You may have thought you would like to plan something a little different for your next vacation. You might have even thought of inviting family and friends to join you. If this is the case, you might consider planning a small group private charter. If you have ever taken a cruise or even wanted to, a private charter boat could be the perfect option for you.
Here are some tips on how to plan a small group private charter for a fun time.
Choose the Right Boat Size
The first step in planning a small group private charter boat is to know exactly how many people are going to come. Do you want only your immediate family? Would you like to invite a few friends or would you like a slightly larger party? You need to know how many people will be going on the trip so you can book the right size of boat.
You have plenty of options in boat sizes and types. You could choose a sailing boat, a catamaran, and even a yacht. You might want to think about planning for everyone's privacy too. While you may not have many people with you, a too-small boat might have everyone crowded around too much. Think about everyone's needs and then determine how large of a boat would be right for you.
Make sure you talk to all your guests ahead of time to know what they would like to do. You can usually customize your boat charter and while you may not be able to do everything everyone wants, you may be able to at least fit in some activities that would appeal to the entire group. The size of your boat can matter here too depending on what activities your guests want to do.
Negotiate the Contract
Once you have settled on the size of the boat for your small group private charter and have narrowed down your choices of which company to choose, you can begin negotiating with each captain and/or owner to get the best deal possible.
Talk to each captain and go over your options of where the boat has the rights to travel to, and where you would like to go. Do you want to stay on the boat and not have any shore time? Do you want to plan a fishing trip but also see some sights? Do you want to island-hop? When you have a clear plan of how you want to spend your time on the boat you can then negotiate with the captain on what that will all entail.
Read through all contracts carefully and really understand them before signing. If you feel more comfortable, take the contract to a lawyer to read through the contract to make sure it's in your best interest.
Make sure you talk to all your guests ahead of time to know what they would like to do. You can usually customize your boat charter and while you may not be able to do everything everyone wants, you may be able to at least fit in some activities that would appeal to the entire group.
