A booze cruise in Tampa should mean your boat, your drinks and your people, not a ticket, a cash bar and a stranger in the next seat. Tampa Bay Boating Adventures runs private, captained BYOB party boat charters for up to 12 guests on Adventure I, a deck boat over 26 feet with premium sound, color-changing lights and iced cooler space under every seat. Bring the cooler, pick a route, and let the captain handle the rest.
Have more than 12 guests? Twelve is the Coast Guard limit for one boat, so a popular option is two boats. We run both on the same route, to the same islands and the same waterfront bars, and anchor alongside each other at the stops, so a group of up to 24 stays together all day. It is priced as two charters at the normal rate, with no group surcharge. See large group charters for how it works.
Cancellations: more than 7 days before your charter, you get a full refund or a credit. Inside 7 days it is a 50% refund, and inside 48 hours the booking is non-refundable. If we have to cancel for weather, you always get the full amount back or a credit. Give us a call to cancel or to ask about one. Full details are on our FAQs page.
Paying in instalments: Afterpay is available at checkout if you would rather split the cost.
Not sure which trip fits? Compare all our Tampa party boat charters in one place: 4, 6, and 8-hour trips, the sunset cruise, and the Wave Rave night charter.
What Is Included in a Tampa Booze Cruise
Every booze cruise runs on Adventure I, USCG licensed for up to 12 passengers.
- A USCG licensed captain for the full charter. Nobody in your group drives.
- Iced cooler space under every seat, bottled water and extra sunscreen. You bring the drinks; we keep them cold.
- Premium sound system and color-changing lights for night cruises.
- Faux-leather seating for up to 12 guests and a swim platform for the sandbar stop.
Two charters do the booze cruise best. The 4-hour private charter is the daytime version: $899 for up to 6 guests, plus $35 per additional guest. The Wave Rave is the night version with a live DJ aboard: $825 for up to 6 guests, plus $35 per additional guest. Maximum 12 guests. Prices are per boat, plus tax, captain included, gratuity not included. Every charter length is on our services page.
Who Books a Private Booze Cruise in Tampa
Bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthdays, friend groups in town for a weekend, and anyone who searched "booze cruise near me" and did not want to pedal a barge around the river. Bachelorette groups are regulars; see our bachelorette party boat page. Adventure I carries up to 12; groups of 13 to 24 book a sister charter across two boats that cruise together, priced as two charters at the normal rate with no group surcharge.
Where Does a Tampa Booze Cruise Go?
A Tampa booze cruise goes wherever your group wants within the charter window: the downtown skyline and a bar stop, a sandbar day at Beer Can Island, or a lit-up night cruise. Your captain sets the exact route with you around the tide and weather.
The skyline and bar stop cruise (4 hours)
Cruise past downtown Tampa, Harbour Island and Davis Islands, then dock at Armature Works or along the Riverwalk for a round on land.
The island day (6 hours)
A 6-hour charter reaches Beer Can Island for a real swim and sandbar hang, with a bar stop on the way home and sunset if you time it right.
The Wave Rave (3 hours, night)
A live DJ, color-changing lights and the lit skyline as the dance floor. BYOB still applies: no cover, no line, no last call.
How a Tampa Booze Cruise Works: Pickup, BYOB and Timing
Pickup
Charters depart from the Davis Island Boat Ramp, minutes from downtown and South Tampa. Pickup at the Armature Works dock or most public docks in downtown Tampa can be arranged; see our pickup locations.
BYOB rules
Bring your own beer, wine, seltzers and liquor. We cannot sell alcohol, so there is no bar tab and no drink minimum. Everyone drinking must be 21 or over with ID. Cans beat glass, the captain has the final call on safety, and nothing goes in the bay. Well-behaved dogs under 20 pounds are welcome.
Timing and booking
Book at least 48 hours ahead as standard; inside 24 hours is sometimes possible if a captain is available. Pay by card or Afterpay at checkout, or by cash, PayPal or Venmo. Cancellations 7 or more days out are refunded in full, inside 7 days at 50 percent, inside 48 hours non-refundable. Weather cancellations are a full refund; a trip cut short before the halfway point earns a follow-up trip. Tipping the captain 15 to 20 percent is customary.
Why Book Your Booze Cruise With Tampa Bay Boating Adventures
Gone are the days of crusty captains and underwhelming pontoon boats. Since 2022 we have run one kind of booze cruise in Tampa: private, upscale and fun, on a real deck boat with a captain who handles everything while your group handles the music and the cooler. We are the #1 rated party boat in Tampa with more than 200 five-star Google reviews. For the cycleboat comparison and a full packing list, read our booze cruise in Tampa guide.
Tampa Booze Cruise FAQs
Is this a public booze cruise with a bar on board?
No. Every charter is private and BYOB. Your group is the only group aboard, you bring your own drinks, and we cannot sell alcohol. Iced cooler space is under every seat.
Can we drink alcohol on the boat?
Yes. Passengers 21 and over with ID can drink on a private charter in Florida. The licensed captain operating the boat does not, and makes the safety calls.
How much does a booze cruise in Tampa cost?
The 4-hour daytime booze cruise is $899 for up to 6 guests, plus $35 per additional guest. The Wave Rave night cruise is $825 for up to 6 guests, plus $35 per additional guest. Maximum 12 guests. Prices are per boat, plus tax. Captain, ice, coolers and water are included; gratuity is not.
How is a private booze cruise different from a cycleboat?
A cycleboat is a pedal-powered barge that loops the downtown river for about 90 minutes, often with strangers aboard. A private booze cruise is your own captained boat for 3 to 8 hours with swimming, sandbars, bar stops and your own music.
How many people can come on a booze cruise?
Up to 12 on Adventure I, captain included. Groups of 13 to 24 book a sister charter across two boats.
Book Your Private Booze Cruise in Tampa
Pick daytime or Wave Rave and check availability and book online, or contact us for a sister charter or a downtown pickup.