Early morning is your best bet for fewer crowds.

Early morning. Most people treat boat tours like a mid-day activity—they sleep in, have breakfast, then wander down to the dock around 10 or 11. If you book the first departure (usually 7-8 AM), you’ll get thinner crowds and calmer water.

Late afternoon can sometimes work, especially on sunset cruises, but those are popular for a reason. Tour operators know that and often run extra boats. Morning crowds are lighter because the people who show up for 7 AM are the ones who actually planned their day.

This isn’t a hard rule—some places have weird schedules—but “get there before everyone else has had their coffee” is a solid travel hack.