NaCzarter Team
How much does the Futura 40 Horizon cost and who is this houseboat for?
A Saturday to Saturday week on a Futura 40 Horizon costs, across listings on NaCzarter (2026 season), a median of about 9,100 PLN in May and September, 11,200 PLN in June and 12,950 PLN from mid-July to mid-August. It is a houseboat of about 11.4 m with three cabins, heating and a bow thruster, well suited to families and two couples without a licence.
The Futura 40 Horizon is the most widely available large houseboat listed on the platform. Seven owners offer it, 13 boats altogether, and none of them has more than three. That lets us work out something a single rental company can't tell you: what this model typically costs in a given week of the season. Below you will find prices week by week, equipment, the rules and the downsides that listings tend to leave out.
How does the weekly price change over the 2026 season?
We took all 13 boats listed before September and calculated the median price for each week. We used the median rather than the average, so a single brand new 2026 boat or a single promotion doesn't skew the result. We also checked a median calculated separately for each owner first. It came out identical, so no single price list pulls the result its way.
| Dates (Sat to Sat week, 2026 season) | Median weekly price | PLN per person per night with 8 berths |
|---|---|---|
| 16–23 May | 9,100 PLN | approx. 163 PLN |
| 13–20 June | 11,200 PLN | 200 PLN |
| 18–25 July | 12,950 PLN | approx. 231 PLN |
| 8–15 August | 12,950 PLN | approx. 231 PLN |
| 22–29 August | 11,550 PLN | approx. 206 PLN |
| 12–19 September | 9,100 PLN | approx. 163 PLN |
With eight people on board, a July week works out at about 231 PLN per head per night. With six, it rises to about 308 PLN, because you pay for the boat, not for a bunk. Between May and July the difference is about 3,850 PLN for the same model and the same length of trip. The most expensive stretch runs from mid-July to mid-August. Early July and the second half of August are already about 1,000 to 1,400 PLN cheaper, and June even more so. If you can move your holiday by a week or two, you will see it on the bill.
We left October out. Only two owners have weekly prices for that month in their price lists, so the median would say more about their pricing policy than about the model.
These are gross list prices, meaning the rate shown in the listing for seven nights. They don't include mandatory fees such as final cleaning, which you pay on site to the owner rather than in the online payment. The deposit isn't included either. It is refundable and settled on site when you return the boat. Before booking, also ask how fuel is charged. For a comparison with other models, see the houseboat price list for Masuria.
How big is the Futura 40 and how many people does it sleep?
We take the figures from the owners' listings, not from catalogues. Agency listings online give different lengths and engines for this model, and we couldn't find an official spec sheet from the builder. So we stick to what is entered for the actual boats.
- Length: median 11.4 m. A few listings give slightly more.
- Cabins: 3 in every listing.
- Berths: 8 on most boats, 6 on a few.
- Build years: from 2018 to 2026.
The spread of build years matters. A 2018 boat and a 2026 boat are the same model, but after a few charter seasons they differ in upholstery, electronics and small things in the galley. You can check the build year in every listing. With eight berths, ask the owner where the seventh and eighth person sleep. For two couples with children, that can matter more than the length.
What is on board the Futura 40?
Some equipment comes on every boat, some only on certain ones. This is how it looks across 13 listings from 7 owners:
- heating, shower and bow thruster: all 13,
- flybridge, an upper deck with seating: 10 boats from 6 owners,
- marine toilet: 10 boats from 6 owners,
- dogs allowed: 10 boats from 6 owners,
- skipper available for an extra fee: 7 boats from 5 owners,
- stern thruster: 6 boats from 4 owners.
Heating makes a difference in May and September, when nights can be cold. On a rainy day the whole crew sits inside, and a shower on board means you don't have to hunt for washrooms in a harbour every evening. Just remember that the Great Masurian Lakes are a protected area: the waste water tank and rubbish are emptied and handed in at the ports.
The flybridge is the nicest spot on the boat. In the morning you are lying in a bay, the kids are still asleep in the cabins, and someone climbs the steps with a mug of coffee and sits up top before the water gets busy. If that view matters to you, check the listing for a flybridge, because not every boat of this model has one.
