate.
  • Duration of the excursion: The complete tour of the Bay of Biscay will take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete.
  • Recommended if... You are looking for an economical, fun and highly available option that you can do even on a short stay, such as a day trip to Miami.

Book a Biscayne Bay Cruise from Miami

2. Private boat tour of Miami

Cruise arriving to port| ©Ed Webster
Cruise arriving to port| ©Ed Webster

To all my traveler friends who prefer less organized options and who like to take the pace of their adventures themselves, I recommend this private boat tour option to enjoy a little of the best of the American East Coast.

What do these excursions include?

The most interesting thing about hiring a private boat tour is that you will have the opportunity to decide the most appropriate departure time, as well as the route of the places you want to visit.

The companies that offer this type of service offer guides in several languages, the most popular being English, Spanish and French; if you want to make sure you have a guide in Spanish, ask before making the final payment.

Finally, keep in mind that certain tours may be in high demand during the peak tourist season, such as the winter months in Miami. If you are traveling to the city during these times, make your reservations as far in advance as possible.

Useful information

  • Price: Although these types of experiences are available from 330€, you can include in the trip a group of 4 to 6 people depending on the company you hire.
  • Duration of the excursion: Between 2 and 3 hours approximately depending on the company.
  • Recommended if... you are looking for an option that allows you to set your own pace and live your own experiences. Highly recommended if you are going to the city with a group of people and are looking for a fun alternative in warm waters.

Book a private boat tour of Miami

3. Biscayne Bay tour on board a pirate ship

Biscayne Bay on board of a pirate ship| ©Tomas N
Biscayne Bay on board of a pirate ship| ©Tomas N

Possibly one of the best short tours you can do in the city if you go to Miami with children. This experience takes young and old to sail the waters of the Atlantic aboard a dangerous pirate-themed ship with black sails. Needless to say, the little ones have the time of their lives on this type of adventure.

What do these excursions include?

The most interesting part of this adventure is the chance to cruise the Bay of Biscay aboard a pirate-themed ship in a fun-filled adventure for children and families visiting the city.

Although the specific details of the route and the starting point depend a lot on the company you hire, most of them require travelers to be at the meeting point about 20 minutes before the start of the experience.

Throughout the tour you will be accompanied by a guide and explanations are usually offered in English and also in Spanish if required by the participants.

Keep in mind that this type of excursion is usually very popular with families visiting Miami during the vacations, so make your reservations in advance, especially to ensure availability.

Useful information

  • Price: Adults pay about 30€, children ages 4 to 11 years old have a reduced rate of 20€ and children under 4 only pay about 5€ approximately.
  • Duration of the excursion: The duration of the excursion is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  • Recommended if... you are visiting the city with children and are looking for a fun activity to do with the family. The best part is that the tour is practically the same as the traditional boat tour, but aboard a much nicer boat.

Book a pirate ship tour in Miami

4. Miami sunset boat tour with appetizers

Sunset on a Miami Cruise Ship| ©Gyuri Nagy
Sunset on a Miami Cruise Ship| ©Gyuri Nagy

Watching the sunset in Miami is one of the best things to do in the city. As a result, many companies offer travelers end-of-day tour options that allow them to combine the experience of a tour of the waters with the last rays of light.

Seriously consider this alternative, especially if you've had a busy day of sightseeing and want to end your day of exploration on a high note.

What do these excursions include?

In addition to access to the boat tour, these types of excursions usually include an expert guide who accompanies the group of travelers throughout the excursion and a snack served directly on the boat during the tour.

Most companies also include a complimentary glass of either wine or beer.

While it is true that the tour may vary depending on the company you choose, sunset boat tours generally take place in the waters of Biscayne Bay, whose size and proximity to the city allows visitors to get fabulous views of some of the most famous neighborhoods, such as Little Havana or the Wynwood District.

A tour of the bay also allows visitors to appreciate the island of Miami Beach in all its splendor.

Useful information

  • Price: Approximately 30€ for an adult ticket, children under 4 years old do not pay, but must be seated on an adult's lap.
  • Duration of the tour: You should reserve about 2 hours for the experience and arrive at the meeting point 15 to 20 minutes before departure time.
  • Recommended if... you don't have the option to take the tour during the day, this is a great option for people who are in town for a short period of time, like 3 days in Miami or less.

Book a boat tour

5. Boat cruise to the Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale| ©Tranquiligold Jin
Fort Lauderdale| ©Tranquiligold Jin

Another fantastic alternative is to take a day cruise in the city of Miami to the Bahamas. Specifically to Bimini Island.

Among the islands of the Bahamas archipelago, Bimini is known for its white sandy beaches with little tourist traffic, sport fishing and for its excellent atmosphere.

It was a favorite retreat for authors such as Ernest Hemingway who, according to his own records, first visited the island in 1935.

What do these excursions include?

You will depart from the port of Miami aboard a cruise ship whose final destination is the Bahamas archipelago, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Many of the companies that organize this type of experience take travelers to the most popular private resort on the island: the Hilton Hotel, which belongs to the famous hotel chain. You will spend the day enjoying the facilities, where lunch, breakfast and dinner options are offered.

