Nice Boat Tours: Frequently Asked Questions
Fares, quays, swim stops, children, the weather and refunds, answered from the operators' own listings and timetables. Planning a Nice boat trip? The answers below settle most of what you need first.
Two answers matter more than the rest. First, three quite different things are sold as a boat trip here: a seat on a scheduled boat, a place on a shared boat, or the whole boat to yourselves. Second, several private charters add a fee you pay on board, so the fare you book is not always the whole cost.
After that, it is the calendar. The boats stop on different days in October 2026, from the sunset catamaran's printed timetable on 5 October to the 1-hour cruise's last sailing on 1 November. Trans Côte d'Azur's day boats to Monaco and Saint-Tropez stop in between.
What kinds of boat tour leave from Nice?
Three kinds. You can buy a seat on a scheduled Trans Côte d'Azur boat: the 1-hour coast cruise, or the day boats to Monaco and Saint-Tropez. You can book a place on a shared RIB or catamaran that stops to swim, some capped at 12. Or you can charter the whole boat.
How much does a boat tour in Nice cost?
From $33 a person for the 1-hour cruise. Shared swim and sunset trips run from $56 to $125 a person. Private boats start at $86 a person for an hour on a solar boat and reach $987 a group for four hours, and some add a fee paid on board.
Where do the boats leave from?
Most leave the Port of Nice, from four different quays: Quai Lunel for Trans Côte d'Azur, the Port Lympia tram stop for Nissa Croisières, the pontoon below Quai Amiral Infernet for AMC Cape Grace and pontoon G04 for the Monaco speedboat. Some charters leave Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat or Port Silva Maris below Èze. Check the quay on your booking before you set off.
Can I take a boat from Nice to Monaco?
Yes. Trans Côte d'Azur's day boat sails on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until 31 October 2026. It leaves Quai Lunel at 09:30, reaches Monaco at 10:15 and sails back at 17:00, which gives you nearly seven hours ashore.
Does the speedboat to Monaco let you go ashore?
No. The speedboat sees Monaco's harbour from the water and turns back to Nice; going ashore is excluded unless arranged in advance, with port taxes. For a day in Monaco, take the Trans Côte d'Azur boat instead.
Is there a boat to Saint-Tropez?
Yes, Trans Côte d'Azur's day boat: 09:00 from Quai Lunel, about 2.5 hours each way and five hours ashore. Its regular timetable ends on 20 October 2026, with Tuesday and Saturday sailings only in October. Three extra boats for the Saint-Tropez street sale leave at 08:15 on 23, 24 and 25 October.
What does a private boat tour in Nice cost in the end?
Read the exclusions as well as the fare. Several charters add a fee you pay on board: €300, or €150 for the skipper and €150 for fuel. One states that the skipper and fuel are already in the fare, and every card here prints any fee beside the price.
Which boat trips include a swim stop?
The shared RIBs and catamarans stop to swim, and so do most charters. The Trans Côte d'Azur boats do not: the 1-hour cruise and the day boats are sightseeing and transport. The 1-hour solar boat anchors to swim only on its 2-hour-plus options.
Do I need to be able to swim?
On the Poseidon snorkel boat, yes: you must swim unassisted, and no life jackets are provided. On the Nissa Croisières RIBs, non-swimmers may come but stay on board, because swimming there is unsupervised.
Are the boat trips suitable for children?
It depends on the boat. Nissa Croisières takes no children under 5 and the Poseidon boat no one under 12. The Trans Côte d'Azur boats and the charters take families, and the Monaco ferry is stroller accessible.
Is there a sunset boat tour in Nice?
Yes. Nissa Croisières runs a 12-seat RIB with wine and snacks until 30 October, 1 hour 30 in October. AMC Cape Grace's catamaran prints a sunset timetable only to 5 October, so check a later date with the operator before you plan on it.
What happens if the sea is rough?
The operator decides on the day. Nissa Croisières postpones or cancels with a refund in bad weather, and Trans Côte d'Azur cancels a crossing only when the boat cannot sail. A charter captain may change the route to a calmer bay instead.
Can I cancel my booking?
Yes. Every trip listed here refunds in full if you cancel at least 24 hours before it starts. A late arrival or a missed boat is not refunded.
How early should I arrive?