The thruster earns its keep mostly in the evening. You are coming into a harbour, a crosswind pushes the high side of the boat towards your neighbour, and a short burst at the bow puts the boat where it needs to be. It saves the helmsman's dignity. Boats with an extra thruster at the stern are even easier to moor, because you can move the whole hull sideways. If it's your first trip, look for one of those.
Dogs are allowed on most boats, but not all. Check what the listing says before you book, not on the quay.
Do you need a licence for the Futura 40?
All 13 listings are marked as available without a licence. The legal basis is Article 37a of the Polish Inland Navigation Act. Paragraph 3 requires a qualification certificate for, among others, motor yachts with an engine above 10 kW, but paragraph 4 makes an exception for motor yachts that meet three conditions together: engine power up to 75 kW, hull length up to 13 m and a top speed limited by design to 15 km/h.
For yachts available for hire there is one more condition. Before you set off, the owner or someone authorised by them gives you a water safety briefing: the rules, the route and practice manoeuvres, especially leaving and approaching a quay. Don't treat it as a formality. After an hour with someone who knows this particular boat, your first harbour approach looks completely different. You can read more about the rules in our article on a houseboat without a licence in Masuria.
If nobody in the crew wants to take the helm, 7 boats offer a skipper for an extra fee. Nobody imposes one, it's an option for those who want it.
Where can you set off on a Futura 40?
Owners list the Futura 40 Horizon in four towns:
- Giżycko,
- Mikołajki,
- Wilkasy,
- Węgorzewo.
All of them lie on the main route of the Great Masurian Lakes. From Węgorzewo and Giżycko you are close to Mamry, from Mikołajki to Śniardwy and Bełdany. Mamry and Śniardwy build a short, steep chop in the wind, so on a houseboat you cross them in the morning, before the wind picks up. In the ports you moor to mooring posts or a mooring line, and you don't drop anchor there. We have gathered available dates and starting ports for every boat of this model on the Futura 40 Horizon charter page.
Who is the Futura 40 for, and who will be fine with a smaller houseboat?
The Futura 40 suits families with children and two couples who want separate cabins. It also works well for crews without a licence who don't want to give up comfort. With three cabins, a shower and heating, a week on the water feels nothing like camping.
That comfort comes at a price. All houseboats with 7 to 8 berths listed on the platform (53 boats from 11 owners, Futuras included) cost a median of about 9,100 PLN a week in the second half of July. The Futura costs about 12,950 PLN for the same dates, so it sits at the top end. If there are four of you and you don't need a third cabin, a smaller houseboat will leave a few thousand in your pocket. The full selection is on the houseboats in Masuria page.
In a similar size, people also compare the Nautiner 40 and the Sun Camper 35. We describe the differences in Nautiner 40 or Sun Camper 35.
What are the downsides of the Futura 40 Horizon?
- The high sides catch a crosswind. When manoeuvring in a harbour, the boat can drift a lot. The thruster helps, but it doesn't solve everything.
- Steps lead up to the flybridge. For small children and older people, getting up top takes care, especially on wet steps.
- 11.4 m is quite a lot. Not every small marina has a free berth for a boat this size. Overnight at anchor is only allowed in a sheltered bay outside the fairway, with an anchor light, and a large boat needs more room there.
- Peak season price. Almost 13,000 PLN for a week in midsummer is a lot, even split between eight people.
- No sails. It's a houseboat and runs on its engine. Anyone in the crew dreaming of sailing will be disappointed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent a Futura 40 for a week? Across listings on NaCzarter (2026 season), the median Saturday to Saturday week is about 9,100 PLN in May and September, 11,200 PLN in June and 12,950 PLN from mid-July to mid-August. Mandatory fees and the refundable deposit are settled on site.
How many people does the Futura 40 Horizon sleep? There are three cabins, with 8 berths on most boats and 6 on a few. Check the number of berths for the specific boat.
Do you need a licence for the Futura 40? No. All listings of this model are marked as available without a licence under Article 37a(4) of the Polish Inland Navigation Act. Before you set off, the owner gives you a water safety briefing.
Does the Futura 40 have a flybridge and heating? All 13 listed boats have heating, and 10 of them have a flybridge. If the upper deck matters to you, check the boat description.
Where can you set off on a Futura 40? Owners list it in Giżycko, Mikołajki, Wilkasy and Węgorzewo. All four towns lie on the route of the Great Masurian Lakes.
Cover photo: NaCzarter.pl
