Rio de Janeiro · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS
25 reviewed
Rio looks its best from the water, with Sugarloaf and the beaches lined up along the shore. Here are the boat trips that deliver it — schooner day-sails, speedboat hops out to the islands, sunset cruises with an open bar — with prices, how long you spend aboard, and which suit families over party crowds.
Sail into Rio at golden hour from Guanabara Bay with small-group service, caipirinhas, snacks, and skyline views plus a swim option.
“Our guide Clarisse was amazing! Very kind, attentive and knowledgeable. We truly enjoyed the trip and it was because of her and the crew! Great experience!”
3-hour Rio sunset sail from Urca through Baía de Guanabara with open bar caipirinhas, snacks, and a swim stop.
“We really enjoyed the evening sunset cruise with Lohanni and crew!”
Rio to Angra dos Reis by schooner with Ilha Grande stops, snorkeling time, and lunch plus hotel pickup and drop-off for about 14 hours.
“It is a beautiful place, 2.5 hrs from the city but it is worthy. We have a great time and everything was good.”
Sail from Rio to Arraial do Cabo on a traditional schooner with swim stops, cliff beaches, and photo stops like Gruta Azul and Praia do Forno.
“Amazing trip, publio is an amazing guide, very friendly, speaks very good English and was always present when you needed him. He even organized a birthday surprise for me! Boat trip was very nice, we had enough time on the beaches, snorkeling gear can be rented although, there is not much to see as there is no reef.”
Arraial do Cabo day trip from Rio with a schooner boat tour, multiple swim stops, and hotel pickup. Long day, stunning water.
“We drove almost three hours including picking up everyone at their respective pickup spots which took ages. When we finally arrived we were told no boats were going out that day. The guide had us sit and wait for over an hour before telling us that we wouldn’t be going out. By this time the day was halfway over. We all complained about the situation so the guide decided to rent four cabs to pick us all up and drive us to the beaches we were supposed to see. The cabs took another forty minutes to arrive. We drove half an hour to the beach. The beach itself was absolutely…”
3-hour sunset sail on Guanabara Bay from Marina da Glória with drinks, snacks, and views of Sugarloaf and Christ.
“Once in a lifetime experience on the shore of Rio De Janeiro, watching the sunset and the flight take off and landing just above the boat! highly recommended!”
Arraial do Cabo boat trip from Rio with lunch. Swim in blue-green waters, snorkel for marine life, and return around 8pm.
“I liked it a lot! The boat trip itself is short in comparison with the time of the whole trip, however, views and beaches were stunning. It is totally worth it. I went in July and the water temperature was just fine. The lunch is also delicious! Thanks for everything!”
A 5-hour Paraty Bay boat tour with 4 stops, included snorkeling gear, beach time, and tropical fruit plus coffee at the end for about $22.
“It was a great day out and activities were well paced. The office was extremely helpful with sorting out some issues we had with getting to the meeting point on time. We are very grateful and happy.”
A 3-hour Rio sunset boat cruise with a small group, beer, soda, snacks, and quick museum stops plus a swim at Adão e Eva Beach.
“Such a great boat trip! And the staff was very nice! They gave us history and we had great views of Rio”
1.5-hour catamaran on Guanabara Bay with Sugarloaf photo stops, views of Niterói, and an audio guide from Marina da Glória.
“Very relaxing. Good views of Rio. Can buy beverages on board”
Full-day schooner trip from Rio to Búzios for swim stops, buffet lunch, and free time on das Pedras Street.
“Ainda não acabou mas foi o horror da minha vida tenho 71 anos, já viajei pelo mundo todo. 10 vezes no Brasil e nunca tive uma guia tão horrível, como mandei mensagem devido a um atraso de 1 hora a senhora RAQUEL péssima guia quando chegou e depois de lhe dizer que não me avisaram do atraso, simplesmente me mandou sair do bus, dizendo que seria uma pena eu continuar (somos 4 pessoas de 72, 71, 72e 74 anos chamou-me por imensas vezes merda de portugueses, vocês são uma merda. Acham isto normal. O mínimo que a agência devia ter feito era mudar-nos a excursão. Tive medo de seguir com…”
Small-group fast-boat from Rio to Ilha Grande and Angra dos Reis. Swim, snorkel, hop beaches, and enjoy smooth pickup to return.
“The whole trip was amazing, specially the snorkeling! And every stops we had some activities! And big thank you for the guides! I could see that they working with love and passion, they like what they are doing! This was gave more to the trip!”
Sail Guanabara Bay from Marina da Glória with capirinha, snacks, bay views, and a museum stop in Rio de Janeiro.
“We had a wonderful time. The weather was beautiful and the crew and other guests were great. We especially enjoyed taking a dip in the bay.”
Guanabara Bay cruise from Rio with Sugarloaf and Christ views, hotel pickup, and optional Brazilian barbecue lunch. 2 hours on the water.
“Although, I found this tour quite boring, it was nice to see the harbor and get a grasp on how the city was laid out. I was under the impression that we would have a chance to explore some beaches and get off the boat and go swimming, which was not the case. I was quite disappointed. In addition, another passenger stated she had purchased the optional lunch but that was canceled at the last minute.”
Rio sunset sail from Urca: 3 hours past forts and beaches, with snacks, beer, caipirinhas, and a swim stop in Guanabara Bay.
“A GREAT time seeing a less-explores part of Rio. A fun and attentive crew made the trip fun for everyone on board. Chill vibe and beautiful views!”
