Express Cruiser Boats: Which Is The Best?

Express cruisers are a popular choice for family boating. They offer fun in the sun and protection from the elements, and can be used for everything from sunbathing to cruising. They come in all shapes and sizes, and there are hundreds of choices on the market.

So, what is the best express cruiser boat? Well, that depends on your budget, how you plan to use the boat, and how many people you'll be hauling along for the ride. If you're looking for a smaller boat, the Cruisers Sport Series 279 is a great option, with a top speed of almost 50 mph and a unique cabin design. For something a little bigger, the Four Winns Horizon 290 blurs the lines between bowriders and express cruisers, offering the amenities of a traditional express in a smaller package.

If efficiency is a priority, the Aspen C100 Escape is a winner, getting about three miles to the gallon. And if you're looking for a boat with outboard power, the Sea Ray 370 Venture is a stand-out choice.

For a more traditional-looking express cruiser, the Sabre 38 Salon Express has classic lines and a modern hull design and construction. And if you want a boat that can double as a fishing vessel, the Tiara Coronet 3900 has a built-in wet bar/bait prep center and a spacious cockpit.

For something a little more luxurious, the Hunt 44 Express Cruiser has Carrera marble countertops, high-gloss teak woodwork, and 360-degree panoramic views. And if you have a few million dollars to spare, the Riva 63 Virtus is the biggest and baddest express cruiser on the market, with moveable cockpit furniture and a giant Bimini top that rises and lowers at the press of a button.

Express cruisers with the best performance

Express cruisers are a popular choice for family boating, offering fun, protection from the elements, and versatility. Here are some express cruisers that stand out for their performance:

Cruisers Sport Series 279

The smallest boat on this list, the Cruisers Sport Series 279, surprises with its spiffy performance, reaching close to 50 mph. It also boasts excellent fit and finish, and a unique cabin design that keeps the head in a separate enclosure, away from the lounging and eating area. Other perks include an oversized swim platform, comfy flip-up bolster seats, and yacht-level construction.

Four Winns Horizon 290

The Four Winns Horizon 290 blurs the lines between bowriders and express cruisers. It offers the cockpit of a bowrider and the cabin amenities of a traditional express cruiser, including a fully enclosed head and a changing room with a berth. This boat is perfect for a weekend cruise and can even accommodate meal preparation if you opt for the Refreshment/Galley package.

Aspen C100 Escape

The Aspen C100 Escape stands out for its efficiency, cruising in the low 20s and offering impressive fuel economy of about three miles to the gallon. This is achieved through its asymmetrical powercat hull design, with one hull 35% wider than the other, countering the torque and keeping the boat running straight and true. The Aspen C100 is one of the smallest express cruisers that can travel over 1,500 miles on a single fill-up.

Hunt 44 Express Cruiser

The Hunt 44 Express Cruiser is a sleek and elegant boat that will make you feel like royalty. It offers a classic look with modern construction and running surface technology. The interior is luxurious, featuring Carrera marble countertops, high-gloss teak woodwork, and panoramic views. The boat is easy to handle and manoeuvre, even around the dock.

Prestige 620S

The Prestige 620S is a hybrid boat that stays true to the express cruiser's ideals by keeping the forward two-thirds of the overhead clear, providing an outdoor experience similar to a traditional express cruiser. The cabin has a flying bridge overhead, but you would never know it, as it stays true to the express cruiser's open and spacious feel.

Riva 63 Virtus

The Riva 63 Virtus is an extreme express cruiser in every sense of the word. Despite its heft, it can reach speeds of about 40 knots. It offers unparalleled luxury, with moveable cockpit furniture, a giant Bimini top that rises and lowers at the press of a button, and a tender garage in the transom that swings open with the touch of a button.

Express cruisers with the best efficiency

Express cruisers are a popular choice for family boating, offering fun, protection from the elements, and versatility. When it comes to efficiency, here are some express cruisers that stand out:

Aspen C100 Escape

With asymmetrical powercat hulls, the Aspen C100 Escape is a leader in efficiency. It cruises in the low 20s and gets about three miles to the gallon, doubling the norm for fuel efficiency. This is achieved through its unique design, with one hull being 35% wider than the other, and a single 220-hp Volvo-Penta diesel engine. This small but mighty cruiser can travel over 1,500 miles on a single fill-up.

