# Catamaran Charter for Families — Why Two Hulls Beats One for Kids Aboard
When a family with kids under twelve asks us to plan their first yacht charter, our default recommendation is almost always a luxury catamaran charter. Not a monohull sailing yacht, not a small motor yacht — a catamaran. Here is why.
Stability at anchor
A monohull yacht rolls in any beam swell at anchor. For adults, this is character. For a 6-year-old trying to sleep, it's a problem. A catamaran charter is essentially stationary at anchor — no roll, no creak, no breakfast crockery sliding off the cockpit table.
Layout that suits a family
On a catamaran, each cabin sits in a separate hull. Parents in one hull, kids in the other. The salon — the main social space — is at deck level with 360° glass. Compared to a monohull where everyone is stacked vertically through the same companionway, a catamaran feels like a small flat with a sea view.
Shallow draft = better anchorages
A Sunreef 60 or Lagoon 65 draws 1.5m. A comparable 65ft motor yacht draws 2.5m. That extra metre matters in shallow Caribbean bays, the Maldives, Greek islands like Antiparos and the Pakleni near Hvar. A catamaran charter can anchor 50m from the beach where the monohull anchors 200m offshore and tenders in.
Swim platform real estate
The transom of a catamaran is one continuous wide swim platform. With kids aboard, this is the difference between watching them swim from a foot-wide step and letting them play on what is essentially a private floating dock.
Where a family catamaran charter shines
- BVI catamaran charter: the world's default catamaran ground — short hops, reef snorkeling, calm anchorages.
- Maldives catamaran charter: shallow lagoons that motor yachts cannot reach.
- Greek islands (Cyclades, Saronic): hopping between islands with kids who can swim ashore.
- Croatia (Dalmatian coast): Pakleni Islands, Kornati National Park.
When the catamaran is the wrong call
- Atlantic crossings or rough-weather repositioning: a heavy monohull is more comfortable.
- Pure luxury social events (Monaco Grand Prix, St Barths NYE): a motor yacht has more presence at the marina.
- Long-distance Mediterranean itineraries (St Tropez to Capri to Sicily in a week): speed matters and a motor yacht delivers.
Indicative cost for a family catamaran charter
- 50ft all-inclusive sailing catamaran (BVI, Croatia): from $30,000–$45,000/week, sleeps 8 in 4 double cabins.
- 65ft Sunreef power catamaran (Maldives, Mediterranean): from €60,000–€95,000/week, sleeps 8–10 with crew of 3–4.
For a curated short-list, see our BVI and Maldives destination pages, or talk to our concierge.