Captain’s Log 110926 – Why We Don’t Price by the Head

11/09/2026

A lot of people expect a simple price: two people this, four people that, six people something else.

That works for a tourist boat running the same route every day with the same snacks and the same music. It doesn't work for what we do.

Captain Murray's is built the way private charters work in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. For the time you've booked, the boat is yours. The day is shaped around the group — not the other way around.

That's why I ask so many questions before I send a quote.

I need to know how many of you there are, what kind of day you want, and how long you want to be out. I need to know whether it's a sunset cruise, a full day to Jacqueville or Assinie, an overnight stay, or something further inland. I also need to know about drinks and food, whether you want to fish, waterski (we may need to change boat for that) or jetski, whether there are children on board, and whether you want music from your own phones or a quieter afternoon.

Those details change the whole shape of the day.

Two people wanting a private romantic sunset is a different boat day from six friends who want to fish, swim, and stay out longer. The fuel, the crew, the food, the route, and the time on the water all change. Pricing by the head would force every group into the same box, and that's the opposite of the experience we're trying to give.

What a private charter means with us is simple:

• You tell us what you want the day to feel like
• We build the quote around that request
• Once you're on board, the captain can still adjust the route and pace to the group and the conditions
• You can change things as the day unfolds, because the boat and crew are yours for the duration
• If extra requests come up, we try to accommodate them. If that affects the price, we discuss it with you at the time. It's your day
• You're not sharing the boat with strangers
• We don't run a fixed tourist circuit with the same soundtrack for everyone

The questions aren't there to make booking difficult. They're there so the price is honest, and so the day you get is the day you actually asked for.

If you're thinking of coming out with us, just tell us about your group. We'll take it from there.

Captain Murray
The Uncharted Waters – Ébrié Lagoon, Abidjan