Surviving Family Vacations
You’ve been dreaming of this vacation all year – a week-long private yacht charter with Ombre Yachts to explore the crystal blue waters and sun-drenched islands of the Caribbean. It’s the ultimate in luxury travel and an incredible way to make memories with your family. However, spending concentrated time together in close quarters on a boat, even an ultra-luxurious one, can put some strain on relationships. Sibling squabbles, parental nagging, and family drama don’t magically disappear just because you’re in paradise.
But a little preparation and the right mindset can help ensure your Ombre Yachts holiday is more “smooth sailing” than “rocky waters.” Follow these tips to not just survive but truly savor this one-of-a-kind family experience at sea.
Do Your Research
Chartering a yacht is a unique type of vacation, so make sure everyone knows what to expect. Have an honest discussion about things like living space, vessel rules and etiquette, and scheduled activities and scheduled stops at the itinerary islands, and where everyone is allowed to swim.
The more you can get on the same page ahead of time, the fewer conflicts will arise once you set sail. Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times while on board and off board of the yacht. Making sure everyone is safe, before, during, and after the cruise is top priority for Ombre and its visitors.
Establish Ground Rules
Ombre just as well as you, have its family rules after you board and everyone has remained seated before we set sail, we will give you an introduction to our vessel, as well as the staff. And we will then implement our rules for children, adults, and those having drinks on board.
To keep the peace on the high seas, lay out some ground rules and consequences. Things like quiet hours, tech-free times meaning switching the phones or ipads for a book, and respecting each other’s space can go a long way, while sailing the beautiful sea. Make sure you actually enforce the rules for the kids, in order to keep them safe while on board. This will help head off issues before they spiral out of control.
Overcommunicate Logistics
Between island hopping, offshore excursions at the local islands on top of onshore excursions, water activities, and any other adventures you pack in, the logistics of your yacht vacation are complex. And you must make sure you are communicating to your family what next activity or adventure will be, so they can be ready to explore.
Discuss all transfers, transportation, and timing details as a group before departure. During the trip, hold brief family meetings every evening to review the next day’s plans so everyone is looped in.So that kids can understand what the value of their trip will be when they arrived at the yacht(if you are bringing kids) Frequent communication avoids confusion or hurt feelings.
Plan Group & Solo Time
It’s a family trip, but that doesn’t mean you have to do everything together 24/7. Too much togetherness can breed resentment and conflict. Build in group activities where you’ll make shared memories, but also pencil in alone time where family members can recharge.
Book a few individual spa appointments when we make a stop at Koh Hey Island, and plan to separate adult/kid activities, or rotate watching little ones so others can enjoy couple time. Do not over power one person with the tasks of handling the kids all by themselves, let everyone enjoy time on the yacht and on the islands.
Share Childcare Duties
If you have young kids, make sure to divvy up the parenting responsibilities, so one person does not get overwhelmed or resentful. Trade-off shifts, and make sure everyone gets some kid-free pockets of time to sit back and appreciate the million-dollar views.
Embrace the Unplugged Mindset
An Ombre Yachts vacation is the perfect excuse to disconnect from work commitments and limit personal tech use. Lectures about putting devices down will only create a power struggle. Instead of always being on the phone deep diving into social media, how about we enjoy the sun and waves in a kayak or just simply taking a swim in the beach crystal clear waters, or reading on book on the sundeck of the yacht.
lead by example, build JOMO (joy of missing out) by engaging fully in the present moment. If family members see you soaking up the seas and scenery, and taking beautiful photos with other family members, instead of burying your nose in a screen, they’re more likely to embrace the unplugged mentality too. Let’s show each other how to enjoy vacation and realx.
Stay Flexible
Even aboard a luxury liner staffed with professionals handling every detail, travel delays, bad weather, or unexpected situations can disrupt carefully laid plans. When (not if) something goes awry, handle it with your best go-with-the-flow attitude.
Fortunately, with an Ombre Yachts crew at your service, any change in itinerary will be met with a rebooking of epic proportions to make new plans awesome.
If you lose your cool at the first hiccup and get upset when things don’t unfold perfectly, you’re just going to sour the overall vibe and miss out on precious family time. Relax, stay flexible, and let the Ombre Yachts team work their five-star magic to make any needed pivots seamlessly.
A yacht charter isn’t like any other vacation. But a little proactive planning plus dialing in the right mental approach can transform potential stress into smooth sailing with Ombre Yachts. Block out the noise and opt for present-moment, get away from the busy city of Patong, Phuket and have fun, and make awareness over a mile-long itinerary. With the fresh ocean breeze gently rocking you, and nothing but quality time with loved ones awaiting, this is sure to be the family adventure of a lifetime.
