Provisioning a Bahamas Yacht Charter: Food, Drinks & Preference Sheets Explained

One of the biggest advantages of a crewed Bahamas yacht charter is that the yacht is provisioned specifically for you before you arrive.

Your chef and crew do not simply stock the galley with a standard menu. Before the charter, you complete a preference sheet explaining what you like to eat and drink, what you dislike, any allergies or dietary requirements, and how you prefer your meals served.

The crew then uses that information to provision the yacht before embarkation.

A preference sheet is essentially a detailed questionnaire about your group.

It normally asks about:

Food allergies and dietary restrictions

Favorite cuisines

Foods you dislike

Breakfast preferences

Meat and seafood preferences

Snacks

Soft drinks and juices

Coffee and tea

Wines

Beer

Spirits and cocktails

Children's meals

Special occasions

Preferred meal times

The more detail you provide, the easier it is for the chef to tailor the charter around you.

If one guest loves seafood but another hates it, say so. If you want light lunches and elaborate dinners, mention it. If your children eat earlier than the adults, tell the crew in advance.

Preference sheets are not just paperwork. They are the main tool the chef and crew use to personalize your onboard dining experience.

On a fully crewed luxury yacht, meals are normally prepared by the yacht's chef.

Breakfast might be fresh fruit, eggs, pancakes or something lighter. Lunch could be grilled seafood, salads or Mediterranean-style dishes, while dinner may be a more elaborate multi-course meal.

There is no fixed yacht charter menu.

The chef builds meals around your preferences, available ingredients and the style of food your group enjoys. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other dietary requirements can generally be accommodated when communicated clearly in advance.

Provisioning in the Bahamas can require more planning than in major Mediterranean ports because many of the Out Islands have relatively limited shops. Once your yacht leaves Nassau and heads into places such as the Exumas, access to specialist ingredients becomes more restricted.

That makes an accurate preference sheet particularly useful.

Your preference sheet will normally ask what you want stocked at the bar.

Be specific.

Instead of simply writing “wine”, tell the crew whether you prefer Sauvignon Blanc, rosé, Champagne or red wine.

Instead of writing “spirits”, mention your preferred gin, tequila, rum or whisky, along with any particular brands you enjoy.

You can also request:

Beer

Champagne

Cocktails

Soft drinks

Sparkling water

Juices

Energy drinks

Coffee

Tea

Non-alcoholic beer or wine

The crew can usually source specific brands when they are available, although unusual or premium products may need to be ordered well in advance.

This depends on the yacht.

Many smaller crewed sailing yachts and catamarans in the Bahamas operate on an all-inclusive basis, where meals, a standard ship's bar and normal cruising expenses are included within the advertised charter package.

Larger motor yachts and superyachts more commonly operate on a plus-expenses basis.

In that case, food and drinks are usually paid from the yacht's Advance Provisioning Allowance, or APA.

The APA is an additional fund paid before the charter that the captain uses for expenses incurred on your behalf, such as:

Food

Drinks

Fuel

Marina fees

Shore-side expenses

Other charter operating costs

The captain keeps accounts throughout the charter. Any unused APA is generally returned at the end, while unusually high spending may require additional funds.

Your charter agreement will make clear whether your yacht is all-inclusive or operates with an APA.

Be specific, but do not try to design every meal yourself.

The chef does not need a seven-day menu written by you. They need enough information to understand your tastes.

A useful response might be:

“We love fresh seafood, Italian and Mediterranean food. Light lunches, larger dinners. No shellfish for Guest 3. Children prefer simple pasta, grilled chicken and fruit. Sauvignon Blanc and Provence rosé. Tequila and gin for cocktails. Two guests drink oat-milk cappuccinos every morning.”

That gives the chef far more useful information than writing:

“We eat everything.”

You should also mention birthdays, anniversaries or any other celebrations so the crew can prepare something special.

Submitting the preference sheet early is particularly useful when you have allergies, unusual dietary requirements or specific premium wines and spirits that may take longer to source.

Usually, no.

On a properly provisioned crewed yacht, everything should be onboard when you arrive.

You generally only need to bring something yourself if it is extremely specific, difficult to source or personally important to you. If you are unsure whether a particular product will be available in the Bahamas, ask your broker or crew before travelling.

The entire point of yacht provisioning is that your holiday begins when you step aboard.

Fill out your preference sheet carefully, tell the crew what you genuinely enjoy, mention every allergy or dietary requirement, and let the chef handle the rest.

By the time you arrive, the fridge should be stocked, the bar should contain your preferred drinks, and the chef should already know how you like your morning coffee.