Private Snorkeling or Fishing Charter in Nassau – 38ft Free Time

The best Nassau days happen offshore. This private charter puts your party on a 38-foot cabin cruiser with a local captain, fishing gear, snorkel equipment, bottled water, and room to shape the day around your interests. You can fish inshore or offshore, visit coral reefs, look for turtles, swim, sunbathe, or stop at islands such as Gilligan’s Island and Rose Island.

I like the freedom to change plans once you see the water and weather. I also like that beginners are welcome, since the crew supplies the bait, tackle, and guidance. The main consideration is price: at $1,045 per group, this makes the most sense when shared by a larger party. Also, the supplied details give both four-hour and eight-hour options, and list different group capacities, so confirm the exact boat time and maximum number before paying.

The charter has a 4.9 out of 5 rating from 40 published ratings, with 98 percent recommending it. The strongest praise goes to the crews, especially Captain Dee, Captain D, Tyson, Juante, Collin, Kyris, and others who help families mix fishing with snorkeling and beach time without making the outing feel rushed.

Key points to know before booking

• A real private outing: Only your party takes part, so you are not tied to a stranger’s fishing plans or beach preferences.
• One boat, several possible days: You can combine fishing, snorkeling, swimming, sightseeing, turtle watching, and island time.
• The 38-foot boat matters: A cabin cruiser offers more room and comfort than a small open skiff, especially for families or mixed-age groups.
• The crew does more than steer: Captains and mates rig rods, bait hooks, net fish, offer suggestions, and help nervous children in the water.
• Rose Island comes with extra costs: Lunch, drinks, and the landing fee at Footprints Beach Bar and Grill are not included.
• Weather affects the plan: Poor conditions can lead to a new date or a full refund, while fishing success can never be guaranteed.

Choosing between four hours and eight

The central choice is time. A four-hour charter can pack in several activities, but you will need to make decisions. A longer eight-hour outing gives you more breathing room for fishing, snorkeling, island stops, and lunch.

Four hours works well if you are staying in Nassau briefly, visiting from a cruise ship, or simply want one active part of the day. Several combinations are possible. You might fish first, then snorkel. You might spend the morning near a reef and use the remaining time for a beach stop. You might focus on one fishing style rather than racing between several locations.

The shorter trip can still be busy. One family managed fishing, snorkeling, turtle sightings, and other stops in four hours. That sounds appealing, but it also shows why you should tell the captain your priorities at the start. Trying to do everything can turn a relaxed boat day into a schedule.

The eight-hour charter is the better choice if you want a full day on the water. You can spend longer fishing, wait for better conditions, and take a proper beach break. A full day also gives you more time to reach a preferred island or reef without cutting another activity short.

There is one point to clear up before booking. The supplied information describes the charter as accommodating up to eight people, while one price description says up to one person and one customer account refers to a party of nine. Ask Born Free Charters to confirm the current capacity and group pricing for your date. That small check can prevent a large surprise.

Meeting the boat at Hurricane Hole

The meeting point is Carnivale Bahamas, at Sterling Marina in Hurricane Hole on Paradise Island. The listed address is 1 Marina Way, Paradise Island, Bahamas. The charter returns to this same point at the end.

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, so you must arrange your own way to the marina. That is easy enough if you are already on Paradise Island, but it matters if you are staying elsewhere in Nassau or arriving by cruise ship.

Cruise ship passengers must provide the ship name, docking time, disembarkation time, and re-boarding time when booking. Give yourself enough margin to return to the ship. A private boat trip is not the place to cut timing close, especially when weather or sea conditions can affect the route.

Confirmation is provided at booking, and the ticket is mobile. Keep the booking details available on your phone, but also note the meeting address before leaving your hotel or ship.

What the 38-foot Free Time feels like

The boat is a 38-foot cabin cruiser rather than a basic fishing skiff. That gives your party a more comfortable base between activities, with space to move around and a cabin for a break from the sun.

Bottled water and an ice cooler are included. Snorkel equipment and fishing equipment are also supplied, so you do not need to bring rods, reels, bait, tackle, masks, or fins. Food and drinks beyond the supplied water are not included, so plan ahead if you choose a longer charter.

The boat’s size is especially useful for mixed groups. One person can fish while another relaxes aboard. A child can take a break after swimming. Someone who does not want to snorkel can stay on the boat while the rest of the party enters the water.

The crew can also shape the pace. Several accounts describe captains letting the group choose music and giving honest advice about which spots were worth visiting and which could be skipped. That is a good sign for anyone who dislikes a rigid, pre-set tour.

