Private boat or group cruise: what's the difference?

'Is it like the Bateaux Mouches?' comes up regularly in our first conversations. The confusion is understandable: there are in fact two very different products on the Seine, and understanding them helps you know which one suits your plans.

The group (or 'sightseeing') cruise

This is the format best known to the general public: a tourist boat carries individual passengers who are unconnected with one another, on a fixed time slot and a standard route, often with a tourist commentary. You share the boat with strangers, with no control over the programme or the atmosphere.

The private boat: your event, your boat

By contrast, private hire reserves the entire boat for your group: only you (or your guests) on board, a time of your choosing, the caterer of your choice, decoration suited to your event, and a completely free programme: speeches, entertainment, music, timing of the service.

Why this difference matters for your event

A wedding, a seminar or a birthday has no place on a cruise shared with tourists: privacy, freedom over the programme and the ability to personalise every detail (menu, music, duration, boarding point) only exist with full private hire.

And what about the budget?

A seat on a group cruise naturally costs less than full private hire, as the cost of the boat is shared among many unrelated passengers. But as soon as you are planning an event for a defined group - even a small one - private hire is often simpler and better value than booking the same number of individual seats, while giving you full control over the experience.

How to know which one suits you

If you are organising an event for a specific group (a wedding, a company event, a birthday, a day out with friends), private hire is the right answer. A group cruise remains a good option for individual sightseeing, with no private event to organise.