Porto Santo by Private Catamaran vs Ferry: Which Is Right for Your Trip?

Porto Santo is Madeira's quieter, sandier sister island — 9 kilometres of golden beach, blue Atlantic water, and a pace of life so relaxed it feels like a different country. About 40,000 people visit per year, mostly from Madeira itself.

There are two ways to get there: the public ferry (the Lobo Marinho) or a private catamaran charter. Both have their place. They are very different experiences, and the right choice depends entirely on what you want from the trip.

This guide breaks down both options honestly — including the parts the operators don't always advertise — so you can pick the one that fits.

Quick comparison table

The ferry option: how it actually works

The Lobo Marinho is a large, modern car ferry operated by Porto Santo Line. It runs once a day in each direction in peak season (less frequently in winter), departing Funchal in the early morning and returning late afternoon.

Pros of the ferry

• Affordable. It's the budget option by a wide margin.
• Reliable. Modern ship, runs in most weather.
• Brings your car. You can take a rental vehicle across, which is genuinely useful for exploring the island.
• No sailing experience needed. Big stable vessel, indoor seating, café, bar, sun deck.
• Predictable. You know exactly when you arrive and leave.

Cons of the ferry

• Crowded. Up to 1,200 passengers on peak summer days.
• No flexibility. You're on the schedule whether you like it or not.
• The crossing itself is functional. You're moving from A to B — not really experiencing the sea.
• Limited time on Porto Santo. Roughly 6 hours mid-day, which is enough for the beach but not for relaxed exploration.
• Seasickness can be rough. When the swell is up, the ferry handles it, but indoor seating + diesel fumes is not a good combo for sensitive stomachs.

Best for: Travellers on a budget, families wanting to bring a car, people who specifically want to spend time on Porto Santo rather than at sea.

The private catamaran option: how it actually works

A private catamaran charter to Porto Santo is a different category of trip. It's not really competing with the ferry — it's competing with "skipping Porto Santo entirely" or "spending an extra day at sea instead."

The crossing takes longer (sailing isn't as fast as a car ferry), but the entire day is structured around enjoying the journey, not enduring it.

Pros of the private catamaran

• It's your boat. Just your group, your pace, your music, your itinerary.
• The crossing is part of the holiday. Wildlife watching, lunch on deck, swim stops along the way, sunbathing on the trampoline nets.
• Anchor in remote bays. You don't have to dock in Porto Santo's main harbour — you can anchor off Porto das Salemas or other quiet spots and swim straight from the boat.
• Optional overnight. You can stay anchored or take a hotel ashore and continue exploring the next day.
• Special-occasion factor. Anniversaries, milestone birthdays, proposals — this is a memory-making trip in a way the ferry simply isn't.
• Wildlife along the way. The deep water between Madeira and Porto Santo is excellent for cetaceans.

Cons of the private catamaran

• Cost. It's a premium experience, priced accordingly.
• Weather dependent. A private trip is more sensitive to swell and wind than a 1,200-passenger ferry.
• Time commitment. Even a single-day round-trip is a long day on the water; some travellers prefer to do it as an overnight.

Best for: Couples, small groups, families celebrating something specific, travellers who treat the day on the water as the point — not the obstacle.

What you actually experience on each

This is the part most comparison articles skip. The two trips don't just differ in price and time — they differ in what you'll remember afterwards.

Ferry day, summarised:

• Wake up early, drive to Funchal port
• Board with hundreds of others, find a seat indoors or on the sun deck
• 2 hours of mostly looking at the horizon (or your phone)
• Arrive Porto Santo, transfer to your accommodation or hire a buggy
• Beach day, lunch in town, perhaps a quick island drive
• Back to the ferry, return crossing, home tired

Private catamaran day, summarised:

• Casual departure time, you set
• Sails up, breakfast on deck, possibly dolphins within the first hour
• Slow approach to Porto Santo with a swim stop in deep blue water
• Anchor off a quiet beach or in the harbour
• Lunch on board or ashore, beach time, snorkelling
• Sunset return crossing — golden light, the silhouette of Porto Santo behind you
• Arrive back in Funchal feeling like you had a holiday inside your holiday

Honest take: The ferry is transport. The private catamaran is the trip itself.

Cost: what you're really paying for

For a couple, the maths often surprises people.

• Ferry option: Two return tickets + transfers + lunch + activities on the island. Comfortable budget calculation: it's the affordable choice.
• Private catamaran: A premium price, but it's the price for the entire vessel and crew for the full day. Split across a small group of friends or family, it becomes much closer to comparable than people assume.

The right way to think about it isn't "which is cheaper?" — it's "what kind of experience do we want this day to be?"

Practical tips, whichever you choose

For the ferry:

• Book in advance in summer — it sells out
• Sit up high on the sun deck if the swell is moderate; it's better for seasickness than indoors
• Bring snacks — the on-board café is fine but limited
• Know the return time — missing it means an unplanned overnight

For the catamaran:

• Check the forecast a few days out with the crew
• Pack light — soft bag, swimwear, layer for the crossing, sunscreen
• Go in shoulder season if you can — May, June, September, October are sweet spots
• Mention if you want to overnight — this changes the whole structure of the trip

When the catamaran clearly wins

There are a handful of situations where, in our honest opinion, the private catamaran is so obviously the better fit that we'd suggest it without hesitation:

• You're celebrating something. A milestone birthday, anniversary, engagement, or honeymoon
• You're a family with kids. Children handle the boat better than the indoor ferry — open air, things to see, and the freedom to swim
• You want the wildlife. The slow crossing and deep-water route give you far better encounter chances than the ferry
• You hate crowds. Solo, with a partner, or a small group — the ferry's 1,200-passenger experience won't be your favourite memory

When the ferry clearly wins

Equally honest:

• You want to bring a car or buggy. Only the ferry takes vehicles
• You want maximum time on the island. The ferry's mid-day window beats a same-day catamaran return
• Budget is the deciding factor. It's significantly less expensive
• You're going to stay several nights on Porto Santo. Ferry there, ferry back, stay in between

Combining both: the best-of-both-worlds approach

Some of our most satisfied guests do this:

Catamaran one way, ferry the other — sail to Porto Santo with the wildlife and stops, stay one or two nights ashore, then take the ferry back. You get the experience-driven outbound trip and the practical, bring-the-luggage return.

We can coordinate this with you when planning your trip.

Ready to plan your Porto Santo day?

If you've decided the catamaran is the right fit, see our Porto Santo private trip or contact us to discuss dates, group size, and whether a same-day or overnight option works better for you.

If you're still on the fence — tell us about your trip. We'll give you a straight answer on whether a charter is the right move for your dates and group, and we'll happily point you to the ferry if it isn't. The goal is the right day on the water, not the most expensive one.