Almost every boat trip in Turks and Caicos is sold on what you will see. Very few mention how you get aboard, and for a lot of travellers that is the only question that matters.
If you are booking for a parent in their eighties, for someone recovering from a hip replacement, for a guest who is pregnant, or for anyone who looks at a boat ladder and quietly decides they will stay on deck — this page is for you. It is specific about what each of our boats actually requires of you physically.
The three separate problems
People lump these together, and they have different answers.
- Getting onto the boat at the start. A beach pickup means stepping from shallow water onto a low deck. A marina means a fixed dock and a gangway.
- Getting into and out of the sea during the trip. This is the boat ladder, and it is the one that stops people.
- Staying comfortable for four hours. Shade, a seat with a back on it, and a bathroom.
Boarding: our pontoon is the easy one
We do beach pickup in front of your hotel, resort or villa. That means walking into shin-deep calm water at the shoreline and stepping onto a low, flat, stable deck. There is no gangway, no climbing, and the crew have hands out the whole time.
A guest wrote in one of the local travel groups about bringing their ninety-year-old parents out with us and described the boat as “super easy on and off”. That is the pontoon, and it is the single most practical thing about it.
If your villa has no water access, boarding moves to TCI Ferry or Turtle Cove Marina, which is a fixed dock rather than a beach. Tell us about mobility when you book and we will pick the easier of the two for your situation.
Getting into the water: the ladder problem, solved two ways
The hydraulic swim platform on the 65ft Fairline
This is the real answer if swimming matters. The 65ft Fairline Targa GT has a hydraulic swim platform that lowers to sea level. You step onto it and walk into the water. There is no ladder, no rung to find with your foot, and no hauling yourself back up over a transom.
It is the most expensive charter we run — from $7,500 for four hours, up to sixteen guests, departing Blue Haven Marina. For a multi-generational family trip where one person would otherwise spend the day watching from a bench, it can be the difference between everyone having the same holiday and one person having a different one.
Staying in the shallows instead
The cheaper and often better answer: ask the captain for sandbar stops rather than reef stops.
At a sandbar the water is often waist-deep. You step off the back of the boat into standing depth, and you walk. No ladder is involved at either end. For a lot of older guests this is more than enough — you are standing in the middle of the ocean in clear warm water, which is the experience people came for.
Tell us this is the priority and the route is built around shallow stops. On a private charter that costs nothing extra, because the itinerary is yours.
Comfort: what four hours actually requires
| Private boat | Luxury yacht | Catamaran | 65ft Fairline | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes | Marina |
| Onboard bathroom | No | Yes | Yes | Multiple |
| Air-conditioned interior | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Full shade available | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Step-in water access | Ladder | Ladder | Ladder | Hydraulic platform |
| Steadiest in chop | — | — | Yes | Yes |
| From | $1,450 | $2,500 | $2,700 | $7,500 |
The bathroom line is the one people underestimate. Four hours is a long time without one, and “we will just come back early” is a plan that ruins a trip. If a bathroom is needed, book the yacht or the catamaran and stop worrying about it.
The steadiness line matters too. A catamaran’s two hulls roll far less at anchor than a single hull, which makes a real difference to anyone unsteady on their feet or prone to seasickness.
What to tell us when you book
We would much rather know in advance than discover it at the shoreline. Useful things to mention:
- Anyone who cannot climb a ladder, or would prefer not to
- Walking aids, and whether a stick or frame is coming aboard
- Anyone who must stay out of direct sun
- Whether a bathroom is essential
- Anyone pregnant, recently post-operative, or with a heart or back condition
- Whether swimming is the point of the trip, or whether sitting on deck in a beautiful place is enough
None of this changes the price. It changes the boat we suggest and the route we plan. Tell us the situation and we will give you a straight answer, including if the honest answer is that a boat trip is not the right idea that week.
Common questions
Can a wheelchair come aboard?
It depends on the chair, the boat and the boarding point, and we will not pretend otherwise. Contact us with the specifics before booking and we will tell you plainly what is and is not possible.
Is the sunset cruise a good option for less mobile guests?
It is often the best one. Two hours, no swimming, no ladders, and the whole point of the trip is sitting still while the light changes. $900 on the standard boat, $1,700 on the luxury yacht.
Will the crew help someone in and out?
Yes, and they do it constantly. That is part of what you are paying for on a private charter, where the crew are not splitting their attention across thirty strangers.
Is a private charter safer than a group tour for an older guest?
It is more controllable. You can turn for shore at any moment, change the stops, shorten the day, or skip swimming entirely, and nobody else is inconvenienced.
Which single charter would you recommend?
For most multi-generational groups: the half-day luxury yacht, with the route built around sandbar stops. Shade, a bathroom, a beach pickup and water you can stand up in. Ask us about your dates.
