The Caribbean is an exciting place to be this winter in more ways than one. And though many of us are looking forward to our Caribbean holidays in 2024, 2023 isn’t quite over yet.
Luxe spas, tantalising flavours, sun-drenched beaches, and wonderful wildlife-spotting opportunities attract Caribbean charter guests year-round. However, it’s in winter that the Caribbean comes into its own, with fiestas, carnivals and beachside parties adding even more colour and vibrancy to the famously friendly islands.
Here are some of the best Caribbean winter events to experience the islands’ frenetic energy first-hand, and the most luxurious yachts on which to enjoy the festivities.
St Kitts and Nevis National Carnival, 15 December 23 – 1 January 2024
Known locally as ‘Sugar Mas’, this lively Carnival that leads up to New Year’s Eve is a feast for the senses.
With the event starting as early as 15 December, celebrations get into full swing in the early hours of Boxing Day with a traditional J’ouvert party, in which numerous troupes dress up for a masquerade parade, dancing to high-energy Soca music, while on New Year’s Eve there is a grand parade and non-stop party. It’s an authentic way to enjoy a slice of island life and children will love the music, pageants, and the junior parade (30 December), while looking out for characters from Kittitian and Nevisian folklore such as the Kittitian clowns.
Enjoy the show from the sun deck or beach club of PARILLION, the 48m Rossinavi designed by Enrico Gobbi, which is available across the Caribbean this Christmas and New Year and comes with a sparkling 60 square metre salon with huge windows for superb views, plus a 3.5m pool that is ideal for cooling down beneath the Caribbean sun.
For larger parties, book a Caribbean charter aboard the 83.5m Feadship SAVANNAH, the first hybrid superyacht from the Dutch yard, available in the Caribbean this winter, whose glass windows wrap around the decks, and which comes with no end of incredible amenities for your Caribbean charter, including a 9m pool, a spa and Hammam, and a DJ setup to ensure the party never stops.
Junkanoo in the Bahamas, 26 December 2023 and 1 January 2024
Famously joyful, noisy, and inclusive, this cultural Bahamian celebration features music, costumes, and lots of dancing. The biggest celebrations take place on Boxing Day and New Year’s morning, so those who have overindulged the day before will need to dig deep to carry on, but it’s more than worth it. Part street party, part grand parade, for a truly unforgettable experience, ask your captain to arrange for you to be one of the festival participants.
We have several yachts with availability in the Bahamas this winter. SILVER FOX has a vast, flexible sun deck that is a great base for celebrations, while her infinity pool means there is no need to miss any of the action.
Meanwhile, GRACE yacht’s packed toy box ramps up the fun factor, while sunset barbecues and evening dips in the Jacuzzi are what Bahamas holidays were made for.
Enjoy one of the Caribbean’s big conservation success stories, St Vincent & The Grenadines, any time
The Conservation Collective, an organisation supported by Edmiston, launched the Marine Turtle Conservation project through the St Vincent & The Grenadines Environment Fund in February 2022 to protect the vulnerable habitats of sea turtles, and one way of appreciating the importance of such a project is to go swimming with these majestic marine animals.
At the southern end of Baradel Island, safe snorkelling is assured in an area that falls under the Tobago Cays marine park, where the turtles are protected.
Designed with family cruising in mind, AHPO yacht, with its sky deck pool, serene spa, and amazing beach club is available in both the Caribbean and the Bahamas and is a great place to return to after an exhilarating wildlife encounter.
ARROW yacht, which is available in the Bahamas and the Caribbean this Christmas and New Year, has a stunning beach club that converts to a sea lounge come evening that offers easy access to the sea, plus her elevator to all decks makes her suitable for multigenerational charters, so you can bring the whole family.
SILVER ANGEL, which has availability in the Caribbean and Bahamas, comes with an oversized swim platform, making wildlife encounters a breeze, while her mosaic sundeck pool adds a touch of glamour.
Staniel Cay Yacht Club Masquerade, Bahamas, 31 December 2023
Something of a Bahamas institution, Staniel Cay’s New Year’s Eve parties are legendary.
You can start celebrations early with the four-course afternoon champagne lunch before the main party gets underway in the evening. In past years there has been a masquerade theme, so dress to impress and let your inhibitions go.
LADY VICTORY yacht’s open deck spaces offer lots of socialising options for before and after the main event, while a post-party hot-tub dip will get your new year off to a decadent start, and she’s available in the Bahamas for Christmas and New Year.
See in the new year with a spectacular Caribbean fireworks display, various locations, 31 December 2023
This New Year’s Eve, there will be lots of fireworks displays taking place throughout the Caribbean.
In Antigua, the annual Nelson’s Pursuit Race in the English Harbour is a big draw for superyacht guests and this daytime event is followed by an Old Year’s Night party with champagne, music, and fireworks.
Meanwhile in Anguilla, on the south of the island in Meads Bay, both the Four Seasons and Malliouhana hotel compete to put on the best fireworks displays at midnight, with spectators able to enjoy both.
And of course, hoping to cement its reputation as the New Year’s Eve capital of the Caribbean, the British Virgins Islands hosts two-days of Old Year festivities, which include live music, boat-hopping parties, beach barbecues, and the most fantastic fireworks shows.
CROSSBOW yacht, a gorgeous sailing sloop that is available in the Caribbean this Christmas and New Year, has a huge cockpit and lots of room on deck for sunbathing and watching the light displays between frolicking in the sea on some of the many water toys.
And then, of course, there’s LADY BRITT yacht, one of the most sought-after charter yachts on the market, which is also available in the Caribbean this Christmas and New Year. As well as a Michelin-starred chef, an overflowing toy chest and a Finnish sauna with ocean platform, her dual-aspect sun deck is the perfect setting for watching the sensational fireworks. It’s the stuff of Caribbean charter yacht dreams.
To find out more about chartering with Edmiston during the holidays, contact your broker or contact us here.