Every charter company quotes differently and the 20% "mandatory gratuity" hides until checkout. Here's what a Lake Travis party boat actually costs, operator by operator, with the all-in math done for you.
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.
| 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 | $175–275/hr by size · $275/hr 45ft barge | 40 (barge) | Yes (no glass) | Yes: publish a cove guide | Biggest single hull marketed on the lake; +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.
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 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.