Depending on the company you hire, it is possible to do other activities on the island, such as snorkeling on the reefs, riding jet skis, parasailing or swimming with dolphins.

If any of these catch your attention, don't forget to contact the company organizing the experience for specific details.

Like many other cruise experiences in the city of Miami it is possible to find this experience available in several languages, mainly English and Spanish.

Useful info

  • Price: The cost to pay for this experience is around 240€ per traveler.
  • Duration of the excursion: It is a full day activity and you must reserve at least 11 hours for the tour. I recommend it for travelers who will be in Miami for 5 days or more.
  • Recommended if... You want to experience a short cruise in your own flesh. Although the boat is a little smaller the tour experience and adventure is quite similar.

Book a cruise in Miami with water activities

6. Combined experience: Miami sightseeing and Biscayne Bay Boat Tour

Biscayne Bay boat tour| ©Lonny Paul
Biscayne Bay boat tour| ©Lonny Paul

A great alternative that allows you to save time, money and effort on your trip to Miami is to hire a combined option that includes several activities you want to do in the city.

One of the most popular and requested options for travelers visiting Miami for the first time is the combined experience of a tour of the city, either in an air-conditioned vehicle or on the Miami sightseeing bus, complemented by a boat excursion on Biscayne Bay.

What do these excursions include?

The combined experience allows you to take advantage of two of the essential activities when getting to know the city.

On the one hand, there are options that take you in an air-conditioned vehicle and others in which you will have a pass to get on board the tourist bus in Miami. In either case, this tour will allow you to visit the city's highlights, including the districts of South Beach, Wynwood, Downtown, Little Havana, Bayside and more.

You will also get a ticket with which you can join one of the several boat tours of Biscayne Bay that take place every day in the city. Keep in mind that you will have to arrive 20 minutes before departure time to be able to board the boat.

Useful information

  • Price: You will have to pay about 50€ for the experience.
  • Duration of the excursion: Depending on the company you choose and the itinerary, it can take 5 hours to complete the experience.
  • Recommended if... you are looking for a simple way to organize your vacation without worrying about planning too many details. Analyzing the excursions separately you will notice that the price difference for hiring the individual services is practically non-existent.

Book a guided tour of Miami and boat tour

7. Combined experience: Miami sightseeing bus tour and Biscayne Bay boat tour and Everglades tour

Visiting Miami without getting off the tour bus| ©Ed Webster
Visiting Miami without getting off the tour bus| ©Ed Webster

Continuing with the combined experience options in Miami, you will find companies that offer a pack with the most impressive adventures to do in the city: the traditional boat tour through the waters of Biscayne Bay, a tour of the city in the tourist bus and an excursion to visit the Everglades National Park.

The latter is among the largest parks in the United States and is one of the nation's most important natural assets due to its size and biodiversity.

What do these tours include?

When talking about the activities included in these excursions, it is important to keep in mind that the order in which they are done will depend mainly on the company you hire for the excursion.

First of all, you will have access to the city's tourist bus, with which you will be able to take a tour through the highlights that Miami has to offer. The bus has a narrated tour in several languages to learn the most relevant information.

On the Everglades tour you can take the traditional excursion that includes an airboat ride through the waters of the mangroves to admire the swamp creatures in the wild, learning about and seeing up close such impressive creatures as alligators and turtles that have lived in this environment for thousands of years.

Finally, the Biscayne Bay tour is an opportunity to admire the crystal clear waters of the sea, and observe both the coast and the city skyline from another perspective.

Useful information

  • Price: From 65€ the adult entrance ticket, while children usually pay a little less for access.
  • Duration of excursion: You should reserve a full day for the experience as the tour of the National Park alone will take approximately 5 hours to complete.
  • Recommended if... Family visits, Everglades activities are very focused on being educational and entertaining for all ages, the alligator show is impressive!

Book a guided tour with cruise and Everglades excursion

Tips for taking a boat tour in Miami

Views of Miami from the cruise ship| ©Thank You (20,5 millions+) views
Views of Miami from the cruise ship| ©Thank You (20,5 millions+) views

Finally, I would like to share with you some tips that I think can be very helpful to those travelers who will soon visit the city.

Plan your route and be on time for the excursion

Plan your route well to arrive at the meeting point at least 20 minutes before departure time. The passenger confirmation and boarding process takes some time and the captain will depart at the scheduled time whether or not you are there to board.

Book in advance

Another important tip is to book these types of excursions in advance, especially if you are visiting the city during a busy tourist season, such as winter in Miami.

Despite the increase in demand during specific seasons, places are always limited and the only way to secure one is by booking in advance.

Take only what you need

On more occasions than I could count, I have seen travelers take with them far more than they should, especially for cruises of a day or more.

If, for example, you book the Bahamas cruise tour, chances are that a change of clothes, your bathing suit and sunscreen will be more than enough.

Read carefully the opinions of other travelers

Boat tours in Miami are among the activities with the largest number of participants and also with the largest number of suppliers, so you should avoid at all costs those that offer a poor service. Use the services of websites such as Hellotickets, where users leave their impressions freely. It is the best possible provider.