Bay Island Voyages

What Bay Island Voyages does

Bay Island Voyages is a Cardiff-based tourism operator founded in 1999 that runs boat trips, coastal voyages, and island visits in Cardiff Bay and the Bristol Channel using three 9-metre Ribcraft UK Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs), each carrying up to 12 passengers and powered by twin Mercury SeaPro 225hp 4.6L V8 outboard engines. The fleet is coded to Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Category 3, equipped with Icom VHF/DSC radios, Simrad chart plotters, self-inflating liferafts, and 14 jockey-style seats per boat, and is audited monthly against a Safety Management System that maintains operational links with the RNLI and Search and Rescue services.

The product portfolio spans a 15-minute Cardiff Bay Voyage through to a ~13-hour Steep Holm Island visit, including 30-minute and 1-hour coastal and river voyages, 1.5-hour private charters, Flat Holm and Steep Holm island transfers, children's birthday parties (30 and 60 minutes), stag and hen party trips, ashes scattering services, and educational outings for schools, Brownies, and Scouts. Pricing is per-trip and per-passenger, ranging from £10 promotional slots to £480 for 1.5-hour private charters, with full-day island tickets priced from £45 (Flat Holm adult) and £47 (Steep Holm from either Cardiff or Weston-super-Mare). Monetary gift cards valid for 12 months provide a prepaid, repeat-engagement revenue stream.

The business is fundamentally direct-to-consumer, combining walk-up bookings at the Mermaid Quay waterfront location with online reservations processed through FareHarbor, and operates seasonally with peak demand in summer and during school half-term holidays. Three departure points — Mermaid Quay in Cardiff, Penarth Marina, and Knightstone Quay in Weston-super-Mare — extend reach across the Bristol Channel. Ancillary revenue is generated from private charters, gift cards, and B2B engagements with TV/film production companies and schools. No external funding, parent company, or acquisitions are disclosed; the company remains privately held with 11-50 employees and is presumed to be founder-owned.

Name

Bay Island Voyages

Legal name

Bay Island Voyages

Website

https://bayislandvoyages.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bay Island Voyages is a Cardiff-based boat tour operator founded in 1999 that runs RIB-based sightseeing trips, coastal voyages, and island visits to Flat Holm and Steep Holm from three UK departure points, serving tourists, families, schools, and private charter customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Boat Tours and Marine Tourism

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Coastal and Great Lakes Passenger Transportation (483114), Water Transportation (483)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAJAB

Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Marine & Water Experiences (Boat Tours, Diving, Snorkeling, Fishing)

SECONDARYTHAJALAE

Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Private & Custom Experiences (VIP, Bespoke Itineraries)

SECONDARYTHAEADAG

Cruise Yacht Charters (Private Crewed)

Travel & Hospitality/Cruises & Maritime Leisure Travel/Small Ship & Yacht Cruises (Boutique)

SECONDARYTHAAAIAD

Marine Wildlife & Birding Cruises (dolphins, seals, seabirds)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Marine & Coastal Ecotourism (Diving, Snorkeling, Whale Watching)

Keywords

• Boat tour services
• Coastal sightseeing trips
• Island visit excursions
• Private boat charters
• Marine tourism experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Ticket Sales: Selling individual seats on scheduled boat trips around Cardiff Bay, coastal voyages, and island visits. Customers can book online or walk up on the day.
2. Private Boat Charter: Full boat charter rentals where customers have exclusive use of a vessel for their group. Priced from £140-480 per hour depending on trip duration, maximum 12 passengers per boat.
3. Gift Cards: Monetary gift vouchers sold to customers, valid for 12 months, which recipients can redeem against any trip. Provides prepaid revenue and drives future bookings.
4. Island Visit Landing Fees: Operating island visits to Flat Holm and Steep Holm, collecting ticket revenue and facilitating landing fees paid to island management organisations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bay Island Voyages operates scheduled and chartered boat tours aboard three 9-metre RIBcraft Rigid Inflatable Boats in Cardiff Bay and the Bristol Channel. The company sells individual seat tickets for bay voyages, coastal trips, and island visits (Flat Holm and Steep Holm), as well as private boat charters, children's parties, stag/hen parties, school group trips, and ashes scattering services.

