Sea Ray 48

A 48-foot Sea Ray cruiser for private charters on Biscayne Bay. Up to 10 guests, two staterooms below, a full-width swim platform, air conditioning, and...

Location: Miami, United States

2 bedrooms, sleeps 10.

Price: From $1,850 USD per charter

A 48-foot Sea Ray cruiser running private day charters on Biscayne Bay for up to 10 guests, with fuel and crew in the rate. She is the uncomplicated boat in the Miami fleet, an American-built cruiser with a wide bow lounge forward, an open cockpit aft and a full-width swim platform that makes getting in and out of the water at a sandbar easy rather than a climb. Two staterooms and two heads sit below with air conditioning, so anyone who wants an hour out of the sun has somewhere to go. A Bluetooth sound system runs the music, a cooler comes stocked with ice and water, and snorkel gear and a floating mat can be added on request. Charters leave from Miami Marina and the captain sets the route by the wind: Key Biscayne when the wind is up, Haulover Sandbar for the anchor-down crowd, Stiltsville and Nixon Beach, or a slow pass by Star Island. Food and drink are yours to bring. | Location: Miami, United States | Bedrooms: 2 | Guests: 10 | Price: From $1,850 USD per charter | Top Amenities: Wide bow lounge, Full-width swim platform, Bluetooth sound system | Best For: Sandbar day charters, Birthday and bachelorette groups up to 10, Families with children

The Sea Ray 48 is the easy choice on Biscayne Bay, an American-built cruiser with nothing to learn before you enjoy it. The bow opens into a wide sun lounge, the cockpit takes the rest of the group aft, and the stern carries a full-width swim platform. Below deck sit two staterooms and two heads, air conditioned, which matters more than people expect on a hot afternoon: the cabin is the only cover on this boat. Fuel is bundled into the charter rate at standard cruising speed, and the captain and crew come with the boat, so there is no top-up conversation at the dock.

Biscayne Bay Routes

Charters depart Miami Marina, which puts the whole bay within a short run. Haulover Sandbar is the anchor-down social scene and sits about thirty minutes out by boat. Star Island is a quarter of an hour away for the slow pass along the houses. Nixon Beach and Stiltsville run roughly twenty-five minutes, and Key Biscayne about twenty for calmer water when the wind is up. The captain reads the conditions on the morning and picks the order, which is the right way to do it: the bay changes character with the breeze, and a good route on a still day is the wrong one when it blows. Departs Miami Marina, walk-on boarding. Haulover Sandbar, about 30 minutes by boat. Star Island cruise-by, about 15 minutes. Stiltsville and Nixon Beach, about 25 minutes. Key Biscayne, about 20 minutes. Miami International Airport about 22 minutes by road. Departure times flexible subject to availability

Below Deck

Two staterooms sit below with two heads between them, and the cabin runs full air conditioning. On a Miami afternoon that turns the interior into the part of the boat people actually use: a cool hour for a child who has had enough sun, a place to change before dinner, a quiet corner away from the speakers. It is also the only cover aboard, since nothing on deck is covered, so across a six-hour charter the cabin does real work rather than sitting unused. The finish is cruiser-practical rather than showpiece, which suits the way she charters. Two staterooms below deck. Two heads. Air conditioning in the cabin. Bluetooth sound system to onboard speakers. The cabin is the only covered space aboard

Bow Lounge and Swim Platform

The two outdoor zones do different jobs. Forward, the bow lounge is the wide, flat sun space where the group spreads out for the run and stays put at anchor. Aft, the cockpit is the social end, closer to the cooler and the music. Between them the swim platform runs the full width of the stern, and full width is the part that counts at a sandbar: it gives a group somewhere to gather along the waterline instead of filing in and out at one point. Neither deck zone is covered, so hats and sunscreen earn their place in the bag. Wide bow lounge for sun. Open cockpit aft for the group. Full-width swim platform off the stern. No covered deck space, bring sun cover. No glass containers permitted on deck

A Day at the Sandbar

A charter day here is mostly anchoring and swimming. The cooler comes stocked with ice and water, and snorkel gear and a floating mat can be added on request when you book. The group brings the food and drink, which is how most charters on this boat run: a spread laid out in the cockpit and your own bottles on ice. The event side is welcome too, with birthdays, bachelorette days, anniversaries, corporate outings and photo shoots all permitted up to the ten-guest maximum. Tell the concierge in advance if there is a cake or a specific arrangement so the crew can set up for it. Cooler with ice and water stocked. Snorkel gear on request. Floating mat on request. Bring your own food and drink. Birthdays, bachelorettes and photo shoots permitted. Maximum 10 guests, no exceptions

Captain and Crew

She charters fully staffed. The captain is licensed by the United States Coast Guard for charter work on Biscayne Bay, and holds final authority on every safety decision aboard, including where and when the boat anchors. Crew handle boarding, the swim platform and service through the day. Nobody leaves the dock before the briefing. Both captain and crew are included in the charter rate, as is fuel at standard cruising speed. Fifteen percent is the customary gratuity and it sits outside the rate. Concierge support runs 24/7 by WhatsApp and phone, and there is a VHF radio aboard. Captain and crew included in the charter rate. USCG-licensed for charter work on Biscayne Bay. Fuel included at standard cruising speed. Fifteen percent gratuity customary, outside the rate. Briefing before the dock lines come off. VHF aboard, concierge on WhatsApp and phone

Best For

Sandbar days for groups up to 10. Birthday and bachelorette charters. Families who want air conditioning below deck. Sunset cruises with a small group. First-time charterers who want simple logistics