Barcelona Classic

You board at a fixed time and the boat runs a set loop, so latecomers are left on the dock. Onboard there is a bar and usually a DJ or a sound system you can plug into. Some are private charters for your group alone, others are shared with other bookings. What is included varies more here than anywhere else: some are entry only, some include a drinks package, some include food. Get that in writing before you pay. Deck shoes or trainers, nothing with a heel. It is colder on the water than on land, even in summer, so bring a layer.

A food tour walks a set route with stops for tastings, usually four or five places across a couple of hours, with a guide explaining what you are eating and why the city eats it. You will not need dinner afterwards. A cooking class is the other version: a chef takes the group through a menu in a kitchen, everyone cooks, then you all sit down and eat what you made with a drink. Send dietary requirements ahead, because both formats are built on a fixed menu. Comfortable shoes for the tour; closed-toe shoes for the kitchen.

Standard entry gets the group past the queue on a guest list, which matters because large male groups are the first ones a door turns away. A booth adds a reserved table, a set number of bottles with mixers and a host who looks after the table. Booths are sold on a minimum spend rather than a flat fee at many clubs, so the bottles you order count towards it. Ask what the minimum is and what it includes before you agree to anything. Dress code is enforced hard on stag groups. No sportswear, no trainers at some doors, no matching shirts, and nobody visibly drunk gets in regardless of the booking.