Product overview

Bay Island Voyages operates a diverse portfolio of boat tour experiences centered around Cardiff Bay and the Bristol Channel. The company runs three 9-metre RIBcraft Rigid Inflatable Boats, each carrying up to 12 passengers. The core product lineup includes: quick Bay Voyages (15-30 mins) for those seeking brief tours; Coastal Voyages (1-1.5 hrs) extending into the Bristol Channel; Island Visits to Flat Holm (2-2.5 hrs) and Steep Holm (approx 12 hrs) islands; and specialty offerings including Children's Parties (30-60 mins), Stag & Hen Parties, Private Charters, Ashes Scattering Services, and School/Youth Group trips. The company also offers Gift Cards as a monetized add-on. All trips operate under Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Category 3 coding regulations with safety as the primary operational priority.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 15 Min Bay Voyage Signature 15-minute boat trip around Cardiff Bay on a 12-seater RIB, marketed as the 'Ultimate Boat Ride' for quick tours suitable for those new to boating. Priced from £12.50 individual or £140 for full boat charter (up to 12 people).
• 30 Min Bay & River Voyage Extended 30-minute voyage combining the Cardiff Bay tour with exploration of the two feeder rivers into the bay, offering views of St Davids Hotel, Tiger Yard, Cardiff Bay Barrage, and local wildlife. Adult from £20, child from £15, full boat charter from £180.
• 1 Hour Coastal Voyage Coastal trip departing from Mermaid Quay through Cardiff Bay Barrage into the Bristol Channel, featuring views of Penarth Pier, local coastline, and Flat Holm Island with education on tidal ranges and wildlife. Adult from £32.50, child from £28, full boat charter £350.
• 1.5 Hour Coastal Voyage Extended coastal voyage as a private charter only, departing Mermaid Quay through the Barrage to Flat Holm and Steep Holm Islands, offering longer sea time and comprehensive views of both Welsh and English coastlines. Full boat charter from £480 (up to 12 people).
• Flat Holm Island Visit Day visit to Flat Holm Island (Wales' most southerly point, 4.5 nautical miles from Cardiff), featuring 2-2.5 hours on the island to explore the lighthouse, military remains, Marconi exhibition, and visit The Gull and Leek pub. Adult from £45, child from £35, plus £10 landing fee per person payable to Cardiff Council Warden on arrival.
• Steep Holm Island Visit (Cardiff Departure) Full-day visit to Steep Holm Island departing from Penarth Marina, approximately 12-13 hours duration, exploring the nature reserve, bird sanctuary, and historical military buildings. All tickets from £47 with return time approximately 13 hours after departure.
• Steep Holm Island Visit (Weston-super-Mare Departure) Full-day island visit departing from Knightstone Quay in Weston-super-Mare, with approximately 12 hours on Steep Holm Island owned and managed by the Kenneth Allsop Memorial Trust. All tickets from £47 with no concessionary rates as trips run on behalf of Kenneth Allsop Trust.
• 30 Min Children's Party Adventure Birthday party adventure for children staying within Cardiff Bay, featuring music, lifejacket fitting, safety briefing, bay exploration, and river cruise with the option to run two boats simultaneously for larger groups. Full boat charter from £150; minimum 1 adult per boat required (max 2 adults); party age up to and including 15 years old.
• 60 Min Children's Party Extended birthday party experience departing through Cardiff Bay Barrage locks and into the Bristol Channel for sea-based fun and adventure, with experienced skippers adapting the trip for nervous or excited children. Full boat charter from £200; party age up to and including 15 years old.
• Stag & Hen Party Trip Tailored 1-hour voyage for stag and hen parties crossing Cardiff Bay, through the Barrage, and into the sea, customizable for quiet coastline cruises or island visits.
• Private Charter Customizable boat charter for up to 12 passengers with bespoke itineraries including marriage proposals, bridal party transfers, team building events, and visits to locations like the 2 Severn Bridges. Priced from £350 per hour; minimum height 1.1m required.
• Ashes Scattering Service Personal and respectful service for scattering ashes at sea, with assistance obtaining Cardiff Bay permissions and recommendations for Bristol Channel, Penarth Coastline, and surrounding areas locations.
• School/Community/Youth Group Trips Tailor-made educational boat trips for schools, youth groups, brownies, and scouts, with safety briefings, self-inflating lifejackets, and customizable durations from 15 minutes to longer coastal voyages. Includes risk assessments and insurance documentation.
• Gift Card Monetary gift vouchers valid for 12 months that recipients can apply to any trip, with instant delivery options via email or direct mail. Remaining balance stays on card for future use.

