Understanding Travel Restrictions

A Trip To The Bahamas: Make Chartering A Yacht With Kids Less Stressful

23 June 2016 by Eva Morris

Chartering a yacht affords the perfect opportunity to explore many of the 700-plus islands, islets, and cays that make up the Bahamas. By traveling in a yacht between popular islands throughout the Bahamas, you have full control over which places you visit and when. You can spend the entire day on the water snorkeling and whale watching, or anchor by a beach and swim to the sand for a little sunbathing. Taking kids along on the yacht can make things a bit hectic and stressful, so it's a good idea to do a little extra planning and preparation before your trip. Here are a few tips and tricks to consider implementing:

Invest in a Manned Charter

Instead of going it alone, consider hiring a small crew to man your yacht so you can focus on the kids and their needs. Make sure the team can take care of navigation, yacht maintenance, and safety inspections. The idea is to spend your time bonding with the kids and enjoying the water while still maintaining full control over where the yacht goes. If you plan to spend more than a couple of hours at any island destination during your charter, provide an itinerary to the charter company so the crew can plan their breaks and time off while you're docked – this may save you some money on crew expenses when all is said and done.

Choose a Yacht With a Cabin

It's a good idea to charter a yacht that features a small cabin so the kids have somewhere out of the sun to nap and eat. A cabin will provide you with some space to get privacy away from the yacht crew and will help ensure that there is a comfortable place for people to rest if they start to get sea sick. A cabin with a small bathroom in it would be helpful, as children tend to need a restroom often throughout the day. Another handy cabin feature to consider looking for is a kitchenette, which will allow you to bring your own groceries on board and cook healthy meals for the family while you travel.

Bring a Bag of Entertainment

While the entire yachting experience should be fun for the adults, kids may have a hard time keeping themselves entertained while on board and traveling between islands. For this reason, consider packing a bag of entertainment to take along with you. Include a pack of cards, a few coloring books and some crayons, a couple of books about the ocean, and a map of the Bahamas so the kids can keep up with exactly where you're at during your travels. A pair of binoculars are both entertaining and educational, so pack a pair for each child. You can also plan an art project that can be done in the cabin and bring along any items needed for it.

Get Active Before Setting Sail

To ensure that your children don't get restless or antsy while on the yacht, take some time to get active before initially boarding the yacht and before setting sail from each island you visit during your trip. Spend the day before your yachting trip playing in the park and swimming at the beach or hotel swimming pool. A couple of hours before setting sail for the first time, take a long walk around town to get rid of some energy. Walking, bike riding, or even taking the bus as opposed to hailing a cab or renting a vehicle when you visit various islands will help ensure that the family stays active when you aren't on the yacht.

These tips and tricks should be easy to implement and are sure to make the yachting experience enjoyable for everyone involved.  

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