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Motorboats in Dubai: Hourly Rates, Guests and Minimum Hours
Boat rental in Dubai starts from AED 249 an hour for a 35-foot boat with a captain, and the middle of 46 motorboat models sits at about AED 413 an hour. Below: what the hourly rate covers, how minimum hours change the total, what length, guest numbers and build year do to the price, and how to ask for quotes you can actually compare.
What an hourly price includes
Motorboats in the city are priced by the hour, and the figure on a card is the start of a calculation rather than its end: the crew, the inclusions and the minimum booking decide what you pay.
The whole boat, with a licensed captain at the helm
Hiring a motorboat here means the whole boat for your group, not a seat on a shared tour. The Rent-Trip section on this page brings together 46 motorboat models from 27 to 45 feet, and the market offers them in two working modes: by the hour and with a captain. For 42 of the models the captain is stated as part of the price, and one more comes with a professional crew included. The rest of the boat follows the same logic. Hourly rates commonly cover a captain licensed by the Dubai Maritime City Authority, fuel, life jackets and UAE VAT at 5%. That last point matters when you compare: a rate that adds fuel or VAT on top is not the same rate, even if the number looks identical. Because a licensed captain runs the boat, you do not need a boat licence of your own for a captained trip. If you want to drive yourself, that is a different product, covered further down.
Minimum hours and the real total
Most boats can be booked for a short trip. Of the 42 models with a stated minimum, 19 go out for a single hour and 15 need at least 2 hours. The other eight ask for more, and that is where an hourly price can mislead. The Gulf Craft Oryx 42 starts at AED 299 an hour, one of the lowest rates in the section, but its minimum is 8 hours, so the shortest booking costs AED 2,392. The AS Marine AS 45 is priced at AED 350 an hour with a 12-hour minimum, which makes AED 4,200. The Skipper-BSK 42 combines a high rate with a long minimum: AED 1,032 an hour for at least 8 hours, or AED 8,256 in total. Set those against the Al Muhairy 35 ft, which goes out for one hour at AED 249. The practical rule is simple — multiply every hourly rate by its minimum before you compare two boats.
Longer trips and what they do to the hourly rate
Some operators lower the hourly rate when you book more time. On the Sunset Victor, a 30-foot sport cruiser starting at AED 500 an hour, a 4 to 5 hour booking comes with 12% off. Not every boat works this way, and the discount is not shown on the starting price, so it is worth asking about directly when you plan a half-day trip. A discount also changes the comparison with boats that have a long minimum: a boat at a higher hourly rate with a discount for four hours can end up close to one with a lower rate and a fixed 8-hour minimum.
Hourly rates from AED 249 to AED 1,469
The spread of starting prices is wide, but most boats fall inside a narrow band, and the outliers are explained by design and build year rather than size.
Where most hourly prices fall
| Starting price per hour | Models | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Up to AED 300 | 6 | Al Muhairy 35 ft, Gulf Craft Oryx 42, Sea Ray 33 ft |
| AED 301–400 | 16 | Gulf Craft Majesty 44, Fairline 40, Silvercraft SC31 |
| AED 401–500 | 14 | Doral Prestancia, Carver 42, Azimut 45 Flybridge |
| AED 501–700 | 5 | Al Hareb 45 X, Ferretti Yachts Altura 40, Sealine 45 |
| Over AED 700 | 5 | Riviera 11 M Abra Boat, VanDutch 40, Azimut Magellano 43 |
Thirty of the 46 models start between AED 301 and AED 500 an hour. The median is AED 412.50, while the average is AED 490: five boats above AED 700 pull the average up, so the median is the better guide to a typical price. If a quote for an ordinary 35 to 40 foot boat comes in well above AED 500 an hour, ask what makes it different — a newer build, a premium make or extras in the price.
Starting prices by boat length
| Length | Models | Price per hour | Median | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 30 ft | 5 | AED 375–500 | AED 450 | 6–8 |
| 31–35 ft | 15 | AED 249–1,083 | AED 400 | 6–12 |
| 36–40 ft | 12 | AED 300–1,000 | AED 407 | 8–18 |
| 41–45 ft | 14 | AED 299–1,469 | AED 417.50 | 8–16 |
Length is not a price scale
The medians barely move with length. The smallest boats, up to 30 feet, have the highest median at AED 450, and the 41 to 45 foot group sits only slightly above the middle band at AED 417.50. In my experience this is the most useful single fact for anyone hiring a boat in the city: a 40-footer does not cost more than a 30-footer by default. The Gulf Craft 40 starts at AED 350 an hour for 10 guests, while the 28-foot Beneteau Flyer 8 Sundeck starts at AED 375 for 6. What does push the price up is design and age. The VanDutch 40, a 2024 open day cruiser, starts at AED 1,000 an hour, almost three times the Gulf Craft 40 of the same length. The Cranchi E30 Endurance, a 33-foot open boat from 2023, starts at AED 1,083, and the Azimut Magellano 43 at AED 1,469 is the most expensive model in the section. If length is your main need, the bigger boats give more deck for the same money; if you want a particular look, expect to pay for it.