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cardiff Harbour Authority / Cardiff CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlat Holm Island is owned and managed by Cardiff Council. Bay Island Voyages operates visits to Flat Holm Island as part of a formal arrangement with the Harbour Authority. The company coordinates landing fees (£10 per person) payable to the Cardiff Council Warden upon island arrival. The company can arrange accommodation stays on Flat Holm in coordination with Cardiff Harbour Authority.
• Kenneth Allsop Memorial TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteep Holm Island is owned and managed by the Kenneth Allsop Memorial Trust. Bay Island Voyages operates Steep Holm Island visits on behalf of the Trust. Ticket prices from £47 include the landing fee that helps preserve the island. The Trust employs wardens who meet visitors upon arrival and manage the island as a nature reserve, bird sanctuary, and Site of Special Scientific Interest.
• Flat Holm SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOn selected dates, members of the Flat Holm Society offer free guided tours of the island to visitors arriving with Bay Island Voyages.
• Ribcraft UKcoreTechnology or IntegrationBay Island Voyages operates three 9-metre RIBs manufactured by Ribcraft UK, a British manufacturer. Ribcraft designs and manufactures complete boats in-house with emphasis on safety, durability, and quality construction. Each vessel undergoes rigorous testing and commissioning schedule.
• Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)coreOthersAll Bay Island Voyages vessels comply with strict MCA regulations and are inspected by the MCA to ensure coding compliance. Vessels are coded to Category 3 for passenger operations.
• RNLI and Search and Rescue HelicopterminorOthersBay Island Voyages maintains operational links with local RNLI and Search and Rescue Helicopter services. They engage in joint drills and continuously develop their Safety Management System together.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• City Cruises: Large-scale operator of sightseeing and dining cruises in major cities globally (including UK locations), competing for the same sightseeing, charter, and special-occasion spend pool as Bay Island Voyages.
• Thames Clippers (Uber Boat by Thames Clippers): Established passenger water transport operator running scheduled and charter services on the Thames, comparable in offering commercial passenger cruises, private charters, and ticketed sightseeing trips in UK waters.

Regional players

• Bristol Ferry: Regional sightseeing and ferry services in the Bristol Channel/Severn Estuary area, sharing the same tidal and geographic context as Bay Island Voyages' Bristol Channel routes.
• Whitstable Boat Tours: Independent UK operator running seasonal coastal sightseeing tours with walk-up and charter bookings, structurally similar to Bay Island Voyages' small-vessel tour business.

Direct peers

• Poole Harbour Cruises: UK coastal boat tour operator running sightseeing cruises, island transfers, and themed excursions — directly analogous operating model for a UK regional water-tourism business.
• Caldey Island Ferries: UK ferry operator running scheduled day trips to a restricted island (Caldey Island) with landing fees and visitor transfers — analogous to Bay Island Voyages' Flat Holm and Steep Holm island-visit offerings.
• Cardiff Bay Boat Tours: Operates sightseeing boat tours in the same Cardiff Bay waters as Bay Island Voyages, offering directly comparable on-the-water tourist experiences from overlapping Cardiff departure points.

Emerging players

• Cornish Seal Tours: Small UK RIB-based wildlife and sightseeing operator offering short coastal excursions, closely analogous to Bay Island Voyages' wildlife/coastal voyage RIB format.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/bayislandwales
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQdhqeZXmSfyL6TuS_P2_mQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/BayIslandVoyages
• Instagraminstagram.com/bayislandwales

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bay Island Voyages