Home / FAQ
Everything You Need to Know
Before You
Come Aboard
Answers to the questions we hear most — so your day is seamless from start to finish
📍 Where We're Located
Sun Harbor Marina · Panama City Beach
Sun Harbor Marina
5500 Sun Harbor Road
Panama City, FL 32401
sunharborpc.com ↗
Parking
Arrival Time
From PCB Resorts
From 30A
After booking, your captain will reach out with a detailed welcome message including exact slip location, parking instructions, and what to expect when you arrive.
⚓ Pick-Up at Other Marinas
We primarily depart from Sun Harbor Marina in Panama City Beach, but pick-ups at other marinas along the Emerald Coast — including Destin, 30A, and surrounding areas — are available upon request for an additional pick-up fee. Please inquire for options and pricing.
✅ What's Provided
✅ Included on Every Charter
🧊 Ice, Water & Soft Drinks
Cooler stocked and ready onboard — no need to bring your own cooler
🏖️ Towels
Fresh towels for every guest on every charter
🤿 Snorkel Gear & Fins
Masks, snorkels, and fins for the whole group — sanitized between every charter
🛟 Floating Mat
Large floating mat for lounging on the Gulf — the whole group fits
🎒 What to Bring
🍺
Your Drinks
Hard alcohol, beer, seltzers, champagne, white wine, rosé — all welcome. No red wine on the vessel. A small soft-sided cooler is fine. We have ice onboard.
🥪
Food & Snacks
☀️
Marine-Safe Sunscreen
👓
Sunglasses & Hat
👙
Swimwear & Change of Clothes
📱
Camera & Phone
☀️ Marine & Boat-Safe Sunscreen — Why It Matters
Standard sunscreens containing oxybenzone, avobenzone, or octinoxate can permanently stain and degrade the upholstery of our yacht — and are harmful to the coral reefs and marine life in the Gulf of America. Please use only mineral-based, reef-safe sunscreen using zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Avoid spray sunscreens onboard entirely — they drift onto surfaces and fabric. Stick or lotion formulas are ideal. Apply before boarding whenever possible.
🚫 What's Not Allowed
🍷 Red Wine
Red wine stains upholstery permanently. Rosé, white wine, champagne, and all other drinks are welcome — just not red wine.
✨ Glitter & Confetti
Both are prohibited aboard — in any form. Glitter (body, decorative, or product glitter) is nearly impossible to remove and is harmful to marine life. Confetti — paper, foil, or “biodegradable” varieties — clogs the bilge and is extremely difficult to fully clean. All décor must be glitter-free and confetti-free.
🧴 Non-Marine-Safe Sunscreen
Chemical sunscreens damage both our upholstery and the Gulf's marine ecosystem. Mineral-based, reef-safe sunscreen only. See our sunscreen guide above.
🧳 Large Coolers
We simply don't have the space. Our onboard cooler is stocked with ice, water, and soft drinks. A small soft-sided bag for extra personal drinks is fine.
🙏 Gratuity & Tipping
⚓
Gratuity Is Not Included
Your charter price covers everything aboard — the yacht, the captain, the gear, and the experience. Gratuity is not included and is entirely at your discretion. That said, our captains pour everything they have into making your day exceptional — navigating to the best spots, sharing their deep knowledge of the Emerald Coast, and going above and beyond to make sure every guest leaves with memories they’ll talk about for years. If your captain delivered that kind of experience, a gratuity of 20% is standard in the charter industry and deeply appreciated by our crew.
20%
Customary
📋 Cancellation & Weather Policy
📅 We always prefer a reschedule over a cancellation.
If your plans change, reach out as early as possible — we will make every effort to find an alternative date and time that works for your group. A rescheduled charter is always better for everyone than a cancellation.
🌤️ Weather Policy
Your safety is our first priority. We monitor weather conditions closely before and throughout every charter. We do not cancel charters for some rain, overcast skies, or typical Florida afternoon weather — the Gulf is often perfectly enjoyable even on an overcast day.
We will cancel a charter if we determine it is unsafe to take the yacht out — for example, high sustained winds, dangerous sea conditions, or severe weather warnings in the area. In these cases, you will have the option to:
- Reschedule your charter at no charge (subject to availability)
- Receive a full refund of all amounts paid
We communicate as early as possible — typically the morning of or the evening before — so you can plan your day accordingly.
🗓️ Cancellation Policy
Notice Given
More than 14 days
Refund
100% Refunded
Notice Given
5 to 14 days
Refund
50% Refund
Notice Given
Less than 120 hours (5 days)
Refund
No Refund
Weather cancellations initiated by Freedom Private Yachting are exempt from this policy — if we cancel your charter for safety reasons, you receive a full refund or reschedule at no charge, regardless of timing. This policy applies to guest-initiated cancellations only.
❓ General Questions
How long are the charters?
All charters are a minimum of 4 hours. This gives you ample time to visit Shell Island, enjoy dolphin spotting, snorkel, and take in the Emerald Coast properly. Longer charters — 6 hours, full day, or fully custom durations — are available and popular with families and bachelorette groups who want the complete experience.
Is the charter 100% private?
Always. When you book Freedom Private Yachting, the entire 68-foot Azimut Flybridge is exclusively yours — your group only, no strangers, no other passengers ever. You set the pace, you choose the music, you design the day. This is what separates a private yacht charter from a shared tour boat.
Will we see dolphins?
The Emerald Coast is home to a healthy resident population of bottlenose dolphins, and dolphin encounters are a frequent and beloved highlight of our charters. Your Designated Master knows exactly where to look — from the intracoastal waterway near Panama City Beach to the open Gulf off Shell Island. Wildlife is always wild, and sightings are never guaranteed. What we can guarantee is that your captain will always do their best to find them.
What happens if the weather is bad?
Your safety is our first priority — always. We do not cancel charters for some rain, overcast skies, or typical Florida afternoon weather. We will cancel if we determine it is genuinely unsafe to take the yacht out — high winds, dangerous seas, or severe weather warnings.
If we cancel for safety reasons, you will have the option to reschedule at no charge or receive a full refund. We communicate as early as possible so you can plan with confidence.
Are children and infants welcome?
How do I book?
How many guests can come?
Can we customize the itinerary?
Still Have Questions?
We're Happy to Help
Reach out directly or go ahead and book — once you select your captain from our Designated Masters list, they will be in touch with everything you need.