A commoditised market
“Nassau boat tour” returns a wall of near-identical listings, many sold through online travel agencies competing on price. A better day out means nothing if it looks the same online.
Case study · Brand identity & website
1Ocean Charters: boat charter branding and website design
30+Years of captain experience
45ftCatamaran, up to 70 guests
3Clearly defined experiences
Overview
1Ocean Charters runs shared tours and private charters around Nassau, The Bahamas: swimming pigs, sea turtles and snorkelling aboard a 45-foot catamaran. Kijo Digital created the logo and brand identity, designed the printed brochures, designed and built the website, and set it up to be found on Google and in AI search.
About 1Ocean Charters. A locally owned, owner-operated Bahamian company run by Captain Locksley Forbes and Tameka Forbes. Captain Forbes was born on Long Island, The Bahamas, where his grandfather built boats and first took him out on the water at the age of three. Tameka spent years in banking management and brings that attention to detail to every part of the guest experience.
The brief. Make a brand-new company look established and premium, separate an affordable shared tour from private charters, and win direct bookings from travellers who would otherwise default to the cheapest listing on a marketplace.
The challenge
Why selling a boat tour online is hard
Nassau visitors often decide within days of arriving, on a phone, with dozens of similar tours in front of them. 1Ocean's brand and website had to stand out, explain two very different products and earn trust in seconds.
A brand-new name
1Ocean had a lifetime of experience on the water but no brand yet. It had to look established and trustworthy from its very first day.
Two products, two buyers
A $165 shared tour is an impulse booking; a private charter from $5,000 is a considered purchase. One website had to serve both without diluting either.
Trust on the water
Handing your family to a stranger's boat for a day is a leap of faith. Safety, experience and credibility had to be visible before anyone books.
Part 1 · Brand identity
How we created the 1Ocean Charters brand identity
A new charter company needs to look established, trustworthy and a cut above from the first glance. We built a nautical identity that feels like a captain's emblem rather than a tour logo.
01 · Emblem
A ship's seal, not a tour logo
A circular badge with a gold compass rose, an anchor at its heart, the four cardinal points and “1 Ocean Charters” around the ring. It reads as heritage and seamanship, which is exactly what Captain Forbes brings aboard.
02 · Colour
The ocean at dusk
Navy for depth and trust, gold for warmth and the actions that matter, such as booking, and ivory to keep long pages calm and readable.
- Navy
- Gold
- Ivory
- Midnight
03 · Typography
Editorial, not touristy
Cormorant Garamond, an elegant serif, carries the headlines, paired with Jost, a light geometric sans, for details and inclusions. Together they feel like hospitality, not a ticket counter.
Voice & values
Hosted, not herded
“Explore. Relax. Create Memories.” sums up the day in three words. Behind it, four values guide both the copy and the day on the water:
- Welcoming. Guests are hosted, not processed.
- Authentically Bahamian. Local waters, local knowledge, local hospitality.
- Unhurried. Fewer things, done properly, rather than a rush past more.
- Safe, without exception. The captain makes the final call, always.
Brochures in the same system
We designed 1Ocean's printed brochures with the same emblem, palette and typography, so the brand feels the same in a guest's hand as it does on their phone.
Part 2 · Website design
How we designed a boat charter website built for direct bookings
The website had two jobs: show that 1Ocean is a cut above the crowded tours, and make booking direct as easy as sending a message. Every design decision serves one of those two jobs.
The homepage
A homepage that shows rather than tells
- A navy hero with one promise: “A better way to experience The Bahamas”.
- Two clear next steps, “See the experiences” and “Chat on WhatsApp”, for planners and quick deciders.
- A trust strip straight after: 30+ years on the water, a licensed 200-ton, STCW-certified captain and full marine safety gear.
- All three experiences with prices, durations and inclusions, then plain answers to the common questions.
Information architecture
Three experiences, one clear choice
Travellers choose between a shared seat and the whole boat, so the site gives each experience its own page and price, and makes the captain the proof behind all three.
Experience
Shared half-day tour
From $165 per adult. Swimming pigs, sea turtles, snorkelling and beach time, with instant booking.
Experience
Private half-day charter
From $5,000. The whole catamaran for your group, with a customisable route.
Experience
Private full-day charter
From $7,000. A full day of beach and snorkel stops, food, drinks and toys.
Trust
The Captain
Captain Forbes' story and credentials: the trust page for anyone still deciding.
Inside an experience page
The day, told before anyone asks
The shared tour page, titled “Swimming Pigs & Snorkeling Tour from Nassau”, walks through a typical trip, then what's included and the common questions:
Welcome aboard
A safety briefing, with life jackets handed out before departure.
