How to organise a corporate boat party in Marseille: the guide

Why hold a corporate party at sea?

A boat creates something no venue can: everyone is literally in the same boat. No discreet early exits, no groups forming in separate rooms. For a team that needs to reconnect, it is a format that brings people together. It is also the ideal setting for welcoming clients or colleagues from elsewhere, who discover the Old Port, Fort Saint-Jean, the Mucem, the Frioul islands and the Château d’If in a single evening. For details of the boats and the evening on board, see our page on dinner cruises in the Bay of Marseille.

Which boat should you choose for your number of guests?

The boats offering private evening hire from the Old Port fall into three groups. The capacities below are those of boats with which we have already organised evenings; every vessel has a maximum capacity set by its navigation licence, which is not negotiable.

For more than 250 people, you need to hire several boats sailing together, or choose a waterside venue on land: our article on seaside venues reviews them.

How does a boat party work?

Here is the typical running order of a dinner cruise from the Old Port, which can be shifted or extended on request:

1. 7.30pm: boarding and welcoming guests on the quay, welcome drink.
2. 8pm: departure, leaving the Old Port between Fort Saint-Jean and Fort Saint-Nicolas, aperitif on deck.
3. 9pm: dinner at anchor near the Frioul islands.
4. 11pm: DJ set, the dance floor opens on deck.
5. Midnight: return to the Old Port and disembarkation.

The boarding time is fixed: the boat leaves on time, with or without latecomers. Make it clear to your guests, with the quay number and a contact who can be reached.

What should you plan for an evening at sea?

The weather and the mistral

The mistral wind can make the trip impossible, even in fine weather. The captain decides, for everyone’s safety. When booking, negotiate a postponement date or a dockside option, and agree on when the decision will be made.

Seasickness

Dinner at anchor off the Frioul islands usually takes place in sheltered waters, but some guests are still sensitive. Warn them in advance, and seat those who are prone to it in the middle of the boat, where it moves the least.

Clothing and accessibility

Recommend flat shoes and a jacket: guests walk on a deck that is sometimes wet, and it gets cool out at sea in the evening. Boarding is via a gangway and the decks are often connected by stairs: check with the boat operator about access for people with reduced mobility.

Catering and the bar

Most boats work with a caterer used to the limited space of a ship’s galley. A cocktail reception with food often works better than a seated dinner: it lets guests move between the decks. A cocktail bar can be set up on board if space allows; quantities are calculated in advance, because you cannot restock at sea.

Sound on board

Space is tight and the wind carries the sound away. A DJ with compact equipment, set up for the deck, works better than a big sound system. The volume must also stay reasonable at anchor, out of respect for other users of the bay.

What entertainment works on board a boat?

On a boat, entertainment has to fit into a small space and not get in the way. The formats that work best:

• A saxophonist for leaving the port and the aperitif: no bulky equipment, and a guaranteed effect at sunset.
• A DJ for the return trip, with a playlist prepared with you according to your guests’ ages and tastes.
• A close-up magician who moves from table to table during dinner.
• A smartphone quiz or music quiz (blind test), played from the tables, with no buzzers or screen.

Avoid, on the other hand, entertainment that needs space or flames: fire performances and sparklers should be kept for venues on land.

What about the Calanques?

A trip to the Calanques is possible during the day or in the late afternoon, for an incentive or a lunch on board. The Calanques are a national park: amplified music, anchoring and going ashore are regulated there, and the boat operator knows the rules to follow. In the evening, the bay and the Frioul islands remain the usual route. For the paperwork involved in an event in a protected area, see our article on event permits in Marseille.