Providenciales Yacht Charters
Providenciales has an excellent selection of luxury yacht charters across a wide range of vessels, from power boats to super yachts and cruising catamarans. Half-day charters, full-day charters, and sunset cruises are the most popular charter types, with only a few companies offering multi-day trips. Luxury yacht charters do not typically follow a fixed schedule or itinerary for trips—instead, charters are customized to the requests of the guest.
When compared to a shared cruise, a yacht charter is often the better choice for large groups and families, as the total rate can be comparable to the sum of individual rates for a group booking a public cruise. Set rates are typically offered for half-day and full-day charters, with the option to add on additional time or experiences (such as a private chef lunch or wakesurfing lessons, for example).
Luxury charters also tend to offer a more comfortable experience onboard than the usual tour boat, as these vessels are often larger, more stable, and less cramped, with some offering air-conditioned interior spaces. These features can make trips to further cays, such as West Caicos and French Cay, much more enjoyable.
Some luxury yacht charters offer passenger pickup at some of the remote high-end resorts, such as Amanyara or Parrot Cay Resort, for an additional fee. However, in most cases, yacht charters depart from one of the main marinas on Providenciales.
Yacht Types and Amenities
There’s an incredible fleet of yachts that you can choose from for Turks and Caicos charters, ranging from small open vessels to extravagant 90-foot (27 m) super yachts with deck jacuzzis. Axopar day yachts are particularly popular and are offered by several companies for charter, as these boats have a shallow draft that allows them to navigate shallow bays and flats that many larger vessels cannot. So are cruising catamarans and power catamarans, which offer a large and spacious bow and stability at sea.
The amenities onboard depend on the vessel and the company. Larger yachts usually offer the greatest selection of amenities, such as enclosed and air-conditioned cabins that are complete with full bathrooms, comfortable seating, and (on some boats) elegant bedrooms for overnight expeditions. In the case of yachts that offer onboard dining experiences, vessels are typically equipped with one or more dining areas, a full-service bar, and a dedicated kitchen (galley).
A super yacht may not be necessary if you simply want to go snorkeling, visit a few cays, or try a wake sport, but is ideal for groups that want a truly luxurious experience. Super yachts also tend to have something for the whole family onboard, whether it's jet skis, sea scooters, and e-foils for playing in the water or flat-screen TVs for watching sports.
Yacht Charter Destinations
With over 100 named islands and cays, the Turks and Caicos certainly doesn’t disappoint when it comes to island hopping. There are scores of spectacular and pristine beaches with turquoise water to discover at the country's cays, as well as hidden lagoons, birdlife and rock iguanas, and glimmering snorkeling reefs offshore.
A Turks and Caicos yacht charter is one of our top recommended vacation activities, as it offers guests the opportunity to experience the best of the archipelago at their own pace. Unlike shared cruises that tend to follow a regular route and itinerary, luxury yacht charters are custom-designed to suit the interests of your group.
Much of the water in the Turks and Caicos is incredibly shallow, which limits how close large yachts with deep drafts can get to certain sights and attractions. To compensate, many of these yachts travel with a smaller and more nimble tender boat for accessing harder-to-reach lagoons and cays.
The Caicos Cays
The sandy islands of Little Water Cay, Water Cay, Pine Cay, and Fort George Cay near Providenciales are the favorite boating destinations of many charters. It's less than a 10-minute boat ride from Providenciales to Little Water Cay, which is a sanctuary for the Turks and Caicos Islands rock iguana. The Caicos Cays are easy to explore on an Axopar day yacht or a cruising catamaran, and by tender boat for charters aboard larger yachts with deeper drafts (as their surrounding waters can be shallow).
French Cay
The nature reserve of French Cay is approximately a one-hour boat ride from Providenciales. Renowned for its incredible wall diving sites, this tiny island also attracts fascinating birdlife. Offshore, nurse sharks have been known to congregate. While there are restrictions on landing on the cay, its surrounding waters are a gorgeous place to spend the day.
