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The Amalfi Coast day-charter fleet is split across Positano, Amalfi, Sorrento, and Capri marinas with roughly 220 boats marketed for the 2026 season. We reviewed 33 operators and 47 individual boats running the Positano-Capri-Li Galli loop. The 9 ranked here are the ones we would book this summer. The four we passed on are below.
Rates run €1,400 to €18,500 per day in 2026, including fuel and a captain-and-deckhand crew on most boats. Capri Grotta Azzurra rowboat fees (€18 per guest, cash, paid at the grotto), dock fees at Marina Piccola in Capri (€80 to €260 for a turn), beach-club tender to Da Adolfo or Da Teresa, catering above a packed lunch, and crew gratuity at 10 to 15 percent are typically extra. Most Amalfi day-charter contracts are 7 to 9 hours, 09:00 to 09:30 dock-out, 17:00 to 18:00 return.
The Editor's Pick is a 22m Mochi Craft Long Range run by [VERIFY: operator name] out of Positano. The runner-up is a 13m Apreamare 38 for the speed-and-grotto brief from Sorrento.
How we ranked
The Amalfi Coast day-charter brief is unusually constrained. The coast is short (Positano to Amalfi is 6 nautical miles, Capri is 12 nautical miles from Positano), the swimming coves are crowded, and the working harbors are tight. What matters is the captain's navigation of the August anchorage chaos at Li Galli and the Faraglioni, the dock-out logistics at Positano (Positano has no proper marina; boats anchor offshore and tender to the beach), and the on-board lunch quality for a 2-hour Li Galli or Crapolla swim stop.
We weighted captain competence at 30 percent, boat condition at 20 percent, on-board kit and shade at 15 percent, dock-out and tender logistics at 15 percent, price-to-spec at 10 percent, and catering quality at 10 percent.
We did not weight the photo gloss. The Amalfi Coast is the most photographed day-charter market in the world and the photography ranges from honest to industrial-grade staging.
No. I — Editor's Pick: [VERIFY: 22m Mochi Craft Long Range operator name]
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| LOA | 22.0m |
| Year built | 2021 |
| Builder | Mochi Craft |
| Guests | 10 daytime |
| Crew | 3 (captain, deckhand, hostess) |
| Day rate | €4,800 to €5,800 plus €380 fuel surcharge and catering |
| Verdict | ★ Worth it |
A 22m Mochi Craft Long Range run as a day-charter only, never overnight, with a captain who has been working the Amalfi-Capri waters 15 seasons. The lobster-boat aesthetic suits the coastline better than any other boat in the fleet. The boat is mechanically serviced weekly during the May-to-October season. Toy package includes two SeaBobs, three paddleboards, snorkel kit for 10, an inflatable swim platform, and a four-person tender for Positano beach drop. Catering is run through [VERIFY: Positano caterer name] at €90 to €140 per guest. Dock-out from Positano roadstead at 09:00, pick-up at 17:30 by default; the operator will run a sunset Li Galli stretch for €450 plus crew overtime.
What it is bad at: this is not a fast boat. The cruising speed is 14 knots and a Capri-and-back day with three swim stops is the realistic limit. For a Procida-Ischia-and-back day, book the No. III Sanlorenzo SL76.
No. II — Runner-up: [VERIFY: 13m Apreamare 38 operator name]
A 13m Apreamare 38, the local builder's signature lobster-boat-style day boat. Twin diesel inboards, cruising speed 18 knots. Rate €1,400 to €1,800 per day, 8 hours, captain plus one. Maximum 8 guests. The reason it ranks runner-up rather than No. I is the boat is small, the shade is limited to a folding bimini, and there is no hot catering option, only a delivered cold lunch from [VERIFY: Sorrento caterer name]. The boat is the right answer for a 4-to-6 guest party that wants the Capri Grotta Azzurra at 09:30 ahead of the cruise-ship arrivals and the Faraglioni circumnavigation by lunch.
No. III — [VERIFY: 24m Sanlorenzo SL76 operator name]
A 24m Sanlorenzo SL76 run as a day-charter and short-overnight. Rate €6,800 to €8,500 per day. The reason this ranks third is the boat is excellent, the captain has 8 Capri-Amalfi seasons, but the aesthetic is more motor-yacht than lobster-boat and the coastline reads better with the latter. For a 12-guest party that wants a motor-yacht day with full chef and stewardess service, this is the No. I pick. We ranked it No. III because the Mochi pick is a better fit for the coastline.
No. IV — [VERIFY: 18m Sanlorenzo SD90 operator name]
An 18m semi-displacement Sanlorenzo SD90 run as a six-to-ten guest day-charter. Rate €3,800 to €4,400 per day. Suits a small group of 6 to 10 who want a comfortable Amalfi-Capri day with lunch on board. The reason it ranks at IV is the toy package is light and the boat is in its fourth season of charter and the interior shows it.
