Lagoon 46 vs Lagoon 50: Which Catamaran Suits Your Group?

They sit next to each other in our fleet — the Lagoon 46 at 13.99 m and the Lagoon 50 at 14.75 m. Three quarters of a metre and one cabin apart on paper, but the real-world charter experience is different enough that a family of eight should think hard before defaulting to the bigger one.

Here's the honest comparison.

At a glance

When to choose the Lagoon 46

• Group of 6–10, where eight cabins is overkill but four with bunks works.
• Tighter Ionian harbours — Fiskardo, Frikes, Sivota — where 14 m fits and 15 m struggles.
• Budget-conscious — €900/week saved per week, scaled across three weeks of charter equals an extra round of dinners ashore.

We charter the Achilles, Dos Hermanos, Ervis, Spiritus, and Thalasea at the Lagoon 46 size — all 2018–2024 builds.

When to choose the Lagoon 50

• Three couples + children, where you need three full ensuites for the adults plus the kid bunks.
• Long-range Cyclades — Lavrion to Mykonos to Santorini — where the extra waterline gives you another half knot in moderate wind, which on a 60 nm leg is 90 minutes saved.
• A/C runtime matters — the bigger generator on the 50 handles all-night A/C in 35°C August more comfortably than the 46.

Our Lagoon 50s include Aqua Star (skippered, Lefkas) and Jupiter (premium skippered, Greek Islands).

What's identical

• Same builder DNA — the layout is conceptually the same. If you've sailed one, you can sail the other.
• Same engines (twin 57 hp Yanmars). Fuel burn is similar: about 8 L/h per engine at cruising RPM.
• Same hull design philosophy — wide, stable, comfortable, not fast.
• Same equipment expectations — solar panels, watermakers, generators, A/C, dinghy with outboard.

What's different beyond the spec sheet

Helm position. The 50 has a flybridge helm with a settee around it — the captain's social. The 46 has an aft helm at deck level — the captain is on duty, not on holiday. For most charterers this is small. For groups taking turns at the wheel alongside the captain, the 50's flybridge feels much better.

Salon. The 50's salon is genuinely larger — you can have ten people sitting for dinner without the boat feeling crowded. The 46 with ten people feels like ten people. For groups over eight, this matters.

Mooring. Many Greek harbours charge by length. Med-mooring stern-to in Fiskardo costs noticeably more on the 50 than the 46 in peak season. Multiply by seven nights and the saving on harbour fees offsets some of the weekly difference.

Our recommendation

• Family of 6 with parents, kids, and grandparents → Lagoon 46.
• Eight friends in their 30s, all wanting privacy, mixed sailing experience → Lagoon 50.
• A 14-day Cyclades loop with three couples → Lagoon 50, comfort wins.
• A 7-day Ionian week with two families (8 total) → Lagoon 46, agility wins.

Still not sure? Tell us your group size and dates — we'll send a side-by-side proposal with both boats on the dates you want and you decide.