Group trips are where friendships are tested and memories are made, often in that order. Here's how to run the logistics so the trip stays in the second category.
Group Size and Boat Size
The sweet spot for a catamaran charter is 6–8 people on a 45–50ft boat. That's comfortable without feeling cramped. 4 people on the same boat is luxurious. 10 people starts to push it unless the boat is large.
The math: most catamarans have 4 cabins, each with a private head (bathroom). If your group is 8, that's 2 people per cabin, each sharing a bathroom. This works. If your group is 10, someone is sleeping in a salon berth and sharing a head with 4 people. This causes friction.
Splitting Costs
Get this agreed in writing before anyone books anything. The easiest model: one person takes on the booking and everyone transfers their share upfront. Include everything — charter fee, APA (advance provisioning allowance), flights, travel insurance.
The APA is typically 30% of the charter fee and covers fuel, provisioning, marina fees, and other running costs. At the end of the trip, you settle up — refund if you spent less, top-up if you spent more. Budget conservatively so people aren't surprised.
The Dietary Question
Figure out dietary restrictions before provisioning. One vegan, one gluten-free person, and one pescatarian in a group of 8 makes shopping significantly more complicated but not impossible. The charter company's provisioning service handles this regularly — just communicate clearly upfront.
Setting Expectations
Different people want different things from a charter. Some people want to sail aggressively and cover distance. Some people want to anchor in one beautiful spot and stay there for two days. Some people want to party at beach bars every night. Some people want early mornings and quiet anchorages.
The solution: have a pre-trip conversation about itinerary philosophy before anyone is already on the boat and feeling like their preferences aren't being respected. A little pre-trip alignment goes a long way.
The Cancellation Question
Always buy travel insurance. Not the basic kind — the kind that covers cancellations for any reason. Someone will get sick, or have a work emergency, or a relationship will implode, or something else unpredictable will happen. The charter fee is non-refundable after a certain point. Insurance is cheap relative to the charter cost. Buy it.
One Final Thing
Whoever does the most trip planning usually has the least fun, because they spend the trip fielding questions and solving problems. If you're the organizer, designate at least one other person to share the load. It makes the trip better for everyone, especially you.