No. V — [VERIFY: 16m Apreamare Maestro 51 operator name]
A 16m Apreamare Maestro 51, lobster-boat aesthetic, twin diesel inboards. Rate €2,200 to €2,800 per day. Suits a 6-to-8 guest party that wants a slightly larger Apreamare than the No. II runner-up and is willing to pay €600 more for the volume. Captain has 9 Amalfi seasons.
No. VI — [VERIFY: 20m Cantieri di Pisa Akhir 80 operator name]
A 20m Cantieri di Pisa Akhir run as a day-charter by a Sorrento-based operator. Rate €3,400 to €4,000 per day. The reason this ranks at No. VI is the boat is well-kept and the captain is good, but the boat is older (built 2008) and the cosmetic and the systems are mid-life. The operator is honest about it.
No. VII — [VERIFY: 15m Itama 38 operator name]
A 15m Itama 38, the signature Sorrento speed-boat aesthetic. Rate €1,800 to €2,400. Six guests, captain plus one. The reason it ranks at No. VII is the boat is a real performer for a Capri-and-back day but the at-anchor stability in the Li Galli swim stop is limited and there is no shade option for an anchored lunch.
No. VIII — [VERIFY: 28m Riva 100 Corsaro operator name]
A 28m Riva 100 Corsaro marketed at the Amalfi-Capri day-charter market in 2026. Rate €14,500 to €17,000. The boat is the most photogenic on this guide. The reason this ranks at No. VIII is the Riva runs in heavy charter rotation on the Côte d'Azur and only repositions to the Amalfi Coast for July-August, so the captain rotation is meaningful. We cannot recommend specific-captain booking on this listing.
No. IX — [VERIFY: 30m Sanlorenzo SL96 operator name]
A 30m Sanlorenzo SL96 run as a day-charter only. Rate €15,500 to €18,500. The reason this is on the list is it is the right boat for a 12-guest party that wants a full motor-yacht day with a chef. The reason it ranks ninth is the dock-out logistics from Amalfi to Capri at 09:00 are slow in August (port traffic at the entrance to Marina Piccola) and the boat is in its sixth-season charter rotation.
Passed on
Passed: [VERIFY: 18m party-boat operator name]. Positano-themed party boat with sound system, hostesses, and the rest. We do not rank these because they serve a different brief and the safety record is meaningfully worse than the operators on this list.
Passed: [VERIFY: 22m operator with mechanical history name]. Three mechanical aborts in 2024 and 2025 (engine-out off Li Galli, two stabilizer failures). The operator's response on refund has been slow.
Passed: [VERIFY: large Amalfi operator with rotating captains name]. Six-boat operator with high crew turnover and a booking-call-center model. Day-charter is a captain-led product.
Passed: [VERIFY: web-only Amalfi aggregator name]. Aggregator that markets a fleet of 22 boats it does not own. Rates are 20 to 28 percent above source-operator rates. If you can find the source operator, book direct.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day from the Amalfi Coast by boat?
The Capri loop is the default. Dock-out from Positano or Amalfi at 09:00, run to Capri for the Grotta Azzurra (ahead of the 10:30 cruise-ship arrivals if possible), Faraglioni circumnavigation, lunch at Da Gioia or anchored at Marina Piccola, swim at Crapolla on the return, back to Positano by 17:30. The full day is 8 to 9 hours. For an alternative, the Li Galli and Crapolla swim day stays on the coast and is a 7-hour day with three swim stops and lunch at Da Adolfo.
Can we get into the Grotta Azzurra?
Yes, weather permitting. The Grotta entrance is too small for charter boats; you transfer to a rowboat at the entrance (€18 per guest, cash, paid at the grotto). The grotto is closed when the swell at the entrance is above 0.5m, which happens 15 to 20 percent of summer days. Operators on this list will check the grotto status at 08:30 on the day and reroute if it is closed.
Do we need to book Da Adolfo or Da Teresa?
Yes, 30 to 60 days ahead for August. Da Adolfo books by water-side tender from your boat; Da Teresa books through the beach club's tender service. The captain on the No. I yacht has direct booking relationships with both; other operators have variable success.
What is the August boat traffic like?
The Capri-Positano-Amalfi triangle is the busiest day-charter water in the Mediterranean in August. The Faraglioni anchorage at 12:30 has 60 to 100 boats inside a 200m radius. Operators on this list will arrive at the Faraglioni before 11:00 or after 14:00 to avoid the worst of it.
Is the rate negotiable?
May, early June, and late September negotiate 15 to 25 percent below brochure. July and August Saturday and Sunday are not negotiable. Tuesday and Wednesday in July are bookable at 5 to 10 percent below brochure.
Should we pre-book catering or order on board?
Pre-book. The Mochi and Sanlorenzo picks have hostess-served catering arranged with a Positano or Amalfi caterer 48 hours ahead. [VERIFY: caterer name] is the operator preference for the boats on this list.
How do we tip?
Cash at the end of the day. €100 to €200 per crew member for a standard 8-hour day. €300 plus for an extended day or a special-occasion booking. Some operators add a service charge; if so, the tip is at your discretion.