Tenerife Fishing Experts runs three trip formats: private charter, shared trips, and boat rental without a licence. Each puts you on the water in a different way — with a dedicated crew reserved for your group, alongside other anglers on a shared booking, or self-driving a small boat independently. There is no single "best" format; the right one depends on your group size, budget, experience, and what you want the day to feel like.
This guide compares the three side by side, then walks through which one tends to suit different types of traveller, so you can go directly to the right page and enquire with confidence.
The Three Formats at a Glance
| Private Charter | Shared Trip | Boat Rental (No Licence) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who's on board | Your group only, plus the crew | Your group alongside other anglers who booked separately | Your group only — no crew fishing alongside you |
| Who drives / runs the trip | A professional captain and crew | A professional captain and crew | You, self-driving the boat |
| Flexibility on pace and target | Higher — the crew can shape the day around your group's goals, within conditions | Lower — the trip follows a plan set for the whole boat | Highest on route and pace, but no fishing guidance is provided |
| Experience needed | None — suited to complete beginners through to experienced anglers | None — suited to beginners and casual anglers | Some comfort handling a small boat helps; no formal licence required for the exempt category |
| Crew's attention | Focused entirely on your group | Shared across everyone booked on that departure | Not applicable — you're on your own once briefed |
| Best-fit traveller | Families, groups with a specific goal, celebrations, anglers wanting focused instruction | Solo travellers, couples, small budget-conscious groups, first-timers wanting a taster | Confident, independent travellers who want to set their own route and don't need fishing guidance |
| Own page | Private Charter | Shared Trips | Boat Rental No Licence |
Pricing, group size limits, trip durations, and which vessel is assigned to a given booking all vary and are confirmed at enquiry stage — see the pre-publication fact checks below. None of these figures are stated here because they have not been confirmed for this draft.
What Actually Changes Between the Three Formats
The ocean, the weather, and the fish don't behave differently depending on which format you book. What changes is the structure of the day:
- Private charter reserves the whole boat and crew for your group. The captain can lean the plan toward your goals — a relaxed family pace, a specific technique, or a more focused session — within what conditions allow.
- Shared trip puts you on a boat with other anglers who booked independently. The captain runs one plan for the whole group, and the crew's attention is divided, which suits a sociable, lower-cost way to get out on the water.
- Boat rental no licence hands you the helm. There is no fishing crew working the day for you — you navigate within an agreed area and fish (or explore) at your own pace, with a safety briefing beforehand.
None of the three formats can guarantee a catch, calm seas, or a specific species. Weather, sea state, season, and the captain's or your own judgement on the day all play a part, whichever format you choose.
Which One Is Right for You?
You're a family with children, or want the boat to yourselves. A private charter is generally the better fit. The crew can adapt pace and instruction to suit younger or first-time anglers, and you're not sharing the deck with strangers. See our guide to fishing with kids in Tenerife for more on preparing a family trip.
You're travelling solo or as a pair and want to keep costs down. A shared trip is usually the more practical route. You join other anglers on the same departure and pay for your place rather than the whole boat, without needing to organise a full group.
You want a crew to help you target a specific species or technique. Both private charter and shared trips include a professional crew, but a private charter gives more scope to discuss a specific goal in advance, since the plan isn't shared with other bookings. If big-game species are the focus, it's worth reading how that trip format works before deciding.
You're confident on the water and want full independence. Boat rental without a licence removes the crew from the equation entirely. You set the route and the pace, within the agreed operating area and licence-exemption limits. This suits travellers who want to explore and fish on their own terms rather than be guided.
You're not sure yet, or your group has mixed priorities. That's common. Visit the Fishing Tours hub for a fuller overview of each format, or get in touch through our FAQ page with your group size and goals — the team can help match you to the right trip before you commit.
A Note on the Fleet
Which vessel is used for a given booking depends on the format, group size, and availability on the day, not on a fixed pairing between boat and trip type. If you'd like to see the boats Tenerife Fishing Experts operates before deciding, visit the fleet page . Specific vessel assignments should always be confirmed at enquiry stage rather than assumed from this page.
What to Have Ready Before You Enquire
Whichever format you're leaning toward, having the following ready speeds up getting a useful answer from the team:
- Your preferred date(s), with any flexibility.
- Group size, and how many will actively fish.
- Experience level of the group, from complete beginners to seasoned anglers.
- What you want out of the day — a relaxed family outing, a focused session on a specific species, or independent exploration.
- Budget expectations, since cost structures differ meaningfully between a per-person shared ticket and a whole-boat private charter or rental.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, a private charter or a shared trip? A shared trip is typically cheaper per person, since the cost is split across everyone booked on that departure. A private charter is priced for the whole boat, so the total is usually higher, though the per-person cost can narrow as your group grows. Confirm current pricing for your group size when you enquire.
Do I need a licence for any of these trips? Private charters and shared trips are crewed and guided, so no boating licence is required from you. The boat rental format uses a vessel that falls within Spain's no-licence category, but current licence-exemption limits should always be confirmed directly with the team before booking.
Which format is best for a complete beginner? Private charter or a shared trip, since both include a professional crew who can guide you through the basics. Boat rental without a licence is self-drive and doesn't include fishing guidance, so it suits confident, independent travellers more than first-time anglers.
Can I switch formats after I enquire? Yes, that's exactly what enquiring is for — tell the team what you're considering and your group's needs, and they can advise whether a different format would suit you better before you book.
Can a group split between formats, for example some driving and some being guided? Each booking is for one format, so a group can't mix boat rental and a crewed trip within a single outing. If your group has very different priorities, it's worth discussing options with the team directly.
Ready to Choose Your Trip?
Compare the three format pages in full — Private Charter , Shared Trips , and Boat Rental No Licence — then enquire directly on the page that fits your group.
Primary CTA: Explore all trip formats on the Fishing Tours hub Contextual CTA: Get in touch with your questions