From a simple cruise to a full-blown experience: here’s how to level up your team event onthe water in Charleston, SC.s during the winter season.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

Inside this corporate boat party guide with Harbor Bar.

Harbor Bar has hosted more corporate events on Charleston Harbor than we can count at this point, and we’ve picked up a few things along the way. In this guide, we put together some of our favorite ideas to help you plan a great company outing on the water — whether you’re working with a tight budget or ready to go all out.
We organized everything from the simplest, most low-key options all the way to the more elevated experiences, so you can pick what works for your team and your budget. Here’s what you’ll find inside:

Here’s what we’ll cover (With Jump Links):

Just getting on the boat — and why that’s already enough
Setting up a Polaroid photo station with branded swag
Games and activities that actually get your team going
Running both boats for groups over 24 people
Turning your cruise into a themed party
Food and drinks: from BYOB to a live sushi chef on deck

Just get on the boat — it’s already an event

Here’s the thing: you don’t need to do anything extra. A private cruise on Charleston Harbor is an experience all on its own. Your team will be out on the water with 360-degreeviews of the city skyline, sea breezes, and the very real possibility of spotting dolphinsalong the way.

Harbor Bar holds up to 24 guests and is completely private, so it’s just your crew from startto finish. Your captain handles the navigation and sets the vibe. All your team has to do isshow up, bring their drinks and snacks, and enjoy the harbor.

For companies looking for a team outing in Charleston, this is the easiest win on the list.Book it, show up, and let the harbor do the rest.

Best for: Any team size up to 24. Perfect for end-of-quarter celebrations, welcome eventsfor new hires, or a simple afternoon away from the office.

Set up a Polaroid photo station — and add some branded swag

We have a Polaroid camera available on board, and you can request it ahead of time at no extra charge. It’s one of those additions that always gets people excited. Instant photos have a way of making moments feel more real, and people actually hold onto them.

Want to take it a step further? Put together a small branded kit to go along with the photos:

Company stickers your team can add to their Polaroid shots
A few extra stickers for notebooks, laptops, or water bottles
A printed card with your company name, the date, and “Charleston Harbor” on it

It’s inexpensive to put together and gives your team something physical to take home fromthe event. That’s a rare thing for a corporate outing.

Best for: Teams that care about company culture and want a keepsake from the day.
Tip: Request the Polaroid camera when you book. Just call or text Captain Mike at (843)810-5912 and we'll have everything ready on board.

Polaroid camera and film basket add-on on Harbor Bar party boat in Charleston SC — Request a Polaroid camera for your cruise — free add-on, just let the captain know ahead of time

Make the most of the games — karaoke, shot ski, and team challenges

The boat already comes loaded with everything you need to keep the energy going.Karaoke, a shot ski, a Flabongo, and plenty of room to move around. If your team needs alittle push to get out of work mode, these do the trick every time.

Karaoke on the harbor has a way of bringing out sides of people you’ve never seen in theoffice. Someone always surprises the group. The shot ski is great for a quick team moment,and the Flabongo is exactly as fun and chaotic as it sounds.

You can also bring your own additions: trivia cards, a team challenge with small prizes, or aplaylist your team put together ahead of time. The boat gives you the setup; you decide howto use it.

Best for: Teams that want to genuinely connect, not just check a box on the calendar.

Groups playing shot ski and karaoke on Harbor Bar party boat in Charleston SC — Shot ski, Flabongo, karaoke — all included. Your team won’t need an icebreaker after this.

Rent both boats for bigger groups — and make it a competition

Not everyone knows that Harbor Bar has two boats. If your group is larger than 24 people,you don’t have to split the event across two separate days. You can run both boats at thesame time.

Divide into two teams, depart from the marina together, and turn it into a friendly raceacross the harbor. Both boats have pedals, so you can actually compete. Set up relaychallenges between the crews, pass tasks from one boat to the other, and then dock side byside at the end to bring the whole group back together.

It’s a great format for larger companies that want the energy of a single shared eventwithout squeezing everyone onto one boat.

When one boat isn’t enough — here’s what happened :

A-Plus! Our nurses loved this treat! Telehealth Remote Nurses Retreat with Marie Peppers LPN, 2023
Nurse’s Retreat 2023! We were all here for a Telehealth Nursing Conference at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston SC. I am running the event and decided to buy out 2 of the Pedal Boat Tours for a private ride for the nurses. We had 2 boats go out at the same time loaded with Nurses and their families. Oh boy did they enjoy this treat with Captain Mike and hit team at Harbor Pedal Boat Tours. Worth every penny that we paid! The nurses will remember this always. Thanks so much, Marie Peppers Remote Learning Services for Nurses, Remote Telehealth Nurses ROCK!
Marie Peppers
LPN and Remote Nurse Courses.

Best for: Groups of 25 to 50 people. Works especially well for annual company events, largedepartment outings, and milestone celebrations.

Turn it into a themed party

This is the option for teams that want to go all in. Pick a theme before the event, send it outto your team, and give people the chance to show up with a little extra effort.

It doesn’t take much to make it work. A shared color scheme and a themed playlist alreadychange the atmosphere on board. Matching company t-shirts or caps take it a step further.And when even a few people really commit to the look, it sets the tone for everyone else.

We see themed groups on our boats regularly. Coordinated outfits, team colors, matchingaccessories. It always makes the cruise more fun and gives people something to laugh abouttogether. The theme is optional, but it’s one of the easiest ways to signal to your team thatthis event is worth showing up for.

Best for: Companies with a strong team culture, or any group that wants to turn a corporateouting into something a little more memorable.

Food and drinks: from BYOB to a live sushi chef on deck

Harbor Bar is fully BYOB, which is one of the things our guests love most about it. Beer,wine, hard seltzers, champagne — bring whatever your team enjoys. You can also bring allyour own food and snacks, which keeps the budget flexible and makes sure everyone hassomething they like. (Just note: no hard liquor, per Charleston harbor rules. Coolers areprovided on board, but bring your own ice.)

If you’d like to bring in catering, we work with local Charleston vendors who can deliverdirectly to the marina before your cruise. Charcuterie boards, BBQ, custom menus — just letus know what you’re looking for and we’ll help connect you.

And for something truly special: we offer a live sushi chef add-on, where a private chefcomes aboard and rolls fresh sushi right on deck during your cruise. We’ve had severalcorporate groups book this option, and it never fails to impress. Even Captain Mike bookedthe sushi chef for his own birthday on the boat. That should tell you everything you need toknow.

Charcuterie board and live catering chef on Harbor Bar corporate cruise in Charleston SC — `BYOB & bring your own snacks, order from our catering partners, or go all out with a live chef on deck`

The bottom line

You don’t need to do all of this. You don’t need to do any of it, really — because getting onthe boat is already the event. But if you want to make it something your team remembers,even a couple of these ideas go a long way.

Harbor Bar is a private boat on Charleston Harbor, with a great captain, room for up to 24guests (or both boats for larger groups), and everything you need already on board. Therest is up to you.

→ Book your corporate cruise or call the captain at (843) 810-5912 to talk through thedetails.

Key Takeaways

Host a winter corporate boat party in Charleston with Harbor Bar, suitable for teams up to 24.
Enhance the experience with a Polaroid camera, fun activities like karaoke, and team challenges.
For larger groups, use both boats for a friendly race and team tasks, accommodating 25 to 50 participants.
Consider adding themes, BYOB options, and local catering for a personalized touch.
Book your corporate cruise by calling Captain Mike at (843) 810-5912 for memorable events.