Charter yacht FAQ answers

Can I pay the charter yacht with my credit card?

In principal, yes you can.  Most of the agencies are in position to accept major credit cards.  This does not apply to the individual boat owners.  If you choose to book your charter directly to the yacht owner, chances are that he is not in position to accept your credit card.

Does my mobile phone work in the destination country?

Europe operates on a GSM system different from North American countries.  Mobile phones do not operate in both systems.  If your charter arrangements deduct a continent change, you should require from your agency to arrange a local mobile phone for you (most of the agencies are in position to offer you that service -under a certain fee of course).

What is the difference between a bareboat skippered charter and a crewed vessel of the same size?

A crewed vessel employees it's crew (or at least a number of them) on an annual base, when on a bareboat charter the skipper is your employee.  Both categories have their advantages and disadvantages.  They also use different type of charter contract.
  • Crewed vessels are more expensive to charter.  On the other hand you may book a crewed vessel for any number of days, when on bareboat a weekly turn round -especially for the peak season- is required.
  • On crewed boats the crew is fully responsible for vessel's condition and therefore there is no refundable deposit required from you.  On bareboat the skipper is your employee (your agency only suggests a skipper) and therefore you are responsible for vessel's condition, even for skipper's actions.  The need to leave a refundable deposit is required...  more
  • Crewed vessels in general offer more facilities and equipment.  The nature of bareboat charters requires from yachts to be as simple as possible, for an easy demonstration to you and minimizing the chances for problems occurring during your holidays.
To finalize my answer to this question, I must say that the above distinction is rather academic, since the size of vessels in bareboat is limited up to 55 feet for yachts and 40-50 feet for power boats.  The service of permanent crew at such a size vessel will deduct an unreasonable charter price.  In general, crewed vessel's size starts were the bareboat ends (55 feet for yachts and 40-50 feet for power boats), and the only range were both categories meet is yachts from 50 to 60 feet.  The crewed yacht Summer Love is a perfect example of such a case.  Although she is based on the bareboat model Atlantic 55', the crewed vessel offers a lot more than her ancestor.

What if I want to make additional travel arrangements?

Your agency should be in position to handle any additional travel arrangements required. Whether this is hotels, car rentals or tours, they can arrange them for you.

What if I have a special occasion?

If you have a special occasion such as a birthday, honeymoon etc. you may ask your charter yacht agency to organize any special arrangements you require.