If you have seen three names and do not know who you are buying from, relax: Sa Calma Boats is the company, Marco Polo is one of its boats (the 55-minute cruise around Palma's harbour) and Mallorca City Boat or Cruceros Marco Polo are the brands it sells it under. Our review in one sentence: good prices and a good format for a first taste of the bay, with a website you should read with a magnifying glass.
Score
- Price
- 4.5/5The cheapest trips in the Bay of Palma
- Transparency
- 3/5Contradictory details between its own websites
- Cancellation
- 4/5Free up to 24 h before
- Experience
- 4/5No party; routes through the marine reserve and below the cathedral
- Location
- 4.5/5The Marco Polo leaves from below the cathedral
Pros
- 55-minute cruise for €19 right below the cathedral
- 2.5-hour snorkelling trip with a drink for €39 direct, less on GetYourGuide
- Not a party boat: a calm, family atmosphere
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before
- Crew speaks Spanish, English and German
Cons
- The Marco Polo does not sail on Sundays
- €10 deposit for snorkelling gear
- The marine biologist on board is "if available"
- Contradictory information about children and accessibility
- Arrive late and you lose your booking
Who Sa Calma Boats is
Sa Calma Boats S.L. is a family business based in Palma that highlights two generations and about 30 years sailing around Mallorca (the family's experience, not the company's age). It has a large fleet spread around the island:
| Boat | Base | What for |
|---|---|---|
| Marco Polo | Palma, Escala Real | 55-min harbour cruise |
| Saona | Palma, below the cathedral | 24 m hybrid catamaran with slides, day and sunset trips |
| Super Delfín Verde | Can Pastilla and Palma | 2.5-hour snorkelling trip (121 seats) |
| Megalodón | Can Pastilla and Palma | 14 m boat (62 seats) |
| Garriguer | Can Pastilla | RIB speedboat to Illetes (12 seats) |
| Mobula, Hazard | S'Arenal | Private boat and sailing boat |
| Margarita, Marina Starfish | Port d'Andratx, Sant Elm | To Sa Dragonera |
The Saona carries 250 people, but the company says it always sails below capacity. It also operates in Ibiza.
- 1Moll VellPortDirections ↗
- 2Can PastillaPortDirections ↗
- 3Club Nàutic S'ArenalPortDirections ↗
- 4Port d'AndratxPortDirections ↗
- 5Sant ElmPortDirections ↗
- 6Sa DragoneraNatureDirections ↗
What it offers and what it costs
Direct prices per person on sacalmaboats.com:
| Trip | From | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palma cruise (Marco Polo) | Escala Real | 55 min | €19 |
| Morning coastal trip | Can Pastilla | 2 h | €29 |
| Bay trip with swim and snorkelling, one drink (Super Delfín Verde) | Can Pastilla and Palma | 2.5 h | €39 |
| Marine reserve: caves, cliffs, paddleboarding and snorkelling | Palma | 3 h | €39 |
| Speedboat to Illetes | Can Pastilla | 2 h | €45 |
| Barbecue and snorkelling, lunch or sunset | Can Pastilla and Palma | 3 h | €59 |
| Saona catamaran, day or sunset | Palma | 5 h / 4 h 30 | from €85 |
The Marco Polo cruise (Mallorca City Boat)
It is a 55-minute sightseeing cruise with no swim stop. It leaves from the Escala Real, the landing stage next to the Moll Vell below the cathedral (look for the Marcopolo sign and arrive 10 minutes early), at 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00, Monday to Saturday; times may change with the season. It passes the Almudaina and the cathedral, shows you Bellver from the sea, the Porto Pi lighthouse, the cruise terminal and the castle of Sant Carles. A snack and water are included; there is a toilet and a bar on board. If you read that it leaves from opposite the Auditòrium, that information is out of date.
It is the same boat as City Sightseeing's boat trip, which is sold with its hop-on hop-off bus. If you only want the boat, it costs €19 on cityboatmallorca.com, less than on the City Sightseeing website (from about €21.74). If you buy it through City Sightseeing, collect your pass first at the kiosk next to the boarding point.
The Super Delfín Verde snorkelling trip
The 2.5-hour trip is the best seller: it includes crew, a marine biologist "if available", snorkelling gear with a €10 deposit, one drink (water, beer or sangria), music and insurance. It does not include food or hotel pick-up. The swim stop is in the Bay of Palma marine reserve, and the company stresses that it is not a party boat. Bring your own mask or €10 for the deposit.
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See everything on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 6 October 2026
Direct or booking site: where it is cheaper
- Marco Polo cruise: €19 on its website and €19 on GetYourGuide; slightly more through City Sightseeing.
- 2.5-hour snorkelling trip: €39 on its website and from €35.10 today on GetYourGuide, under the same product name. Here the booking site wins.
What travellers say
On GetYourGuide, the 2.5-hour snorkelling trip has 4.4 out of 5 from about 2,700 reviews, and the Palma cruise 4.2 from more than 300. On Google, the listing for its Palma meeting point shows 4.1 out of 5 from about 60 reviews; the company's website shows a higher Google score of 4.9, but that is the one it chooses to display. With so few Google reviews, trust the GetYourGuide volume more.
How to book and cancel
Cancellation is free up to 24 h before; within 24 h or if you do not show up, you lose the money. Arrive 15 minutes early (10 for the Marco Polo): latecomers lose their booking. Under-2s travel free, pushchairs stay on shore and the crew speaks Spanish, English and German. The season runs from April to October, daily and weather permitting.
Three points its website tells two different ways:
- Children on the Marco Polo. The home page says ages 0 to 5 go free and 6 to 12 pay half; the FAQ on the same website says "under-3s free".
- Accessibility. The City Boat website and the fleet page say the Marco Polo is accessible for people with reduced mobility; the booking page says it is not.
- Bad weather. The FAQ promises a refund or a new date if they cancel; the terms of carriage say they can suspend trips without compensation in winds above force 4 or waves over a metre, offering another day if possible.
For any of the three, message them on WhatsApp first at +34 673 635 165 and keep the reply. And if you get seasick, take the company's own advice: morning is when the sea in the bay is calmest.
Alternatives to Sa Calma Boats
- Full-day catamaran with drinks included: Magic Catamarans, €59 for 5 h with a barbecue.
- Three hours with a swim from the Paseo Marítimo: Palma Cruises, €27 online, but it keeps 20% if you cancel within three days.
- Snorkelling from S'Arenal: Life & Sea, 2 h for €33.
- From Magaluf or Palmanova: Cruceros Costa de Calvià, with its underwater-viewing boat.
Every departure is compared in boat trips in Palma, and sunset trips in sunset cruises.
Are Sa Calma Boats and Cruceros Marco Polo the same company?
Yes. The Marco Polo is a Sa Calma Boats boat, sold as Mallorca City Boat or Cruceros Marco Polo. The old crucerosmarcopolo.com website redirects to cityboatmallorca.com.
Where do you catch the Marco Polo boat in Palma?
At the Escala Real, the landing stage next to the Moll Vell, below the cathedral. It no longer leaves from opposite the Auditòrium.
How much is the Marco Polo boat?
€19 per person, 55 minutes, Monday to Saturday, with hourly departures from 11:00 to 17:00.
Is the City Sightseeing boat the same as the Marco Polo?
Yes, same boat and same route. Bought direct from Sa Calma it costs €19.
What is included on the Sa Calma Boats snorkelling tour?
2.5 hours with a swim in the marine reserve, snorkelling gear with a €10 deposit, one drink, music and insurance. Food and hotel pick-up are not included.