Guest numbers and the price per head
Capacity is where Dubai motorboats differ most from one another, and dividing the hourly rate by the guest number often changes which boat looks cheap.
How many guests the boats take
The 46 models take between 6 and 18 guests. Fifteen are rated for up to 8 people, 28 for 9 to 12, and 3 for more than 12: the Sea Master 45 for 15, the Gulf Craft Majesty 44 for 16 and the Riviera 11 M Abra Boat for 18. Ten guests is the most common rating, with 14 models, followed by 8 and 12 guests with 12 models each. The smallest boats, the Silver Wind, the Beneteau Flyer 8 Sundeck and the Cranchi E30 Endurance, take 6. These are the maximum numbers stated for each boat. Count everyone in the group, children included: a group of 11 needs a boat rated for 12, not a 10-guest boat with room to squeeze.
Price per guest across the range
| Boat | Price per hour | Guests | Per guest per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Muhairy 35 ft | AED 249 | 12 | about AED 21 |
| Gulf Craft Majesty 44 | AED 350 | 16 | about AED 22 |
| Formula 41 PC | AED 349 | 12 | about AED 29 |
| Sea Master 45 | AED 449 | 15 | about AED 30 |
| Riviera 11 M Abra Boat | AED 950 | 18 | about AED 53 |
| VanDutch 40 | AED 1,000 | 10 | AED 100 |
| Cranchi E30 Endurance | AED 1,083 | 6 | about AED 181 |
Across all 46 models the middle price per guest is about AED 44 an hour. The table shows how far that can stretch. For a full group of 16, the Gulf Craft Majesty 44 works out at about AED 22 per person per hour, and the Riviera abra, despite its AED 950 rate, lands at about AED 53 for 18 people — not far above the middle. At the other end, the Cranchi E30 costs about AED 181 per person per hour because it seats only six. Price per head only holds if the boat is full, though. Four people on the Majesty 44 still pay AED 350 an hour, and its 5-hour minimum brings the shortest booking to AED 1,750, so for a small group a smaller boat with a one-hour minimum is usually the cheaper trip.
One model, different guest numbers
The same model can be rated for different numbers on different boats. Seven boats of the Gulf Craft Majesty 44 carry ratings from 10 to 16 guests, and four Azimut 45 Flybridge boats from 10 to 12. The figure on the card is the highest stated for the model, so for a large group confirm the rating of the exact boat you are offered. If you are close to the limit, ask for a written capacity with the quote rather than relying on the model name.
Speedboats, sport cruisers, fishing boats and small motor yachts
The section covers several types of motorboat up to 45 feet. Longer boats belong to the yacht charter section, which in Dubai starts at 46 feet.
Boat types side by side
| Type | Models | Price per hour | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small motor yachts, 32–45 ft | 12 | AED 299–1,469 | 10–16 |
| Sport cruisers and sport yacht, 30–45 ft | 9 | AED 300–500 | 8–12 |
| Motorboats and cruisers, 31–40 ft | 8 | AED 249–550 | 8–12 |
| Open boats and day cruisers, 28–42 ft | 5 | AED 375–1,083 | 6–12 |
| Speedboats and fast boats, 27–45 ft | 5 | AED 350–550 | 6–12 |
| Fishing boats, 31–40 ft | 4 | AED 300–350 | 9–10 |
| Flybridges, 42 ft | 2 | AED 395–440 | 11–12 |
| Sightseeing abra, 36 ft | 1 | AED 950 | 18 |
The labels overlap at the edges — a 45-foot sport yacht and a 45-foot small motor yacht can be very similar on the water — so treat the type as a guide to layout, not a price tier. Small motor yachts are the largest group, with 12 models from AED 299 to AED 1,469 an hour. Among them, the Gulf Craft Majesty 38 starts at AED 350 for 10 guests and the Azimut 45 Flybridge at AED 500 for 12. For speedboat rental in Dubai, the five speedboats and fast boats start from AED 350 an hour on the AS Marine 32 and the Silvercraft 40 ft to AED 550 on the Al Hareb 45 X. Sport cruisers run from the Sea Ray 33 ft at AED 300 to the Bavaria 33 Cruiser and the Sunset Victor at AED 500. The single abra in the section, the Riviera 11 M, is built for sightseeing groups of up to 18.
Fishing boats and the minimum-hours pattern
The four fishing boats — the Gulf Craft Walkaround 31, Walkaround 35, Gulf Craft 40 and Bin Ghalita 36 — start at AED 300 to AED 350 an hour for 9 or 10 guests. Their minimums are longer than average: 3 hours on the Walkaround 31, 4 on the Walkaround 35 and 8 on the Bin Ghalita 36, which makes the shortest Bin Ghalita trip AED 2,400. Rod-and-line fishing from a licensed charter boat does not require a personal fishing licence in the UAE. Catches change with the months: kingfish and barracuda from October to March, hammour and queenfish from April to June. For trips priced as a full fishing outing rather than by the hour, see the fishing charter section.
