Day cruise to the Cerbicales & Lavezzi Islands with lunch

The most striking part of this day is the coast itself. From Porto Vecchio, you pass beaches, rocky islets, Bonifacio’s white limestone cliffs, and sea caves before reaching the Lavezzi Islands. It is a long, full day on the Mediterranean, not a quick transfer to one beach.

I like the wide sweep of the route, which gives you much more than a single island stop. I also like the family connection: Captain Vincent Chiocca has 40 years at sea, and the Chiocca family has shared this coast for four generations. The main consideration is the 180-passenger boat. It offers capacity and stability, but it will not feel like a private sailing trip, and some time spent swimming could reduce your time on Lavezzi.

Key points to know before you book

• Bonifacio views depend on the weather: The boat heads toward the Lavezzi Islands via Bonifacio when conditions allow, with views of limestone cliffs and sea caves.
• A full day at sea: Departure is at 9 a.m. and return is planned around 6 p.m., with breakfast, lunch, drinks, and several coastal stops.
• Three lunch menus: Contact CHIOCCA croisières before departure to choose your meal.
• Lavezzi is more than a photo stop: You have time from about 1:30 p.m. to swim or visit the island, though the schedule leaves a limited window.
• Swimming is part of the day: A second swim stop is planned around 5 p.m. at Carratoghju or among the Cerbicales Islands.
• Expect a large ship: The boat carries up to 180 passengers, so this suits people who value a broad sightseeing route over a quiet, intimate cruise.

A long morning along southern Corsica

Meet at the port of Porto Vecchio for an 8:15 a.m. welcome. The boat leaves sharply at 9 a.m., so give yourself enough time to find the meeting point at H7RM+FF Porto-Vecchio and get settled before departure.

The crew serves a snack during boarding. That small breakfast is useful because lunch is not scheduled until noon, and the first part of the trip is spent moving along a substantial stretch of coast.

The boat then runs along the southern coast of Corsica. The captain points out the beaches and islands along the way, including the Cerbicales Islands, Palombaggia, Santa Giulia, Rondinara, Sperone, and Bonifacio. I like this format because the coast becomes the main attraction, rather than empty travel time between two stops.

You should think of the morning as a moving viewpoint. You are not simply heading straight to Lavezzi. You are getting a broad look at the famous shore south of Porto Vecchio, with time to take photographs and listen to the captain’s account of the places passing by.

The exact route toward Bonifacio depends on the weather. That matters here. Sea conditions can change the plan, and a cancellation is possible when the captain considers conditions unsuitable. A departure was canceled because of bad weather in one recorded case, with another date offered. If you have only one day left in Corsica, keep that risk in mind before booking.

Bonifacio from the water

Bonifacio is especially rewarding from a boat. Its pale limestone cliffs rise sharply from the sea, shaped by wind and waves. From the water, you can see the dramatic edge of the town and the famous sea caves without dealing with streets, steps, or a crowded land visit.

The boat’s approach lets you view this part of Corsica as a natural and maritime setting. That suits the Chiocca family story. Vincent Chiocca began working toward life at sea as a teenager, attended the Merchant Marine school in Sète for three years, became a captain at 17, and became a fishing boss at 18. His son, Vincent Chiocca Junior, born in 1977, followed the same path.

That background gives the trip a personal thread. You are not only passing a list of beaches. You are hearing about a coast known by a fishing family over generations. The exact amount of narration can vary with the crew and sea conditions, but Captain Vincent Chiocca is identified as the main captain and has four decades of experience.

Bonifacio is not presented as a long land excursion. You should book this for the view from the sea, not for time to wander the citadel or explore the town on foot.

Lunch in a Lavezzi cove

Around noon, the boat stops in a cove near the Lavezzi Islands and serves lunch onboard. Three menus are available, and you need to contact the supplier to choose your menu. That is a detail worth handling before the morning of departure, rather than assuming you can decide once lunch is being served.