Cruisers Sport Series 279

The Cruisers Sport Series 279 stands out for its unexpected performance, reaching close to 50 mph. It also features a unique cabin design, with the head housed in a separate enclosure, keeping it isolated from the lounging and eating areas. This cruiser offers a balance of performance and efficiency, along with other perks like an oversized swim platform and comfy flip-up bolster seats.

Four Winns Horizon 290

The Four Winns Horizon 290 blurs the lines between bowriders and express cruisers. It offers the best of both worlds, with the cockpit of a bowrider and the cabin amenities of a traditional express cruiser, all in a compact package. This boat provides efficiency without sacrificing comfort and functionality.

Sea Ray 370 Venture

The Sea Ray 370 Venture is a standout choice, particularly due to its powerplants. It is one of the few express cruisers in its class to run with outboard power, offering clean-burning and highly reliable Mercury Verado engines. By eliminating the need for an engine room, the Sea Ray 370 Venture maximizes space and efficiency.

Sabre 38 Salon Express

While the Sabre 38 Salon Express has a traditional appearance, its hull design and construction methods are modern. It is built with resin infusion and bi-axial stringers, bonded to a foam core. This combination of classic styling and modern technology makes the Sabre 38 a unique blend of efficiency and tradition.

When it comes to efficiency, these express cruisers offer a range of features and innovations that set them apart, providing a balance of performance, comfort, and fuel economy.

Express cruisers with the best cabins

Express cruisers are a popular choice for families as they offer fun in the sun and protection from the elements. They come in all shapes and sizes, with indoor and outdoor living and entertaining. They tend to have more outdoor space but often come with multiple cabins and a head with a shower below.

Cruisers Sport Series 279

The smallest boat on this list, the Cruisers Sport Series 279, has a unique cabin design. Unlike most small expresses, the Cruisers house its head in a separate enclosure, built into the passenger's side console, keeping the MSD completely isolated from the lounging and eating area. The boat also has perks like an oversized swim platform, comfy flip-up bolster seats, and yacht-level construction.

Four Winns Horizon 290

The Four Winns Horizon 290 blurs the lines between bowriders and express cruisers. It has a cockpit forward of the windshield but still has all the cabin amenities, albeit in a smaller package. The passenger's side console has a fully enclosed head, and the driver's side console has a changing room with a berth.

Aspen C100 Escape

The Aspen C100 Escape is a top choice when efficiency is a priority. Cruising in the low 20s, this powercat gets about three miles to the gallon. The asymmetrical hulls are designed to counter the torque coming from one side of the boat, allowing it to run straight and true. This express cruiser can travel over 1,500 miles on a single fill-up.

Sea Ray 370 Venture

The Sea Ray 370 Venture is a stand-out boat, one of only two express cruisers in its class to run with outboard power. It has a hatch just forward of the transom, which swings open to expose clean-burning, highly reliable outboards, and it expands the mid-cabin by eliminating the need for an engine room.

Sabre 38 Salon Express

The Sabre 38 Salon Express combines traditional looks with modern design and construction methods. While the exterior has classic, traditional-looking lines, the hull design and construction are modern. The boat is built with resin infusion and bi-axial stringers, bonded to a foam core.

Tiara Coronet 3900

The Tiara Coronet 3900 functions as both a fishing boat and a luxury cruiser. It has a spacious cockpit and bridgedeck, but this outdoor area doesn't come at the expense of the cabin. The cabin offers a full galley, a stand-up head, a forward stateroom, and a settee/dinette.

Express cruisers with the best value for money

Express cruisers are a popular choice for family boating, offering fun in the sun, protection from the elements, and versatility. With so many options on the market, it can be challenging to determine which express cruiser offers the best value for money. Here are some top picks that stand out for their features, performance, and price:

Cruisers Sport Series 279

The Cruisers Sport Series 279 is an excellent choice for those seeking a smaller express cruiser without compromising on performance and features. It boasts impressive speed, reaching close to 50 mph, and offers a unique cabin design with a separate enclosure for the head, keeping it isolated from the lounging and eating areas. The boat also includes perks such as an oversized swim platform, comfortable flip-up bolster seats, and yacht-level construction.

