Why a Private Charter is the Best Way to Experience Nantucket

Nantucket is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and the best view of it is from the water. But not all water experiences are created equal. There’s a big difference between a crowded tour boat with 40 strangers and a private charter where you and your people have the whole vessel to yourselves.

Nantucket Tug Company offers private charters aboard Chugalugatug — a one-of-a-kind 1980 Crosby Tug with a story as memorable as the experience itself. Here’s why a private charter is, hands down, the best way to see this island.

It’s Just Your Group

Every cruise with Nantucket Tug Company is a private charter. There are no other guests, no shared itineraries, no strangers making conversation you didn’t ask for. The Coast Guard caps Chugalugatug at six passengers, and that limit isn’t a constraint — it’s the point.

Six people. One iconic boat. The whole harbor to yourselves. That’s a level of intimacy you simply can’t replicate on a larger vessel, and it’s what makes every cruise feel like it was designed specifically for you — because it was.

The Boat Has a Story

Chugalugatug was built in 1980 at the Crosby Tug yard in Massachusetts — the same yard that built Gertrude, the original Nantucket Tug Company boat. She spent her first 45 years on Lake Wawasee, a small lake outside Chicago, commissioned by a gentleman named Jerry who had one dream: a tugboat for his family.

Jerry outfitted her with a beer tap and a fire pit, built her a custom boat barn, and took his family and grandchildren out on the lake for decades. When Jerry passed away, the boat sat in that barn for five years until Matthew and Erika — the new owners of Nantucket Tug Company, and former founders of the beloved ACK Picnics — found her, fell in love with her story, and trailered her from Illinois to Nantucket to start the 2025 season.

That’s the kind of backstory that turns a boat ride into something meaningful. Chugalugatug isn’t just charming — she carries decades of good times and family memories, and now she’s ready to make yours.

Perfect for Every Occasion

One of the best things about a private charter is how easily it adapts to whatever you’re celebrating. Nantucket Tug Company has experience curating charters for:

• Couples celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, or just a spectacular night out.

• Engagement proposals — the harbor at sunset is about as romantic as it gets.

• Wedding getaways and bridal party experiences

• Family reunions and multi-generational outings

• Corporate events and team outings that need to be more than a dinner reservation.

• Brand photo shoots and content creation on the water

For custom events, Nantucket Tug Company handles the logistics you don’t want to think about: specialty pickup and drop-off locations, helping you find and book a photographer, and adding the finishing touches — flowers, catering, décor — that make an event feel genuinely curated.

Custom charters start at $1,575 for up to six passengers.

Fully BYOB — with Concierge Options

A Nantucket Tug Company charter is fully bring-your-own-beverage. Pack a bottle of champagne, a case of local craft beer, a pitcher of sangria — whatever fits the occasion. The bar is yours.

Want to take it further? Nantucket Tug Company can source provisions from their preferred island purveyors and have everything ready and waiting on board when you arrive. Charcuterie, snacks, specialty items — just let them know what you need when you book. Fresh drinking water is always provided.

The combination of BYOB flexibility and local curation is what sets the NTC experience apart. You get the warmth and casualness of a private gathering with the polish of something professionally put together.

Flexible Pickup. Your Timeline.

Most guests board from Town Dock, right in the heart of Nantucket. But if you’re staying at a property with private dock access, or if you want a pickup from a specific location, Nantucket Tug Company can accommodate — just reach out in advance to confirm availability and any applicable fees.

Want to extend the experience? Add an extra 30 minutes or a full hour to your charter. The boat moves at your pace.

What to Expect on the Day

Nantucket Tug Company recommends arriving at least 15 minutes before your scheduled departure. Town Dock has parking directly across the street (free public spots in the back, permit holders in the front rows), but summer weekends can be busy — give yourself a little extra time.

Once on board, your captain takes care of everything. There’s a restroom on board, and the six-person maximum means there’s always room to spread out, relax, and take in the views without feeling crowded.

In the rare event of weather that makes conditions unsafe, your captain will make the call and you’ll receive a full refund. Nantucket Tug Company’s first priority is always the safety of the people on board.

Why Private Beats Everything Else

There are plenty of ways to get on the water in Nantucket — ferries, sailboat tours, kayaks, paddleboards. But a private charter with Nantucket Tug Company is in a different category entirely. It’s the difference between seeing Nantucket and experiencing Nantucket.

When it’s just your group, on a boat with a real story, with your own food and drinks and your own agenda, something shifts. You stop being a tourist and start being someone who really knows this place — who has a view of it from the harbor at golden hour that most people never get.

That’s what Chugalugatug is built for. And that’s why, if you’re serious about experiencing Nantucket at its best, a private charter is the only way to go.

Plan your private charter at nantuckettugcompany.com — custom events starting at $1,575