Panoramic Mallorca Boat Trip to Formentor Beach

Exhausting experience for families. Beautiful views but total chaos

We booked two trips with this agency. The first one to Palma Aquarium was great (5 stars). Unfortunately, the boat trip to Formentor (operated by Alcudia Sea Trips) was a highly stressful experience. We wanted a relaxing cruise to unwind after a week of intensive holiday activities, but we got the exact opposite. Many passengers blocked multiple empty seats with bags and towels, and there was zero crowd control on board. If we were traveling alone as adults, we might have tolerated the lack of comfort better. However, traveling with children it was a complete nightmare. My family had to spend the entire journey standing, searching for seats, or sitting on the hard deck at the bow and on the stairs. This is not our first cruise; we have taken several boat trips in the UK with large crowds, and we always came back happy because they were well-organized. Here, it was just chaotic. When I contacted Nofrills Excursions, instead of a genuine apology, I received an aggressive, generic email from their "legal department" hiding behind maritime laws. They missed the point: having 205 people on a 330-capacity boat and still leaving paying families on the stairs proves their failure in basic organization. €120 is a lot of money for a hard-working family, and we did not pay to sit on the stairs. Definitely not recommended for families.

Response from the operator: We are disappointed to read this review because it deliberately omits a very important part of the story. Before publishing it, you requested a refund. When both we and the boat operator explained that the excursion had been provided correctly and that the vessel was operating well below its legal capacity (205 passengers on a boat licensed for 330), you wrote: "Since you refuse to take responsibility... I will share this feedback publicly on Tripadvisor and Google..." We have zero tolerance for attempts to obtain refunds by threatening companies with negative reviews. Honest feedback is always welcome, but using public reviews as leverage to obtain money is not acceptable. Regarding the excursion itself, the operator confirmed that there was ample seating capacity available. Unfortunately, as on many sightseeing boats, some passengers temporarily occupy additional seats with bags or towels before departure. While we understand this affected your experience, it does not justify the misleading statements made about our company. It is also worth noting that your first excursion booked with us received a five-star rating, something you acknowledge yourself in this review. We are therefore sorry that, after your refund request was declined, your opinion of our company changed so dramatically. Future travellers can judge the facts for themselves. We will continue to provide professional service and will always defend our reputation against reviews published following unsuccessful refund demands. — The Nofrills Excursions Team

via Tripadvisor

Nice boat tour, nothing special, busy as well

Was just a nice boattrip , nothing special, after 1.5 hour, drop off at a lovely beach, and 1.5 hour back…just an hour on the beach was quite short…not a lot of information about the area/sight we passed was given…we stayed at playa de muro and didn’t realised the pick up was also from there, so we parked in Alcudia which was a long day…

Response from the operator: Thank you for your review. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the boat trip and the beautiful beach at Formentor. The crystal-clear water and spectacular scenery are exactly why this excursion is one of the most popular boat trips in the north of Mallorca. 🌊☀️ Regarding the time at the beach, the excursion is designed as a panoramic boat trip with a stop at Formentor rather than a full beach day. The duration of the stop is clearly established in the itinerary so that guests can enjoy both the coastal cruise and some free time ashore before returning. As for the commentary, this is a sightseeing boat trip rather than a guided excursion, which is why there is limited information provided during navigation. The focus is on enjoying the coastline, cliffs, bays and views of the Formentor peninsula from the sea. Finally, regarding the departure point, the booking information clearly indicates the available boarding locations, including Playa de Muro. We are sorry that you travelled to Alcudia unnecessarily, but this information was available before the excursion. Thank you again for your feedback, and we're glad you were able to enjoy one of Mallorca's most beautiful beaches and the stunning scenery of the Bay of Pollensa. — The Nofrills Excursions Team 💙🚤🌴

via Tripadvisor

Not Worth the Price (€82)

For the price (€82), this experience is not recommended. The boat was not what was advertised as a glass-bottom boat. The windows were very small and covered with algae, so you could barely see anything. The speaker system was in poor condition, and it was difficult to understand the announcements. However, the staff were friendly and spoke good English. The check-in process was smooth and easy, but the tour ended about 10 minutes earlier than scheduled. In addition, the planned stop times were not fully respected, which was disappointing overall.

Response from the operator: Dear Adja, Thank you for your feedback, but we feel your expectations regarding the “glass-bottom” aspect were somewhat unrealistic for the type of sea and coastline found in Mallorca. This is not the Caribbean with tropical coral reefs and colourful fish everywhere underwater. The seabed around Formentor is naturally made up of rocks, sea grass and algae, which is completely normal in the Mediterranean. The underwater viewing areas are designed to offer occasional views of the seabed and marine life — not an aquarium-style experience. Regarding the itinerary and timing, we have checked the GPS route from the boat, and the excursion was carried out according to the planned route and schedule. Minor variations of a few minutes at sea can happen depending on docking, boarding operations, or sea conditions, but the excursion itself was completed correctly. We do appreciate your positive comments about the staff and organisation. At Nofrills Excursions, with over 20 years of experience in Mallorca, we always aim to provide well-organised excursions that accurately reflect the natural beauty of the island and its coastline. — The Nofrills Excursions Team 🌴🚤✨

via Tripadvisor

Packed like sardines

This trip could be really good but they pack it out so much you can barely move on the boat - we ended up having to sit by the beer kegs 🙃🙃 only got an hour on the beach so didn’t really seem worth it especially as the beach was overcrowded. However we did see some Beautiful views and was nice to see some more of the island.

Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback. We're happy to hear you enjoyed the beautiful views and the chance to explore more of Mallorca. That said, we're sorry to read your comments about the seating and the beach stop. The boat operates with the authorized number of passengers according to its licensed capacity, and we understand it can feel busy during high season. Seating is not assigned, and depending on boarding time, some areas may fill up faster. We always recommend arriving early to secure a preferred spot. As for the beach stop, it is indeed scheduled for 1 hour as stated in the description, and Formentor Beach is a very popular location in summer. We appreciate your comments and will take them into account as we work to improve the overall experience.

via Tripadvisor

Booked this boat for 11:00 and expected to be back at 15:00. We got there 15 minutes early to be told our collection time was 11:15. We werent aware there was collection points before ours and we were the last, so by time we got on the boat there was no seats. This also meant we were the last drop off so didnt get back till around 15:40. Would have preferred a 2 hour stop at the beach, as it was gorgeous but by time we had gotten food we didnt have long left. Would have also been nice to get off and have a swim at one of the sights we had stopped at on the way. Trip was okay overall but i wouldn't recommend purely as it was too over crowded.

Response from the operator: Thank you for your review, Megan, and for sharing your experience with us. We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the beauty of Formentor beach — it truly is a stunning spot. Regarding your comments: the boat trip is indeed 4.5 hours as clearly stated online, including pickup and return time, and all guests do have seats — in line with the number of passengers and available seating onboard. The beach stop is always 1 hour, also mentioned in the description, and we understand it can feel short when you'd like to stay longer — but it’s designed to balance sightseeing, cruising, and beach time within the full experience. We’re sorry to hear it felt overcrowded to you. On busy summer days the boat can reach full capacity, but we follow strict regulations to ensure safety and comfort. We appreciate your feedback and will continue working to improve our guest experience.

via Tripadvisor