Sydney Harbour · Birthdays & Milestones · 2026

Birthday Yacht Charter On Sydney Harbour.

The whole boat privately for your group, with the cake carried aboard before your guests arrive and the playlist coming off your own phone.

From $550Per hour, whole vessel
Get A Proposal See The Twelve Boats →
Watch the film

Your birthday, your guest list.

Birthday yacht charter Sydney Whole-boat hire by the hour, not a ticketed cruise

Good Vibes Only

4.8 stars, 226 Google reviews Owner-operated since 2016 10 to 110 guests Skipper and crew on every charter Most quotes back in 30 minutes

Birthdays and milestones we run on the water

How the day runs

How a birthday on the water actually works.

Every price on this page is per hour for the whole boat, not per head. Read this once and the twelve cards below make sense.

The Party
Catering & Drinks
The Photos
The Landmarks
The Evening Run
To The Wharf
1

Pre-Access And Set Up

On the boats that list pre-access you board before your guests do. That is when the cake goes in the fridge, the balloons go up and the grazing table gets laid out, so the reveal lands the moment everyone steps aboard.

2

Boarding And The Cruise

Guests arrive at your boarding point, the sound system goes on your phone, and you set out past the Opera House and under the Harbour Bridge. The route is planned around your hours and your day.

3

The Anchor Stop And Swim

Most birthday charters drop anchor in a sheltered bay for the middle of the day. That is when the swim platform, the jumping platform and the Lilypad earn their place, and when the BBQ goes on.

4

Cake, Then The Run Home

Cake and speeches happen where you want them, usually at anchor or on the sun deck. Then the run back into the Harbour as the light drops, which is the part everyone photographs.

Charter yacht under way on Sydney Harbour past the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge
Step 3, the anchor stop. A sheltered bay, the swim ladder down and the Lilypad off the back.
Charter yacht running back across Sydney Harbour in low golden evening light at the end of a charter
Step 4, the run home. The light everybody photographs, and the reason evening charters get asked for by name.

You charter the whole boat, by the hour. The rate on each card below buys that vessel, its skipper and its crew for one hour. Your birthday group has the boat to itself. There is no shared cruise, no seat allocation and nobody else's party on the other deck.

Minimum charter length varies by vessel and by date. Most boats have a 4-hour minimum, and Christmas-season charters always run at least 4 hours. Others are booked to the hours you want. That is why every from-price on this page is a starting point and the exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.

The cake, the decorations and the food are yours to bring or ours to arrange. Pre-access is what makes that work. Most boats take a catering package, a drinks package, or your own BYO where the vessel allows it, and Mayfair is one of the boats that lists a BYO option.

We can get everyone to the wharf too. Urban Legends owns its coaches, so the same booking can include a private coach from the house, the hotel or the pre-drinks venue to the boarding point and home again afterwards. See Sydney bus charters.

What the hourly rate includes.

True for every boat on this page

  • The whole boat, privately, for your birthday group only.
  • The skipper, and the crew that vessel runs with (Regal II lists its compulsory crew as its own line).
  • That boat's own features, listed on its card below.
  • Sydney Harbour itself, and the route planned around your day.

Added on request.

Quoted with your charter, never assumed

  • Catering and drinks packages, or your own BYO where the boat allows it.
  • Pre-access and loading for the cake, the balloons and the styling.
  • Water toys. The Lilypad is free on the boats that carry it; SUPs and kayaks are for hire.
  • Coach transfer to and from the wharf, on a luxury coach.

Every from-price on this page is per hour for the whole vessel, not per head. We do not publish a per-guest figure because it depends entirely on your group size and how many hours you book, and quoting one would mean inventing a number we have not agreed to honour. Minimum charter length varies by vessel and by date. Your exact figure, including your hours and any catering, is confirmed on your proposal. Charters are subject to availability.

Start with your guest count

How many people are coming?

Guest count decides the boat before anything else does. Find your number, then read that boat's card below.

10 to 20 Guests

Mayfair, The Intimate Birthday

A 43ft power boat for up to 25 guests, with a large saloon, an aft deck for entertaining and a forward sundeck. The one we put smaller birthdays and dinner on the water on.

Bluetooth sound and a dance floor area when the afternoon turns, plus a BYO option if you would rather bring your own.

See Mayfair, from $550 / hr →
20 to 43 Guests

Tiger 3 Catamaran, The Daytime Birthday

Published for 43 guests plus 2 crew, which makes it the answer for a birthday of around 40. Two toilets, a large undercover entertaining area and forward nets to lie on.

A large BBQ with a kitchen behind it, a Fusion sound system, swim ladders and the Lilypad.

