Book on its own site and a cancellation inside 24 hours gets you nothing back — see the verdict

entradas.barcelona
✦ Independent review · checked 18 Oct 2026

Catamaran Orsom reviews: prices, sunset jazz and whether it is worth it

Verdict: the port's big sailing catamaran, with live sunset jazz for €28, is Barcelona's mid-price benchmark; book direct, though, and the cancellation terms are very strict — 7.5/10.

Sunset catamaran with jazz Daytime sail, optional jazz
ⓘ Note: we are not Catamaran Orsom We are not Catamaran Orsom or its official website. This is an independent review based on public sources; some links are affiliate links (GetYourGuide, Tiqets, Headout).

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24 options · Prices checked on 18 October 2026

Platform

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Verdict: 7.5 out of 10

Catamaran Orsom is the big sailing boat you'll see moored by the Columbus monument. It's run by Voyages Orsom, S.L., a Barcelona company founded in 2000 that started out sailing for corporate clients and five-star hotels. Its site bills the boat as the largest and most modern sailing catamaran in the port: 80 passengers, a bar, bow nets to lie on and toilets. What made its name is the sunset sail with live jazz or chill-out music, 90 minutes for €28. Reviews are excellent (4.7 on both Tripadvisor and Google) and the sails really do go up. It loses points for one concrete reason: book on its own site and the cancellation policy is among the toughest in the port, and the boat has no wheelchair access.

Catamaran Orsom score by criterion
CriterionScoreWhy
Price and transparency8/10€18.50–28 for 90 minutes, clear age bands and a full legal notice; drinks extra.
Flexibility4/10Direct: 50 % refund from 6 days out, nothing inside 24 h; timetables only 10–15 days ahead.
Public reputation9/104.7 on Tripadvisor (1,154 reviews) and 4.7 on Google (904), with very few low scores.
Experience8/10Real sailing, live music and a warm crew; on some sailings the music covers only part of the trip.
Reliability8/10Company tax ID and registry details published, operating since 2000; no tourism registration code published.
Overall7.5/10Mean of the five criteria, rounded to the nearest 0.5.

Good fit for

  • Couples and groups of friends who want a sunset with music without paying for a private yacht.
  • Anyone who wants to actually sail rather than ride a motor boat.
  • Families, on the morning Skyline sail without music: children 4–10 pay €10.50, under-3s go free.

Not for

  • Wheelchair users: the company says the boat has no wheelchair access.
  • Anyone prone to seasickness: you feel the chop, and it comes up repeatedly in reviews.
  • Anyone booking direct with uncertain dates: cancel late and you lose part or all of the fare.
  • Anyone hunting the cheapest trip: Las Golondrinas costs €9–13.
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Fact file

Catamaran Orsom at a glance
CompanyVOYAGES ORSOM, S.L. (tax ID B62169628), C/ Escar 6-8, Edifici El Far, Barcelona; listed in the Barcelona Mercantile Register
Founded2000, according to its website
BaseKiosk at Plaça Portal de la Pau s/n (Moll de les Drassanes, by Columbus); second departure point at Port Olímpic
Catalan tourism registrationNot published. It says it is an accredited member of Turisme de Barcelona and the Barcelona Convention Bureau
What it sellsShared sails from 90 minutes to 2.5 hours (sunset jazz, chill-out, Skyline, Afterwork, sail and swim) plus private charters
Official priceAdults from €18.50 (morning Skyline) to €29.50 (Afterwork); children 4–10 from €10.50
Where to bookbarcelona-orsom.com and the quayside kiosk (up to 40 minutes before departure); also on GetYourGuide
Public ratings4.7/5 on Tripadvisor (1,154 reviews) · 4.7/5 on Google Maps (904)

Ratings read on the review date. Note: the website is barcelona-orsom.com; orsom.com belongs to an unrelated UK consultancy.

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What it sells and what it costs

Orsom runs two boats: the Catamaran Orsom (a 78-foot sailing catamaran, identified in a charter listing as a Fountaine Pajot Tahiti 78) and the Catamaran Sensation. Every shared sail lasts around an hour and a half, and fares vary by age: adult 19–64, teen 11–18, child 4–10, senior 65+, and infants up to 3 free.

Official price vs GetYourGuide (adult)
SailingLengthOfficial siteGetYourGuide
Sunset Jazz Cruise (live music)1 h 30 min€28 · child €17.51from €28 (sunset listing with live music)
Jazz & Chill Out Sail (midday and afternoon)1 h 30 min€23.50 · child €12.50from €17.50 (listing with optional jazz)
Catamaran Sail & Skyline (morning, no music)1 h 30 min€18.50 · child €10.50
Port Olímpic Sunset Tour1 h 30 min€28—
Afterwork by the Sea (welcome drink and snacks)2 h€29.50—
Sail and Swim2 h 30 minfrom €24.50—

The honest maths: GetYourGuide has two catamaran-with-music listings whose meeting point matches Orsom's kiosk, which describe a 78-foot catamaran and whose prices line up with the official ones. GetYourGuide doesn't show the supplier's name, so we can't guarantee they're Orsom's: check the boat name and meeting point on the listing before you pay. The sunset listing costs the same as the official site (€28); the optional-jazz listing starts at €17.50, a euro below the official adult Skyline fare, possibly a different fare basis. In other words, you don't pay extra for using the platform, and you get its cancellation terms.

