Planning a Family Celebration Vacation Cruise That Excites Everyone

-Pick Your Dream Destination-

You can charter a yacht almost anywhere. So, where do you go?

The warm waters of Florida, the Bahamas, and the entire Caribbean are hands-down a favorite for a reason—beautiful weather, gorgeous water, clean sand, friendly people, and a variety of attractions and activities.

Each location has its own lovely flavor:

• Florida locations are a perfect option for those who want to stay closer to home but still want clear water, palm trees, and great sailing.
• The Bahamas are ideal for calm water sailing, the most translucent waters, and more uninhabited islands and all-to-yourself white beaches.
• The Caribbean (including the Leewards, Windwards, and the Virgin Islands) provides the perfect-picture backdrop of deep green mountains that drop into sapphire waters.

Within each destination, you get to personalize your itinerary. Unlike on a cruise ship, where you go, what you see, and how long you stay is up to you. (Peruse sample itineraries here.)

-Space Designed to Gather-

A yacht provides an intimate space and can provide a buffer, so you don’t have to share your celebration with strangers.

But one of the first questions is, “Can a charter yacht accommodate everyone at once?”

Yes.

First, you can choose the yacht that fits your party best. Charter yachts range from 35 feet to over 100 feet.

Another option for large families would be to charter two boats. They can sail and anchor together. Or, spend a day or two doing their own thing before meeting back up—because that’s sometimes how families work best, right?

When together, family members can easily shuttle between the boats by dinghy—or even on a paddleboard. In most cases, one boat could still host everyone comfortably aboard for a meal.

Most charter yachts were designed with large spaces to gather large parties comfortably around a table, either inside or enjoying the fresh air in the cockpit or on deck.

If your gatherings are the kind that sprawl and are filled with activity, a picnic-style party on the beach could be a great option. A few friendly ball games in the sand, swimming off the beach (maybe even with sea turtles and rays), or strolls collecting shells with the one person you wanted to spend a little more one-on-one time with.

-A Private Place For Everyone-

The primary idea may be to come together to celebrate, but everyone needs their own space.

One of the most important factors in planning a successful family vacation is allowing everyone to find their moments of peace and privacy when they desire them.

Most crewed charter yachts have private staterooms for every guest or couple. Some boats even have private heads (bathrooms) for each stateroom. Larger catamarans and powerboats will even have multi-level decks, conveniently allowing for separate adult and children spaces.

Trying to imagine what the interiors and living spaces look like? Scroll through our images and videos. Or, browse actual charter packages, complete with image galleries of yachts available for charter.

The perfect layout for your unique family exists.

-Activities For All Ages-

From the family’s youngest members to the Nanas and Pap-paps, everyone can find an activity to look forward to.

Part of the process of chartering a crewed yacht is matching not only the destination and time frame to your desires but finding the right crew and planning the activities that best match you.

Here are a few ideas that families can do together:

• Learning to sail
• Paddleboarding
• Snorkeling
• Reef & wreck diving
• Beachcombing
• Visit Historical sites
• Dining at local cafes and restaurants
• Galleries and boutiques
• Picnics
• Hikes
• Fishing
• Horseback riding on the beach
• Sundowners at sunset
• Birdwatching
• Swimming with turtles
• Kayaking

Yachts, too, can accommodate all levels of activity and mobility. If there are members of your family that need the security of wide, flat surfaces and easy-to-navigate access aboard and around the cabin, a catamaran may provide the comforting arrangements you are looking for.

A Canvas Yacht Charter advisor will help you find the best-fit solutions for any specific requirements in your party and make the selection process easier as they will only present you with options that will work for everyone in your family.

-The Luxury of a Professional Crew-

Crewed yacht vacations allow even the hardest working members of the family to enjoy the downtime.

Treat yourself—and that never-stops-to-rest family member—by letting the talented crew prepare gourmet meals for everyone on board, from fresh breakfasts to decadent desserts.

Worried about that one picky eater in your family? The advantage of a private charter is the ability to customize the experience. Before your cruise, you’ll share your likes and dislikes on a preference sheet. Even all the shopping and unloading of your groceries will be done before you even arrive.

Take a break from making breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the entire cruise (unless, of course, you want to sneak into the galley and grab that new fresh pineapple salsa recipe!)

Plus, having meals catered to your preferences significantly controls the budget and the never-ending decision-making of where to go and what to eat three times a day that accompanies most extended family gatherings!

Of course, there will still be plenty of opportunities to enjoy all the local cuisines ashore, and the balance between the two options will be completely up to you.

-How to Plan Your Family Celebration Onboard-

You can start planning your group gathering today and walk away with pricing and yachts that match your dream destination.

Canvas Yacht Charters makes it easy, and you can start in two different ways…

ONE: You do your own exploration. Pick your cruising destination, the number of family members coming along, and the date of your special event, and see the yachts (and their pricing) immediately.

TWO: Work with a charter specialist from the start. They’ll know all the questions to ask you so they can research and present the best yacht and crew pairings to delight all family members and stay within your budget.