Straight answer: a private captained party boat on Lake Travis runs $395 (weekday pontoon) to $1,445 (22-man double-decker on a Saturday) for the standard 4-hour charter: before the near-universal 20% captain gratuity, 8.25% tax, online booking fees, and marina parking. Budget $60–$110 per guy all-in for a Saturday double-decker split 15 ways, anchored at Devil's Cove.
Big Tex Boat Rentals
The widest fleet range on the list. Big Tex runs 25ft to 45ft hulls out of both lakes, so the same operator can cover a 12-guy pontoon and a 40-man party barge with a slide. Rates run $175 to $350 per hour depending on the boat, and every charter comes with one of their own licensed captains.
| Rate | $175 to $350 per hour by boat size |
|---|---|
| Fleet | Pontoons 25 to 34ft (11 to 25 guests), party barges 30 to 45ft with slides and dual decks, 38ft Monterey yachts, wake and surf boats |
| Captain | Required and included. Big Tex captains only, Texas licensed and party-boat certified |
| Departs | Paradise Cove Marina and Mansfield Dam Park on Lake Travis; Loop 360 ramp on Lake Austin ($5 cash per person) |
| BYOB | Yes. Cans and plastic only, no glass bottles and no red wine |
| Also does | Sunset cruises, fireworks tours, wakesurf sessions, corporate outings |
Who it fits: crews that have not locked a headcount yet. Because one operator covers 11 to 40 guests across both lakes, you are not re-shopping the whole weekend when three more guys commit.
Rates and policies verified on their site 2026-08-05. Confirm current pricing when you book. Gratuity, tax and booking fees are extra, same as every operator in the table below.
Disclosure: Big Tex is a paid partner. We earn a commission if you book through this link, and it comes out of their side, not yours. You pay Big Tex's standard rate with no markup. Every competing operator and their real prices are still listed in the table below, unchanged.
Lake Travis Charters Compared
| Company | Price (as of Jul 2026) | Max crew | BYOB | Devil's Cove | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good Time Tours | $800 Mon–Thu · $1,100 Fri/Sun · $1,300 Sat (4 hr) | 17 | Yes (no glass) | Yes: their home anchorage | Double-decker w/ waterslide + lily pad; +20% captain tip in cash |
| Tide Up | From $395 weekday · $595–700+ weekend | 20/boat | Yes (no glass) | Yes. Devil's Cove specialist | Cheapest verified entry point; coolers + ice + lily pad included |
| Lone Star Party Boats | $695–725 Mon–Thu · $1,195–1,445 Sat (4 hr) | 22 | Not stated | Yes: default tie-up | Double-decker with TWO waterslides; +tax, 20% gratuity, 6% online fee, $20/car marina |
| ATX Party Boats | From $450 (10–12) · $600 (18–22) · 3–4 hr min | 22 | Not stated | Departs Paradise Cove | Two slides on the big double-deckers; XL cooler + lily pad incl.; +20% gratuity |
| Keep Austin Wet | $445–625 per 3 hr | 25 | Not stated | 10 min away | Departs Volente Beach: waterpark access included, no marina fee; 3-hr base runs cheaper |
| Big Tex Boat Rentals FEATURED | $175–$350/hr by size (verified Aug 2026) | 40 (45ft barge) | Yes (no glass, no red wine) | Yes: publish a cove guide | Widest size range on the list, 25–45ft, both lakes; captain required and included; +20% gratuity, 6% online fee |
| Lake Travis Yacht Rentals | From $525/boat weekday (4-hr slots) | 24; ties boats for 25+ | Food/drink not incl. | Yes | 16-boat fleet, 8 double-deckers w/ slides; yachts have restrooms + AC cabins; +20% captain fee |
| Premier Party Cruises | $200–500/hr private · $85–105/pp shared Disco Cruise | 75 ("Clever Girl") | Yes (21+, no glass) | Not stated | The big-group answer: only shared per-person cruise on the lake (DJ + photographer incl.) |
| BOATX | From $350 · 2-hr minimum | 16 | Yes | Serves Travis; departs Lake Austin | Only 2-hr minimum on the list; same-day booking; themed boats |
| Float On | Quote only | 16 | Yes (Yeti + ice incl.) | Not stated | Tritoons/wakesurf: more cruise than party barge |
Prices from each operator's own site as of July 21, 2026. "Not stated" means the company doesn't publish it: ask before you book, don't assume. Ratings omitted where we couldn't independently verify them.
