On a private Charleston charter, food has two answers. You can bring it yourself, since every Blue Life Charters trip is BYOB, or you can add catering through the company’s local partner, Caviar & Bananas, with the order waiting on the boat when you arrive. A catering boat setup is the plan for which of those you use, what comes aboard, and how dinner holds up on a sailboat leaning under sail. This guide compares the options, including the three sunset catering packages, and covers what the galley already provides.

How Can Food Be Offered on a Boat Charter?

On Blue Life Charters, every trip is BYOB, so guests can bring their own food and drinks. Catering is an extra service. Blue Life Charters does not provide catering itself. It works with Caviar & Bananas, a local gourmet caterer it names as its favorite, and the two coordinate so the order is waiting on the boat when guests arrive. On top of that, the sunset cruise catering packages bundle a private cruise with a catered menu.

That gives a group three practical catering boat choices: bring the food, order from Caviar & Bananas, or book one of the three sunset packages.

Reserve the charter before you build the menu. Blue Life Charters runs private sailing charters for up to 6 guests. Book now or call (843) 743-4915.

What a Catering Boat Can Offer? (Blue Life’s Vessels Breakdown)

The galley decides how much you need to bring. Llibertat’s galley has pots and pans, silverware, dishes, wine glasses, drinking cups, and a refrigerator, and her salon has a teak centerpiece table. Xocolata has a large refrigerator and freezer, a full set of pots, pans, dishes, and glassware, and air conditioning that keeps food comfortable in summer. 

In winter, both boats have heaters and Blue Life Charters supplies blankets, which changes what guests want to eat: hot dishes in insulated containers suit a January evening, and chilled salads suit July.

Option 1: Bring Your Own Spread

The simplest path is to pack the food yourself. Groups often pick up a charcuterie board, sandwiches, salads, and dessert on the way to the dock. This option gives full control over the menu and the budget, and it works for sunset sails, daytime tours, and any trip where the group wants to eat on its own schedule.

Option 2: Order From Caviar & Bananas

charleston historic city tour and harbor cruise

Caviar & Bananas is a local gourmet establishment that prepares made-to-order salads, sandwiches, and prepared food daily. It also runs a charcuterie and cheese counter, an espresso bar, and a boutique wine and beer selection. Its menu includes artisanal cheese boards, pan-seared salmon, a Caprese sandwich, and custom-designed cakes.

The caterer offers menu options exclusively for chartered tours, delivers to the sailboat, and can handle anything from a small charcuterie order to a full meal. Orders go through the Caviar & Bananas catering office, and the contact details and menu link are on the services page. 

Call or email early to tailor the menu, especially for birthdays, anniversaries, and group celebrations. This is boat trip catering built around the charter, not a restaurant takeout order you have to carry to the dock yourself.

Option 3: The Three Sunset Catering Packages

Sunset Catering Package

 

The sunset cruise catering packages combine a private sunset cruise with a catered menu. Each package is a 2.5 hour private sunset cruise for up to 6 guests, and the prices are group prices that include an 18 percent gratuity. Check our offering for current prices before you decide.

  • Sunset Cruise with Hors d’oeuvres: a fruit platter, a cheese and charcuterie combo board, and shrimp cocktail.
  • Sunset Cruise with Hors d’oeuvres and Beverages: a cheese and charcuterie combo board, caviar with accoutrements, Caprese salad skewers, housemade hummus, and vegetable crudités, plus a bottle of Crémant de Loire and a six-pack of locally brewed beer.
  • Sunset and Dinner Cruise: a catered full-course dinner of an antipasto board, grilled shrimp platter, sliced grilled chicken breasts, tabouleh salad, roasted vegetables, and a cookie and brownie platter, plus a bottle each of Crémant de Loire, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir.

Weather rules apply to all three. The package page says weather cancellations and changes are handled case by case, that final weather decisions are made by 11 a.m. on the day to qualify for a full refund, and that same-day bookings or weather changes may change the menu.

Which Catering Boat Option Fits the Occasion?

  • Sunset sail for two: the hors d’oeuvres package, or a small BYOB board.
  • Birthday or bachelorette party: the beverage package, or a Caviar & Bananas order. This is boat party catering, so favor food that is easy to grab. See the bachelorette charter page for group trips.
  • Anniversary or proposal: the dinner package. The services page also lists a Folly Beach-based photographer who can join a charter for special occasions.
  • Small corporate outing: boxed lunches from the caterer or a BYOB spread. See the corporate event page.

What Travels Well on a Catering Sailboat?

A sailboat leans under sail, so a catering boat menu has to stay put. Foods with lids, sturdy containers, and single-hand portions work best, and anything that needs a stove or a long assembly at the table does not. Pack drinks and food so the heaviest items sit low and nothing sits loose on the table when the boat heels.

Keep perishable food cold until serving. Heat and sun on the water are stronger than they feel on land, so bring a cooler and use the boat refrigerator for items that should stay chilled.

Catering Boat Checklist

Use this list before the day of the trip:

  • Choice made: BYOB, a Caviar & Bananas order, or a sunset package
  • Menu sized for up to 6 guests, with allergies and dietary needs shared with the caterer
  • For BYOB: cooler, ice packs, and lidded containers packed
  • Water and non-alcoholic options for guests who prefer them
  • Napkins, a small trash bag, and wet wipes

How Much Food to Bring on a BYOB Charter?

Plan on lighter portions than a sit-down dinner, since sea air, sun, and conversation change appetites. For a sunset sail, snacks and small plates are usually enough. For a dinner cruise, plan a main dish, a side, and dessert, or choose the dinner package. It is easier to take leftovers home than to run short, so round up slightly and keep extras in the cooler.

Charter Catering Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Assuming the crew will cook or arrange food. Blue Life Charters does not provide catering itself, so the order has to go through Caviar & Bananas or a package.
  2. Ordering food that needs reheating or a stove on board
  3. Bringing glass containers when sturdy plastic or lidded boxes would do
  4. Overpacking, which crowds the table and the cockpit
  5. Forgetting a cooler for perishable BYOB items
  6. Booking a catered cruise the same day and expecting the full menu, since the page warns that same-day bookings may change it
  7. Drinking without a plan. Guests are responsible for drinking responsibly and getting home safely

A Simple Charter Catering Timeline

  • One week out: book the charter and choose BYOB, a Caviar & Bananas order, or a sunset package.
  • Several days out: call or email the catering office to tailor a custom order, and confirm how it reaches the boat.
  • Day before: check the forecast and reread the weather terms.
  • Day of: arrive on time and tell the captain where the food is stowed.

Choose the Setup That Fits Your Group

The best catering boat option depends on the occasion, the size of the group, and how much planning the host wants to do. A couple on a sunset sail can carry a picnic. A birthday group may want a custom order from Caviar & Bananas. A host who does not want to shop can book a package and have the menu waiting on the boat. All of these work on a private Blue Life Charters sailing charter.

Next Steps

Reserve the charter first, then build the menu around the date. Book online or call (843) 743-4915 for the hands-off option.