Bahamas by Boat: Your Guide to Private Charters, Sailing & Unforgettable Cruises

Most Bahamas charters are arranged through a broker who matches you with a boat and crew. Crewed catamarans in the Exumas run roughly $20,000–$50,000 per week, depending on size, season, and crew experience. Expect to pay a 50% deposit at booking, with the balance due 60–90 days before departure.

Thirteen major U.S. airports offer direct flights to Lynden Pindling International Airport, including Miami, New York JFK, and Atlanta. From there, a 40-minute taxi or pre-arranged transfer gets you to the charter marina — typically in Paradise Island or the eastern end of New Providence. If you’re coming from the UK, London Heathrow has the only direct flight; connections via Miami or New York are more common.

Day one usually involves clearing the Nassau harbour and crossing to the northern Exumas. The itinerary builds south: Norman’s Cay (where the wreck of a drug-smuggling plane sits in shallow water), Warderick Wells in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, and finally Staniel Cay. The park protects one of the Bahamas’ 32 national parks, 21 of which are marine protected areas — expect pristine snorkeling and strict no-take rules.

The pigs are the main draw for a reason, but timing matters. Most day-trip boats from Nassau arrive between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. A crewed charter can anchor nearby the evening before and visit at first light, when the beach is empty. Afterward, a 5-minute dinghy ride over to Thunderball Grotto — a limestone cave system used in James Bond films — gives you a snorkel spot that’s genuinely worth the hype.

On the return north, Compass Cay’s nurse sharks swim right up to the dock in waist-deep water. It costs a small entry fee, and the sharks are used to being handled — the crew will tell you how to approach them. From there, it’s a straight shot back to Nassau to disembark. If you have an extra day, tack on a stop at Highborne Cay for a quieter anchorage.

Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island is the charter hub for the Abacos. Power catamarans here run roughly $35,000–$50,000 per week, crew included. Fly directly into Marsh Harbour Airport (MHH) via connections from Nassau, Miami, or Fort Lauderdale — no need to transit through Nassau if you don’t want to.

A 90-minute cruise north from Marsh Harbour lands you at Elbow Cay, home to the red-and-white striped Hope Town Lighthouse. The lighthouse is one of the most photographed structures in the Bahamas — climb the spiral staircase for a view across the Sea of Abaco. Hope Town itself bans cars; you get around by golf cart, which the rental places near the dock make easy to arrange.

About 12 miles south of Hope Town, the Pelican Cays park protects a cluster of mangrove cays and patch reefs. The snorkeling here is less crowded than the Exuma parks — expect sea turtles, rays, and healthy coral heads. Your crew will know which sandbars are exposed at low tide; ask them to drop you on one for a private lunch setup.

Little Harbour, on the southern tip of Great Abaco, has a protected anchorage and the Pete’s Pub beach bar, famous for its conch fritters and cold Kalik beer. The inlet is shallow — which is fine for a power cat drawing 3–5 feet — but check the tide before entering. Overnight here is quiet; the lights from Marsh Harbour are a distant glow.

The return to Marsh Harbour takes you through the Sea of Abaco, a protected sound that stays calm even when the Atlantic side kicks up. Use the last day for a slow cruise, stopping at any cay that catches your eye. Disembark in Marsh Harbour by late afternoon to catch the next morning’s flight out.

Charter companies like The Moorings and Dream Yacht Charter typically require ASA 101, 103, and 104 certifications, or equivalent experience. If you’re not already certified, most operators offer week-long learn-to-sail courses that end with a bareboat charter. Online checkouts are not accepted — you need in-person time on the water.

Marsh Harbour in the Abacos is the most popular bareboat base because the Sea of Abaco offers protected waters and well-marked channels. Exuma bareboat bases exist but are less common — the shallow banks require careful navigation. Bareboat rates typically fall between $5,000 and $15,000 per week, depending on boat size, age, and season.

Marsh Harbour has a decent grocery store — Maxwell’s — but selection is limited and prices are 30–50% higher than in the U.S. Many bareboaters bring dry goods from home and buy only perishables locally. Make a meal plan for the week before you arrive; once you leave Marsh Harbour, the only places to restock are small convenience stores at the bigger settlements.

The Great Bahama Bank averages less than 20 feet deep, which means big ocean swell doesn’t build — but it also means you need to read the water colour to avoid sandbars. Stick to the marked channels, especially around the Whale Cay Cut, where Atlantic swell can funnel through unpredictably. A paper chart as backup to your chartplotter is standard practice among regular bareboaters.

Bahamas anchorages are mostly free and plentiful, but the best spots fill by mid-afternoon in peak season. Aim to drop the hook by 3 p.m. so you have daylight to back down and set it properly. Popular spots like Hope Town’s harbour and Tahiti Beach in the Abacos get busy — a backup anchorage in your plan saves stress.

Superyacht charters are rarely booked direct. Brokers like Fraser, Burgess, or Northrop & Johnson handle the inventory, which ranges from $70,000 to $150,000 per week for motor yachts and $100,000 to $175,000+ for superyachts. Expect the broker to ask about preferred destinations, dietary restrictions, and toy preferences (jet skis, eFoils, seabobs) before presenting a shortlist of available vessels.

The Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) covers fuel, food, drinks, dockage, and crew gratuity — and it’s additional to the base charter fee. Standard APA runs 25–40% of the charter cost. A $100,000 charter can end up costing $140,000–$150,000 once the APA, 4% charter tax, and 10% VAT are added. Clarify what’s included in the APA before signing; some brokers provide a detailed breakdown, others estimate broadly.

Deep-draft vessels can’t cross the shallow banks the way catamarans do. The most common superyacht route sticks to the Exuma Sound side, making direct runs from Nassau to Staniel Cay, then down to Warderick Wells, and back via the outside of the chain. Harbour Island and Eleuthera are also reachable — the 3-mile-long Pink Sands Beach is a favourite for sunset anchoring.

The real advantage of a superyacht is the tenders and toys. E-Foil skimming and SeaBob diving are popular in Eleuthera, where the water is clear and the wind is often light. The crew will handle setup, safety briefings, and retrieval — you just show up and ride. If your charter includes a jet ski, the mangrove creeks of Wax Cay near Staniel Cay offer a fast, shallow ride through tunnels of red mangrove.

Crew gratuity is separate from the APA and is typically 15–20% of the base charter fee, paid in cash or wire transfer at the end of the trip. The standard is 15%; 20% for exceptional service. The captain distributes it among the crew. If your APA didn’t include gratuity, budget for it upfront — a $100,000 charter means a $15,000–$20,000 tip.