A luxury yacht charter in the Mediterranean is for many a dream come true and the magic is even more powerful for children, who have never seen the warm waters of Croatia or the magnificent Park Guel in Barcelona. You can take children of all ages on a yacht charter, with a huge number of vessels design with a family charter in mind.
Fun-family-holiday-aboard-yacht-MARTINA
Spend sunny days learning new skills with the water toys and in evenings catch up on the latest films or make memories with loved ones over the range of games and amenities on board.
Find inspiration with some excellent family-friendly destinations and activities to keep everyone entertained from the moment they wake up until their head touches the pillow.
Why do children love superyacht charters?
Sailing yachts will make your little ones feel like a pirate or explorer, and swimming with dolphins and sea turtles or even small details such as bunk beds will stand out among childhood memories of school days and life at home.
However, one of the most important yet least recognised reasons is the ability to be active and spend time on hobbies while cruising the best charter grounds. Unlike on a land-based holiday where a significant amount of time is wasted travelling from one destination to the next and bags have to be packed again, yacht charters have your accommodation coming along with you wherever you travel. It is certainly less stressful, more comfortable and far more exciting.
Treasure hunts, parties and games
When visiting quiet places as the Îles d’Hyères or Île Sainte-Marguerite south of Cannes there is ample opportunity to set up a teddy bear’s picnic, treasure hunt or a beach-side party, and some yachts have a with a DJ setup for this purpose. Dinners by candlelight on sandy shores aren’t just for romantic couples and after a magical sunset meal, your family could stargaze or head towards the city lights. The Italian Riviera and Amalfi Coast have an excellent evening atmosphere where locals of all ages walk the streets, chatting to neighbours over authentic Italian ice cream or coffee.
Cool amenities onboard
The skylounge has everything to become a favourite den with your children: This room usually hosts a sizeable widescreen TV and games table while providing cosy surroundings and magnificent views from this elevated floor. It’s common to find games consoles aboard charter yachts in recent years and the wide selection provides Wii party games through to XBox and Playstation favourites.
Indoor cinema and saloon
Karaoke systems place thousands of songs at your fingertips and your son or daughter could hold their own party.
Water fun
Take advantage of this opportunity to teach your children new skills on a luxury yacht charter and the water toys alone have the potential to fill every spare hour: Earn a Scuba diving license or a jet-ski licence, use Laser sail boats, windsurfers or water skis… the possibilities are endless and just as appealing to older children as pre-teens.
Water toys
Inflatable toys are a hit with all ages and massive water slides attached to the upper deck or inflatable climbing walls will get young thrill-seekers jumping for joy. Inexperienced swimmers also benefit from an on board swimming pool to practise their skills and donuts and other assisting inflatables add to the fun while they gain in confidence.
Day excursions
It doesn’t matter whether you’re chartering in the Eastern Mediterranean or the Western Mediterranean; you’re surrounded by history and it’s likely that more than one port you stop off at will have a castle or fort within walking distance. The larger cities will have audio tours for your children to discover the lives of previous inhabitants, with the UNESCO World Heritage Site Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes being one such example within the Dodecanese Islands.
The Dodecanese Islands
Glamorous Monaco has a reputation for high-end shopping, Grand Prix Races and casinos yet the wealthy principality also has an impressive maritime museum, Top Cars Collection and a National Museum for discovering the treasures of another nation.
Art galleries, an opera house and adventure parks ensure that a day on land can be filled equally with culture and exhilaration, and places such as Pitchtoun Forest and Canyon Forest between Nice and Antibes will send your group zip-lining over canyons, scrambling across cliffs and navigating rope courses with a safety line.
Spa treatments
Kids love to be pampered and it’s a novel experience to receive a spa treatment for the first time. Don’t miss out on this chance to make cherished memories with your children and soak in the Jacuzzi with a mocktail before getting a spa massage and facial in preparation for a night at the theatre or at your own special occasion.
Sun deck Pool
Play rooms
It’s mostly aboard larger superyachts that there will be a playroom – or several – which is designed for large groups of children during a special event. Ballparks, toy chests, libraries and even desks for writing and drawing fill the walls and younger children will be content to have this magical space all to themselves.
The 1943 classic CHRISTINA O is one such example of a luxury yacht with a playroom, where the walls are painted with characters from Alice in Wonderland. While the nanny looks after the children, parents can party on the convertible mosaic dance floor/swimming pool, chat over refreshments in the bar or savour the serenity in the spa room or library.