Fishing with Captain Dee, D, Tyson, and the crew

Fishing is the main reason many people book this charter, and the range is broad. You can choose inshore fishing or deep-sea fishing, depending on conditions, interests, and the time available.

The crew supplies the equipment and bait. For a first fishing charter, that removes much of the usual worry. You do not need to know how to rig a line or select tackle. The crew can set up the rods, bait the hooks, coach you through the process, and help bring fish aboard.

Families describe catching different kinds of fish, including barracuda, dorado, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, and smaller inshore species. One birthday outing produced two large barracuda. Another family landed a wahoo with help from Tyson. Separate deep-sea trips reported yellowfin tuna weighing between 30 and 50 pounds and a marlin that took about an hour to bring in.

Those catches are exciting, but they are not promises. Fish activity depends on weather, water conditions, location, and luck. One first-time angler noted that the weather was poor, yet the crew kept working and still found fish. That is the right way to view a charter: you are paying for access, equipment, local effort, and time on the water, not a guaranteed trophy.

The crew’s role is a major part of the value. Captain Dee and Captain D appear often in the customer feedback, along with Tyson, Juante, Collin, Kyris, and other mates. Their praised qualities are practical: friendly instruction, patience with children, humor, safety, and a willingness to adjust the plan.

There was also one clear complaint about unwanted political conversation during a fishing trip. That does not reflect the dominant pattern of feedback, but it is worth noting because a professional crew should keep conversation welcoming and respectful. If you want a quiet trip, family talk, or your own music, say so early.

If you catch something worth keeping, ask the crew what can be done with it. One party ate its catch later, and Captain Dee cleaned and filleted fish for the meal. The supplied information does not promise fish cleaning or preparation on every trip, so treat that as something to confirm rather than an included feature.

Snorkeling reefs, turtles, and clear water

Snorkeling gives the charter a second purpose beyond fishing. The crew carries the gear and can take you to selected coral reefs with colorful underwater life.

Conditions matter here. Water clarity, current, wind, and visibility can change the quality of a snorkel stop. The crew’s local judgment is useful, since they can suggest the better site for the day rather than forcing you into one fixed location.

You may also see sea turtles. Turtle sightings appear repeatedly in the customer accounts, including one outing where a grandmother and granddaughter snorkeled near a turtle viewing spot. Other trips combined turtles with fishing, beach time, or island visits.

The format works well for families with different comfort levels. A child or adult who is nervous can stay aboard while a confident swimmer snorkels. One family specifically praised the crew for helping nervous children, and another kept a family member aboard while the rest of the party entered the water.

Do not expect a formal marine biology lesson or a guaranteed wildlife encounter. This is a private boat day with snorkeling as one option. The benefit is flexibility, not a scripted educational program.

Gilligan’s Island and the island stops

One possible stop is Gilligan’s Island, described as one of the world’s most photographed islands. The appeal is simple: bright water, island scenery, and a chance to step away from the boat for a while.

The charter can also include sightseeing around nearby islands. You might swim in the aquamarine water, sunbathe on a beach, or spend time exploring a quiet stretch of sand. The captain can help decide how much time to give each stop.

Some families used their time for swimming and beach relaxation after fishing. Others added turtle watching, snorkeling, or even feeding pigs. The exact route depends on the day and the preferences you give the crew.

That flexibility is a strength, but it means the outing is not a fixed sightseeing circuit. You may not visit every named location. If Gilligan’s Island, turtles, pigs, or a particular reef is your priority, say so before departure and ask what is realistic within four or eight hours.

Rose Island and Footprints Beach Bar and Grill

On an afternoon or full-day charter, you may choose Rose Island and Footprints Beach Bar and Grill. The setting is the sort of place many people picture when they imagine a Bahamas boat day: white sand, clear turquoise water, music, a fully stocked bar, and room to stretch your legs.

The bar and grill offers lunch, drinks, volleyball, billiards, and sunbathing. It can be a welcome change from fishing and snorkeling, especially for a group that wants a slower middle section to the day.

Budget for extras. Lunch and the landing fee are not included in the charter price, and food and drinks are generally excluded unless specifically stated. Ask about current costs before committing to the stop. If you are traveling with children or a large party, those additional expenses can add up.

Rose Island is best for an afternoon or full-day plan. On a four-hour morning charter, spending time traveling to a beach venue may leave less time for fishing or snorkeling. Your captain can tell you whether the stop fits the schedule.