The makes behind the models
Gulf Craft is the most common make here, with 10 models from the Gulf Craft 33 to the Majesty 44, priced from AED 299 to AED 499 an hour with a median of AED 350 — below the median of the whole section. Silvercraft and AS Marine have four models each, Beneteau three, and Sea Ray and Azimut two each. Eighteen other makes have one model each, from Fairline and Sealine to VanDutch and Cranchi. A wide choice of makes means that two boats of a similar size can feel very different on board, so if a particular brand matters to you, choose it from the cards rather than asking for "a 40-foot boat".
Build year and what age does to the rate
Build year is stated for 42 of the 46 models, from 1988 to 2024, and it explains more of the price spread than length does.
Price by build year
| Built | Models | Price per hour | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988–2009 | 5 | AED 300–590 | AED 411 |
| 2010–2015 | 13 | AED 300–550 | AED 395 |
| 2016–2020 | 15 | AED 299–1,032 | AED 350 |
| 2021–2024 | 9 | AED 249–1,469 | AED 650 |
Newer boats and the premium end
For boats built up to 2020, age has little effect on the median, which stays between AED 350 and AED 411 an hour. The jump comes with boats from 2021 onwards, where the median rises to AED 650. That group includes the most expensive models in the section — the Azimut Magellano 43 (2022) at AED 1,469, the Cranchi E30 Endurance (2023) at AED 1,083 and the VanDutch 40 (2024) at AED 1,000. A new build alone does not guarantee a high price, though. The Al Muhairy 35 ft from 2022 is the cheapest boat in the section at AED 249, and the Beneteau Gran Turismo 41 from 2023 starts at AED 350. Within the same year and size, the make and the finish of the boat decide the price.
Older boats are not automatically cheaper
The oldest model, the Ferretti Yachts Altura 40 from 1988, starts at AED 590 an hour, above the median of every age group up to 2020. The Formula 41 PC from 2002 starts at AED 349 for 12 guests, and the Gulf Craft Ambassador 38 from 2006 at AED 425. An older boat from a well-known yard can hold its price, while a newer boat from a lesser-known make can be among the cheapest. When two quotes differ, ask for the build year of the exact boat — it is the first figure that explains a gap, and it is rarely shown in a quote unless you ask.
Neighbouring options and a request that gets a comparable quote
Before you settle on boat hire in Dubai, check that a captained motorboat is the right product for your trip, then put the details into one request so the answers can be compared.
Motorboat, yacht, self-drive boat or jet ski
A captained motorboat is the entry point for a private boat trip in Dubai. Motorboat starting prices begin at AED 249 an hour, against AED 455 an hour in the yacht section, where boats begin at 46 feet and suit larger groups and longer days. If you want to drive yourself without a licence, the license-free boats section starts at AED 650 an hour; drivers there must be at least 18, children from 6 can ride as passengers, and the boats take up to 2 people. Jet skis start at AED 480 an hour. For a group of six or more, a captained motorboat usually costs less per person than either self-drive option, and nobody in the group has to steer.
Where the trip starts
One fleet in this section boards at Dubai Marina, Gate 4; for other boats the departure point comes with the quote, and it decides how long it takes to reach the sights you want. Ask for the exact marina and gate with every quote, and treat an offer that names only "Dubai" as incomplete.
What to put in a boat request
- Date and hours: give the date, the start time and how many hours you want on board, so the hourly rate and any minimum can be turned into one total.
- Guests: state the full headcount, children included, so the boat offered is rated for your group.
- Inclusions: ask whether the captain, fuel, life jackets and 5% VAT are inside the rate.
- Departure point: name the marina you prefer or ask which one the boat uses.
- Exact boat: name the model from the cards on this page and ask for its build year and guest rating.
- Longer bookings: for four hours or more, ask whether a lower hourly rate applies.
Reading two quotes for the same model
Two quotes for the same model are not automatically comparable. The Gulf Craft Majesty 44 is a clear case: boats of this model are rated for anywhere from 10 to 16 guests, and the Gulf Craft Walkaround 31 is offered at both 31 and 35 feet. Behind a price gap there can be a different boat, build year, minimum or set of inclusions. Line up four facts for each quote — the total for your hours including the minimum, the inclusions, the guest rating and the departure point — and only then compare the totals. A quote that cannot answer one of those four is not yet a price, whatever the figure on it says.
Key points before you book
Six figures to keep in mind
- Hourly rate: the 46 models start between AED 249 and AED 1,469 an hour, with the middle at about AED 413.
- Minimum hours: 19 boats go out for one hour, but the Oryx 42 needs 8 (AED 2,392) and the AS 45 needs 12 (AED 4,200).
- Inclusions: rates commonly cover a licensed captain, fuel, life jackets and 5% VAT — confirm all four.
- Guests: boats take 6 to 18; the middle price per guest is about AED 44 an hour when the boat is full.
- Length: the median barely changes from 30 to 45 feet, so a bigger boat is often no dearer.
- Build year: boats from 2021 onwards have a median of AED 650 an hour, against AED 350–411 for older ones.