Half of our family bookings come with worry: "can we bring a three-year-old?", "what if she gets seasick?", "what if he gets bored?". You can. He won't get seasick if we plan the day right. He won't get bored if we have the underwater scooter, SUP boards, and a steward who knows how to keep children busy. We've had kids of every age. From a one-year-old who slept in her pram on the deck the whole trip, to a 14-year-old boy who asked the captain for a steering lesson and then stood at the helm for half an hour. It all works, with different preparation.
"The most common fear parents have is that the child will whine and the day will be ruined. In practice, kids whine in restaurants and hotels. On a yacht — not so much. Too many new things around." — Captain Alexey
Which age fits which charter
Under 2 — we take them carefully. There's a shaded area in the cockpit and a cabin with a bed. 4 hours in calm weather, no more. Route: Our Lady of the Rocks plus a swim in Morinj. Ages 3–6: 4 or 6 hours maximum. Children this age tire from sun and novelty. Better short outings with one long swim. Ages 7–10: 6 or 8 hours. They can handle a full day. Can include Kotor with a walk on the walls — kids usually enjoy it. Ages 11+: any charter. Teens behave like adults on the water, just more active. The scooter and SUP boards are their favourite. We don't take the Blue Cave route with children under five — that's 8 hours, open sea, the run past Luštica can be rough. Not for small kids.
What's on board for kids
Child-sized life jackets — two sizes, 10–25 kg and 25–50 kg. Certified, checked. Inflatable loungers for the water — lie on the water without drifting off. Good for kids who can't swim yet. Toys — a few inflatable rings, a ball, a bucket and spade (works on pebble beaches), a pair of water guns. Children's snorkelling masks — several small sizes. Books — three or four in English, two in Russian, in a box on the deck. Picture books, for preschoolers. A clean cabin with a bed — if the child is tired and wants to sleep, we put them in the cabin. Cool, quiet.
What to bring with you
SPF 50+ sunscreen — kids burn fast. On the water, UV reflects off the surface, double effect. A wide-brimmed hat or sun hat — non-negotiable. We have a couple on board, but adult sizes. Light long-sleeved clothes — for the peak sun hours. On board it doesn't get cooler — the sun heats even under the awning. A change of clothes — after swimming kids are wet, the deck is breezy, easy to chill. Dry T-shirt and shorts are a must. A snack your child likes — we have banana, grapes, biscuits on board, but if your kid only eats specific things — bring them. Children may not touch anything from the general spread. Diapers, wet wipes — for younger kids. There's a bathroom on board, but it's standard, not baby-sized.
How we plan the day around children
If there are kids in the group — the day runs by their rhythm, not by the route map. That means: early swim at 11:00 — while the sun is still soft. Half an hour in the water, then back on deck under shade. Lunch at 12:30 — earlier than for adults. Kids are hungry and cranky by 13:00. Quiet hour 13:30–15:00 — after lunch into the cabin or on deck with a book. The water is hot in this hour, better not swim. Second swim at 15:30 — active games with scooter and SUP. The high point of fun. Return at 17:00 — kids have five active hours in them. After that — fatigue, whining, risk. For an 8-hour charter with kids I recommend leaving at 9:30, back by 17:30. Not longer.
What to do if a child gets bored
It happens. Especially during the hour of cruising between stops, when there's not much to look at — mountains and mountains. What we offer: underwater scooter — even an 8-year-old handles it in shallow water, supervised. SUP board with a paddle attachment — kid paddles themselves, parent swims alongside. Fishing from the deck — simple rod, small fish near the dock. Doesn't catch every time, but interesting. Binoculars — we give them to kids, they look at the mountains, boats, dolphins (rare, but they happen). Cabin with a TV — if completely worn out, you can put cartoons on in the cabin. The steward is trained to keep kids busy — that's his job when parents want to nap or read.
If seasickness hits
In the Bay of Kotor it usually doesn't happen — closed waters, minimal swell. Seasickness starts at the exit from the bay into open sea (the Blue Cave route, for example). If you know your child gets seasick: tell us at booking, we'll plan the route inside the bay only. Ginger sweets — we have them on board, but bring your own usual ones. Don't feed them heavy food before the trip — light breakfast, nothing greasy. If it starts — lay them down in the cabin, looking at the horizon, sometimes stopping at shore for ten minutes helps.
What's not usually written
Kids change the tone of the charter. With them you can't "have champagne quietly at sunset" — there will be shouting and running around. It's fine, but adult guests sometimes don't expect it. If you have a mixed group (your couple plus friends without kids) — warn the others, the day will be more active, less "relax". And: sometimes children just don't last. Once a year: tired, cold, asked "when do we go home" and nothing else works. In that case we return early — no penalties, no discussion. Charter time is flexible both ways.
When to write
At booking, give us the ages of the children — it matters for picking the route, size of life jackets, menu. If a child needs something specific (no gluten, no dairy, favourite toy instead of ours) — tell us too. We prepare a day in advance. In season, family slots fill up fastest — write at least a week ahead, two weeks in July and August.
