Catamaran or pirate boat from Hammamet: which boat trip is right for you?
Updated October 18, 2026 · 6 min read
Boat trips from Hammamet look like a simple choice and mostly are one. Four three-hour trips hold most of the reviews, they sit within just over €3 of each other, and every one of them includes hotel pickup, a swim stop and a drink. The honest comparison is between two kinds of afternoon: a calm cruise, and a show.
What the catamaran trips share
The three catamaran cruises all sail along the Gulf of Hammamet (one listing has them passing the walls of the old medina from the water), stop for a swim, and serve soft drinks and seasonal fruit. Two of them leave from the Yasmine Hammamet marina and name the same swim spot, Sidi Bou Hdid. The most-reviewed of them has a forty-minute swim stop on its listing, and a toilet on board, which the operator says many guests do not know about; ask any member of the crew.
None of these trips can guarantee dolphins, even though one listing describes them almost as part of the programme. Another says it plainly: they are wild animals, they often turn up along this coast, and the captain does his best to find them. Several reviews mention dolphins, which tells you about good days, not about yours.
The two details that differ
Time of day. The most-reviewed catamaran runs more than one departure. The noon trip collects you between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m., has fewer people aboard according to the operator, with more space and a more relaxed feel. The afternoon trip is the one for a sunset at sea. Another listing offers a morning, afternoon and a late-afternoon slot with the same promise. If you want a quiet boat, the noon departure is the one the operator says has fewer guests.
Life jackets and the water. One catamaran lists a life jacket as included; the pirate boat adds that children get special life jackets. Make sure that whoever cannot swim well wears one for the swim stop, not just for the sailing.
What the sea does to a boat trip
Three of the four listings flag the trip as not suitable for people prone to seasickness. If that is you, speak to a pharmacist or your doctor before you travel rather than hoping the Gulf is calm. One review of the 4.1-star catamaran describes strong winds and large waves that affected quite a few passengers, with the crew on hand with bags, water and tissues. The same review adds that they still saw dolphins.
The operators also keep the right to cancel for weather. On one listing the captain decides, and you get either a full refund or another slot; on another, the trip is subject to sea and weather conditions and a cancelled trip is refunded in full. One operator turns that into advice worth following: book the trip early in your holiday, not at the end, so that a bad-weather day can be replaced by a good one. It costs nothing and it is the best single tip on this page.
The pirate boat
The pirate ship is the odd one out. It is a spacious wooden boat with a live show: costumed performers doing acrobatics on the nets, a fakir act and club dancing, on a three-hour trip from €35 with the same swim stop and a snack and soft drinks. Pickup is either a bus that calls at several hotels or a private car direct to the boat, and the listing lets you choose.
It is the trip for children who like a story and for groups who want something to do on the way. A reviewer whose family went said it was brilliant for kids and adults, that the boat was full but the crew made sure everyone joined in, and that the children felt safe jumping from the boat. It is not the trip for anyone who wants to sit quietly with a drink and look at the coast, and it is the lowest rated of the four, 3.6 stars on 188 reviews. The listing does not say why, and there is no honest way to guess; the catamarans score between 4.1 and 4.3.
Wheelchairs and mobility
Two of the catamaran listings are marked wheelchair accessible, and one of them adds that wheelchair users should get in touch for assisted boarding. Boarding a boat from a marina pontoon is a different question from entering a building, so ask the operator exactly how it works and whether the crew can lift, before you pay.
Which one
For a first trip with no strong preference, the most-reviewed catamaran, at €38.25 with 4.3 stars on 325 reviews, is the safe middle: a swim, a drink, fruit and a toilet, with a quieter noon departure available. For a sunset, choose the afternoon or late-afternoon slot, book early in the holiday, and keep a spare day. For a family with children who need entertaining, the pirate ship is the better afternoon, knowing its rating. If anyone in your party gets sick on boats, take the advice of a pharmacist before booking any of them.
For something on land, there is quad biking in the hills or riding on the beach, and all boat trips from Hammamet are on the category page.
See prices and departure times for the catamaran cruise with fruit and drinks
The four side by side
| Trip | From | Rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catamaran Cruise & Hotel Pickup, fruit and drink | €38.25 | 4.3 | 325 |
| Pirate Boat Trip with Private Hotel Transfers | €35 | 3.6 | 188 |
| Catamaran Cruise Tour, Swimming and Snack | €38.25 | 4.2 | 115 |
| Catamaran Cruise with Swim Stop and Hotel Transfer | €37.50 | 4.1 | 103 |
