November 5, 2026 · By CDM Yachts · 3 min read
Thanksgiving is on Thursday, November 26 this year, and most families already have the dinner part figured out. A private charter is a way to spend another part of the week together, before or after the meal, without anyone cooking or cleaning up.
Why Thanksgiving Week Suits a Charter
The whole yacht is reserved for your group. There's no shared seating and no other party sharing the deck.
There's no minimum age for passengers, so grandparents and grandkids can be aboard together. The renter who books the charter must be 18 or older.
Guests can bring their own food and drinks, including alcohol. Leftover pie and a thermos of coffee works just as well as a planned spread.
Matching the Yacht to Your Group
A smaller gathering fits comfortably on the Sea Ray 52 or the Sea Ray 56, each with a salon, flybridge, and foredeck space for up to 13 guests. The Beneteau 50 is another option in that size range, with a glass-enclosed salon that keeps a cooler November afternoon comfortable. Our Harbor Cruises format fits this kind of trip well — a relaxed cruise past Coronado and the downtown skyline.
A bigger family gathering, or two or three households combining plans, fits better on the Westport 100, certified for up to 134 passengers. Its main-deck lounge and beverage bar give a crowd room to spread out instead of crowding one table. See our Large-Group Charters page for how that works, or our capacity guide to match guest count to vessel.
Families near Mission Bay can charter the McKinna 69 instead, with an enclosed Skylounge for a quieter spot away from the open deck. See our Mission Bay Yacht Charters page — it's the only yacht in the fleet departing from Mission Bay rather than San Diego Bay.
Timing It Around the Holiday
Thanksgiving Day itself works well for a short cruise squeezed in before or after dinner, especially if your group wants a walk-off-the-meal kind of outing. The days around it — the Wednesday before, or the long weekend after — tend to suit a bigger block of time, since nobody has to rush back for a specific seating.
A charter the weekend after Thanksgiving is also a natural fit for a Friendsgiving-style gathering, once the family part of the week is done and friends are still in town. See our Holiday Charters page for how the rest of the season books out, since December dates fill in quickly once Thanksgiving week passes.
Good to Know Before You Book
- Every charter has a 2-hour minimum, though most holiday-week groups book longer to leave room for a meal and conversation.
- Cancellations at least 5 days before the reservation date get a full refund, useful if a travel plan or a headcount shifts over the holiday.
- If weather turns unsafe for boating, we reschedule to a mutually convenient date rather than sail.
- Non-service pets, smoking, and illegal drugs aren't permitted on board.
- Every charter includes a USCG-licensed captain and crew, and life jackets are provided for every passenger.
What It Costs
The Sea Ray 52 starts at $1,900 for the 2-hour minimum, and the Sea Ray 56 starts at $1,980. The Westport 100 is priced by guest-count tier, starting at $1,500 per hour for 25 guests or fewer. See our pricing guide for the full breakdown by vessel, or use the charter price estimator for a quote based on your guest count and date.
Planning a trip around Thanksgiving week? Request availability with your guest count and preferred date, and we'll help match you to the right yacht.
