There’s nothing like the idea of a yacht charter with the family—clear water, island hopping, and kids who spend more time swimming than staring at screens. But when you’ve got two parents and three kids who refuse to share a cabin, the dreamy brochure version of life at sea suddenly collides with reality. The boat you choose becomes less about pretty sails and more about sleeping arrangements, fridge space, and how to keep the peace when everyone’s crammed together for a week.
In the catamaran world, two names keep coming up: the Bali 4.4 and the Lagoon 46. Both are modern, spacious, and built with families in mind. But how do they stack up when your main mission is to give every kid their own cabin while still keeping mum and dad sane? Let’s break it down into the five things that matter most.
Cabins and Privacy
When you’re sailing with kids who won’t share, cabins are the deal-breaker. The Lagoon 46 makes life easy here. Most are offered in a “4+2” setup, which means four double cabins and two single forepeaks right up in the bows. That gives parents their own cabin, two of the kids their own doubles, and the third kid a forepeak that feels like their own secret hideout. It’s a straightforward solution and you’ll find plenty of these layouts across charter fleets.
The Bali 4.4 can also solve the puzzle, but it takes a bit more checking. The standard layouts are three or four cabins, but many charter companies fit mattresses in one or both forepeaks. If you find a 4-cabin Bali with forepeaks, everyone gets their own berth. If not, someone’s sharing, and you’ll spend the first night refereeing arguments. The Bali works beautifully if you lock in the right version, but the Lagoon is less of a gamble.
Living Space and Layout
A family boat isn’t just about cabins—it’s about where everyone hangs out during the day. This is where the two designs really feel different. The Bali 4.4 is basically a floating apartment. The big garage-style door at the back opens the saloon right into the cockpit, creating one giant space that can be open to the breeze or closed up at night. Add the solid foredeck with cushions and tables, plus the forward door that connects directly from inside to the bow, and you’ve got multiple connected zones for the kids to spread out without disappearing. It’s the kind of setup that makes it easy to keep track of everyone while still giving them space to do their own thing.
The Lagoon 46 keeps things more traditional. There’s the roomy aft cockpit for meals, the bright saloon inside, and the classic trampolines up front where kids can lounge or bounce around. The raised helm station also doubles as a hangout spot, especially for older kids who want to be part of the sailing action. It’s all very comfortable, but it doesn’t feel quite as “open plan” as the Bali. If your kids are younger, the Bali’s solid foredeck feels safer. If they’re older, the Lagoon’s trampolines can be a built-in entertainment system.
Food, Water, and Everyday Comforts
On a family holiday, the fridge and the water tanks matter almost as much as the sails. The Bali 4.4 really leans into the idea of being a floating villa, with a massive household-style fridge that swallows snacks, drinks, and leftovers with ease. It feels like a proper home kitchen and makes a big difference when your kids seem to be eating non-stop. The Lagoon 46 also has a good galley-up design with plenty of counter space, but its fridge is smaller, which means more frequent top-ups if you’re away from big ports.
Water is another critical detail. The Bali typically carries more, around 800 litres compared to the Lagoon’s 600, and many Balís in charter fleets also come with watermakers. For a family of five, that’s a huge bonus—you can rinse off sandy kids without worrying about empty tanks. The Lagoon can certainly handle a week’s cruising, but unless it’s fitted with a watermaker, you’ll need to be more mindful about showers. Put simply, Bali is the safer bet for families who value long showers and fewer restrictions, while Lagoon works fine if you can find a boat with the right extras.
Comfort Underway and at Anchor
When you’re on the move, both boats are comfortable and stable. The Lagoon 46 has a bit more sailing pedigree, carrying a generous sail plan and handling nicely whether you’re doing a short hop or stretching the sails for a longer passage. It feels steady at the helm, which dads who enjoy the sailing side will appreciate. The Bali 4.4, meanwhile, is all about comfort once you’ve stopped. It’s not as sporty underway, but when the anchor’s down it transforms into a floating holiday home. The solid foredeck, multiple lounges, and easy indoor-outdoor flow mean it shines as a base for swimming, eating, and relaxing.
So, if you’re the kind of dad who secretly wants to trim sails and feel the boat move, the Lagoon gives you that little extra sailing edge. But if your focus is more on family downtime at anchor, the Bali is hard to beat.
Safety and Kid-Friendliness
Finally, let’s talk about safety and ease of managing kids onboard. The Lagoon 46 is solid and well thought out, with high rails and a protected cockpit. The trampolines up front are fun, but you’ll be keeping an eye on younger ones if they’re bouncing around up there. The Bali 4.4, by contrast, feels designed with families in mind. The forward door makes it easy for kids to move from inside to the bow without navigating side decks, and the solid foredeck feels much more secure for little ones than an open net. For dads with younger kids, that extra peace of mind can be worth a lot.
The Dad Verdict
Both the Bali 4.4 and Lagoon 46 are excellent family charter choices, but they suit slightly different styles. If you want a guaranteed fifth cabin without worrying about layouts, the Lagoon 46 is the stress-free choice. It’s widely available, offers solid sailing performance, and has plenty of space for family life. If you can confirm a Bali 4.4 with forepeaks, though, it’s incredibly tempting. The Bali feels like a floating holiday villa, with unbeatable lounge space, a family-friendly layout, and the kind of kitchen and water capacity that make daily life easier.
If I had to choose blindly, I’d go with the Lagoon 46 just to avoid any surprises with cabins. But if I had the option to lock in a Bali with the right setup, I’d pick it for the extra family comfort. Either way, tick the boxes for air conditioning, a generator, and ideally a watermaker, and you’ll set yourself up for a week where everyone’s happy. And really, that’s the point—because nothing says “dad nailed it” quite like a holiday where every kid gets their own cabin, no one runs out of showers, and the only argument is who gets to jump off the boat first.