Out toward Rose Island
An easy, unhurried cruise across turquoise water.
Snorkelling and sea turtles
Reef snorkelling, with gear and towels provided.
Beach time and water toys
Time on the sand with the famous swimming pigs.
Back to the dock
A return to the departure point.
Private charters
A considered purchase, a personal enquiry
A private charter is a high-value decision, so instead of a checkout the page opens a low-pressure conversation in four steps:
Inquiry form
Date, group size, duration, start time and the occasion, in one short form.
Confirm availability and price
The team replies with availability and a price for the group.
Secure booking link
The guest receives a secure link to confirm the charter.
Booking confirmed
The date is locked in, with the details agreed in advance.
In summary
Shared tour or private charter: two paths, one website
| Shared half-day tour | Private charter | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $165 per adult, $85 per child | From $5,000 (half day) or $7,000 (full day) |
| Buyer | Couples, families, solo travellers, cruise guests | Groups, celebrations, corporate and bridal parties |
| Decision | Impulse, price-led, book now | Considered, high-value, enquiry-led |
| The boat | Shared with other guests | Exclusive to your group, up to 70 guests |
| Primary action | Book this experience | Inquire about a date |
Part 3 · Search & AI visibility
Built to be found on Google and in AI search
Travellers now ask Google and AI assistants such as ChatGPT which Nassau boat tour to book, often before they reach a single website. We structured 1Ocean's content so search engines can understand who 1Ocean is, what each experience includes and where it departs from.
Place-based entities
Pages that name the places
Rose Island, Athol Island and Nassau are named and explained, along with the three departure points: Prince George Wharf near the cruise port, Margaritaville Paradise Island and Montagu Beach.
One topic per page
Titles that match real searches
Page titles mirror how people search, such as “Swimming Pigs & Snorkeling Tour from Nassau” and “Private Charters in Nassau”, so every page has a clear job.
Questions answered
FAQs written for planners
Experience pages answer questions such as “Will we definitely see the swimming pigs and sea turtles?” and “Can I book this tour if I am arriving by cruise ship?”
People as entities
Credentials in plain view
Captain Forbes' page lists a 200-ton captain's licence issued by the Bahamas Port Department, STCW and PADI certification, and marine mechanic skills: clear trust signals for travellers, search engines and AI tools alike.
Specific facts
Facts stated plainly
Prices, durations, start times, guest numbers, inclusions and the weather policy are stated plainly. Concrete detail like this helps search engines and AI tools describe the business accurately.
Structured data
Readable by machines
Organization, breadcrumb and FAQ structured data help search engines and AI tools read the business and its questions accurately.
Want your travel business to be found the same way? See how we approach SEO for travel businesses and AI search visibility.
The outcome
What 1Ocean Charters launched with
What changed for 1Ocean Charters, in plain terms. We add performance figures to a case study only once they have been measured and approved by the client.
Brand
A new brand from day one
Emblem, palette, typography, values and printed brochures in one system.
Booking
Two booking paths
Instant booking for the shared tour, a personal enquiry for private charters.
Trust
The captain as proof
A dedicated page for Captain Forbes' story, licence and certifications.
Delivery
Built in six weeks
The website was designed and built in six weeks.
Want more direct bookings for your charters? Start a project →
Key takeaways
What this project shows about charter websites
Make the people the proof
A captain's story and credentials do what no marketplace listing can: give travellers a reason to choose you.
Different buyers, different paths
An instant booking for the shared tour and a personal enquiry for private charters, never one form for both.
Meet travellers where they are
WhatsApp and clear cruise-port departure details suit visitors who decide within days, on a phone.
Related
The services and sectors behind this project
Questions
Questions about the 1Ocean Charters project
Kijo Digital, a Cape Town agency that works only with travel and tourism businesses. We created the 1Ocean Charters logo and brand identity, designed the printed brochures, designed and built the website, and set up its SEO and AI search foundations.
Shared tours run daily at 9 AM, subject to availability, from one of three locations in Nassau: Prince George Wharf near the cruise port, Margaritaville Paradise Island or Montagu Beach. The departure point is confirmed at booking, and private charter times can be customised.
Give travellers what an agency listing cannot: the operator's own story, the quality of the vessel and host, transparent inclusions, and a fast, personal way to book, such as WhatsApp. Direct bookings also keep the margin that would otherwise go to commission.
The website was designed and built in six weeks.
Yes. We create brands and websites for boat and yacht charters, tour operators and activity operators. Tell us about your business through Start a project, or request a website audit first to see where your current website is losing bookings.
Your charter, your website
Help more travellers book your charters directly
Tell us about your boat, your trips and who books them. We will show you where your brand and website can win more direct bookings.
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