Also in this band: Barefoot and MV Maddison for 30, Obsession for 38 and Passion for 43, each with its own card below.

See the Tiger 3 catamaran, from $550 / hr →
43 to 110 Guests

Ghost 2, The Landmark Milestone

Published for 110 guests, which makes it the only boat on this page built for a birthday of 100 or more. A jacuzzi, a full bar and panoramic views from every deck.

The one the big 50ths and 60ths take when the whole family and everyone they have ever worked with is invited.

Under 70? Rum Runner takes 47, Freedom takes 50 and MV Mascot, air conditioned, takes 65, both fully BYO, and Barefoot Blue and Regal II take 70, each with its own card below.

See Ghost 2, from $3,000 / hr →

Group not in those three bands, or after a 12-guest sailing yacht, a 200-guest party catamaran or a team regatta instead? The twelve boats on this page are the ones that genuinely suit a birthday. The full seventeen-vessel fleet, the whole group-size picker and every other occasion live on the Sydney Harbour yacht charter hub.

4
Boats Built For Birthdays
110
Largest Guest Count
4.8
Stars, 226 Reviews
2016
Owner-Operated Since
Twelve boats, one ladder

The twelve boats we put birthdays on.

Not the whole fleet, just the twelve that genuinely suit a birthday, laid out smallest to biggest: from a 25-guest power boat for dinner on the water, through the sailing and party catamarans, to a 110-guest superyacht for the landmark one. Every card carries that boat's own features and its own from-price, per hour, for the whole vessel.

The Intimate Birthday A birthday group in sun hats celebrating on the bow and flybridge of Mayfair at anchor in a Sydney Harbour bay

Mayfair

43ft power boat · 25 guests

A large comfortable saloon, an aft deck built for entertaining and a forward sundeck lounge, with a swim platform off the back.

The birthday it suits: a smaller group, dinner on the water, and the kind of celebration where everyone can actually hear each other. It also lists a BYO option, so the good bottle can come from your own cellar.
  • Large, comfortable saloon
  • Spacious aft deck for entertaining
  • Forward sundeck with lounge
  • Bluetooth surround sound and dance floor area
  • Lilypad free, SUPs for hire
  • Pre-access and loading before guests arrive
  • BYO option available
Sound system, dance floor, swim platformIncluded
Cake and decorations during pre-accessIncluded
Catering, drinks or BYOOn request
Charter Mayfairfrom $550 / hr
From $550 per hour for the whole of Mayfair, not per head, and $600 per hour in high season (November to February). Minimum charter length varies by vessel and by date, and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The Sailing Birthday Barefoot, a 40ft sailing catamaran, cruising Sydney Harbour with a group on deck during a private charter

Barefoot

40ft sailing catamaran · 30 guests

A proper sailing catamaran for up to 30. The stand up paddleboards and an inflatable floating dancefloor come with the boat, and the captain cooks on the big BBQ.

The birthday it suits: a 21st or a 30th for a tight crew who want the day built around the swim stop. Paddleboards out, a dance on the floating dancefloor, then back aboard for the BBQ and the cake.
  • 30 guests plus 3 crew
  • Stand up paddleboards included
  • Inflatable floating dancefloor included
  • Large BBQ, cooked by the captain
  • Swimming at anchor
  • Drinks packages or BYO
Paddleboards, floating dancefloor, BBQIncluded
Big Sound PA system$100, every charter
Catering, drinks packages or BYOOn request
Charter Barefootfrom $550 / hr
From $550 per hour for the whole of Barefoot, not per head, on weekdays, $600 per hour on December weekdays and $650 per hour on weekends. 4-hour minimum (5 on public holidays), plus the owner's wharf, BYO and Big Sound fees (Big Sound is charged on every charter), and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The Polished Birthday MV Maddison, a 62ft luxury motor cruiser, at anchor off a Sydney Harbour beach with its water slide out and guests on paddleboards

MV Maddison

62ft luxury motor cruiser · up to 30 guests

A 62ft luxury motor cruiser with a big indoor lounge, wide outdoor decks and a swim platform, plus a fully licensed bar with drinks packages or the option to bring your own.

The birthday it suits: a 40th or a 50th for up to 30 who want a proper lounge to retreat into. Drinks off the licensed bar or your own BYO, a grazing menu, and the swim platform for anyone who wants in.
  • Large indoor lounge and outdoor deck
  • Licensed bar with drinks packages, or BYO
  • Galley kitchen
  • Bluetooth sound inside and out
  • Swim platform, Lilypad free, water slide for hire
  • Grazing and seafood menu
Indoor lounge, swim platform, LilypadIncluded
Drinks packagesFrom $20pp / hr
Catering or BYOOn request
Charter MV Maddisonfrom $750 / hr
From $750 per hour for the whole of MV Maddison, not per head, Monday to Thursday from May to October, rising by day and season to $950 per hour on weekends from November to April and every day in December. 4-hour minimum, plus the owner's fees, and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The BYO Birthday Aerial view of the Obsession sailing catamaran at anchor on Sydney Harbour, white hull with black trim, front trampolines and a shaded cockpit

Obsession

50ft sailing catamaran · up to 38 guests

A 50ft sailing catamaran with a saloon, open decks and big front trampolines. Fully BYO, so the drinks are yours and the crew cook the BBQ.

