How to throw the perfect superyacht party.

Prefer a private desert island-type setting to celebrate with your friends and family? The Caribbean and The Bahamas have plenty of secluded bays in which to anchor and spend quality time with your favourite people. Here is a selection of the finest destinations to host your super, superyacht party.

Cannes

Spring signals the start of the yachting season on the Côte d’Azur, with the Cannes Film Festival opening the show. From May, the Riviera lights up as A-list celebrities descend to see and be seen at arguably the most glamorous film festival in the world. The best parties are, of course, on board the most exclusive superyachts, berthed in the marina right next to the red carpet at the Palais des Festivals.

Monaco

Further along the coast, Monaco glitters with seven centuries of regal heritage. The iconic Port d’Hercule is within champagne-popping range of the gilded principality’s world-renowned gourmet restaurants, A-list clubs, and designer boutiques. Sport is also a favourite pastime in Monaco, and the principality hosts several popular events including the Formula 1 Grand Prix in May.

Chartering a superyacht trackside at this event provides not only the best vantage point for you and your guests to watch the action, but also puts you right in the thick of the action where you can literally smell the gasoline and burning tyre rubber from these amazing cars. Burgess has the right contacts to also get you into the pit lane, rubbing shoulders with the drivers before the race, and partying afterwards at the Amber Lounge.

Ibiza

Despite its reputation as the Balearics' party-island, Ibiza has more recently evolved to be among the Mediterranean’s most glamorous charter cruising grounds. The vibe throughout the summer season is all about lazy lunches, diving off deck in secret coves, and losing yourself in the rural countryside inland. The White Isle as Ibiza is known, also offers the waterborne visitor an almost unrivalled selection of beach clubs.

Arrive in style by tender and join the glitterati enjoying the sunshine and sunset accompanied by chilled music before heading back on board to celebrate in style. Alternatively, as the sun sets and the vibe picks up a beat or two, head to Ibiza Town’s effortlessly cool hangouts where you can dance until dawn to the world's best DJs.

St Barth

St Barth is without a doubt the New Year’s Eve capital of the Caribbean. Always a haven for celebrities at any time of year, the island brings in the new year with impromptu New Year’s Eve 'boat hopping' parties and stops at the many beach bars that dot the island. As the clock ticks towards midnight, step up on deck aboard your superyacht for a front row seat to the kaleidoscope of fireworks exploding over Gustavia Harbour.

This French-speaking island is perfect for a lavish New Year’s Eve celebration. Think cocktails on deck, al fresco dinner with friends before cranking up the sound system to celebrate the passing of midnight. Expect relaxed, short-distance cruising as you island-hop through the Leeward Islands in the days following the celebrations. What better way to kick off your year than this?

Harbour Island, Bahamas

The Bahamas offers a variety of activities for parties aboard and ashore. From local restaurants, hanging out with friends at a lively beach bar, or your very own private sunset beach party, whatever you choose to do, the Bahamian culture will facilitate, with festivals, music, dancing and colourful parades continuing into the early hours. 'Fresh up' and enjoy life Bahmian-style.

Harbour Island has recently come into the limelight with the arrival of a handful of chic new places recently opening on the island. With its pink-sand beach and pretty pastel cottages, the shoreline provides a perfect backdrop to sunset cocktails on board, followed by a trip ashore to a party at the legendary Vic-Hum Club. The oldest nightclub on the island, the open-air dancefloor at this humble yet iconic destination has attracted celebrities the world over.

No matter what the style of celebration, there is a yacht to suit every taste. Likewise the crew can make or break a celebration, whether because they can theme any party in a creative way, or simply because the six-star service and smiling faces will give the party the right vibe.

Burgess yachts with bars

Whether celebrating, drinking sunset cocktails, a pre-dinner drink or watching sports events, the bar on a yacht is generally one of the focal points on board a superyacht. They come in many forms, ranging from wet bars on the sun deck to sit-up bars in the beach club, sky lounge bars and cosy saloon bars, backlit-onyx bars, and elegant marble-top bars.

From an elegant James Bond-themed evening, perhaps with poker and blackjack tables set up, to a retro-style '60s party with a dancefloor and appropriate playlist, or Pirates of the Caribbean, they can revolve around just about any concept imaginable.

For those cruising in the Caribbean, consider a pirate party involving all the family. Many crews are well known for the creativity and polish of their themed parties. While keeping the younger guests entertained with a treasure hunt on the beach, you can enjoy sundowners on the sand.

Back on board enjoy drinks on the sun deck before dining al fresco on the main deck. If you're having a larger bash in port, have your pirate outfits sent ahead and the yacht dressed with pirate paraphernalia. Canapes and rum cocktails can be served in treasure chests!

While in the Mediterranean, perhaps cruising around the Greek islands, a toga party might involve some Greek cuisine followed by dancing, and then a movie night under the stars with Mamma Mia or My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding on the big screen. Or while in Cannes, a Bollywood party, or in Monaco why not throw a Mexican fiesta during the Grand Prix?

On the larger more modern superyachts spa pools are generally a given these days, and although some may be limited to a sun deck jacuzzi, the largest of the charter yachts usually have all manner of water features, ranging from infinity pools with waterfalls, glass-bottomed pools, swim-up bars, and pools with counter currents.

And then you have the real party yachts, with swimming pools that turn into dance floors, and built-in DJ booths for the ultimate occasion aboard. The 73m TITANIA, for example, hosts her guests around the pool deck bar with seating for up to eight guests, and another four seats inside the pool itself, all complete with a DJ set up to create a real pool party atmosphere.