Lunch and drinks are included in the $129 price. This improves the value of the trip, since you are paying for a full day on the water rather than adding a separate meal and drinks bill. The food has received particularly strong praise, with one direct response calling the meal excellent and another describing it as succulent. One note found the dessert light, but still considered the meal correct overall.

Do not expect a restaurant experience with a long, leisurely meal. The boat has a schedule to keep, and the meal is part of a moving day. Still, having food served onboard is convenient, especially when the next island stop is built around swimming and walking rather than finding a café.

If food matters to you, ask about the three menu choices in advance. The supplied details do not identify the dishes, so you should not assume a particular menu, local specialty, or dietary option is available unless the provider confirms it.

Lavezzi Islands from 1:30 p.m.

The boat reaches the islands at about 1:30 p.m. This is your main chance to swim or visit Lavezzi itself. The islands are protected within the natural and marine areas of southern Corsica, and their appeal comes from low rocky shores, clear water, and a sense of open sea.

You can choose how to use this stop. If you want to swim, bring what you need and remember that snorkeling gear is not included. If you prefer to walk and see the island, keep an eye on the departure time. The schedule later calls for a 3:30 p.m. return route, so the Lavezzi visit is useful but not especially long.

This is the biggest tradeoff in the day. One strong opinion was that the swimming stop should be removed to allow more time on Lavezzi. I understand that view. Lavezzi is the destination many people most want to explore, while swimming is also offered later.

If your priority is island time, use the 1:30 p.m. stop for the island rather than treating it as a casual beach break. If your priority is warm water and a simple day at sea, the existing schedule gives you more chances to swim.

The large boat affects this stop too. With up to 180 people onboard, getting ashore and organizing yourself may feel less personal than on a small boat. In return, the ship accommodates a much larger group and the trip is listed as wheelchair accessible.

The return past Cavallo

At about 3:30 p.m., the boat begins the return toward Porto Vecchio and passes the island of Cavallo. This keeps the afternoon scenic rather than turning the cruise into a direct ride home.

Cavallo is part of the chain of islands that makes this section of Corsica so memorable from the sea. The route lets you continue watching the water and rocky shore while the boat heads back toward the Porto Vecchio area.

I appreciate the timing here. After lunch and an island stop, you still have several hours of views and water access. The day does not end as soon as you leave Lavezzi.

At the same time, a nine-hour cruise is a serious commitment. You will be on the boat for most of the day, and the experience works best if you enjoy open water, changing views, and a set group schedule. If you want a short excursion with lots of time ashore, this is not the right shape of tour.

The final swim near Carratoghju or Cerbicales

Around 5 p.m., the boat stops for another swim in a cove with turquoise water. The planned locations are Carratoghju or the Cerbicales Islands, depending on the conditions.

This final stop gives you a second chance to get in the water if you chose to visit Lavezzi on foot. It also breaks up the return journey before the planned arrival in Porto Vecchio around 6 p.m.

You need to bring your own snorkeling equipment if you want it. The tour includes swimming stops but not masks, fins, or other snorkeling gear. The supplied details do not specify other equipment, so pack only what you know you need and confirm anything important with CHIOCCA croisières.

The water is one of the clearest attractions of this route, but swimming is weather dependent. The captain may change the cove, shorten a stop, or alter the route when sea conditions require it.

What the $129 price really covers

At $129 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see one beach or island. The value comes from the amount packed into the day: a Mediterranean cruise, the Cerbicales Islands, several major beaches, Bonifacio views, Lavezzi, Cavallo, two swimming opportunities, lunch, drinks, and a morning snack.

You are also paying for a full operating day on a large vessel. That makes the cost easier to understand than comparing it with a short boat ride. Lunch and drinks included are a real advantage, especially since you do not need to leave the route to buy food.

The price is less compelling if you mainly want a quiet boat, a private guide, or hours on Lavezzi. A large ship cannot offer the same calm, personal feel as a small family boat with a handful of passengers. This is a sightseeing cruise with a family maritime story, not a private charter.