West Caicos
The Caribbean and North Atlantic offers some spectacular ocean hues, but the incredible blue waters of the West Caicos Marine National Park have to be seen to be believed. Uninhabited West Caicos is the last island to the west in the Turks and Caicos, and is a top boating destination with features that everyone can enjoy. There’s Bernard Bay (a sheltered beach with perfect water), scenic coastal cliffs, great snorkeling, the historical site of Yankee Town, and an inland saline lake where flamingos flock. Due to the travel distances from Grace Bay, many scheduled cruises don’t make it out to West Caicos.
Water Sports and Activities
There's a huge array of water sports to try in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and a great way to learn or practice them at your own pace is on a yacht charter. Sports offered vary by company, but can include wakesurfing, wakeboarding, snorkeling, and jet skiing. Some charters even have e-foils and sea scooters you can use at your leisure.
Snorkeling
No two snorkeling sites in Turks and Caicos are alike. There are small sheltered reefs that support large populations of reef fish, sections of the barrier reef with incredible yellow sea fan beds, and the deep blue open ocean off the wall.
As custom cruises are more likely to travel the extra distance to the best locations, your chances of spotting dolphins and whales (when in season) are greater on a yacht charter than on a shared cruise. It’s truly an unforgettable experience to snorkel with these majestic sea mammals.
Common snorkeling sightings include sea turtles, stingrays, lobsters, pufferfish, and yellowtails. It's typical on Turks and Caicos yacht charters for a crew member to act as a snorkel guide and point out many interesting and well-camouflaged sea creatures that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Fishing
There's great bottom fishing and deep sea sport fishing to be found near Providenciales (often less than a 20-minute boat ride from the marina). Some yacht charters can be outfitted for deep sea fishing upon request.
A luxury yacht charter may be worth the extra cost for some avid anglers, as these boats typically offer top-of-the-line equipment and higher levels of service. Larger yachts often have kitchens where a private chef can prepare a gourmet lunch from your catch for an extra fee.
Freediving
Yacht charters can transport you to many of the beautiful and interesting underwater sights (both shallow and at mid-depths), where reefs, wrecks, and sea creatures await. Freediving lessons are offered on Providenciales, and can be paired with a yacht charter trip to some of the best freediving sites in the area.
Refreshments and Dining
It's standard for yacht charters to include alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and hors d'oeuvres or lunch for day trips. While most boat cruises in Turks and Caicos offer the quintessential bottomless rum punch, luxury charters tend to have a wider and better range of beverage choices, including champagne, wine, and imported beers.
At additional cost, some yachts can arrange a private chef to prepare a gourmet lunch or sunset dinner for your group. The larger tour vessels feature galleys (kitchens), so dishes can be created fresh. Most charters and chefs can accommodate specific dietary restrictions and work around allergies with a few days notice. It's important to identify any restrictions or specific requests when you book, as more niche ingredients may need to be shipped in advance.
Beach lunches and BBQs are another great option on a yacht charter. There’s no better dining setting than one of the perfect white-sand Turks and Caicos beaches.
Reservations and Booking
Turks and Caicos yacht charters can be booked directly through the charter business (which typically results in the best rates) or through your local accommodation or concierge service.
During the December to April tourism high season, the availability of yacht charters may be limited. It’s advisable to make reservations well in advance of your scheduled visit. Most yacht charters require a deposit upon booking.
A 12% Government Tourism Tax is applied to tour prices. This may or may not be included in the listed price.
Cancellations
Due to the popularity and specialty nature of yacht charters, canceling an excursion close to the scheduled departure date may incur stringent fees (as it's unlikely that the charter can earn a new booking with little notice). Some companies require 24 hours notice, while other charters may require as much as 20 days notice.
If a yacht charter is canceled due to weather, charters will typically reschedule or refund you at no charge.
Yacht Charter Companies
