Why families book the whole boat
On a shared tour boat you spend the trip keeping children within arm's reach of a stranger's camera and out of somebody else's row of seats. On a private charter the deck is yours. Children can move, sit on the bow, ask the crew what everything does, and nobody is inconvenienced. That single difference is usually what the charter is being bought for.
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, with more hours, the Palm and the Burj Al Arab. It is the version of Dubai children recognise from postcards, seen from the one angle that does not involve a queue.
Boat Party Dubai plans and manages the trip end to end and works with licensed yacht operators in that area. We are a brand of Prestige Voyage Tourism L.L.C, a tour operator licensed by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism under licence 1573075.
Children on board: what is in place
Life jackets are provided on board, and children under 12 must wear one. No shoes on board, which on a hot deck is worth preparing a small child for in advance.
You can bring up to 20 children on a booking, within the total capacity of the yacht you choose. Say the ages in the request: the planning team passes them to the crew, and a yacht with a large shaded saloon is a different proposition from an open flybridge when a toddler is involved.
Group size and choosing a yacht
There are 13 yachts, 40 to 110 feet, and the largest takes up to 75 guests. A family of eight has all 13 to choose from. What matters more than length is shade and a flat place to sit: a catamaran gives a wide, stable lounge deck, while a flybridge yacht gives a high view that older children tend to prefer. Both show their own photographs in the list, so you can judge the layout before choosing.
Enter adults and children separately in the planner. It will only offer yachts that take the whole group and marks the one that fits with the least spare room.
What it costs
Charters are priced per hour, per yacht — not per person, and children are not charged separately. The lowest rate in the fleet is AED 700 per hour, so the shortest charter, two hours, starts at AED 1,400 (≈ €335). No VAT is added; the company is not VAT-registered.
Everything you add shows as its own line before you send the request, and the total stays an estimate until we have checked the date and confirmed it in writing. No payment is taken on this website.
When to go out with kids
Charters start between 09:00 and 20:00 and are back by 23:00, with a minimum of 2 hours and 3 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. With young children there is a case for a morning departure around 09:00 or 10:00: the light is softer, the deck has not had six hours of sun on it, and you are home before an afternoon nap becomes an issue.
If you want the sunset instead, a start around 17:00 works, but remember that water activities stop at the daylight cutoff — nothing in the water is offered on a charter starting at 18:00 or later.
Three hours is the length that fits a swim stop and a slow run back without the day turning into an expedition.
Food, swimming and water toys
Food is pre-order only. The Hotdogs & Burgers Menu is AED 135 per guest, the Regular BBQ Menu AED 210 and the Veggie Menu AED 170. Fixed-price platters: fruit AED 220, charcuterie AED 550, sushi AED 600. A one-kilogram celebration cake is AED 280 if the trip is also a birthday.
Swim stops are part of three-hour and longer routes, weather and the captain permitting. The yacht slide is AED 850 for the whole charter but needs a charter of at least 4 hours. A banana boat for up to four people is AED 750 for 30 minutes or AED 1,250 for an hour. All water activities are daylight-only, depend on sea conditions, and are never guaranteed. Jet skis are booked separately at JBR — tell us in the request who would ride, and the operator confirms the conditions that apply on the day.
What to bring
Every guest needs a valid Emirates ID or an original passport — copies are not accepted. Swimwear and towels if you intend to swim. Sun cover — hats, shirts, high-factor cream — matters more on an open deck than on a beach, because the water reflects. Any medication or formula you would normally carry for a half-day out; there is no shop on board. Water, soft drinks, tea & coffee and ice are included, along with crew and fuel.
Nothing can be left on board at the end of the charter, so pack as you would for a car.
Booking, deposit and cancellation
A request is not a booking: we check the date with the operator and confirm in writing, and only then is it held. A 50% deposit secures the date, the balance is due 48 hours before departure. A card payment link carries a 5% processing fee; a bank transfer costs nothing from our side.
Free cancellation or date change up to 96 hours (4 days) before departure, with a full refund within 7 business days — useful when you are travelling with children and plans move. Between 96 and 48 hours, 50% of the charter is charged and food already ordered is not refundable. Inside 48 hours or a no-show, no refund. If the coast guard issues no sailing permit — decided by 09:00 on the day — you choose a full refund or a free reschedule.
Family trip questions
- What applies to children on board?
- Life jackets are provided on board and children under 12 must wear one. Tell us the ages in the request so the crew can prepare.
- Can toddlers and babies come?
- Yes. Mention it in the request — a yacht with a shaded saloon and somewhere to lie a baby down is not the same choice as an open deck boat.
- Is there a toilet on board?
- Yes, every yacht in the list has at least one.
- Can we swim?
- On three-hour and longer charters, usually yes, if the captain judges conditions safe. Two hours rarely leaves time.
- Is the boat private?
- Yes. You book the whole yacht; besides your family, only the crew is aboard.
- What if a child gets seasick?
- Tell us in the request. The captain keeps to sheltered water where possible, and a morning departure is the usual suggestion.