I would also compare the price with your plans in Porto Vecchio. If you already intend to visit Bonifacio by land and take another swimming excursion, some of this route may overlap with other plans. If you want one organized day that gathers the southern coast’s major sights, $129 is a reasonable package.

The people, languages, and group feel

CHIOCCA croisières is a family business with four generations connected to the sea. Captain Vincent Chiocca’s long career gives the trip a sense of place that a generic sightseeing boat may not provide. Vincent Chiocca Junior also followed the family’s fishing and captain’s path.

Guiding is available in English, French, and Italian. That makes the tour more accessible to international passengers, though the supplied details do not specify how much narration is given in each language or whether every announcement is repeated in all three.

The 180-passenger capacity is the key practical fact. You should expect a shared cruise with many other people, not a small-group outing. This may suit families, mixed-age groups, and anyone who wants the security and range of a large ship. It may disappoint couples seeking silence or a highly personal captain-led trip.

The experience is listed as wheelchair accessible. If you have specific mobility needs beyond general accessibility, contact the supplier before booking so you can confirm how boarding, the island stop, and swimming areas will work for you.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would recommend this cruise to you if you want to see many of southern Corsica’s coastal highlights in one day. It is especially useful when you are staying near Porto Vecchio and want to combine beaches, islands, Bonifacio, lunch, and swimming without arranging several separate outings.

It also suits people who enjoy a full schedule. The boat leaves at 9 a.m., reaches Lavezzi after lunch, makes the return trip past Cavallo, stops again for swimming, and aims to arrive around 6 p.m. There is very little dead time, but there is also not much room to set your own pace.

Families may like the mix of views, food, and swimming. The included drinks and onboard lunch remove some of the day’s practical fuss. The large ship may also feel preferable to a small, fast boat for some passengers.

I would hesitate to recommend it if your main goal is a long, quiet visit to Lavezzi. The island stop lasts roughly two hours before the return begins, and one swimming stop may be more valuable to some people than to others.

Booking advice and weather planning

Departure is at 9 a.m. sharp from Porto Vecchio, with boarding and a snack from 8:15 a.m. Some high-season departures are scheduled from Pinarello only, so check the departure point carefully when choosing a date.

Weather deserves serious attention. The route through Bonifacio depends on conditions, and an entire cruise may be canceled when the sea is unsafe. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, with a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help, but they do not remove the need to keep some flexibility in your holiday schedule.

If the cruise is central to your Corsica plans, avoid placing it on your final day. A weather cancellation may offer another date, but that does you no good if you are leaving the island.

Should you book the Cerbicales and Lavezzi cruise?

Book it if you want a packed day of southern Corsica scenery, an included meal, swimming, and a route that reaches Bonifacio, Lavezzi, Cavallo, and the Cerbicales Islands. The family connection and Captain Vincent Chiocca’s long career add a human touch to a broad coastal tour.

Skip it if you want a small boat, a quiet atmosphere, or much more time walking around Lavezzi. At $129, the cruise offers solid value for a full day with food and drinks included, but its large capacity and fixed schedule are impossible to ignore.

FAQ

Where does the cruise depart from?

The main departure point is the port of Porto Vecchio, at the meeting location identified as H7RM+FF Porto-Vecchio, France.

What time should I arrive?

Welcome onboard begins at 8:15 a.m., and departure is at 9 a.m. sharp.

How long does the cruise last?

The day begins with the 9 a.m. departure and is scheduled to return to Porto Vecchio around 6 p.m.

Does the cruise depart from Pinarello?

Some departures are scheduled from Pinarello during high season only. Check the departure point for your selected date.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch and drinks are included in the price.

Can I choose my lunch?

Yes. Three menus are available, and you should contact the supplier to choose your menu onboard.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

No. Snorkeling gear is not included.

How many people can be on the boat?

The boat is a large-capacity ship carrying up to 180 passengers.

What languages are available?

The live tour guide service is available in English, French, and Italian.

Is the cruise wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. Contact CHIOCCA croisières in advance about any specific mobility requirements.