The crew makes this a family-friendly charter

The customer accounts are unusually consistent about crew behavior. Captain Dee and Tyson received praise for handling four children ranging from ages four to eleven. Another crew worked well with children aged five and three, combining fishing, turtle sightings, pig feeding, and island time.

That matters because a private boat can feel awkward if the crew is impatient or overly hands-off. Here, the strongest accounts describe the crew helping with rods, encouraging beginners, entertaining children, and adjusting activities when conditions were less than ideal.

The boat also suits a mixed group of adults and young adults. One family enjoyed snorkeling, beach time, and fishing together, while another group appreciated being able to set an open itinerary and follow the captain’s suggestions.

Still, you should be realistic about the water. The charter requires good weather, and conditions can affect both comfort and fishing. If someone in your party gets seasick, dislikes sun exposure, or is uneasy in open water, discuss those concerns with the operator before booking.

Is $1,045 a good value?

The listed price is $1,045 per group, not per person. That can be reasonable for a private boat if you fill the available places. For eight people, the basic cost works out to about $131 per person before any food, drinks, landing fees, or other extras.

For two people, the same price becomes much harder to justify unless privacy and personal attention are your main goals. A private charter costs more than a shared excursion, but you are buying control over the day. You are not waiting for another party to finish fishing, leaving a reef because someone else is bored, or skipping a beach stop because the group vote went another way.

The value is strongest for families, birthday groups, and friends who want several activities in one outing. A party that wants only a short fishing session may find the price less attractive, especially if most of the group is not interested in fishing.

The length of the charter is also important. If the $1,045 rate applies to the four-hour option, the cost is significant but can work well for a larger group. If you are considering eight hours, confirm whether that requires a different rate. The supplied details mention both four and eight hours without clearly separating the prices.

What to bring and what to plan

Bring swimwear, sun protection, towels, and any food or drinks you want beyond bottled water. The boat includes an ice cooler, but the supplied details do not state that meals, soft drinks, or alcohol are provided.

A waterproof phone pouch is useful if you want photographs while swimming or snorkeling. Keep your booking confirmation on your phone for the mobile ticket, and bring the cruise ship timing details if you are arriving by ship.

Tell the captain what matters most before leaving the marina. A useful priority list might be fishing first, snorkeling second, and beach time third. With four hours, this helps the crew build a practical route. With eight hours, you have more room to add a relaxed stop.

Wear clothing that can handle spray and sun. The boat has a cabin, but you will still spend much of the outing outdoors. If someone in your group is not fishing or snorkeling, plan for that person to enjoy the scenery, swimming, beach time, or a quiet ride aboard.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather forces the operator to cancel, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.

Should you book the Free Time charter?

I would book this charter if you have a group that wants a private, flexible day and can agree on the main priorities. It is especially well suited to families with children, first-time anglers, and groups that want to combine fishing with snorkeling, turtles, swimming, and a beach stop.

I would hesitate if you are traveling alone or as a couple and mainly want a cheap snorkeling trip. The private price is easier to defend when divided among several people. I would also confirm the boat capacity, exact duration, and price for your party before booking, since the supplied details are not fully consistent on those points.

The strongest reason to choose Born Free Charters is the crew. Captains such as Dee and D, supported by mates including Tyson, Juante, Collin, and Kyris, have repeatedly been praised for patience, humor, fishing help, and family care. Add the handsome boat, included gear, and freedom to change plans, and this can be one of the better ways to turn a Nassau stay into a full day on the water.

FAQ

Where does the charter begin?

It begins at Carnivale Bahamas, 1 Marina Way, Paradise Island, at Sterling Marina in Hurricane Hole, The Bahamas.

Where does the charter end?

The activity ends back at the same meeting point.

How long is the charter?

The experience is listed as approximately four hours, while the detailed information also describes four-hour and eight-hour private charter options. Confirm the exact duration when booking.

How many people can join?

The detailed information says up to eight people, but other supplied details give conflicting capacity information. Confirm the current maximum group size with Born Free Charters before booking.

Is fishing equipment included?

Yes. Necessary fishing equipment, bait, and tackle are included.

Is snorkeling equipment included?

Yes. Snorkel equipment is provided.

Are food and drinks included?

Food and drinks are not included unless specifically stated. Bottled water, ice, and an ice cooler are provided.

Can cruise ship passengers book this charter?

Yes. Cruise ship passengers must provide the ship name, docking time, disembarkation time, and re-boarding time when booking.

What happens if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If the operator cancels because of poor conditions, you can choose another date or receive a full refund.