The season at a glance
| Month | Where the fleet is | Brief by |
|---|---|---|
| November | St Lucia (ARC finish), Barbados, St Maarten yard weeks, FLIBS | 1 week ahead |
| Early December | Antigua Charter Yacht Show, St Maarten, St Barths build-up | 3 weeks ahead |
| 20 Dec – 5 Jan | St Barths, Anguilla, BVI, St Maarten — absolute peak | 4 weeks ahead |
| January | St Barths, BVI, Anguilla, St Kitts — steady charter | 72 hours |
| February | Leewards and Windwards, Grenadines, St Barths Bucket build-up | 72 hours – 1 week |
| March | St Barths Bucket, southern Caribbean, Grenada, Grenadines | 1 week |
| April | Antigua Sailing Week and Classics, transatlantic prep | 2 weeks |
| May | Crossing loads out of Antigua and St Maarten, season wind-down | 1 week |
The weeks that close early
- Christmas and New Year in St Barths: supplier capacity is effectively booked by mid-December. Four weeks' notice, not two.
- Antigua Charter Yacht Show: hospitality and canapé loads for the whole fleet at once — brief three weeks out.
- St Barths Bucket (March): berth access and courier slots tighten more than supply does.
- Antigua Sailing Week and Classics (April): high volume, high turnover, short delivery windows.
Shoulder months are the good value
Late November and the second half of January are the easiest weeks of the season to provision well: full supply chains, no capacity squeeze, and suppliers with time to source properly. If your itinerary is flexible, that is where the quality-to-price ratio is best.
Hurricane season and the summer gap
June to November is the official Atlantic hurricane season. Most of the charter fleet moves to the Mediterranean, supply chains thin out and some suppliers close entirely. We still provision yachts staying in the region — Trinidad, Grenada and the ABC islands — but lead times lengthen and range narrows.
Frequently asked
When is the Caribbean yacht season?
Roughly November to April, opening with ARC arrivals in St Lucia and Barbados and closing after Antigua Sailing Week and the transatlantic crossings.
What is the busiest provisioning week of the year?
The week between Christmas and New Year in St Barths. It is the single hardest week to source in the Caribbean.
Can you still deliver if we brief late in peak week?
Often yes, but the range narrows and substitutions become likely. We will tell you honestly what is achievable before you commit.
Do you provision through hurricane season?
Yes, in the southern islands and yards. Expect longer lead times and a narrower imported range.