Four Winns 290 Horizon

The Four Winns 290 Horizon blurs the lines between bowriders and express cruisers. It offers the best of both worlds by combining the cockpit of a bowrider with the cabin amenities of an express cruiser, albeit in a more compact package. The passenger's side console features a fully enclosed head, and the driver's side console has a changing room with a berth, making it ideal for short cruises.

Aspen C100 Escape

The Aspen C100 Escape stands out for its exceptional fuel efficiency. With asymmetrical powercat hulls, this express cruiser can travel at low 20s speeds while achieving approximately three miles to the gallon. This makes it an excellent choice for those conscious of fuel costs. The asymmetrical hulls also ensure straight and true running, providing a stable and efficient ride.

Sea Ray 370 Venture

The Sea Ray 370 Venture is a unique express cruiser that stands out for its powerplants. It is one of the few express cruisers in its class to run with outboard power, offering clean-burning and highly reliable performance. The Sea Ray 370 Venture provides exceptional maneuverability and has expanded the mid-cabin by eliminating the need for an engine room.

Sabre 38 Salon Express

The Sabre 38 Salon Express is a classic-looking express cruiser with modern performance and construction. While the exterior has traditional appeal, the hull design and construction methods are state-of-the-art. The boat features a 24-degree deadrise amidships, tapering to 17 degrees aft, and is built with resin infusion and bi-axial stringers bonded to a foam core. The Sabre 38 offers a blend of traditional style and modern performance.

Tiara Coronet 3900

The Tiara Coronet 3900 is an excellent choice for those who want both a fishing boat and a luxury cruiser. It features a spacious cockpit with 80 square feet of room and a built-in wet bar/bait-prep center. The bridgedeck offers even more space, with 95 square feet. Despite the ample outdoor area, the cabin still provides ample space, including a full galley, a stand-up head, a forward stateroom, and a settee/dinette.

Express cruisers with the best fishing capabilities

Express cruisers are a popular choice for family boating, offering fun, protection from the elements, and versatility. Some express cruisers can even double as fishing boats. Here are some express cruisers with the best fishing capabilities:

Tiara Coronet 3900

The Tiara Coronet 3900 is a boat that functions as both an inshore and offshore fishing vessel without sacrificing looks or luxury. It has a spacious cockpit with 80 square feet of room and a built-in wet bar/bait prep center. The bridgedeck is even larger, with 95 square feet of space. The cabin features a full galley, a stand-up head, a forward stateroom, and a settee/dinette.

Viking 38 Open Billfish

The Viking 38 Open Billfish is an express fishing boat designed for offshore angling. It is commonly outfitted with a hard top, tower, and upper controls. The 109-square-foot cockpit features a backing plate laminated into the sole for a fighting chair, a bait freezer, a transom livewell, in-deck insulated fish boxes, fishing rod holders, and fresh and raw water washdowns. The cabin offers a forward stateroom with a double and single berth, an enclosed head, a full galley, and a convertible settee.

Boston Whaler 365 Conquest

The Boston Whaler 365 Conquest is a versatile vessel that can transport you to your dream destination, serve as a high-end offshore fishing machine, and provide a luxurious entertainment platform. It is equipped with everything you need for a successful fishing trip, including ample storage space for your gear.

Regal 33 SAV

The Regal 33 SAV is a do-it-all, outboard-powered day yacht with overnight capabilities. It is designed as a capable fishing platform, with features such as rod holders, a livewell, and a fish box. The Regal 33 SAV offers a seamless blend of versatility and luxury.

Albemarle 27 Express

The Albemarle 27 Express is a strong and proven express fisherman with the performance enhancements of modern four-stroke Yamaha engines. It delivers higher cruise speeds and is designed to keep all guests comfortable and confident while fighting fish.

Frequently asked questions