The birthday it suits: a 21st or a 30th that wants the whole boat without a bar tab. Bring your own drinks, lie out on the trampolines, swim at the anchor stop and let the crew run the BBQ.
  • Big front trampolines and open decks
  • Fully BYO, crew cook the BBQ
  • Swim stop, Lilypad free, paddleboard for hire
  • Saloon, sound system and toilet
Trampolines, sound system, LilypadIncluded
BYO amenity fee$150
BBQ food and cateringOn request
Charter Obsessionfrom $600 / hr
From $600 per hour for the whole of Obsession, not per head, every day from May to October and Monday to Thursday from November to April, $650 per hour Friday to Sunday from November to April, and $700 per hour every day in December. 4-hour minimum, plus the owner's fees (BYO amenity $150, wharf $50 per stop), and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The Big Birthday A party crowd on the deck of the power catamaran Passion on Sydney Harbour

Passion

60ft open-plan · 43 guests · 4-hour minimum

The open-plan one. A dance floor area, a swim and jumping platform, a sun deck with nets and a BBQ the crew cook for you, with a 4-hour minimum.

The birthday it suits: the one that turns into a party. Sound system up, jumping platform in use by mid-afternoon, and enough separate space that the dancing and the sitting-down can happen at the same time.
  • Dance floor area and Bluetooth sound system
  • Swim platform and jumping platform
  • Sun deck with nets
  • BBQ packages from $20pp
  • Fully equipped kitchen, fridge, freezer and eskies
  • Lilypad add-on $120
Dance floor, sound, jumping platformIncluded
BBQ packagesFrom $20pp
Catering and drinks packagesOn request
Charter Passionfrom $775 / hr
From $775 per hour for the whole of Passion, not per head, Sunday to Friday from May to August ($875 on Saturdays), $875 Sunday to Friday and $975 on Saturdays from September to November and January to April, and $1,050 every day in December. 4-hour minimum for BYO (3 hours on a drinks package), and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The Daytime Birthday Tiger 3, a white sailing catamaran, at anchor in a Sydney Harbour bay

Tiger 3 Catamaran

38ft Tiger 3 · 43 guests plus 2 crew

The widest, steadiest deck on this page. Published for 43 guests plus 2 crew, with a skipper and a deckhand, two toilets, and huge indoor and outdoor space.

The birthday it suits: a big daytime one. Forward nets to lie on, a large BBQ with a kitchen behind it, and enough undercover area that a shower does not end the party.
  • Published for 43 guests plus 2 crew
  • Skipper and deckhand included
  • Two toilets on board
  • Large undercover entertaining area and forward nets
  • Kitchen, large BBQ and two large eskies
  • Fusion sound system
  • Swim ladders, water access and the Lilypad
Skipper and deckhandIncluded
BBQ, kitchen and eskiesIncluded
Catering and drinks packagesOn request
Charter the Tiger 3 catamaranfrom $550 / hr
From $550 per hour for the whole Tiger 3 catamaran, not per head, for up to 30 guests from May to October. Summer dates and larger groups, up to 43 guests plus 2 crew, run at a higher rate. Minimum charter length varies by vessel and by date, and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The Summer Party Birthday Rum Runner party catamaran seen from above on Sydney Harbour, with the deck set up for a private charter

Rum Runner

Party catamaran · 47 guests

One of the biggest party catamarans on the Harbour. The crew run the BBQ, there is room for a DJ, and the paddleboards come out at the anchor stop.

