Allboat review: RIBs and a catamaran for dolphins and Benagil

Who Allboat are and what they run

Allboat is a boat-tour operator based at Marina de Albufeira. The company says it started in 2017 and it is a registered tourism operator (RNAAT 259/2019). When we checked allboat.pt in August 2026 the fleet was four semi-rigid boats (RIBs) and one catamaran that carries up to 115 people. Crews work in Portuguese and English.

That mix matters more than the brand name. A RIB is fast, low to the water and wet; the catamaran is slow, steady and has room to walk around. Allboat sells the same stretch of coast on both, so the first choice you make is the boat, not the operator.

Allboat tours: dolphins, Benagil and the coastline

The operator lists five formats on its own site. We group them by the guide page that explains each one in full.

• Benagil cave and dolphin watching, on a RIB or on the catamaran: an open-water dolphin search plus a run along the cliffs to Benagil. Our dolphin watching guide covers sighting odds and the species you are likely to see.
• Benagil cave and coastline: the cliff route between Albufeira and Benagil with a short pass into the cave and no dolphin search. See the Benagil cave tour guide for the route and the caves and coastline guide for what the shorter loop shows.
• Benagil sunset: the same cliffs in evening light. Compare it with the other sunset cruises from Albufeira before you book.
• Cetacean observation: a dolphin-first trip with less time at the caves.
• Private charters: a RIB or the catamaran for a closed group, priced per boat rather than per seat.

Durations are not printed on the operator's site; the listings we saw for this type of tour run 2 to 3 hours. The GetYourGuide card on this page is the 2.5-hour Benagil caves and dolphin watching tour from Albufeira, from about €34 when we checked in August 2026, with around 12,700 reviews at 4.6. The provider name appears on the listing itself. Read it if you want Allboat specifically rather than any marina boat.

Dolphins are wild. Short-beaked common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins are the species most often seen off this coast, and a good listing says "search" rather than "guaranteed". If the sea is rough the skipper may shorten the open-water part and spend longer under the cliffs.

The Benagil rules that shape the cave stop

Every motor boat from Albufeira, Allboat included, works under the Capitania do Porto de Portimão notices Edital 019/2024 and the amendment 009/2025. According to the Capitania notice, motor boats enter Benagil through the west entrance for about two minutes, with a maximum of five motor boats inside at once. There is no landing on the inner beach and no swimming or inflatables into the cave. Guided kayaks and SUP use the east entrance for about eight minutes. So a cave visit from any Albufeira boat is a slow pass, a few photos, and out. The RIB gets you closer to the rock; the catamaran gives you a higher viewpoint. Neither lands.

Who Allboat suits, and who should pick another format

Pick an Allboat RIB if you want a fast, close-to-the-water run, you are happy to get spray on your legs, and nobody in the group is pregnant or has back problems. Pick the Allboat catamaran if you want a toilet on board, shade, a stable deck and a calmer ride for children or older passengers; the trade-off is a larger group and less time close to the cave mouth.

Look elsewhere if a specific named boat is the point of the trip. Dream Wave's yellow Dreamer, X-Ride's orange boat and Algarve Charters' blue Matrix are sold on their own names and photographs; Allboat's boats are not. And if anyone wants to paddle into the cave rather than motor past it, that is a guided kayak or SUP tour, which Allboat does not run.

Where Allboat check in

Allboat check in at Marina de Albufeira, the same basin as most Albufeira boat tours. Walking times, taxis, parking and what to do if you are late are in our marina guide. Most listings ask you to be there 30 minutes before departure; a late voucher is a lost voucher, whichever operator sold it.

How to book Allboat and what to check on the listing

You can book direct on allboat.pt or through a platform such as GetYourGuide or Viator. Prices and cancellation windows can differ between the two routes for the same seat, so compare before you pay. Our widgets use GetYourGuide, which pays us a commission; the operator's own site sometimes runs a discount code for direct bookings.

Before you pay, check these five things on the listing itself:

• Which boat: RIB or catamaran. The photo and the maximum group size tell you.
• Whether the dolphin search is included or the ticket is coastline only.
• The child policy. RIB tours often set a minimum age; the catamaran usually accepts babies with an adult. The listing is the rule.
• The weather policy. The skipper decides. If the operator cancels you are refunded or rebooked; if you miss check-in you are not.
• The provider field. If it does not name Allboat, you may be buying a similar tour from a different marina operator.

Peak weeks in July and August sell out days ahead, and morning departures go first because the sea is calmer. The season runs April to October; outside it, check the live calendar for your date.

Allboat compared with Dream Wave, X-Ride and AlgarExperience

Dream Wave and X-Ride are the speedboat brands people ask for by name. Their routes and ticket prices sit in the same band as an Allboat RIB, so the difference is the boat you get and the size of the group. AlgarExperience runs the Belize Terceiro catamaran and BBQ days; if you are choosing between two large catamarans, compare departure times and what food or drink is included rather than the brand. Allboat's advantage is having both formats under one name, which helps a family that wants a RIB for the adults one day and the catamaran for the grandparents the next.