The two products are sold differently. Understanding that difference answers most of the question before you start comparing the sea views.
Short answer
On a shared tour you buy a seat at a fixed fare, follow a set programme and join other guests. On a private boat you are hiring the whole vessel: the published figure is a starting price, and the final cost comes from a quote. Private makes sense when the boat's company and plan matter more than the cost. Otherwise, shared is simpler.
How the money works
Our nine tours are priced per person, by age, with the figures on the prices page, and you pay on the tour day. You know the total the moment you count your party.
Private boats have their own section here and at sideboattrips.com, and they work on a different logic: there is a price the hire starts from, and then a quote based on what you ask for. Do not compare the two by dividing one number by another until you have that quote.
What you give up either way
Shared tour
Private boat
Who is on board
Other holidaymakers
Your own party
The programme
Set, subject to sea and weather
Discussed with us when you ask for a quote
The atmosphere
Decided by the tour you choose
Yours to request
The cost
A fixed fare per person
A starting price, then a quote
How you book
Directly, through the form here
By asking for a quote
When a shared seat is the better buy
You are one, two or a small family, and the whole boat would be more than you need.
You like the entertainment that a shared boat provides: a foam party, music or a pirate crew.
You want the certainty of a known fare and a set day.
You want a specific product, such as the Fishing morning or the bazaar day.
When it is worth asking about private
A family celebration or a group that would rather not share the deck.
Someone in the party needs more say over the day's pace.
You have tried the shared quiet option and still want less company.
You simply want to know what it would cost: a question is free.
Before you decide on private just for peace
If quiet is the only reason, look at the Relax tour first. It is still a shared boat, but it is built around a reserved sunbed and has no music, and our calm-day guide sets it against the Fishing morning. Someone who thinks they want a private boat may really want a calmer one.
What we will not quote here
We print no specifications or prices for private boats on this page, because those belong with the quote. Ask what the boat offers, what the day includes and what would change the cost, and compare that answer with the shared fares. Then decide. Both options include a decision you can make calmly, since a shared booking carries no penalty while more than 48 hours remain before it starts.
Questions
Before you ask us
Is a private boat always more expensive?+
You hire the whole boat rather than a seat, so ask for a quote and compare it with your party's total on a shared tour.
Can I book a private boat on this site?+
No. This site sells the nine shared tours. Private hire is arranged on our sister site.
Does the shared Relax tour feel private?+
It is calmer and each guest gets a reserved sunbed, but you will still be with other guests.
The catalogue
Nine boat tours from Side
Same pickup, same way of paying, nine different days. Not sure? Start with which boat tour to choose.
The harbour classic
Side Boat Tour
A full day along the Side coast: live music, repeated swims and snorkelling, a meal on deck and foam to finish.
