Why a hen party works better on a private yacht
A bachelorette party on a shared boat means queuing for a deck chair with strangers. On a private charter the whole yacht belongs to your group for the hours you book — the lounge deck, the sunbeds, the saloon, the sound system. You decide the playlist, the dress code and whether the afternoon is about swimming or about photographs. Nobody else walks through the frame.
You board in the Dubai Marina / Dubai Harbour area and the route runs past the Marina towers, Bluewaters Island with Ain Dubai, the JBR beachfront and, on longer charters, the Palm and the Burj Al Arab. Boat Party Dubai plans and manages the event end to end, working with licensed yacht operators in that area, so there is one team to talk to rather than a broker chain. We are a brand of Prestige Voyage Tourism L.L.C, licensed by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism under licence 1573075.
Group size and which yacht fits
Every one of the 13 yachts in the list takes at least twelve guests, so a group of ten to twenty has the whole list open to it. The fleet runs from 40 to 110 feet and the largest takes up to 75, so a larger combined group — the bride's friends plus family — still has somewhere to go. Enter the headcount first: the planner filters out the yachts your group has outgrown and shows the rest cheapest first, with the closest fit marked.
What changes with size is not only capacity but deck layout. A catamaran gives you a wide, flat lounge deck and shade; a flybridge yacht gives you an upper deck with a view over the Marina. Both appear in the list with their own photographs, so you can pick on layout rather than length.
What it costs
Pricing is per hour, per yacht — never per head. The lowest rate is AED 700 per hour, so the shortest charter, two hours, starts at AED 1,400 (≈ €335). There is no VAT, because the company is not VAT-registered. The yacht price does not move with headcount, so adding a guest does not change the charter rate.
Everything you add is itemised before you send the request, and the total stays an estimate until we have checked the date with the operator and confirmed it in writing. No payment is taken on this website.
Decoration, catering, photos
A Standard Balloon Setup is AED 350 on a yacht up to 52 feet and AED 550 above; the VIP Balloon Setup is AED 700 and AED 1,100. Light-up letters are AED 280. On catering, the Hotdogs & Burgers Menu is AED 135 per guest, the Regular BBQ Menu AED 210 and the Veggie Menu AED 170; fixed-price platters are charcuterie AED 550, fruit AED 220 and sushi AED 600. Everything edible is pre-order only, and the cooked menus depend on the yacht's setup, which we confirm with the operator before promising anything.
If the day should be documented properly rather than on eleven phones, a photographer is AED 800 per hour and a videographer AED 1,050 per hour, both booked by the hour against your charter length.
Water toys and the daylight rule
A jet ski at JBR is AED 450 for 30 minutes or AED 650 for an hour. A Seabob is AED 1,250 an hour, a banana boat for up to four people AED 750 for 30 minutes or AED 1,250 an hour, and the yacht slide AED 850 for the whole charter. Two rules apply and neither is negotiable: every water activity is daylight only, so none of it is offered on a charter starting at 18:00 or later, and the slide needs a charter of at least 4 hours. Water sports also depend on sea conditions on the day and are never guaranteed.
Timing: the sunset slot
Charters start between 09:00 and 20:00 and are alongside again by 23:00. The minimum is 2 hours, rising to 3 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday — so plan for three if the date falls on a weekend. A late-afternoon departure puts the group on open water for golden hour and brings you back past a lit skyline. If you also want swimming and water toys, start earlier: the daylight cutoff is real.
Booking, deposit and cancellation
A request is not a booking. We check availability, confirm in writing, and only then is the date held. A 50% deposit secures it; the balance is due 48 hours before departure. A card payment link carries a 5% fee, a bank transfer none from us.
Free cancellation or date change up to 96 hours (4 days) before departure, refunded in full within 7 business days. From 96 to 48 hours, 50% of the charter is charged and anything already ordered — food, beverages, personalised items — is not refundable. Inside 48 hours or a no-show, no refund. If no sailing permit is issued, and that decision comes by 09:00 on the day, you choose a full refund or a free reschedule.
Hen party questions
- Can the bride's group bring decorations?
- Tell us in the request what you plan to bring. The operator confirms what is allowed on that yacht, and the captain has the final word on the day.
- Is the yacht only for us?
- Yes. You book the whole yacht; only the crew is on board besides your guests.
- Can we swim?
- On most routes, yes, weather and the captain permitting. Three-hour and longer charters include a swim stop; two-hour charters usually do not have the time.
- What should everyone bring?
- Every guest needs a valid Emirates ID or an original passport — copies are not accepted. Swimwear and a towel if you plan to swim; no shoes on board. Sun cover matters more on an open deck than it does on a beach, because the water reflects.
- Can we book for twenty-five people?
- Yes — ten of the yachts take twenty or more, and the largest takes 75. Enter the real number and the list adjusts.
- How far ahead?
- The earliest selectable date is two days out, but Friday-to-Sunday sunset slots go first. One to two weeks of notice gives you a choice of yacht rather than what is left.