A private fishing charter with Captain Rio’s Charters in Key West costs $500 for a two-hour trip, $900 for a four-hour half day, and $1,700 for a full eight-hour day. Those are flat rates for the whole boat — up to six guests — not per-person prices. Fuel is billed separately on every trip, and gratuity is not included.
That’s the short answer. The longer answer is worth reading, because charter pricing in Key West is quoted in two completely different ways, and comparing the headline numbers without understanding which is which will mislead you badly.
The rates
| Trip | Duration | Guests | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter day | 2 hours | up to 6 | $500 |
| Sunset cruise | 2 hours | up to 6 | $500 |
| Half day | 4 hours | up to 6 | $900 |
| Full day | 8 hours | up to 6 | $1,700 |
Every one of those is the price of the entire boat. Two of you or six of you, the number doesn’t move.
Per boat vs per person — the thing that actually matters
Charter operators price one of two ways, and it changes the maths enormously.
Per person is how head boats and party boats work. You buy a seat, and you share the rail with whoever else bought one. A quoted price of, say, a couple of hundred dollars a head sounds cheaper than $900 until you count your group.
Per boat — sometimes called a private charter — is what Captain Rio’s Charters does. You’re buying the whole vessel and the captain’s day. Nobody else is aboard.
The practical effect: for a group of four, a $900 half day works out at $225 each. For a group of six it’s $150 each. For a couple it’s $450 each, which is genuinely more expensive than buying two seats on a party boat — and if price is your only concern, a party boat is the honest answer for two people.
What you get for the difference is that the day is yours. The boat goes where your group wants, stops when your group wants, and comes back when you say. There’s no shared schedule, no waiting for six strangers to reel in, and no fixed itinerary to fit into.
What’s included in the price
- All rods, reels and tackle
- Live and cut bait
- A USCG licensed and insured captain — Rio, on every trip
- The saltwater charter license that covers every guest aboard, so you don’t need to buy a fishing license
- Snorkel and dive equipment if the trip calls for it
- A cabin with seating and shade
- A bathroom on board
- A cooler
- Fish cleaning and bagging when you get back to the dock
What isn’t included
Fuel. This is the one to understand properly. The rate does not include fuel. Consumption is tracked on every charter and you’re responsible for what your trip burns, billed on top of the flat rate. This applies to every trip, inshore or offshore — there is no charter where fuel is included.
How much that comes to depends entirely on how far you run and how hard. A morning on the nearby reef burns a fraction of what a full day chasing blue water offshore does. Ask Rio what to expect for the trip you have in mind when you book, so you know the total before you leave the dock rather than after.
Gratuity. Also not included, and entirely at your discretion.
Food and drink. The boat is BYOB — bring whatever you want. There’s a cooler aboard. That’s a saving rather than a cost, but worth knowing so you don’t turn up expecting catering.
Which trip do you actually need?
Two hours is a genuine trip, not a token one, but it’s a short run. It suits families with young kids, anyone on a tight schedule, or a group who want to be on the water without committing a whole day. You’ll fish close in.
Four hours is the one most people book, and for good reason. It’s long enough to get out to the reef, work a couple of spots properly, and still have time for a sandbar stop or some snorkelling on the way back. If you’re unsure, this is the default.
Eight hours is what you book when the fishing is the point. It’s the only trip with enough time to run offshore, hunt the wrecks, and chase whatever’s actually biting without watching the clock. If you want a shot at mahi, sailfish or wahoo, you want the full day.
Why there’s no online booking
There’s no cart to check out of. Booking is by phone or text to Rio directly, because he runs every trip himself and a two-minute conversation settles more than a form does — what’s biting this week, whether the weather is going to cooperate on your dates, whether the trip you’re picturing is actually the right one for your group.
It also means the price you’re quoted is the price for your specific day, including a realistic idea of the fuel.
The boat
Everything above buys you a 1998 Stamas 32 ft Sport Fisherman with twin Yamaha 250s, licensed for six guests, running out of Hurricane Hole Marina at 5130 US-1, Key West. Bow and stern seating, a cabin with shade, an observation tower, and a bathroom.
Ready to work out what your trip would cost? Call or text Captain Rio on 305-394-1278. He’ll give you a straight answer on the rate, the likely fuel, and whether the dates you want are open.