Private boats from December to March
Couples, families and small groups do well with a private boat in winter. On a calm day the Comino and Blue Lagoon private speedboat covers the Blue Lagoon, the Crystal Lagoon and the caves in two or three hours from Mġarr on Gozo or Ċirkewwa, and the skipper can keep to the sheltered side of the island. It was open for booking on every date from December to February when we checked in September 2026.
Go private if you want Comino in a morning and the boat to yourselves. Book a Gozo and Comino day if you want a whole day out for less per person. December is the mildest of the four months, and from late March more shared cruises sail again.
- Best for swimming
- June to October, with September and early October particularly strong
- Low crowds
- November to March
- Best winter format
- Gozo and Comino, or a short private Comino boat
- Best warm-season format
- Blue Lagoon, Crystal Lagoon and the caves
- Mildest private-boat month
- December
- What to check before you sail
- Wind, swell and sea state, more than a rain icon
- Private speedboat, per group of up to six From $181
- Sea temperature, December and March 18.5°C and 15.4°C
- Sunset, 15 December 16:50
Check winter dates for a private boat Free cancellation up to 24 hours before · one price for the whole boat
December to March, month by month
The four months suit a private boat in different ways. The sea is cold in all of them, so the differences that matter on board are the air, the light and how many other boats are running.
| Month | Sea | Air high | Sunset | A private boat that month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 18.5°C | 17.1°C | 16:50 | The mildest of the four; a two- or three-hour trip is comfortable on a calm day |
| January | 16.4°C | 15.7°C | 17:12 | Cold water and short days; keep it to about two hours |
| February | 15.6°C | 15.7°C | 17:44 | Much like January, with a little more daylight |
| March | 15.4°C | 17.4°C | 18:10 | Spring air over the year's coldest sea; shared cruises return |
December
December is the winter sightseeing season. The sea has cooled to about 18.5°C, but the month is milder than January and February in both the water and the air, and it can still carry a compact private trip around the caves and lagoons. It is also the last month some shared operators sail before a winter break: Hornblower, for one, publishes cruises from March to December.
January and February
These are the coldest weeks on the water, with the sea at 16.4°C in January and 15.6°C in February, and the average peak gust at Luqa is around 80 km/h in both. A private boat still works well here because the trip is short, but plan it for the middle of the day, dress for the open deck, and treat any calm day in the forecast as the one to take.
March
The air turns spring-like, with an average high of 17.4°C, while the sea stays cold at about 15.4°C. Early March is still a winter-style month on the water. From late March, conventional cruises start to make sense again as more shared operators return, Supreme Travel among them with daily sailings from March, so a shared boat becomes the cheaper alternative for a larger group.
Three private boats for winter
All three are priced per boat, so the cost per person falls as the group grows. Pick the private speedboat for the shortest trip and the lowest price for two to six people, the two- to four-hour boat for a group of seven or a longer route, and the charter if anyone plans to swim and would like a freshwater shower afterwards.
Our private picks
Malta: Comino & Blue Lagoon Private Speed Boat Tour
A skipper-driven speedboat from Mġarr or Ċirkewwa, both close to Comino, so little of the trip is spent getting there. The route takes in Santa Marija Cave and the tunnel at the Crystal Lagoon. Fuel is extra, and a fast open boat on a winter swell is hard going for anyone who gets seasick.
Check speedboat datesPrivate boat: Blue Lagoon, Comino, Gozo & sea caves
The Blue Lagoon, Comino and the sea caves on a trip of two to four hours, with room for a group of seven. With seven aboard it works out at about $28 each, and about $48 each for four.
See private boat datesMalta: Private Boat Cruise with Caves, Beaches & Swim Stops
Your own boat and skipper, with snorkel masks, fins and a freshwater shower on board, which makes it the pick for a group with one or two hardy swimmers. Fuel is a €59 cash charge on board, so four people pay about $71 each before fuel. The skipper adjusts the route to the weather.
See charter datesThe speedboat's winter dates are the ones we have checked. For the other two, open the calendar for your exact dates, since small operators set their own winter days. Our private boat charters guide explains how charters work in any season.
What kind of tour makes sense?
A private boat is one of three ways to reach the Blue Lagoon in winter, and the other two suit different groups.
Standard shared cruise
Choose a shared cruise when swimming is central to the day and the mainstream schedules are running, which from December to March they mostly are not. A 3–4 hour Comino cruise is usually more versatile than a long single-stop excursion, and in winter the Comino catamaran from Buġibba is the shared option that keeps sailing.
Gozo + Comino
For late autumn and winter this is the strongest shared choice, because Gozo adds a solid block of sightseeing. Nobody has to swim for the day to work: there is Victoria, the island's coast and a real excursion, not a long, chilly stop at anchor. The Gozo and Comino full-day cruise starts at $34 a person.
Private boat
This is the format for couples, families and small groups who value a flexible route, the caves, a short transfer and a say over where the boat stops. In summer, privacy is the way to avoid the crowds. In winter, what you pay for is flexibility and a compact trip, and that is the case for the three boats above.
