Both kinds of cruise cover the exact same water around Comino — a swim stop at the Blue Lagoon, a cruise through Crystal Lagoon and the Santa Maria sea caves — so you're not choosing a better or worse lagoon experience. The only thing that changes is Gozo. A Comino-only cruise is the shorter, cheaper, swim-focused day; a full-day Gozo and Comino tour bolts on 2–4 hours ashore on Malta's quieter sister island, with the hilltop Citadel in Victoria or the red sand of Ramla Bay.
So the decision is simple: if you mainly want to swim, snorkel and relax on the water, book Comino-only and keep the day short and inexpensive. If you'd like history, food and a different island on top of the lagoon, the full-day Gozo tour is the most-booked option in Malta for a reason. Just know that a day trip gives Gozo only a few hours — enough for one highlight, not the whole island. Below is the side-by-side, and the best-rated pick for each.
Both swim the Blue Lagoon and cruise the caves — the table is really about whether the extra hours on Gozo are worth it for you.
| Criterion | Gozo + Comino (full day) | Comino only (half day) |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 6–8 hours — a full day out | Roughly half a day on the water |
| Price | From about $24–$111 | From about $17–$69 — usually cheaper |
| What you see | Comino route + 2–4 hrs on Gozo (Citadel or Ramla Bay) | Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon and the sea caves only |
| Pace | Fuller and busier — some travel time to Gozo | Relaxed, swim-focused, less rushed |
| Best for | First-timers wanting the most in one day | Swimmers, snorkellers and anyone short on time |
Short version: the Comino swimming is identical on both — add Gozo only if you genuinely want the island, history and food, and are happy to trade a relaxed swim day for a fuller, longer one.
Mġarr Harbour, Victoria's Citadel, Ramla Bay and the Blue Lagoon — what changes between the half-day swim and the full island-hopping day.
The water portion is the same on both; the question is whether you want a few hours of a second island bolted onto it.
A half-day cruise that spends almost all its time on the water — the Blue Lagoon swim, Crystal Lagoon and the Santa Maria caves — then heads back. Best if you want to swim and snorkel without a long day, and the cheapest way onto the lagoon by cruise.
The same Comino route plus a docking at Mġarr on Gozo for 2–4 hours ashore. It's Malta's most-reviewed boat-tour category — the way to see two islands, swim, and add history and food in a single day.
Ashore you usually choose: Victoria's hilltop Citadel, a walled medieval fortification with 360° views, or — June to September — the red-orange sand of Ramla Bay, a calmer swim than the Blue Lagoon. Pick one before you go; you won't have time for both.
Gozo really deserves a couple of days — the Citadel, Dwejra, Ramla and the Ġgantija Temples. A boat-tour stop covers one highlight and lunch. If Gozo itself is the goal, a dedicated trip or overnight beats squeezing it onto a Comino cruise.
If you want the fuller day, this is the market's most-reviewed full-day cruise; if you'd rather keep it short, the Comino-only pick is just below.
Why we recommend it: with 18,000+ reviews it's the most-booked full-day option, pairing the full Comino route — Blue Lagoon swim, Crystal Lagoon and the Santa Maria caves — with 3–4 hours on Gozo (Citadel or, in summer, the beach), from $34 with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Pick this if you want both islands in a day. Prefer to skip Gozo and keep it a short, cheaper swim day? The Comino-only cruise below covers the same lagoons and caves in half the time — choose by how much of the day you want to spend out.
Check live dates and book on the right, or take the Comino-only pick below for a shorter day.
Both are highly rated and cover the Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon and the caves — pick the day length that fits your trip.
A full-day cruise pairing the Comino swim route with hours ashore on Gozo for the Citadel or the beach. Best for first-timers who want to see the most in one day; rated 4.7 with 7,000+ reviews.
See all Gozo & Comino tours →
A Comino-focused cruise that skips Gozo and spends almost all its time on the water — Blue Lagoon swim, Crystal Lagoon and the caves. Best if you want both lagoons without a full day; rated 4.9 with 1,000+ reviews.
See all Comino & Blue Lagoon cruises →
Choose a Comino-only cruise if your priority is swimming, snorkelling and relaxing on the water — it's cheaper, shorter and less rushed. Choose a full-day Gozo and Comino tour if you want history, food and scenery too: Gozo adds Victoria's hilltop Citadel, the red sand of Ramla Bay and the Dwejra coastline. Both cover the same Comino route — Blue Lagoon swim, Crystal Lagoon and the sea caves — so the real difference is whether you add a few hours ashore on Gozo.
For a first visit, yes — a few hours covers Gozo's highlights, the Citadel in Victoria or a swim at Ramla Bay. But a Gozo and Comino day gives only 2–4 hours ashore, which covers one main thing, not the whole island. If Gozo itself is your priority, a dedicated Gozo trip or an overnight stay does it far more justice.
Most full-day Gozo and Comino tours give 2–4 hours ashore at Mġarr, usually with a shuttle option to Victoria's Citadel or, in summer, to Ramla Bay. That's enough for one highlight plus lunch, not for touring the island — so pick Victoria or the beach before you go rather than trying to fit both.
Usually, yes. Comino-only Blue Lagoon cruises start from around $17–$69 and are shorter half-day trips, while full-day Gozo and Comino tours run roughly $24–$111 for 6–8 hours. You pay more for the longer day and the time ashore on Gozo, not for a different Comino experience.
Yes. Both Comino-only and Gozo-and-Comino cruises cover the same water route: a Blue Lagoon swim stop, a cruise through Crystal Lagoon and the Santa Maria sea caves. The Gozo tour simply adds a harbour stop and time ashore on Gozo before or after the Comino swimming.