Ibiza: Formentera Cruise w/Breakfast, Paella, and Open Bar

Come hungry, and bring your swimsuit. This full-day catamaran trip links Ibiza with Ses Illetes, s’Espalmador, and Formentera, while serving breakfast, paella, barbecue, drinks, and cocktails along the way. I like the generous food program and the easy access to paddleboards, snorkel gear, and seabobs. I also like the long Formentera stop, which gives you eight hours rather than a rushed photo break. The main drawback is simple: once you reach Formentera, you are largely on your own for transport and food, so extra planning and spending are needed.

At $160 per person, this is not a cheap ferry ride. It is a full-day party cruise with meals, an open bar, swimming stops, equipment, live music, and a sunset return. The value is strongest if you want the boat to be the main event. If your priority is quietly exploring every corner of Formentera, a ferry and rented scooter may give you more freedom.

Key points to know before booking

• Thirteen hours on the water: This is a full-day commitment, with an early start, a long stop on Formentera, and a return to Ibiza later in the evening.
• Three Formentera-area stops: You visit Ses Illetes, s’Espalmador, and Formentera, with time for swimming and beach activities.
• Food from morning to night: Breakfast comes first, followed by paella, then a barbecue and drinks during the return.
• Water equipment is included: Snorkel masks, paddleboards, and seabobs are available under the crew’s direction. Kayaks are reserved for families with children, seniors, and people with reduced mobility.
• The best sunset depends on the month: In June, the boat may return past Es Vedrà. At other times, the sunset may be enjoyed from Formentera or a cove-side beach bar.
• The boat has paid upgrades: Common areas are included, while upper-deck Balinese beds cost from €60 and include a bottle of cava.

Starting at Happiness Beach Ibiza

Your day begins at Happiness Beach Ibiza, where a hostess checks you in and gives you a wristband showing your access and inclusions. Arrive at least 30 minutes early. You need your digital or printed ticket and your ID, and missing either can prevent boarding.

The catamaran transfer takes about 20 minutes. This opening stretch gives you time to settle in, find a place to sit, and get a first look at the coast before the food service begins. The boat is about 25 meters long and 9 meters wide, so there are several areas to choose from.

The lower deck, called the Main Room, is shaded and cooler. I would use it for meals, a break from the sun, or any point when the sea breeze turns strong. Common areas are included in the ticket, so you do not need to buy a premium seat to have a comfortable place onboard.

The upper-deck Balinese beds are a separate purchase, starting at €60 per bed with a bottle of cava. That may suit couples who want a private sunbathing spot, but it is not necessary for enjoying the cruise. At this price, I would first see how much time you actually spend sitting still before paying for an upgrade.

Breakfast arrives before the swimming stops

After leaving Ibiza, breakfast is served with tropical fruit, pastries, coffee, tea, juices, toast, croissants, scrambled eggs, turkey, vegetables, cheese, and pancakes with different toppings. Pancakes made onboard add a pleasant touch, and the meal is substantial enough to carry you through the first swim stop.

A welcome cocktail is also included. Later, the open bar offers water, soft drinks, beer, sangria, cava, white wine, red wine, juices, and cocktails such as mojitos, caipiroskas, Aperol spritzes, bellinis, daiquiris, tequila sunrise drinks, and mimosas.

The practical point is to pace yourself. The day is long, and drinks are available from early on. With swimming, sun, and a boat ride all in the mix, water and sunscreen matter just as much as the cocktails. You should also keep your sunglasses and hat handy.

Ses Illetes brings the clearest water stop

Ses Illetes is the first major water stop. The program allows about an hour for swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and other water activities, with beer and refreshments available. This is the part of the day built around getting wet rather than simply admiring the view from the rail.

Snorkel masks, paddleboards, and seabobs are included, but the crew controls access and activities. That means equipment may not be available continuously to every person at once. Kayaks are limited to families with children, seniors, and people with reduced mobility, so do not book this trip specifically for general kayak use.

The boat also has a slide. That makes the stop more playful, especially for families and groups of friends. I would treat the one-hour stop as a chance to sample the water rather than a long beach session. You have plenty more time later, but the schedule keeps moving.

Lunch centers on a paella show cooking. You can choose mixed, vegetarian, or seafood paella, served with bread and alioli. This is one of the strongest parts of the package because it turns a basic boat transfer into a proper midday meal. If you have dietary needs, check that your preferred version is available before serving begins.

S’Espalmador adds another short swim and photo stop

The next stop is s’Espalmador, where you have roughly an hour for swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and photographs. There is also an aperitif, beer, and cocktail service.

S’Espalmador gives the day a change of scene without requiring another long transfer. You can take pictures, cool off, or simply stay onboard and watch the water. I like this rhythm: a short activity stop, a meal, another swim, then a much longer period on Formentera.

Still, the one-hour limit matters. You will not have time for a slow, unhurried exploration of every part of the island area. Keep your belongings organized and listen for the return-to-boat instructions. A beautiful stop is less enjoyable if you are rushing back at the last minute.

Eight hours in Formentera means freedom, with a catch

The longest part of the day is the eight-hour stop in Formentera. You can leave the catamaran, explore at your own pace, and use the island stop as a base for a meal, beach time, or local transport.

That freedom is useful, but the cruise does not include bike or scooter rental. Food and drinks bought while you are on Formentera are also extra. The practical choice is to arrange your transport and budget before leaving the boat, since the drop-off point can put you in a fairly remote area.