Planning a winter private trip
- Agree the start time when you book. Most private operators agree the start and the length with you in advance; a late-morning start gives you the warmest hours and gets you back well before a December sunset at 16:50.
- Pick the nearest port. Leave from Mġarr if you are staying on Gozo and from Ċirkewwa if you are on Malta; both are a short hop from Comino, which keeps the cold crossing brief.
- Keep January and February trips short. Two hours covers the lagoons and the caves, and the open deck gets cold on the way back.
- Leave room in your plans. The skipper decides on the morning whether to sail, so book early in your stay and confirm how the operator will contact you.
- Budget for fuel. The speedboat and the charter both charge fuel separately, and on the charter it is €59 in cash.
Comparing a private boat with a shared seat in any month? Our shared cruise or private charter guide sets the prices side by side.
Weather, wind and cancellations
A private boat is still a small boat at sea. The skipper can change the route, drop the Crystal Lagoon, stay out of the caves, cut the swim stop, swap to another boat, postpone or cancel when the conditions require it, and on a small vessel that call comes sooner than on a big catamaran. Put the trip on one of the first days of your holiday so a cancelled morning can move.
From December to March, flexible cancellation is particularly valuable. The weather where you are staying is a poor guide: conditions around Comino can be quite different from those in Valletta or at your hotel, and the wind and swell in the channel matter more to a small boat than the chance of rain. The Malta Met Office's mariners' forecast is the one to read the evening before.
Blue Lagoon landing pass
A private boat can take you to the lagoon, but stepping ashore in its managed area needs the free landing pass whenever the scheme is in force. Get it from blcomino.com, the official access site. The pass has applied since 1 May 2025 and was renewed for summer 2026, and nothing official says whether it runs in winter, so check for your date.
Your boat booking does not include the pass and the skipper does not arrange it. If you stay on board around the caves and lagoons, you do not need one.
What to bring
The summer list is swimwear, a towel, high-SPF sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and plenty of water. For a private boat from December to March, add a fleece or jumper, long trousers and a windproof layer, since a fast boat makes its own wind. Bring cash for the fuel charge, and if anyone means to swim, a towel and a complete dry change of clothes.
Final verdict
Private boats are especially useful in winter, because a flexible plan, a short trip and the skipper's choice of route count for more than a long swim stop. For two to six people the private speedboat is the clearest choice, a group of seven gets better value from the two- to four-hour private boat, and anyone who wants a full day for less per head should book the Gozo and Comino cruise. Whichever you choose, book free cancellation, early in your stay. Our Blue Lagoon boat tours in winter guide covers the shared trips that sail in the same months.
How we know
Private-boat prices, group sizes, inclusions and ratings are from the GetYourGuide listings, and the speedboat's December to February availability is from its booking calendar, read in September 2026. Operator seasons for Hornblower and Supreme Travel are from their own published schedules, read the same month. Sea temperature is the Malta Met Office's monthly series published by the National Statistics Office, averaged over 1996–2025; air temperature and the peak gust are the Met Office's 1991–2020 climate profile for Luqa airfield. The swim guidance is the Malta Tourism Authority's and the landing-pass rules are from blcomino.com.
Private Comino boats in winter: common questions
Do private boats go to the Blue Lagoon from December to March?
Yes, on days when the sea is calm enough. The Comino and Blue Lagoon private speedboat from Mġarr or Ċirkewwa was open for booking on every date from December to February when we checked in September 2026, and other private skippers sell winter dates too. The skipper confirms on the morning whether the trip can sail.
How much does a private Comino boat cost in winter?
The private speedboat starts at $181 for a group of up to six, with fuel paid on top, which is about $45 each for four people. A two- to four-hour private boat starts at $193 for up to seven, and the private charter from Ċirkewwa at $285 for up to seven plus a €59 fuel charge. Prices change with the date, so read the calendar for yours.
Which month is best for a private boat in winter?
December, if you can choose. The sea averages 18.5°C against 16.4°C in January and 15.6°C in February, and the air is a little warmer. January and February still work for a short trip on a calm day. March has spring-like air but the coldest sea of the year, about 15.4°C, and more shared cruises restart towards the end of the month.
Is a private boat better than a Gozo and Comino tour in winter?
It suits a different day. A private boat gives a small group the lagoons and caves in two or three hours on a route the skipper picks for the conditions. A Gozo and Comino cruise costs less per person and fills a whole day with sightseeing on Gozo, which matters when nobody wants to swim.
Can you swim from a private boat in winter?
You can ask the skipper to stop, but few people do. The Malta Tourism Authority does not recommend swimming from November to February, when the sea is around 16 to 18°C. If anyone in your group wants a dip, bring towels and a complete dry change of clothes.
What happens if a private boat is cancelled for the weather?
Each listing sets its own terms for a weather cancellation, usually another date or a refund, so read them before you book. Book with free cancellation up to 24 hours before, put the trip early in your stay so there is a spare day, and check the marine forecast the evening before.