Drinks are not included except on the Afterwork sail: you buy them at the bar on board, at fair prices according to reviews. You can bring food (even a cake) but not your own drinks. Groups of 20 or more get €1 off per person, and private charters with wine tastings and other extras are available. The FAQ also mentions a "Sunday Sail Vermouth" and a Port Olímpic transfer.

Official prices from barcelona-orsom.com; platform prices are "from" prices read on the review date. Platforms change their prices often.

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The best and the worst

Recurring patterns on Tripadvisor and Google, not one-off stories.

The best

  • Live sax or jazz at sunset: the main reason for the five-star reviews.
  • Real sailing: the crew raises the sails; the mast isn't decoration.
  • A warm crew, and blankets for the return leg on evening sails.
  • The bow nets: the most coveted spot on board; arrive early if you want one.
  • Fairly priced drinks for a tourist boat.

The worst

  • Music for only part of the trip on some sailings.
  • Rowdy groups taking over the mood.
  • Seasickness on choppy days.
  • A confusing meeting point: listings say "Columbus statue", but you need Orsom's own kiosk on the quay.
  • Steep steps to board and down to the toilet, according to a recent reviewer.
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The small print

  • Cancellation (direct bookings): 7 days or more ahead, full refund; 6 days to 48 hours ahead, 50 %; 24 hours ahead, 20 %; under 24 hours, nothing. On a platform, the listing's own terms apply: GetYourGuide usually allows free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead, but check the specific listing.
  • Weather: the company only cancels if the Port Authority closes the port or for a technical fault. You then choose a full refund or another sailing.
  • Timetables: released only 10–15 days ahead, every Friday at 19:00. If a far-off date shows nothing, it isn't sold out; the calendar simply isn't open yet.
  • Accessibility: per the company, the boat has no wheelchair access.
  • Children: welcome (the company stresses the boat is very stable); under-3s free.
  • Season: sails year-round, weather permitting.
  • Food and drink: food may be brought on board; drinks only from the bar.
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Traps and how to avoid them

Three boat kiosks within 100 metres of Columbus, and vouchers are not interchangeable. On the Moll de les Drassanes and Portal de la Pau you'll find Las Golondrinas (harbour boats, €9–13), Catamaran Orsom (the big sailing cat with jazz) and This is Med (eco-catamaran and wooden sailboat, also sold under the Julià brand). An Orsom voucher won't work on the others. Tripadvisor has complaints from people who missed their sailing looking for "the Columbus statue" instead of Orsom's kiosk: head straight for it and leave a margin.
Not every sailing leaves from Columbus. The Port Olímpic Sunset Tour and Afterwork by the Sea board at Port Olímpic, further up the seafront past Barceloneta. Check the boarding point on your voucher before leaving your hotel.
orsom.com is not their website. That domain belongs to a UK consultancy. The catamaran's site is barcelona-orsom.com.
Late cancellations are expensive. Booking direct, from 6 days out you only get half back, and inside 24 hours nothing. If your dates might move, a platform with free cancellation is literally the safer choice.
BBQ party catamarans at Port Olímpic. Some sites credit a BBQ party cruise to Catamaran Sensation, Orsom's second boat, but on Tiqets the same type of product is run by another company. We could not confirm who operates it: don't buy it assuming it's "the Orsom one", and see our boat party guide.
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How to book for less

  • If your dates are fixed: the official site (barcelona-orsom.com) has every sailing, including Port Olímpic departures and all age fares. You can also buy at the kiosk up to 40 minutes before departure, if seats remain.
  • If they might change: on GetYourGuide, the sunset sail with live music costs the same as the official site and the daytime sail with optional jazz starts at €17.50. Check the boat name, meeting point and cancellation terms on the listing.
  • With kids: the morning Skyline sail is the cheapest and the calmest.
  • Sunset: timetables go live on Fridays at 19:00 for the next 10–15 days; if you have a specific date in mind, look on that Friday.
  • To compare with every other boat in the city, see our Barcelona boat tours guide.
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Alternatives

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Frequently asked questions

Is Catamaran Orsom legit?

Yes. It's run by Voyages Orsom, S.L., which publishes its tax ID and registry details in its legal notice, has sailed since 2000 and scores 4.7 out of 5 on both Tripadvisor and Google across hundreds of reviews.

Orsom or This is Med?

Orsom is a large 80-seat sailing catamaran that actually sails, with live music, for €18.50–28. This is Med mainly sells one-hour eco-catamaran trips on higher-capacity boats from €14–16. For sails and jazz, Orsom; for the cheapest hour with music, This is Med.

Can I cancel?

Booking on its site, 7 days or more ahead gets a full refund; after that 50 %, 20 % with 24 hours' notice and nothing later. On a platform the listing's terms apply, and they are usually more flexible.

Where do I board?

Most sailings leave from its kiosk on Plaça Portal de la Pau, on the Moll de les Drassanes next to the Columbus monument. The Port Olímpic Sunset Tour and Afterwork leave from Port Olímpic.

Are drinks included?

No, apart from the welcome drink on the Afterwork sail. There's a bar on board and outside drinks are not allowed; food is fine.

Is it wheelchair accessible?

No. The company itself says the boat has no wheelchair access, and there are steep steps to board.

Why can't I see times for my date?

Orsom releases timetables only 10–15 days ahead, on Fridays at 19:00. If your date is further out, check again later or book on a platform once it appears.

Jazz, sails and a sunset

The 90-minute sunset sail with live music sums this boat up best. Check the boat name and the cancellation terms on the listing before you pay.

See the sunset catamaran