When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Landau A'lure 184 Fish 2012 and the Landau Harbor Cruise 20 2011 are pontoon designs with aluminum construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
Size is the most obvious dividing line here. The Landau A'lure 184 Fish 2012 measures 18,0 feet overall (2012), giving it roughly 16,0 additional feet of deck space compared to the Landau Harbor Cruise 20 2011 at 2,0 feet (2011). Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Landau Harbor Cruise 20 2011 tips the scales at 1 699 lbs — 331 lbs less than the Landau A'lure 184 Fish 2012 at 1 368 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.
Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling — 75 hp for the Landau A'lure 184 Fish 2012 and 90 hp for the Landau Harbor Cruise 20 2011. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Both carry nearly identical fuel loads — 26 gal and 26 gal — so range won't be a tiebreaker here.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Landau Harbor Cruise 20 2011 is rated for 8 passengers, while the Landau A'lure 184 Fish 2012 caps at 7. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Landau Harbor Cruise 20 2011 could be the deciding factor.
At this size, power-to-weight ratio matters more than outright horsepower. The Landau A'lure 184 Fish 2012 comes in at 18 lbs per hp versus 19 lbs per hp for the Landau Harbor Cruise 20 2011. The lower the ratio the more explosive the acceleration — meaningful on a short RIB where bursts of speed, quick planing, and agility in surf or tight waterways define the experience.
One place where both boats are genuinely identical is tube construction: both run 23 aluminum tubes at 21" diameter. That shared spec means stability and buoyancy characteristics are closely matched — the ride difference you'll feel between them comes primarily from deck length, weight distribution, and motor choice.
Bottom line: Choose the Landau Harbor Cruise 20 2011 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 8 passengers and at 2,0 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Landau A'lure 184 Fish 2012 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 7 that costs less to run day-to-day.