One piece of direct advice matters here: do not assume you can simply walk everywhere you want to go. A bicycle, scooter, or car may be needed, depending on where you want to explore. One person praised the service and crew but wanted better organization for getting around Formentera and reaching the white beaches. That is a fair warning, not a minor quibble.

If you want eight hours of flexible island time, this arrangement works well. If you want a guided tour of Formentera’s beaches and villages, it may feel under-planned. The cruise is strongest when you are happy to organize this middle portion yourself.

The return combines barbecue, drinks, and music

After Formentera, you return to the catamaran for the evening program. The barbecue includes hamburgers, chicken breast, sausages, loin, and vegetables. There is also dessert, wine, and more of the open bar.

The barbecue is useful after a long afternoon out. It also means the cost covers more than breakfast and a simple lunch. On a day with swimming, sun, and transport, having dinner waiting onboard saves you from hunting for a restaurant after a tiring island stop.

As the boat heads back, saxophonists or electronic violinists provide live music. The tone is social and festive rather than quiet and formal. If you want a calm sunset cruise with little background sound, this may not be your style. If you like music, drinks, and a shared party atmosphere, it adds energy to the final stretch.

The sunset plan changes during the year. In June, the return may offer a view of the sun setting behind Es Vedrà, the famous rock off Ibiza’s coast. In other months, the sunset can take place from a cove or beach bar in Formentera, depending on the schedule. Since the captain may alter the route, you should treat Es Vedrà as a possibility, not a promise.

What the open bar really adds to the price

At $160, the cruise costs much more than a standard boat ticket. The price includes breakfast, paella, barbecue, beer, soft drinks, sangria, cava, wine, cocktails, towels according to the inclusion details, snorkel equipment, paddleboards, seabobs, and the host service.

The value depends on how you spend the day. I think the price works best for people who will eat all three meals, use the water equipment, enjoy the bar, and stay onboard for the music and sunset. A person who only wants transport to Formentera will pay for far more than needed.

You should also budget for your time on the island. Bike, scooter, or car rental is not included, nor are food and drinks bought in Formentera. The information about towels is inconsistent: towels appear in the included items, but another note says they are not included. Confirm this before departure, or bring a towel if possible.

Crew service and practical comfort

The host service is available in Spanish, English, and Italian. The crew has been praised for being polite, funny, and helpful, which matters on a long day with food service, equipment, boarding instructions, and changing sea conditions.

The catamaran is wheelchair accessible, though the activity setup still depends on sea conditions and the captain’s decisions. The captain can change anchoring points, cancel water sports, or adjust departure and return times for safety. These changes do not qualify for compensation under the stated conditions.

Bring comfortable shoes, sunglasses, a sun hat, and sunscreen. Keep your ticket with you, and carry your ID. Weapons and sharp objects are not allowed.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those policies are helpful if your Ibiza plans are still shifting, but they do not remove the need to arrive on time or prepare for weather-related changes.

Who will enjoy this catamaran most

I would recommend this cruise to you if you want a social, food-filled day at sea and do not want to arrange every detail yourself. It suits couples, families, and groups of friends who like swimming, music, cocktails, and a busy schedule.

It is also a good choice if you want several different experiences in one day: breakfast on the water, two short swim stops, a long Formentera visit, paella, barbecue, and a sunset return.

I would be more cautious if you want silence, a small boat, or a tightly guided island tour. The vessel is large, the day is long, and the Formentera portion requires your own planning. The water sports are also subject to crew control and weather, so they should not be the only reason you book.

Should you book this Formentera cruise?

Book it if you see the catamaran as the destination, not just the transport. The combination of three meals, open bar, water equipment, live music, and eight hours in Formentera gives you a lot to do for $160, especially if you make full use of the included food and activities.

Skip it if you mainly want independent beach-hopping or the simplest route from Ibiza to Formentera. In that case, a basic ferry plus your own island transport may be more flexible and less expensive.

My best advice is to arrive early, confirm the towel situation, plan your Formentera transport before boarding, and pace the open bar. Do that, and this becomes an easygoing but lively day with plenty of sea time and very little need to organize meals yourself.

FAQ

How long is the Ibiza to Formentera cruise?

The experience lasts about 13 hours. The schedule includes the boat ride from Happiness Beach Ibiza, stops at Ses Illetes and s’Espalmador, about eight hours in Formentera, and the return to Ibiza.

What food is included?

Breakfast includes fruit, pastries, hot drinks, juices, toast, croissants, scrambled eggs, turkey, vegetables, cheese, and pancakes. Lunch includes mixed, vegetarian, or seafood paella with bread and alioli. The return includes a barbecue with meat and vegetables, plus dessert.

What drinks are included?

The open bar includes water, soft drinks, juices, beer, sangria, cava, red wine, white wine, and cocktails. A welcome cocktail and a glass of champagne are also included in the stated inclusions.

Are water sports included?

Snorkel equipment, paddleboards, and seabobs are included, subject to the crew’s direction and sea conditions. Kayaks are available only for families with children, seniors, and people with reduced mobility.

Do I need to pay extra for time in Formentera?

Your time on Formentera is included, but bike, scooter, or car rental is not. Food and drinks purchased on the island are also extra.

What should I bring to the meeting point?

Bring your digital or printed ticket, ID, comfortable shoes, sunglasses, a sun hat, and sunscreen. Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. The provided information is inconsistent about towels, so confirm before the trip or bring your own.