Chartering with children: a parent's guide

Ask families who’ve chartered a yacht together and many will tell you it was the best holiday they’ve ever had. Children who usually bicker spend all day in the water. Teenagers put their phones down to drive the dinghy. Grandparents get time with everyone in one place, without anyone having to cook. And at the end of each day, everyone’s tired in the best way.

A charter with children needs a little more thought than one for adults, though. Here’s what we talk through with families.

Is my child old enough?

There’s no fixed minimum age, and we’ve known families charter happily with babies. But in practice:

• Under two: perfectly possible on the right yacht, though you’ll be busy. A crewed charter makes it far easier, and some crews are wonderful with babies.
• Two to five: constant supervision near the water is essential. A catamaran with safety netting around the deck is a big help.
• Six to twelve: many families think this is the sweet spot. Children can swim, snorkel, paddleboard and help sail, and they’re endlessly entertained by fish, turtles and islands.
• Teenagers: wakeboarding, tubing, diving, driving the tender under supervision, and freedom that’s hard to find at home.

Why the crew matters most

The biggest difference between a good family charter and a great one is the crew. Some crews have children of their own or years of experience with families; they’ll teach snorkelling, set up treasure hunts, let children help in the galley and know when to suggest a quiet afternoon. Others are better suited to couples.

When you enquire, tell us your children’s ages and personalities. We know which crews have a gift for it, and we’ll only suggest yachts where children will be genuinely welcome.

Which yacht?

For most families we suggest a catamaran, sailing or power. They’re stable at anchor and under way, they have lots of outdoor space, the cabins are often on two levels apart from each other, and the shallow draft means you can anchor close to beaches. Our guide to choosing a yacht explains the options.

Check:

• Safety netting can be fitted around the guardrails on many catamarans. Ask in advance: it’s usually free, but the crew needs time to fit it.
• Cabin arrangements. A twin cabin next to the parents’ cabin suits younger children.
• Watersports. A towable tube, paddleboards and child-sized snorkelling gear make a big difference.

Safety on board

Charter yachts carry life jackets for every guest, but children’s sizes need to be requested in advance, with ages and weights, so the yacht has the right ones on board. Many parents bring their own for small children, so they know they fit.

Agree a few simple rules from the start: life jackets on in the dinghy, no going on deck under way without an adult, and always telling a grown-up before getting in the water. Good crews will explain these in a friendly way in their safety briefing.

Keeping everyone happy

• Shorter passages. Plan days with an hour or two of sailing rather than long hauls. The Virgin Islands are ideal for this.
• Swim stops. Two or three a day.
• Shade and sun cream. Rash vests and hats for children; reef-safe sunscreen for everyone.
• Quiet time. A screen-free afternoon nap in the shade is part of the routine on many family charters.
• Food they’ll eat. Tell the chef what your children love on the preference sheet. Chefs are used to fussy eaters and early suppers.

What children love most

From families we’ve spoken to: feeding fish off the back of the boat, swimming with turtles in Maho Bay or the Tobago Cays, scrambling through The Baths, steering the yacht, jumping off the flybridge (with permission), and the moment the chef brings out a birthday cake at anchor.

Bringing the grandparents

Multi-generation charters are some of our favourites. A larger catamaran or motor yacht gives grandparents their own space, and a crew means nobody is stuck in the kitchen. If anyone has mobility needs, tell us, and we’ll look for yachts with easy boarding, wider stairs and cabins on the main deck.

Planning a family charter

Tell us who’s coming, with ages, and what your family enjoys. We’ll match you with a yacht and crew who’ll make it a holiday everyone remembers.