CHILDREN ARE THE BEST YACHT OWNERS
Having a Princess yacht is a perfect way to pass on to the next generation.
Sailing with your kids may be the best thing in the world. Your kids will enjoy being out at the sea, helping you with the boat, playing, swimming and sunbathing. Our owners’ kids do!
Establish simple safety related rules and stick to them! Make sure at least one of the adults keeps an eye on children; set up a schedule. This is easier if at least two families are on a vacation together. Yes, they might get bored occasionally, and safety is always a concern, but stick to this advice and both you and your kids will have the holiday of a lifetime.
What about entertainment? Make sure your kids have all their favorite toys, books and gadgets so they can play when they get bored of sunbathing and swimming. Or, you might want to make their holiday “gadget-free”. What’s the point of sailing if they’re going to play video games all the time? Focus on “unplugged” toys and sailing-related items. If you have a dinghy at your disposal, let the kids use it if they like (if they’re old enough). Usually they’ll love it and it’s a good way for them to teach the basics of sailing. Again, remember - safety goes first!
For inspiration, choose coloring books with nautical imagery, even when you're home: ships, pirates, mermaids, buried treasure. Crayons can melt if you leave them on the boat. Keep them in a disposable container.
Make a pirate's treasure map, then go ashore the night before leaving behind clues your children can follow. Bury some sort of treasure at the end. Stick the map into a glass bottle that "just so happens" to wash up against the boat or the shore.
Swim, swim, and swim! Anchor out and swim off the stern, or go ashore. Keep children in their life jackets if they can't swim, but as they progress, let them take them off under your watchful supervision. The goal isn't just to have fun: it's to get them to the point where they can swim without assistance.
Especially for boaters in saltwater, be on the lookout for dolphin, whales, orcas, seals, and the other marine life visible from the surface. Extra points if you can identify them and share some facts with your kids.
Invest in bird and nature guides, and a good pair of binoculars. Collect seashells, and if the children find a conch shell, make it into a horn.
Fishing kids should be able to bait and tie their own hooks and remove their own fish. Show them how to properly return fish to the water without harm. With a little work and effort, there's no reason they can't catch something edible.
Standup paddleboards are lots of fun for kids and adults. As with the kayak, make sure kids can get back on the board before letting them venture too far off. Body surfing, tubing, kneeboarding, and boogie-boarding are always favorites.
Older boating kids should be excellent swimmers before being allowed into the water without wearing life jackets.
In the same time, Princess Yachts is the first luxury yacht manufacturer to officially collaborate with the Marine Conservation Society, helping the charity to support and sustain marine environments for future generations. A limited edition Princess illustrated children’s storybook, which aims to highlight the importance of marine conservation, is available to purchase with proceeds from its sale going directly to the charity. Illustrated by renowned artist Jaume Vilardell, the story teaches compassion and social awareness via an exciting tale of a little girl aboard a superyacht who encounters wonderful sea creatures and saves the day during a volcanic eruption.
Enjoy the world with the same excitement as a child with Princess Yachts.