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Luxury Yachts
- Motor Yachts - Fly and Sail programs - Your Villa amongst the Isles is your Adventure
Destination!
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Select your Yacht type
and let us know: Exact charter dates:
Number of adults & children in your group - Greece, Turkey or other
Mediterranean location!
Why charter a Yacht?
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Q:
What are the benefits of taking a charter sailing vacation?
A: A charter sailing vacation is one of the all-time greatest
vacation options in the world! You have the opportunity to take a vacation
in an idyllic setting that offers relaxation, freedom, exhilaration
and plenty of fun, all in one experience. In today's pre-packaged-TV
world, taking a week or two to sail in an exotic location with family
or friends offers a break and bonding experience unlike any resort,
cruise or tour could ever begin to offer.
Q:
It sounds like a really great idea … but what are the estimated costs?
A: Actually, it depends on the number of people who go, the size
of the sailboat and the season, but rates are pretty comparable to ski
and golf vacation. For instance, in the Greek Isles, a 32’-35' sailboat
will run between $250 in low season to $450 a day in high season. On
a big catamaran (where the costs can be split among several couples),
the costs will usually range between $600 to $1200 per day. Ask about
season dates and rates as it varies from region to region.
Q:
Besides the boat charter itself, what other costs are involved?
A: Transportation to the destination (i.e. flights), provisioning
(food) and security insurance (also called damage waiver) are the primary
additional costs, along with “spending money.”
Q:
When should you crew versus bareboat?
A: First, a brief explanation. “Crew” means you book your charter
with a captain and possibly either a mate and/or chef who are responsible
for handling the boat and often for the preparation of your meal. “Bareboat”
means that you take full responsibility of the boat and all aspects
of your adventure. Both have distinct advantages based on your level
of sailing experience and what you want out of your vacation.
If you are an experienced sailor who has done some cruising in the past,
bareboat may be the ideal choice for you. It provides the ultimate
degree of freedom … there is just something great about being alone
with family and friends on your own boat and going where you want to
go, when you want to go.
But having a crew can add extra luxury and give you more of a carefree,
"everything's taken care of" vacation experience. Also, for those who
are less seasoned, having a captain aboard can offer a great educational
experience to help you gain confidence for going bareboat the next time
around!
Q:
How experienced do you really need to be in order to bareboat?
A: You need to be completely comfortable sailing a boat of similar
size in similar sailing conditions. The charter companies allow you
to try different types and sizes of boats, but they will ask you to
complete a sailing resume to indicate your experience level on boats
like the one you want to charter. Almost all of the charter companies
will provide a skipper (for an extra cost) to help get you familiar
with the boat and/or waters. In addition, all charter companies will
provide a boat briefing to ensure you are familiar with the boat and
its systems and a chart briefing to introduce you to the waters, cruising
areas and how to get up-to-date weather info.
Q:
What are some activities you can participate in when you charter a sailboat?
A: Sailing, snorkeling, swimming, exploring islands and sightseeing,
plus simply kicking back and relaxing are high on the list! However,
if you want a little more action, request to arrange diving excursions
or equipment rental, windsurfing rentals, fishing equipment along with
many other destination-specific activities if you are interested. Crewed
charter boats might even have a tender available that can provide more
diving options, along with water skiing, etc. That’s one of the major
benefits of a charter vacation … you can set the pace and do exactly
what you want to do!
Q:
Describe a typical day and night on board.
A: Probably much like a cruising day on any boat, although perhaps
more relaxed. Wake up whenever … breakfast on board … maybe a refreshing
morning swim … then you decide on the next destination which might include
either a lunch stop or heading toward your next night's location. Sometimes,
you may decide to simply stay put and go nowhere!
Assuming you have a new destination, you’ll sail for a few hours, stop
for lunch, swim, snorkel, etc. Then it’s sailing for a few more hours
to that evening's anchorage. Arrive and set for night. Then it’s more
swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing, lazing back with a great book, etc.
At sunset, maybe it’s cocktails on deck with some music. Perhaps you’ll
have dinner on board in the cockpit, or you’ll wander up to a beachfront
restaurant. And then it’s back to the boat where you can lounge beneath
a canopy of stars, read, talk, play games … whatever! Repeat, repeat,
repeat... As many who have experienced a charter vacation will tell
you, it’s the life!
Q:
Any special do's and don'ts for chartering that you'd recommend?
A: Biggest do is: "JUST DO IT!" The biggest don't is: "DON’T DELAY!”
As a former employee of the charter industry who used to always take
charter vacations myself, I was convinced that all vacations were that
good! However, over the last few years, I've taken a number of different
types of vacations and few of them compare to the freedom and relaxation
of a charter sailing vacation.
Q:
How do I take action?
A: Take your time and ask lots of questions but do not wait too
long to take action. Best rated yachts go fast.. Visit the web page
with sailboats and have a look at the display offers there and contact
the staff: who can answer your questions and in some instances, actually
show you some boats. You can email us and have more individual attention
to address your questions and walk you through the options, sailing
locations, and explain how it works. Also, many times shown advertise
listings of charter sailboat specials. And, if you are ready to dig
in right now, browse the website and you’ll find a wealth of easily
available information right at your fingertips!
Yacht chartering procedure
When chartering a yacht, you should know:
-what type of yacht you are interested in;
-if you wish to have a crew on the yacht or not;
-the number of people to be accommodated on the yacht;
-the number of days and the exact dates of your trip; and
-the departure port.
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