Bahamas Yacht Charter from Tampa Bay
Your own private yacht to the Bahamas. You skip the airport and the resort crowds, and the itinerary is yours. Turquoise water, white sand, open horizon.
Your Private Yacht to Paradise
Imagine waking up on your own yacht, anchored in water so clear you can see the sandy bottom twenty feet below. No alarm clock and no shuttle bus to the resort, just the sound of waves against the hull and the Bahamian sun warming your face. That is what a yacht charter to the Bahamas feels like.
Most people fly to Nassau, check into a crowded resort, and spend a week competing for pool chairs. A yacht charter takes you to the places those tourists never see: hidden coves in Bimini where you are the only boat anchored, sandbars in the Abacos where you can wade for a mile in knee-deep turquoise water, and beach bars you can only reach by boat, where the conch salad was swimming an hour ago.
Our 52ft Marquis Flybridge is built for this kind of trip. It has a 600-mile range, twin Caterpillar engines, two private cabins, a full galley, and a complete set of navigation instruments, so it can cross open water in comfort and safety. Your USCG-licensed captain has extensive offshore experience and runs the boat for every mile of it, Tampa Bay to the Bahamas.
600-Mile Range
With 430 gallons of fuel and twin Caterpillar engines, our yacht has the range to reach the Bahamas and back with fuel to spare. We only stop if you want to.
Offshore-Ready
GPS, radar, depth finder, VHF radio, and full safety equipment. Twin engines give you redundancy on open water. Your captain watches the forecast and picks the crossing window.
2 Private Cabins
Sleep aboard in comfort with two private staterooms, full bedding, and climate control. The full galley and bathroom mean you have everything you need for multi-day travel.
Captain Included
Your USCG-licensed captain handles navigation, docking, customs clearance, and route planning. You just enjoy the ride.
The Route to the Bahamas
The most popular route from Tampa Bay to the Bahamas follows the Florida coastline south to Key West, then crosses the Gulf Stream to Bimini, the closest Bahamian island to the U.S. mainland at just 50 miles from the Florida coast. The run down the Keys is a trip in itself, with the option to stop in Naples, Marathon, or Key West along the way.
A typical trip takes two to three days each way, depending on your pace and how many stops you want to make. Some guests prefer to cruise straight through with overnight stops at marinas along the Keys. Others turn the journey into the vacation itself, spending a night in Key West before making the crossing to Bimini. From Bimini, you can island-hop through the Bahamas at your own pace: the Abacos, Eleuthera, Nassau, and the Exumas are all within reach.
If you want a shorter crossing, a direct route from Key West to Bimini takes about four to five hours in good conditions. Your captain watches the weather and Gulf Stream conditions to pick the safest, most comfortable window. Every route is planned with margins built in, including fuel reserves and contingency stops.
What Makes Our Yacht Ocean-Ready
The 52ft Marquis Flybridge is purpose-built for extended cruising and open-water passages.
Twin Caterpillar Engines
Twin diesels give you the thrust for open-water passages and the redundancy offshore cruising demands. With 430 gallons of fuel capacity, the 600-mile range means you can reach the Bahamas and get back without worrying about it.
Live-Aboard Comfort
Two private cabins with full bedding, a complete galley with refrigerator and microwave, a full bathroom with shower, and climate control throughout. This yacht is your floating home for the duration of your trip.
Full Navigation Suite
GPS chartplotter, radar, depth sounder, VHF radio, and satellite weather. Your captain uses every tool available to plan the safest, most comfortable route across the Gulf Stream and through Bahamian waters.
What to Expect in the Bahamas
Bimini is the gateway: a laid-back island with excellent bone fishing, snorkeling at the Bimini Road (an underwater rock formation some believe is part of the lost city of Atlantis), and beachside restaurants serving fresh conch and cold Kalik beer. Spend a day or two here before pushing further into the chain.
From Bimini, many guests head to the Abacos, a run of sheltered cays and colorful colonial towns with some of the clearest water you will ever swim in. Anchor in a protected harbor, dinghy to shore for lunch at a waterfront cafe, then snorkel a coral reef full of tropical fish. The Berry Islands are quieter still, with private beaches where your footprints are the only ones in the sand.
Every day looks different on a Bahamas yacht charter. One morning you might wake up to dolphins playing off your bow, and the next you are snorkeling over a reef so vivid it looks artificial. Afternoons go to deserted beaches or tiny settlements where the locals wave from their porches. Evenings bring the sunset, fresh-caught fish on the grill, and the kind of silence you cannot find on land.
Planning Your Bahamas Adventure
The best time to charter to the Bahamas is April through July, when the Gulf Stream is calmest and the weather is most predictable. Spring gives you warm temperatures, low humidity, and gentle seas. Summer brings the warmest water for swimming and snorkeling, though your captain will watch tropical weather closely.
Weather Windows
Your captain checks marine forecasts daily and picks a crossing window with calm seas and favorable winds. Safety comes first, so we build flexible schedules around the weather.
Customs & Immigration
Clearing into the Bahamas is straightforward. Your captain handles all paperwork and procedures. You will need a valid passport and we will guide you through the customs process upon arrival in Bimini.
What to Pack
Light clothing, swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen, snorkel gear if you have it (we carry extras), a valid passport, and any medications. The galley stores provisions for the trip. We will help you create a packing and provisions list.
Provisions Planning
We help you plan meals and supplies for the entire trip. Stock up before departure at St. Pete markets, or we can recommend provisioning services. The full galley means you can prepare meals aboard or eat ashore at island restaurants.
Investment in Adventure
Multi-day Bahamas charters are fully customized. Here is a starting framework.
Perfect introduction to overnight cruising
Fully tailored itinerary
Multiple islands & destinations
What Our Guests Say
"Absolutely world-class experience. The yacht is incredible: spacious, well-maintained, and perfect for an extended trip. The captain's knowledge of the waters and his professionalism made us feel completely safe and at ease the entire time. We are already planning our next voyage!"
"We booked Yacht Away Now for New Year's Eve and it was the best decision we made all year. The crew was exceptional, the yacht is stunning, and the experience was far beyond what we expected. If you are considering a yacht charter for any occasion, do not hesitate. Book it!"
"Top-notch from start to finish. The captain was incredibly knowledgeable and made the entire experience smooth and enjoyable. The yacht is beautiful and perfectly maintained. We felt safe, pampered, and totally relaxed. Cannot recommend Yacht Away Now highly enough!"
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