The short version
A Duffy is a private lounge. A hot tub boat is the activity.
On a hot tub boat you spend two hours sitting in water heatable to 104°F, drained and refilled fresh before every rental, while Newport Harbor moves past at eye level. That is the whole product, and it costs $495 for up to six guests. A Duffy is a floating living room: bring eight or ten people, spread out a meal, cruise for two hours or most of a day, and pay roughly $210 to $299 for two hours at operators like Duffy Electric Boat Rentals, Newport Dunes and Voyagers.
The honest split: a Duffy is the better boat for a bigger group, a longer cruise, a weekday, a dog, or the lowest price on the water. A hot tub boat is the better boat when you want the outing to be the occasion rather than the setting for one. Duffies have been on this harbor since 1970 and there are dozens of them. There is one hot tub boat.
Hot tub boat vs. Duffy, side by side
Duffy specs and rates vary by operator, boat, day, and season. Confirm the details with whichever Newport Harbor rental company you book.
| Consideration | Hot tub boat | Duffy boat |
|---|---|---|
| What you actually do | Sit in 104°F water while the harbor goes past you | Cruise, sit, and eat on a covered deck |
| Capacity | Up to 6 guests | 6 to 12 guests depending on model (the Duffy 22 seats up to 12) |
| Best weather | Cool days, when warm water is the whole point | Warm afternoons on an open-air deck |
| How many on Newport Harbor | One | The harbor's most common rental boat, from several operators |
| Typical duration | 2-hour private charter | 2 hours up to a full day |
| Price | From $495 per 2-hour private charter, heated water included | Roughly $210 to $299 per 2 hours across Duffy Electric Boat Rentals, Newport Dunes and Voyagers |
| Who drives | You do | You do |
| Boating license needed | No | No |
| BYOB | Yes, coolers and ice permitted | Yes, universally permitted |
| After dark | Sunset and evening cruises with underwater LED lights. The water is warmest when the air is coldest | Also cruises after dark, but an open deck gets chilly once the sun drops |
| Pets | Not permitted | Many operators are pet-friendly |
| Availability | Friday through Sunday, with departures at 11:00am, 2:30pm and a 6:00pm evening slot | Most days of the week, morning through evening |
| Deposit | $300 refundable security deposit | Varies by operator |
Both photographs are crops of the same frame, taken the same afternoon on the same stretch of water. The Duffy is moored on the left of the full photo at the top of this page.
Which one should you book?
The Duffy was invented here in Newport Beach in 1970 by Marshall “Duffy” Duffield, and after 55 years it is the defining boat of this harbor: electric, near-silent, easy to drive, and available from operators all along the water. For a lot of groups it is the right call, and the list below says so. What it cannot do is get you into hot water.
Book the hot tub boat when…
- Your group is six people or fewer
- You want the outing itself to be the activity, not the backdrop
- You are marking a birthday, anniversary or girls' night
- It is cool out and you want the one harbor activity that gets better in cold weather
- You would rather do the thing nobody in your group has done before
- You want photos that do not look like everyone else's harbor photos
Book a Duffy when…
- Your group is over six people
- You want the lowest price on the water
- A long lunch cruise with a full spread is the point
- You want a weekday, or a cruise longer than two hours
- You want to bring your dog and can find a pet-friendly operator
- Nobody in the group wants to be in a swimsuit
What the hot tub boat is actually like
You board at 1221 West Coast Hwy in Newport Beach, where parking at the dock is free. After a pre-departure safety briefing you drive the boat yourself. No boating experience is required, and the operator must be 21 or older. The tub is heatable to 104°F and is drained and refilled with fresh water before every rental. There is a Bluetooth speaker for your own playlist and underwater LED lights, and the boat is BYOB with coolers and ice permitted. Charters run two hours, Friday through Sunday, with departures at 11:00am, 2:30pm and 6:00pm. The evening slot runs through sunset and into the evening, which is when the LED lights and the warm water do the most work. A $300 refundable security deposit is collected at booking.
For more detail, see what to expect on board, or our write-up of the Newport Beach hot tub boat experience.
Common questions
Is a hot tub boat more expensive than a Duffy?
Yes. Newport Hot Tub Boats starts at $495 for a private 2-hour charter for up to six guests. Duffy rentals on Newport Harbor commonly run about $210 to $299 for two hours across operators such as Duffy Electric Boat Rentals, Newport Dunes and Voyagers, depending on the boat, the day and the season. If the lowest price on the water is the deciding factor, a Duffy wins that comparison outright.
Can I bring more than six people?
Not on the hot tub boat. Capacity is capped at six guests. Standard Duffy models seat six to ten, and the Duffy 22 takes up to twelve, so a Duffy is the better choice for a larger group. Confirm exact capacity with whichever operator you book.
Do I need a boating license?
No, same as a Duffy. Guests drive the hot tub boat themselves with no prior boating experience required. The operator must be at least 21 years old, there is no minimum age for passengers, and every departure begins with a safety briefing and USCG-approved life vests on board.
Is the water clean?
The hot tub is fully drained and refilled with fresh water before every rental. You are never soaking in water left over from an earlier group.
Can we bring drinks?
Yes. The hot tub boat is BYOB, and coolers and ice are permitted. Duffy operators allow BYOB as well. A Duffy has considerably more table space if a full meal is part of the plan.
Can you take a hot tub boat out at night?
Yes. Sunset and evening charters are among the most popular slots, and the boat has underwater LED lights and a Bluetooth speaker for after dark. A Duffy can cruise the harbor in the evening too. The difference is that on a Duffy the evening chill works against you, while in 104°F water it is the appeal.
What if it's cold out?
That is when the hot tub boat is at its best. The water is heatable to 104°F, so cool air makes the soak better rather than worse, the opposite of most harbor activities. An open-deck Duffy is more comfortable on a warm afternoon.
Decided on the hot tub boat?
Private 2-hour Newport Harbor charters for up to six guests, Friday through Sunday.