Sea Passion La Maddalena review: catamaran day trips from Palau, prices and who they suit

Sea Passion is a Palau-based catamaran operator running day cruises into the Parco Nazionale dell’Arcipelago di La Maddalena. If you are weighing Sea Passion La Maddalena cruises against the big motor ships, the short version is: fewer people on deck, sails up when the wind allows, lunch served on board, and a ticket that costs two to three times a shared motorboat seat.

This Sea Passion review draws on the operator’s own site (rate page marked 2026), its Tripadvisor listing and its social pages, all checked in September 2026. We are not affiliated with the company. Where a detail is not published, we say so rather than guess.

What Sea Passion offers

The company sells four formats, all listed on its site:

• Full-day catamaran cruise. The core product. Sailing hours on the rate page are 09:00–16:00 from June to September and 10:00–17:00 in March–May and October–November. Minimum two guests.
• Sunset cruise. Minimum four guests. Times and price are not on the rate page; ask when you enquire.
• Exclusive charter. The whole catamaran for up to 12 guests, priced at twelve times the per-person rate of that month.
• Skippered RIB half day. 3.5 hours, 10:00–13:30 or 14:30–18:00, up to 12 guests, priced per person.

The stops described on the site are the classic western loop: the Porto della Madonna natural pools between Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria, a view of Spiaggia Rosa on Budelli from the water (landing has been forbidden since 1994), Spargi, Razzoli and the smaller islets. Exact anchorages change with wind and swell, which is normal for a sailing boat and is the reason catamarans often end up in emptier coves than the motor ships. The company also markets weddings and private events on the same boats.

Boats and comfort

According to the operator, the fleet is three catamarans; the sailing yacht CRI that started the business (the site says it was named Yacht of the Year 2008) was retired in 2023 and the company now runs catamarans only. Named models and lengths are not published.

What the site does list: two bathrooms, a shaded aft area with two large tables that the operator says seat up to 25 people for lunch or an aperitif, a fly area above, bow trampolines, a stern swim platform and snorkel gear on board. Note the mismatch between “up to 25 at the table” and the 12-guest cap on exclusive charters; the first is deck capacity, the second is how charters are priced. Ask how many guests will actually be on a shared date if that matters to you.

Sea Passion prices and what is included

Sea Passion prices for 2026, per person on the shared day cruise, as published on the operator’s rate page in September 2026:

The skippered RIB half day is €55 per person from March to June and from September onwards, €65 in July and August, and the price includes fuel, the park fee, skipper, insurance, final cleaning and VAT. Fuel is charged separately only on custom exclusive RIB routes.

Not published: child fares, what drinks come with lunch, and whether a per-person landing contribution is collected for the shared catamaran. Cancellation terms on the rate page: full refund within 24 hours of the excursion or when the skipper cancels for bad weather.

Insider tip: The June rate and the second half of September are the same €150, fifty euros under August, and the sea is already 20–21 °C in June and about 22–23 °C in late September. If your dates are flexible, that is the sweet spot for this boat.

What customers say

The Tripadvisor listing showed a 5.0 rating from 452 reviews and a ranking of third among 99 outdoor activities in Palau when we checked in September 2026. Reviewers repeatedly praise the crew by name, the food and wine (a local Vermentino and homemade biscuits come up), the small number of guests on board and the skippers’ stories about the islands.

The complaints are few but specific: one reviewer found the amount of food modest for the price, and another had a full-day cruise cancelled at short notice, with an evening cruise offered instead. Weather cancellations are a fact of life here (the mistral can blow any day), so build slack into your itinerary.

Departure logistics

The registered base is the Porto Turistico in Palau, about 40 km and 45 minutes by car from Olbia airport. Palau’s port car parks are paid and the free spaces fill by around 09:30 in August, so arrive early or park at the multi-storey. If you are staying on La Maddalena island, the Delcomar or Maddalena Lines ferry to Palau takes 15–20 minutes; check the timetable the night before. Check-in time and pier number are not published; the operator sends details after booking, and we would be at the port 20 minutes before sailing.

Who should book it, and who should not

Book Sea Passion if you want the sailing-catamaran version of the archipelago day: shade, a bathroom, food at the table and a skipper who chooses coves by conditions rather than by timetable. It suits couples, groups of friends and families with school-age swimmers.

Skip it if you are on a tight budget (a shared motorboat from Palau costs a fraction), if you need a fixed stop at La Maddalena town, or if you are travelling with toddlers who will not manage seven hours afloat.

How to book

Direct channels: the booking form on the operator’s site, phone (+39 351 77 97 606), WhatsApp and e-mail (info@seapassion.it). We could not find this operator trading under its own name on GetYourGuide; the catamaran products there are run by other companies, which is useful if you want free cancellation up to 24 hours and card payment in your own language.

Insider tip: Whichever catamaran you choose, pack reef-safe sunscreen and a hat that ties. The bow trampolines are the best seat for the approach to Porto della Madonna and also the sunniest and wettest place on the boat.

Alternatives you can book online

For the same format with platform protection, compare all La Maddalena boat tours on GetYourGuide. The closest matches are the catamaran tour from Palau with lunch (listed at €200 in September 2026, max 12 guests) and the 50-foot catamaran cruise with lunch (listed at €150). For an evening on the water, the sunset catamaran cruise departs Palau at 17:15. Our catamaran and sailing guide compares the segment, tours from Palau covers the port, and the operators hub lists every company we have reviewed.