The birthday it suits: a 21st or a 30th that is going to get loud. A DJ on the top deck, the crew on the BBQ, paddleboards and kayaks at the swim stop, and a giant waterslide if you want to go all in.
  • 47 guests plus 3 crew, on every package
  • BBQ cooked by the crew
  • Bluetooth sound and space for a DJ
  • Eskies for BYO drinks
  • Swimming at anchor, paddleboards and kayaks
  • Lilypad and giant waterslide for hire
Crew-cooked BBQ, sound system, eskiesIncluded
Lilypad and giant waterslideFor hire
Catering and BYOOn request
Charter Rum Runnerfrom $600 / hr
From $600 per hour for the whole of Rum Runner, not per head, Monday to Thursday for up to 30 guests from October to April (outside December), and $650 for 31 to 47 guests. Fridays and Sundays are $650 for up to 30 guests and $700 for 31 to 47, Saturdays and December dates are $750, and public holidays are $1,000. May to September runs as fixed 4-hour packages from $2,000 with the wharf and BYO fees included. 4-hour minimum, plus the owner's wharf and BYO fees on hourly charters, and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The BYO Birthday Freedom, a navy and white 50ft power catamaran, at anchor on Sydney Harbour under a blue sky

Freedom

50ft power catamaran · 50 guests

A relaxed, fully BYO catamaran for up to 50, with the skipper and crew on board and a premium sound system.

The birthday it suits: the 30th or 40th where you would rather bring your own. Room for 50, the eskies come on with you, the playlist goes on the sound system, and the drinks budget is whatever you decide it is.
  • Up to 50 guests
  • Fully BYO food and drinks
  • Premium sound system
  • Shaded seating and open-air decks (no air conditioning)
  • BBQ available, utensils and eskies included
Skipper, crew and sound systemIncluded
BBQ, catering or BYOOn request
Charter Freedomfrom $500 / hr
From $500 per hour for the whole of Freedom, not per head, for up to 20 guests from April to September ($550 for 21 to 50). October to March is $550 for up to 20 and $600 for 21 to 50, and public holidays such as Australia Day and Easter are $850. 3-hour minimum (4 hours for November to January Christmas parties), plus the owner's wharf fee and an optional $200 BBQ, and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
Air-Conditioned BYO MV Mascot, a white 54ft power catamaran with a flybridge, moored in a bushland bay on Sydney Harbour

MV Mascot

54ft power catamaran · 65 guests

A big, air-conditioned party boat for up to 65, fully BYO, with the skipper and crew on board.

The birthday it suits: the big 21st or the 50th where everyone is invited. Sixty-five guests, air conditioning for the hot afternoons, and your own food and drinks on board.
  • Up to 65 guests
  • Air conditioning on board
  • Fully BYO food and drinks
  • Premium sound system
  • Shaded seating and open decks
  • BBQ available, utensils and eskies included
Skipper, crew and air conditioningIncluded
BBQ, catering or BYOOn request
Charter MV Mascotfrom $550 / hr
From $550 per hour for the whole of MV Mascot, not per head, for up to 30 guests from April to September ($600 for 31 to 65). October to March is $600 for up to 30 and $650 for 31 to 65, and public holidays such as Australia Day and Easter are $950. 3-hour minimum (4 hours for November to January Christmas parties), plus the owner's wharf fee and an optional $200 BBQ, and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The Waterslide Birthday Barefoot Blue power catamaran at anchor on Sydney Harbour with a waterslide off the stern and a party group on deck

Barefoot Blue

Power catamaran · 70 guests

Seventy guests across three decks, a waterslide off the back and an indoor lounge for when the sun gets too much. The size between a 47-guest catamaran and a superyacht.

The birthday it suits: a 21st, a 30th or a 40th that outgrew the 47-guest boats. The waterslide comes free, three decks let the dancing and the catching up spread out, and the captain is on the BBQ.
  • 70 guests plus 3 crew
  • Three 360 degree viewing decks
  • Indoor lounge cabin
  • Complimentary waterslide
  • Galley and BBQ, cooked by the captain
  • Fridge, four ice boxes and two bathrooms
Three decks, waterslide, indoor loungeIncluded
Big Sound PA system$200, every charter
Catering, drinks packages or BYOOn request
Charter Barefoot Bluefrom $750 / hr
From $750 per hour for the whole of Barefoot Blue, not per head, on weekdays, $800 per hour on December weekdays and $850 per hour on weekends. 4-hour minimum (5 on public holidays), plus the owner's wharf, BYO and Big Sound fees (Big Sound is charged on every charter and is the only sound system aboard), and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The Heritage Birthday Platters, champagne and drinks set out on a white-clothed table in the timber cabin of Regal II

Regal II

Heritage timber ferry · 70 guests on charter

A classic timber ferry that once ran the Lane Cove River, now a relaxed party boat for up to 70, with a licensed bar or BYO drinks and an open top deck.

