A private charter on a large open-concept boat, four hours for US$795 or seven hours for US$1,295. That is the whole boat and your party has it to itself, so the price does not move with the number of people aboard. It suits a group that wants the day on its own terms, and it is poor value for one person on their own.
What it costs
| Price | What is in it | |
|---|---|---|
| Half day, 4 hours | US$795 | The whole boat, captain and crew, rods, reels, tackle, bait, fuel |
| Full day, 7 hours | US$1,295 | The same boat and crew for the longer run offshore |
| Extra people | no change | The price is for the boat, so adding people to your party costs nothing |
Food and drink are not included. Nothing at all is laid on aboard, so bring what your party will want for the hours you are out.
We take no payment at booking. The invoice link comes after the boat is confirmed, and card payments on this island commonly carry a 4.5 percent fee that we do not add.
What is the fishing actually like?
Open water, off the Atlantic side for the most part, on a boat with deck space to move around on.
These are large open-concept boats, so there is room for several people to fish at once without working around each other. The crew rigs, baits and gaffs. You fish. That is the division of labour on a charter here and nobody expects you to know how to set a drag.
Four hours puts you on the near grounds. Seven hours gets you out properly, which is the difference between fishing where everyone fishes and fishing where the boat wants to go. If you have a group of four or more and you are serious about catching something, take the seven.
Whether you keep what you catch is set by the boat, and no operator on this island publishes a policy on it. We get it in writing from the captain and send it to you when we confirm the booking.
How long does it take, and will it fit a cruise day?
Four hours fits a ship day comfortably. Seven does not, on most calls.
Ships in Basseterre are usually alongside from about 8am to 5pm or 6pm. A four hour charter leaving in the morning puts you back with hours to spare. A seven hour charter eats the whole window with nothing left for a delay, a tide or a slow run home, so we only sell it to a ship passenger when the call is a long one and we have seen the times. We do not have a published departure time for either trip. We confirm it in writing when we confirm the booking.
What should you bring?
Something for seasickness, taken before you board. Four hours off the Atlantic side is rough water and a tablet swallowed after the first wave is no use to anybody. This is the single commonest mistake on this trip.
Food and drink for your party. Nothing is laid on and there is nowhere to buy anything once you leave.
A hat that stays on, and sun cover you can reapply. There is no shade worth the name on an open boat and the glare comes off the water as well as down from the sky.
Closed shoes or bare feet. Deck shoes if you have them, and sandals that flap are the ones that go over the side.
Small notes in cash for the crew. Tipping the mate is normal here, at your discretion, and US dollars are accepted everywhere on the island.
Who should not book this one
Anyone prone to seasickness who will not take anything for it. The Atlantic side is not a flat-water trip and four hours is a long time to be unhappy.
Anyone who needs to stay in one place. You will be moving on a moving deck.
Small children, on the seven hour run. Nobody publishes a minimum age for these boats, so we do not quote one. We confirm the captain’s age rule when we confirm the booking.
Anyone with a back or neck problem. The boat slams in a head sea and nothing about that is gentle.
What happens if the weather turns, or your ship is late?
Sea state is the one that stops this trip, and the captain decides, not you and not us. If the charter is called off, you pay nothing and anything already paid comes back in full. There is no fee and no credit note.
Rain alone does not cancel it.
If your ship arrives late, we rebook the charter to another slot if there is one or refund you in full if there is not. A private boat can usually flex an hour where a shared trip cannot, so tell us the minute you have a revised arrival time.
Book it
Tell us your date, how many are fishing, whether you want four hours or seven, who in the party has fished before, and your ship name if you are on one. We confirm the boat and the departure time, get the captain’s answer on keeping your catch, and come back to you within one working day. The payment link follows that, and nothing is charged until the charter is confirmed.
Questions people ask
The cruise line sells fishing cheaper. Is that the same trip?
No, and this is the number the comparison turns on. A cruise line sells a four hour deep sea fishing trip at US$279.99 an adult, which is a seat on a shared boat with other guests. Our US$795 is the whole boat for four hours, however many of you there are. For a group of four that is US$198.75 a head against US$1,119.96 through the ship, and your party chooses where the boat goes and when it comes back. For one or two people the ship’s price wins and we will say so.
Do we keep the fish?
The catch policy is set by the boat, and we confirm it in writing when we confirm your booking. No operator here publishes it, and we are not going to guess at an answer you would plan a dinner around.
How many people can come?
The price is for the boat, so bring your party. We confirm the boat’s capacity with the captain when we confirm your date, because it varies with which boat is free.
Can we fish for a shorter time?
Four hours is the shortest trip on this page. Anything shorter is priced by the hour and is not published, so ask on the form and we will come back with a figure in writing.
Is there a toilet aboard?
Not published, and it matters on a seven hour trip, so we ask the captain and tell you before you pay.
What about tackle, do we bring our own?
Rods, reels and bait are aboard and in the price. Bring your own gear if you prefer it, and tell us so the crew knows what to expect.
Written by Khareem Cabey. Prices and fees last checked 30 October 2026.