The All-In Math Nobody Publishes
That "$725 charter" is not $725. Here's the real Saturday total on a typical 22-man double-decker:
| Line item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Boat, 4 hr Saturday | $1,195–1,445 |
| Mandatory captain gratuity (20%) | +$240–290 |
| Sales tax (8.25%) | +$100–120 |
| Online booking fee (6%, some operators: book by phone to skip) | +$70–85 |
| Marina entry/parking | +$20/vehicle |
| All-in for 15 guys | ≈ $1,650–1,960 → $110–130 per guy |
- Saturday costs ~2x a weekday on the same boat (Lone Star: $725 Mon–Thu → $1,445 Sat). A Friday or Sunday charter saves the group $300–500.
- BYOB is standard, glass never is. Cans and plastic only, everywhere that publishes a policy.
- 25+ guys: tie multiple boats together (Lake Travis Yacht Rentals, Tide Up) or book the two genuinely big hulls. Premier's 75-passenger Clever Girl or Big Tex's 40-passenger barge.
- Devil's Cove is the point. Six of ten operators anchor there by default. It's the floating party raft-up your crew is picturing. Confirm it when booking.
Logistics & When to Book
What to know
- Summer Saturdays sell out first: lock the boat 4–8 weeks out; it anchors your whole day.
- 4-hour charters are the standard; BOATX (2 hr) and Keep Austin Wet (3 hr) are the shorter/cheaper exceptions.
- Book by phone where there's a 6% online fee. That's $70+ back on a Saturday charter.
- Captain is included everywhere: nobody in your crew needs to drive the boat (or should).
How to slot it
- The classic Austin Saturday: morning range experience → BBQ → 1pm boat at Devil's Cove → dinner → downtown.
- Boat runs 1–5pm; you're showered and at dinner by 7.
- Add a party bus or sprinter → for the marina run: parking is $20/car and nobody should drive back.
The boat is half the Saturday. Build the rest.
Range experience in the morning, Devil's Cove in the afternoon, downtown at night: the free builder schedules the whole weekend with real prices and a direct booking link for each piece. No markup, no middleman.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a party boat cost on Lake Travis?
Private captained charters run $395 (weekday pontoon) to $1,445 (22-passenger double-decker, Saturday, 4 hours) as of July 2026: before the near-universal 20% captain gratuity, 8.25% tax, online fees, and marina parking. All-in, a Saturday double-decker split 15 ways lands around $110–130 per person.
What's the cheapest way to get a party boat on Lake Travis?
Go off-peak: the same boat that's $1,445 on Saturday runs about $725 Monday–Thursday, and Friday/Sunday sit in between. Tide Up's weekday pontoons start at $395. Booking by phone also skips the 6% online fee some operators charge.
Can you bring your own alcohol on a Lake Travis party boat?
Yes. BYOB is standard on every charter that publishes a policy, with one universal rule: no glass. Cans and plastic only. Most boats include coolers and ice; you bring the drinks.
What is Devil's Cove?
The famous party cove on Lake Travis where dozens of boats tie up into a floating raft party on summer weekends. It's the default anchor spot for bachelor charters: most operators go there, but confirm when you book.
How big a group fits on one boat?
Most party barges top out at 17–25 passengers. For 25+, operators tie multiple boats together, or you book one of the two genuinely large vessels on the lake: Premier's 75-passenger Clever Girl or Big Tex's 40-passenger 45-foot barge.
How far ahead should we book a summer Saturday boat?
Four to eight weeks for a summer Saturday: double-deckers with waterslides go first. Weekdays and shoulder-season weekends can often be booked within a week or two.