The birthday it suits: a big 21st, 40th or 50th where the whole crowd wants to be together. The bar or your own drinks, a microphone for the speeches, and pre-charter access to get the cake and the balloons aboard first.
  • Up to 70 guests on charter
  • Fully equipped licensed bar, or BYO drinks
  • Open top deck with bench seating
  • Bluetooth surround sound and a microphone
  • Large accessible bow
  • Pre-charter access
Bluetooth sound, microphone, open top deckIncluded
Licensed bar, drinks packages or BYOOn request
Security for 18ths and 21stsRecommended
Charter Regal IIfrom $600 / hr
From $600 per hour for the whole of Regal II, not per head, April to September, $650 per hour January to March and $750 per hour October to December. 3-hour minimum (4 hours on Saturdays and public holidays, and public holidays are 20% more), plus the owner's crew, wharf and BYO fees, and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal
The Landmark Milestone Banquet table set with grazing platters, champagne on ice and fresh flowers on the aft deck of a charter yacht on Sydney Harbour

Ghost 2

122ft superyacht · 110 guests

The Harbour-side Banquet. A superyacht published for 110 guests, with a jacuzzi, a full bar and panoramic views from every deck.

The birthday it suits: the landmark one. A 50th or a 60th where the whole family, all the old friends and everyone from work are invited, and the guest list crossed a hundred weeks ago.
  • Published for 110 guests
  • Jacuzzi on board
  • Full bar
  • Panoramic harbour views from every deck
  • Gourmet catering and drinks packages built bespoke
  • Skipper and crew included
Full bar and jacuzziIncluded
Skipper and crewIncluded
Gourmet catering, built bespokeOn request
Charter Ghost 2from $3,000 / hr
From $3,000 per hour from April to October and $3,500 per hour from November to March, for the whole of Ghost 2 with up to 60 guests, not per head. The rate steps up with guest numbers, to a maximum of 110 guests. Minimum charter length varies by vessel and by date, and your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.
Get A Proposal

These twelve are the birthday shortlist, not the whole fleet. If your group falls outside them, or you want a 12-guest sailing yacht, a 200-guest party catamaran or a team regatta instead, all seventeen vessels and the full group-size picker are on the Sydney Harbour yacht charter hub.

Cake, balloons and the playlist

What you bring, and what we arrange.

The short answer on the cake is yes. The longer answer is that pre-access is the thing that makes every one of these work, because you are aboard and set up before a single guest arrives.

Two guests sitting on the teak aft deck of a charter yacht at golden hour with a grazing spread laid out beside them
Late afternoon on the aft deck, which is where most birthdays end up once the swimming is done.

You bring

Aboard during pre-access, before guests arrive

  • The cake. Carried on during pre-access and kept in the fridge until you want it.
  • Decorations and balloons. Put up while the boat is still at the berth, not in front of your guests.
  • Your own playlist. Bluetooth on Mayfair, Passion, MV Maddison, Rum Runner and Regal II, a Fusion system on the catamaran, straight off your phone.
  • BYO drinks and your own indulgences, on the boats that list a BYO option, which is most of them. Obsession is fully BYO.
  • Gifts, signage and the photo board, loaded with everything else during pre-access.

We arrange

Quoted with your charter, never assumed

  • Catering packages, from platters and grazing to the gourmet end on Ghost 2.
  • Drinks packages, or the full bar on Ghost 2.
  • The BBQ, with packages from $20pp on Passion and a large one with a kitchen on the catamaran.
  • The Lilypad, free on the boats that carry it, plus SUPs and kayaks for hire.
  • The coach to the wharf and home again, on a luxury coach.

Pre-access and loading is available on the boats that list it, and we confirm it for your vessel and your date on your proposal. Catering, drinks and water toys are quoted with the charter rather than assumed, because availability varies by boat: each one carries its own equipment. The Lilypad is free on the boats that carry it; SUPs and kayaks are for hire.

Milestone birthday group celebrating together on the deck of a Sydney Harbour yacht charter under the Sydney Harbour Bridge
A milestone group aboard. The Harbour Bridge shot is the one that ends up framed.
30th to 60th and beyond

A birthday, or a milestone worth marking.

The boat changes with the milestone, the booking does not. Every one of these is the same thing underneath: the whole vessel privately, by the hour, with the skipper and crew aboard. What changes is the headcount, the time of day and how much of it happens at anchor.

  • 30thUsually the loudest of them. Passion, for the dance floor and the jumping platform, with the swimming done by mid-afternoon.
  • 40thOften a daytime one with partners and kids aboard. The catamaran, for the wide steady deck, the BBQ and the forward nets.
  • 50thThe one where the guest list runs away. A 50th birthday boat hire lands on the catamaran at around 40 guests, Barefoot Blue or Regal II at up to 70, or Ghost 2 once it passes that.
  • 60thThree generations in one place, which means seating, shade and somewhere quiet. Ghost 2 for the big version, Mayfair for a family dinner on the water.
  • AnniversaryAn anniversary yacht charter timed so you are out on the Harbour as the light drops. Mayfair for two families, the catamaran for the round-numbered one with everybody there.
  • EngagementAn engagement party on the water, or the proposal itself. Pre-access is what lets the flowers, the champagne and the photographer be aboard and hidden before you arrive.
Get A Proposal
Rental or charter

Birthday yacht rental or birthday yacht charter?