Thirty minutes before sailing at the Trans Côte d'Azur desk on Quai Lunel, to exchange your voucher. Fifteen minutes for Nissa Croisières, which refuses late arrivals, and ten for boarding AMC Cape Grace's catamaran.
Is “skip-the-line” a thing on the boats?
No. There is no queue to skip on a boat: a booking guarantees your place. Trans Côte d'Azur still asks you to exchange the voucher at its desk before you board.
Is food included on the boat trips?
Rarely. Nissa's sunset trip serves wine and local snacks, AMC Cape Grace pours a planter's punch, one day-cruiser charter serves brunch and the SARDiiNE charter local delicacies. Drinks are sold on the Trans Côte d'Azur boats.
Can I pay by card on board?
Take cash if you want a drink on the 1-hour cruise: its bar has taken cash only this season. Les Balades au Soleil's skipper and fuel fees are paid on site, and not by card.
Are there toilets on the boats?
Not on the Nissa Croisières RIBs, the Monaco speedboat or SeaZen's solar boat. Les Balades au Soleil's charter and the day-cruiser charter from Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat have one.
Is there shade on board?
Not on the Nissa Croisières RIBs, so bring a hat and sunscreen. Happy Drive Tours' charter carries a parasol, and the day-cruiser from Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat has shaded areas.
Are the boats wheelchair accessible?
Mostly not. The charters and the Villefranche RIB state that they are not wheelchair accessible, and the Cannes catamaran's transfer from the jetty is unsuitable for reduced mobility. Ask the operator before you book.
Can I bring a pushchair?
On the Trans Côte d'Azur Monaco ferry, yes: its listing says it is stroller accessible. The RIBs have no room for one.
Which trip lands in Villefranche-sur-Mer?
Nissa Croisières' 3-hour Mala cave trip gives you 45 minutes ashore there. The other trips sail or anchor in the bay without landing.
What is the Mala cave?
A sea cave at water level by Plage Mala in Cap-d'Ail, below the cliffs east of Èze. You reach it by boat or down the coastal path, and several shared trips stop there to swim and snorkel.
Do I need to bring a towel?
Usually. Towels are not included on Nissa's Mala cave trips or SeaZen's solar boat, and cost €10 on Les Balades au Soleil. The SARDiiNE, Tiber Plaisance and day-cruiser charters provide them.
Is snorkelling gear included?
On most swim trips, yes: Nissa, Poseidon, AMC Cape Grace, the Cannes catamaran and several charters provide it. The Monaco speedboat excludes it, so bring your own mask.
Can I steer the boat?
On SeaZen's solar boat, yes: you take a turn at the helm under the captain's guidance. The other operators keep the helm.
Is the Saint-Tropez day tour a boat trip?
Only in part. Its own listing says it takes place in a vehicle: hotel pickup in Nice, a drive to Sainte-Maxime and a short boat crossing of the bay to Saint-Tropez. For the whole way by sea, take the Trans Côte d'Azur boat.
Do boat tours run in winter?
A few. Trans Côte d'Azur's 1-hour cruise runs from 17 February to 1 November 2026, and SeaZen lists blankets for its winter trips. The day boats to Monaco and Saint-Tropez stop in October.
Is there commentary on board?
On the 1-hour cruise, yes, live in French and English. The Nissa, AMC Cape Grace and SeaZen crews guide as they go; the Monaco ferry listings name no commentary.
What is a fee “payable on site”?
A charge in a charter's own exclusions, paid to the skipper when you board, on top of the fare you booked. It covers local port fees, or the skipper and the fuel.
Is the Cannes catamaran a Nice trip?
It leaves from Cannes, not Nice: from the wooden jetty at Pointe Croisette. The listing puts Cannes 25 minutes from Nice by train, and the fare does not include getting there.
How many people are on a shared boat?
Nissa Croisières and the Cannes catamaran cap their boats at 12. The Trans Côte d'Azur Monaco ferry lists up to 200.
Why take the boat to Monaco rather than the train?
For the coast: the crossing takes about 45 minutes each way along the shore. The boat sails only three days a week and only until 31 October 2026, so check your dates first.
Still deciding? The practical detail is in the visitor guide, what travellers made of each trip is in the reviews, and every fare sits side by side on Nice Boat Tours.