There’s no doubt that COVID-19 has made for a difficult summer in 2020. It can be hard to envision and execute plans with friends, companies, or other groups while maintaining safe distancing and sanitization standards. From restaurants and bars to close friend’s living rooms, many social spaces have become temporarily off-limits.
On the other hand, the pandemic has inspired many people to explore new social spaces. In particular, the great outdoors has served as a popular site for small get-togethers. In the open air and at a safe distance, we can connect with each other in person rather than over the phone or on a screen.
Yachts provide an extraordinary space for such an outdoor gathering. Out on the water, the fresh air is limitless. Plus, there’s no risk of encountering an unexpected crowd of people while aboard a yacht.
Unfortunately, even the best yacht can’t whisk its passengers away from COVID-19. At Anita Dee Yacht Charters, we’ve instituted a few reasonable precautions that can help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
You can also minimize the risk during the planning stage. Here are some recommendations to help keep your yachting guests safe, comfortable, and having fun.
Fine-Tune Your Guest List
As the host of a yacht gathering during the pandemic, your first step towards safety is having a firm grasp on the number of guests you expect. The way you go about this depends on your personal preference.
You might only invite a small circle of friends, or request RSVPs by a certain date prior to the gathering. Either way, make sure to know who’s coming so you can accommodate social distancing.
Of course, even a carefully planned event can face unforeseen circumstances. Maybe your dear friend wants to bring a new significant other, or a cherished employee RSVPs a day late. Do you have to turn these guests away in the name of safety?
Not necessarily. Instead, you could plan for contingencies by building a cushion into your guest list. For example, if your yacht has the capacity for 15 socially-distanced guests, you could start by inviting 10. If it has the space for 30, you could start with 20, and so on.
Tell Your Guests What to Expect
COVID-19 safety is often just a matter of clear communication. If your guests know what to expect upon boarding your yacht, they’re likely to follow your safety requests happily.
Prior to your event, consider sending out an email describing all of the safety guidelines you’ll have in place: masks, social distancing plans, sanitization stations, and any others you feel are important. Not only will this communication alleviate your personal stress at the event, but it will also make guests feel more comfortable about the event.
Luckily, Anita Dee Yacht Charters has a robust list of COVID safety policies to keep our guests safe and comfortable. Read on to discover how choosing one of our yachts can lift some of the weight of safety-planning off of your shoulders.
Arrange Safe Seating
One of the surest ways to promote social distancing at your gathering is to eliminate the choice to be close. By arranging appropriately spaced seating before the event, you can be reasonably confident that guests will remain socially distance even while they kick up their feet.
As per CDC guidelines, you should place any movable seats at least 6 feet from each other. If households or couples are attending, you might choose to arrange some seating in closer pods.
It might be a good idea to hang signage designating social distancing pods for households. Clear signs and intentionally distanced chairs will help remind guests to respect the distance between parties, even when they aren’t sitting.
Encourage Responsible Drinking
When we hit the high seas—or the lake—on a luxurious yacht, many of us like to indulge in a cocktail or two. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, more drinks might spell danger. Our inhibitions lower with the alcohol we consume, so we become more inclined to forget about or shrug off the importance of distancing.
That’s not to say that cocktails, wine, and other drinks need to be off-limits at your gathering. Instead, if you choose to offer alcoholic beverages on your yacht, remind your friends to watch their consumption. We’ll do our best to serve your guests appropriately.
If this sounds uncomfortable, there are alternative strategies you could use to preempt the need to monitor. For instance, you could bring only enough alcohol on board for all 21+ guests to have one to two drinks.
You could also opt for a drink-ticket system. In this scenario, you would give each guest a limited number of tickets to redeem for drinks. This way, guests can enjoy beverages as they please without you having to stress about it.
Choose Anita Dee Yacht Charters
If you choose Anita Dee Yacht Charters for your yacht gathering on Lake Michigan, you can rest assured that your event will proceed in the safest way possible.
We have developed a robust safety protocol to ensure that all guests aboard our yachts can feel secure and relaxed.
This protocol, which is in full accordance with the City of Chicago guidance, includes:
- Limiting the capacity of the Anita Dee I yacht to 75 guests
- Limiting the capacity of the Anita Dee II yacht to 100 guests
- Requiring all guests and staff to wear masks
- Thoroughly sanitizing the yacht before, during, and following your gathering
- Installing germ shields at all food and beverage stations
- Providing plentiful hand sanitizer throughout the yacht
- Making sure our staff members are wholly dedicated to cleaning and monitoring for safety on the inner and outer decks
If you’re considering a yacht gathering in the coming months, you don’t have to shoulder the stress of COVID-19 safety on your own.
Let Anita Dee Yacht Charters take on the job for you. Fill out our contact form or call us at (312) 379-3191 to inquire about your event today.