They are the same booking, and people search for both. Whether you call it a birthday yacht rental, a birthday boat hire or a birthday yacht charter, you are doing one thing: taking the whole vessel privately, by the hour, with the skipper and the crew already on board.

There is no version of this where you are handed the keys. Every boat on this page comes with its skipper, so "rental" here means the boat and the crew are yours for the hours you book, not that you drive it.

What the words tend to mean in practice

Birthday yacht rental and birthday boat hire are what people type when they are pricing the day up and want to know what a boat costs for a few hours. The answer on this page starts at $550 per hour for the whole of Mayfair.

Birthday yacht charter is the same product described from the other end: a planned day with a route, a catering choice and a runsheet. Same twelve boats, same per-hour rate, same skipper.

The one distinction that does matter

Private versus shared. Everything on this page is private. Your group has the boat to itself, there is no seat allocation, and there is nobody else's birthday on the other deck. That is the difference worth checking anywhere you are comparing, and it is the reason the price is quoted for the vessel rather than per person.

See The Twelve Boats
Foredeck of a private charter yacht on Sydney Harbour looking across to the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge
Privately chartered means the foredeck is yours for the afternoon, not a seat on it.
Add to the day

The bits that make it a birthday.

These sit outside the boat cards on purpose, so the twelve stay readable and the add-ons still get their own moment.

Pre-Access And Loading

Board before your guests do and set the boat up properly: the cake into the fridge, the balloons up, the grazing table out, the gifts stowed. Available on the boats that list pre-access.

Available on selected boats
Add To My Charter

Catering Packages

Built around your birthday rather than a fixed menu. Platters and grazing on the smaller boats, and the gourmet end of it on Ghost 2, built bespoke.

Quoted with your charter
Add To My Charter

Drinks Packages

From a straightforward beer and wine package through to the full bar on Ghost 2. Several boats carry a fridge, a freezer and eskies already.

Quoted with your charter
Add To My Charter

BYO Option

Mayfair lists a BYO option, so your own drinks and your own indulgences can come aboard. Handy when the birthday has one particular bottle attached to it.

Available on selected boats
Add To My Charter

Sound And The Dance Floor

Bluetooth surround sound on Mayfair, a Bluetooth system and a dance floor area on Passion, and a Fusion system on the catamaran. Your playlist, your phone.

Included on the boats that carry it
Add To My Charter

BBQ With Crew To Cook

Passion runs BBQ packages from $20pp. The catamaran runs a large BBQ with a kitchen and two large eskies behind it.

Included on the boats that carry it
Add To My Charter

Lilypad, SUPs And Kayaks

The Lilypad is a large floating mat off the back of the boat and it is free on the boats that carry it. Paddleboards are for hire on Mayfair, and on Passion the Lilypad is a $120 add-on.

Lilypad free, SUPs and kayaks for hire
Add To My Charter

Coach To The Wharf

Luxury 14 to 41-seat coaches, from the house, the hotel or the pre-drinks venue to the boarding point and home again. One booking, both halves of the birthday.

See Sydney bus charters
Add A Coach

Add-ons are quoted with your charter and confirmed on your proposal, never assumed. Availability varies by boat, because each one carries its own equipment. The Lilypad is free on the boats that carry it; SUPs and kayaks are for hire. Every from-price on this page is per hour for the whole vessel.

What guests say

4.8 stars, 226 Google reviews.

★★★★★
4.8 out of 5, from 226 reviews
Read All Reviews →
★★★★★
A 60th birthday

"Celebrated my 60th birthday on the tour and it was the best day. Everything is taken care of, all you do is enjoy the day. Bus driver Sam was amazing, very helpful and friendly and made the day even better. Highly recommend for a stress free, fun day."

Rosa GomezGoogle review, June 2026
★★★★★

"Absolutely no regrets choosing Urban Legends. Jared is such a great and easygoing guy, and he was so flexible to work with on the day when some timings and pickups needed changing at the last minute. Thank you so much for a great experience."

Paul ChongGoogle review, May 2026
★★★★★

"I am a wedding planner and booked Urban for guest transfer. Jared was amazing to deal with, answering every question and creating a detailed runsheet. On the day the driver was excellent, turned up early and helped guests on and off the bus. Cannot recommend enough."

Wedding GroundsGoogle review, April 2026
★★★★★

"Very professional, quick and easy to work with. Would highly recommend this company and would rebook in a second if needed for a future event. Thank you."

