7 Yacht Charters with a Workshop Worth Flying For

1.Private Yacht-Class Boat Tour on Lake Tahoe

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 133 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) Our pick

Cruise Lake Tahoe in a private yacht-class boat for up to six people. Captain Jason, Jack, or Rob guides your group past Emerald Bay, Vikingsholm, Fannette Island, Eagle Falls, D.L. Bliss State Park, and Rubicon Peak, with time for questions, photos, and possibly swimming.

“This is really the only way to experience Lake Tahoe! Although you would literally need a week to see the entire coastline of this ginormous body of water, Captain J gave us a wonderful glimpse of why Lake Tahoe has has captivated generations of travelers— we visited Emerald Bay and its storied Vikingsholme and gazed at the towering mountains ringing the lake. Jason was a wonderful, informative captain!”

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2.From Manly: Sydney Harbour Hands-On 2.5 Hour Yacht Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 30 reviews · 2h 30m · from $119

Sail from Manly with an English-speaking skipper and a maximum of four people aboard. You can help set the sails, learn to steer, and cruise past the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, beaches, and waterfront homes. Guides such as Will and Gregan make the sailing basics easy to follow.

“As we had no prior sailing experience, our guide Will walked us through the basics of how sailing works. Gradually, we were able to take part in operating the boat ourselves, which was a lot of fun. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would highly recommend it to anyone with little or no sailing experience.”

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3.From Manly: Sydney Harbour Hands-On Taster Yacht Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 13 reviews · 1h 30m · from $84Cheapest seat

From Manly, you’ll join an English-speaking captain and up to three other guests for a 90-minute yacht sail. Learn the basics, help set the sails, and take the wheel while passing beaches, mansions, and Sydney’s northern shoreline. Captains including Onur and Izzy are praised for patient instruction.

“Izzy was a terrific teacher. She made sailing lots of fun and simple. A really great introduction.”

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4.Sydney Harbour: Hands-On Sailing Experience on Luxury Yacht

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $161

Meet at Manly Ferry Terminal for a three-hour private yacht cruise with a professional skipper. Take the helm, learn basic sailing, bring a picnic, and admire the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Watsons Bay, Rose Bay, Taronga Zoo, and Luna Park from the water.

“I am not a sailboat person but my husband loved it! Water was a bit rough for me at times but the crew was amazing. Learned some things about sailing and got to enjoy some beautiful scenery.”

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5.PHUKET: Phi Phi Island by Luxury Cruise”Exc. Gold Class VIP”Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 5 reviews · from $85

Set out from Phuket on an eight-hour Phi Phi Islands cruise with Gold Class seating, onboard drinks, a buffet lunch, Maya Bay and Viking Cave views, and snorkeling near Monkey Beach. You’ll travel with an English or Thai-speaking guide and a small group of up to 12 people.

“The landscape was impressive, the crue on the golden seat very nice. The boarding process very slow. Timing not really kept but I thing that could happen if there are many passengers. Overall nice experience.”

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6.Barbados: Hands-On Sailing Adventure on a Sailing Yacht

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 4 hours

Meet your English-speaking ASA instructor at Shallow Draught Marina and sail aboard Less Stress for four hours. You can learn the basics, take the wheel, or simply enjoy the coast, with time to snorkel, swim, and spot reefs and sunken boats.

“We really enjoyed our time — everything was smooth and well-organized. The person sailing the boat for us was friendly, and very knowledgeable”

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7.Half Day Luxury Yacht Class Tour on Lake Tahoe 4.5 hours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

You’ll spend 4.5 hours on a private yacht with up to five companions, cruising from Tahoe Keys through Emerald Bay toward Rubicon Bay and D.L. Bliss State Park. Captains J and Rob have earned praise for their friendly service and local insight, and you can bring food and drinks for the ride.

“Had an excellent boat tour of Lake Tahoe and emerald bay. Rob was knowledgeable about the history of Lake Tahoe and his new SeaRay boat allowed us to travel with speed and style.”

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