Cheap Boat Rental in Abu Dhabi: Compare Boats by Group & Budget
If you want to get out on the water without paying superyacht prices, Yachts Abu Dhabi lets you compare 11 private boats in the capital side by side, from a self-drive boat at AED 300 per hour to a 55 ft yacht at AED 1,497. Every price is for the whole boat, not per person, which makes the maths easy once you know your group size.
This guide is built around budget: what each boat costs, what that works out to per guest, and which type fits your plans.
The Yachts Abu Dhabi homepage, with boats from AED 300 per hour for the whole boat.
All boats compared by price
Every boat has a two-hour minimum. The table shows the hourly rate and the total for that minimum, as listed on the site.
| Boat | Type | Guests | AED per hour | 2 hours (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Skipper | Self-drive | 4 | 300 | 600 |
| Wave Rider | Speed boat | 8 | 400 | 800 |
| Reef Runner 34 | Speed boat | 8 | 450 | 900 |
| Sand Dollar | Yacht | 8 | 450 | 900 |
| Floating Villa | Houseboat | 15 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Falcon 40 | Yacht | 10 | 649 | 1,298 |
| Mirage Houseboat | Houseboat | 15 | 650 | 1,300 |
| Dune Houseboat | Houseboat | 20 | 750 | 1,500 |
| Tide Cruiser | Yacht | 20 | 999 | 1,998 |
| Saffron Houseboat | Houseboat | 12 | 1,000 | 2,000 |
| Gulf Star 55 | Yacht | 15 | 1,497 | 2,994 |
What it costs per person
Because you rent the whole boat, a bigger group brings the price per head down quickly. Using the two-hour totals above and a full boat:
- Dune Houseboat: AED 1,500 shared by 20 guests is about AED 75 each.
- Floating Villa: AED 1,000 shared by 15 guests is about AED 67 each.
- Wave Rider: AED 800 shared by 8 guests is AED 100 each.
- Solo Skipper: AED 600 shared by 4 people is AED 150 each.
So for a large group of friends or colleagues, a houseboat is often the cheapest way onto the water, while the speed boats suit smaller groups who want more pace.
The boat comparison table, listing guests, hourly price and 2-hour totals.
Pick by group size
Couples and groups of up to 4
The Solo Skipper is the obvious choice if you want to drive yourself. If you would rather sit back, the 8-guest boats work just as well for a small group.
Up to 8 guests
Wave Rider and Reef Runner 34 are speed boats with captain and crew, and Sand Dollar is a small yacht at the same capacity. Wave Rider is the cheapest captained option at AED 400 per hour.
10 to 15 guests
Falcon 40 takes 10, Saffron Houseboat takes 12, and Floating Villa, Mirage Houseboat and Gulf Star 55 each take 15. This is where the choice is really between a yacht feel and the space of a houseboat.
Up to 20 guests
Dune Houseboat and Tide Cruiser are the largest boats on the site, each holding 20.
Self-drive boats: no licence, short training
The Solo Skipper is a beginner-friendly self-drive boat for up to four people, with a total load of 400 kg and a top speed of about 30 km/h. No boating licence is needed. Before departure you get a full safety briefing and around ten minutes of training, and the boat has a sunshade canopy, safety equipment for each passenger, soft drinks, water and speakers. Two hours costs AED 600, three hours AED 900 and four hours AED 1,200. Other driver requirements are explained on WhatsApp when you book.
Houseboats: more space for the money
Houseboats are described on the site as a floating living room rather than a narrow deck, with lounges, rooftop terraces, shade and open deck space. Captain and crew are included on every houseboat, along with soft drinks, water and speakers. Prices start at AED 500 per hour for the Floating Villa, which makes them a strong option for family gatherings, birthdays and relaxed get-togethers where people want to sit and talk.
Speed boats and yachts: when they are worth it
If the plan is a quick spin along the coast, a swim stop or photos at golden hour, the captained speed boats make sense. Wave Rider and Reef Runner 34 both carry eight guests and include captain and crew, so nobody in the group has to drive. Step up to the yachts, Sand Dollar, Falcon 40, Tide Cruiser or Gulf Star 55, when you want a more polished setting for a celebration. Gulf Star 55 is the top of the range on this site at AED 1,497 per hour for up to 15 guests.
The Solo Skipper self-drive boat page, with no boating licence needed.
How to book
- Pick a boat using the Yacht Finder, the budget calculator, which covers 2 to 8 hours, or the comparison table.
- Message on WhatsApp at +971 56 671 9900 with your date, start time, number of guests and preferred boat.
- Confirm and pay through the link sent on WhatsApp, by card, Tabby in four payments or Tamara.
- Meet the boat at the meeting point shared after booking, with an original passport or Emirates ID for every guest.
Sunscreen and sunglasses are worth packing, especially for daytime trips.
Why compare here first
Most rental sites make you message for a price. Here the hourly rate, the two-hour total and the Tabby instalment are shown on every boat, and the finder filters by group size, so you can shortlist before you ever open WhatsApp. The site is also available in English, Arabic and Russian. To see how the finder and calculator were designed, read how we built the Yachts Abu Dhabi website.
FAQ
Is the price per person?
No. Every price covers the whole boat for your group, so a full boat lowers the cost for each guest.
What is included on every boat?
A private boat, soft drinks, water and speakers. Captain and crew are included on all boats except the self-drive Solo Skipper.
Where do the boats leave from?
All boats depart from Abu Dhabi, and the exact meeting point is shared on WhatsApp after you book.
Know your group size and budget? Head to Yachts Abu Dhabi, compare the boats and send your date on WhatsApp. The website was designed and built by Zaki International.