Jacinta HoranGoogle review, April 2026
★★★★★

"Easy to deal with, on time, and amazing service. Working with Urban Legends Tour Co was a breeze, love your work."

Dyan SuacoGoogle review, May 2026
★★★★★

"Easy communication, excellent service. Would book again."

Ken SyGoogle review, May 2026

Every review above is a verified Google review of Urban Legends Tour Co, quoted in full, across our charters and events. Rosa's was a 60th birthday, and hers is the only one of the six that names a birthday, so we have said so rather than implying the rest did. The rating shown, 4.8 out of 5 from 226 reviews, is our current Google rating for the business as a whole.

Getting everyone to the wharf

Coach transfers as well.

A birthday spreads people all over Sydney. The boat leaves at a fixed time from one wharf, and the guests are coming from six suburbs, two hotels and somebody's pre-drinks. That gap is where birthdays go wrong, and it is the part most charter operators cannot help with.

Urban Legends owns a modern fleet of 14 to 41-seat coaches, so the same booking can pick your group up from the house, the hotel or the pre-drinks venue, deliver everyone to the boarding point together and take them home again afterwards. One enquiry, one runsheet, both halves of the day.

It matters most on the milestone birthdays, where grandparents and kids are aboard and nobody should be finding parking near a wharf. See Sydney bus charters, or corporate bus hire if the birthday is being invoiced to a business.

Before you book

Birthday charter questions.

