Holiday Yacht Charter Bookings in the BVI Have Almost Doubled in 2026, but Christmas Is Still Open, Says My BVI Charter
Sep 18, 2026
United States, September 18, 2026 -- Holiday yacht charter bookings in the British Virgin Islands have almost doubled since last season. New Year is virtually gone. Christmas is not quite, and My BVI Charter says the quieter week is the smarter family choice, with good yachts still left for families who decide now.
Demand for the holiday weeks on the water keeps growing, reports My BVI Charter, operated by DMA Yachting. Their inquiries and bookings for the festive weeks in the British Virgin Islands have almost doubled since last season. Both weeks are hugely popular, but New Year is the bestseller even though it is the pricier of the two, and those charters are now virtually gone. For families, the brokerage recommends Christmas over New Year anyway, and there are still yachts left.
The two holiday weeks are not the same charter. New Year yacht charters in the BVI book first every year, they are generally the pricier of the two, and they fill the anchorages and beach bars to their busiest of the whole winter. At this point in the season, the pickings there are few. Christmas still has yachts left, but it is selling fast too: some at a festive rate and some holding their standard winter rate straight through the holiday, and knowing which is which is exactly what a broker is for. And because Christmas charters wrap up by December 26 or 27, the week is complete in itself, finished before the New Year crowds even arrive.
What makes a family Christmas on a yacht special is that nothing of Christmas is lost, only the work. The traditions come along: the private chef cooks the family's favorite Christmas dishes and desserts, chosen on the preference sheet before anyone boards, the crew dresses the yacht in decorations and lights, and Santa still finds the boat in the morning, however a family's traditions run. What disappears is the preparation. No one spends Christmas shopping, cooking, and hosting, because the crew quietly does all of it, and the parents get the one thing the holiday ashore rarely allows: the whole day together with their kids. The day itself happens in a warm bay, swimming, out on the toys, games and Christmas music on deck, presents on the sundeck in the morning sun.
The rest of the week writes itself: the Baths on Virgin Gorda before the day boats arrive, a beach barbecue on a bay with nobody else in it, and early nights at anchor under the stars.
Getting there has also never been easier. American Airlines is operating up to six daily nonstop flights from Miami to Tortola this winter, the largest schedule the islands have ever had, and arrival guidance is kept current by the BVI Tourist Board.
"New Year gets the headlines, and it is gone first every single year," says Chris de Kock, Yacht Charter Broker at DMA Yachting. "Christmas is the week I point families to. Same yachts, same weather, a better week for families. There are still good options left for this Christmas, but you have to be quick now. The families who try Christmas afloat once tend to ask about the next one before they even fly home."
The catch is that not every family knows in time. Many only realize they want the holiday afloat when the season is close, and by then the best yachts are gone. The brokerage's guide to last-minute BVI holiday charters tracks what is genuinely still open through the season, and its advice is plain: for a Christmas charter this year, the time to secure the yacht is now, while there is still a choice to make.
About My BVI Charter
My BVI Charter is a DMA Yachting-operated luxury yacht charter brand focused on crewed catamaran, motor yacht, and superyacht charters throughout the British Virgin Islands. The team inspects and reviews yachts first-hand and publishes destination guidance and planning resources for high-end charter clients.
Contact Info:
Name: Mo Pristas
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Organization: MyBVICharter operated by DMA Yachting
Website: https://mybvicharter.com
Release ID: 89203351
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