The twelve boats we put birthdays on start at $500 per hour for the whole of Freedom, a fully BYO catamaran, for up to 20 guests from April to September, then $550 per hour for Mayfair, $550 per hour on weekdays for Barefoot, $550 per hour for the Tiger 3 catamaran published at 43 guests plus 2 crew, $550 per hour for MV Mascot (up to 30 guests, April to September), $600 per hour for Obsession, Rum Runner and Regal II, $750 per hour for MV Maddison and Barefoot Blue, $775 per hour for Passion, and $3,000 per hour for Ghost 2 between April and October ($3,500 from November to March) for up to 60 guests, rising with guest numbers to its published 110. Every one of those is a starting point for the whole vessel, not a per-head price, and some boats add the owner's own wharf, BYO or sound fees as separate lines. What you actually pay depends on how many hours you book, your date and whether you add catering or drinks, and it is confirmed on your proposal.
Yes, and it is the single most common question we get on this page. On the boats that list pre-access and loading you board before your guests do, so the cake comes on then and goes straight into the fridge until you want it. Several of these boats carry a fridge, a freezer and eskies already. Candles, the knife and the plates are worth bringing with it. Pre-access is confirmed for your boat and your date on your proposal.
Yes. Decorations, a balloon garland, signage and a photo board all go up during pre-access, while the boat is still at the berth, which is the whole point of it: your guests walk onto a boat that is already set up rather than watching you tape things to a handrail. Bring your own or have it styled. Anything that needs power or rigging is worth mentioning when you enquire so we can check it against your vessel.
It comes down to the guest list, which on a 50th almost always runs longer than planned. At around 40 guests the answer is the catamaran, published for 43 guests plus 2 crew, with a wide steady deck, a large BBQ and enough undercover space for three generations. Past that, Rum Runner takes 47, Freedom 50 and MV Mascot 65, both fully BYO, and Barefoot Blue and Regal II take 70, and once it passes 70 it is Ghost 2, published for 110, with a full bar and a jacuzzi. For a smaller 50th that is really a family dinner on the water, Mayfair from $550 per hour or MV Maddison, with its big indoor lounge, is the one. The same logic runs a 60th.
Across the twelve boats on this page, smallest to biggest: Mayfair, a 43ft power boat, is published for 25 guests, Barefoot and MV Maddison for 30, Obsession for 38, Passion, a 60ft open-plan party yacht, for 43, and the Tiger 3 catamaran for 43 guests plus 2 crew. Rum Runner is published for 47, Freedom for 50, MV Mascot for 65, Barefoot Blue and Regal II for 70, and Ghost 2 for 110 guests. A published count still depends on the layout and on whether your group is seated or standing, so we confirm the exact number for your date on your proposal. Use the guest-count router further up this page to find your band, and if your group falls outside it the full seventeen-vessel fleet is on the hub.
Yes, and most birthday charters plan for it. The middle of the day is usually spent at anchor in a sheltered Harbour bay rather than under way, which is what the swim platforms, the jumping platform on Passion and the catamaran's swim ladders are for. The Lilypad is a large floating mat off the back of the boat and it is free on the boats that carry it. Paddleboards are for hire on Mayfair, Barefoot includes stand up paddleboards, Rum Runner carries paddleboards and kayaks, Barefoot Blue comes with a complimentary waterslide, and on Passion the Lilypad is a $120 add-on. Tell guests to bring a towel; it gets forgotten every time.
Both are available and it depends on the boat. Obsession is fully BYO, and Mayfair, Barefoot, Passion, Rum Runner, Barefoot Blue, MV Maddison and Regal II all list a BYO option, so your own drinks and your own indulgences can come aboard, with any owner's BYO fee shown on your proposal. MV Maddison and Regal II also run a licensed bar, and Ghost 2 runs the gourmet and full-bar end of it. Passion runs BBQ packages from $20pp, and the catamaran has a large BBQ with a kitchen and two large eskies. Tell us which way you want to go and we price it with the charter.
Yes on the boats that list them. Passion has a dance floor area and a Bluetooth sound system and is the one most birthdays that turn into parties end up on. Mayfair has Bluetooth surround sound and a dance floor area as well. The catamaran runs a Fusion sound system across a large undercover entertaining area. Barefoot comes with an inflatable floating dancefloor for the anchor stop, Rum Runner has space for a DJ, and Barefoot Blue runs a Big Sound PA. On most of them the music comes off your own phone, so the playlist is yours and nobody has to hand a laptop to a stranger.
Every charter on this page is private, so the guest list is yours, and children and under-18s come along on family birthdays all the time. It is one of the reasons the 40ths and 60ths tend to land on the catamaran, which has the widest, steadiest deck and the most shade. For a 16th or an 18th, tell us the ages when you enquire: where under-18s are aboard, the drinks arrangements and any supervision the vessel requires are set out with your proposal rather than assumed here, because they are the vessel's terms and they vary by boat and by date.
Most birthdays book somewhere between three and five hours, because that is long enough to get out past the landmarks, anchor for a swim, do the cake and still run home in good light. Passion, Barefoot, MV Maddison, Obsession, Rum Runner and Barefoot Blue have a 4-hour minimum, and Regal II has a 3-hour minimum (4 on Saturdays). Mayfair, the catamaran and Ghost 2 are booked to the hours you want. Minimum charter length varies by vessel and by date, so we confirm the minimum for your boat on your proposal rather than publishing one number that would be wrong for most of them. The rate is per hour for the whole vessel either way.
Boarding points are on Sydney Harbour and each boat has its own home berth, so we confirm yours with your proposal. Because Urban Legends owns its coaches, the same booking can include a private 14 to 41-seat coach from the house, the hotel or the pre-drinks venue to the boarding point and home again afterwards. On a birthday that is the difference between everyone arriving together and three carloads circling for parking while the boat waits. See Sydney bus charters.
Sydney Harbour charters run in most conditions and these boats are built for it: a large comfortable saloon on Mayfair, a big undercover entertaining area on the catamaran, and plenty of covered space on Ghost 2. A shower does not end a birthday, and the cake happens inside instead. If conditions make a charter genuinely unsafe, that call sits with the skipper, and we work through the options with you and the vessel. The exact weather and cancellation terms for your boat are set out with your proposal.
Four to eight weeks ahead for a standard birthday. Two to three months if the date is a Saturday between October and March, or anywhere near New Year's Eve, because those go first across the whole fleet. Ghost 2 books furthest out because there is only one of it, so a milestone birthday for 100 guests deserves the longest lead time of anything on this page. If your date is close, ask anyway: charters are subject to availability and boats do come free.
Yes. Every charter on this page is run by a professional skipper, and the crew that boat operates with is part of the hourly rate on every boat except Regal II, where the owner's compulsory crew fee is its own line on your proposal. The catamaran carries a skipper plus a deckhand, and Passion runs BBQ packages from $20pp. Nobody in your group is driving the boat or responsible for it, which is the point: it is your birthday, not a boat licence test. The exact crew for your vessel is confirmed on your proposal.
Nothing, they are the same booking. Birthday yacht rental, birthday boat hire and birthday yacht charter all describe taking the whole vessel privately, by the hour, with the skipper and crew on board. You are never handed the keys. The distinction that does matter is private versus shared: everything on this page is private, so your group has the boat to itself with no seat allocation and nobody else's party on the other deck. That is why the price is quoted for the vessel rather than per person.
Next step

Tell us whose birthday it is. We will do the rest.

Send the date, roughly how many are coming and how many hours you want on the water, and we will come back with the boats that genuinely suit it and what each one costs. Good Vibes Only.

Get A Proposal Call 0434 363 911

Most quotes back in under 30 minutes on weekdays. Every from-price on this page is per hour for the whole vessel, not per head. Minimum charter length varies by vessel and by date, and charters are subject to availability. Your exact figure is confirmed on your proposal.