A Yacht Vacation of a Lifetime – How to plan your yacht charter trip
Published by melaniemadon Monday, January 4th, 2010 in Explore the Bahamas, News, Yacht Charter Advise |
MGM Yacht Charters
Want to escape the cold to spend a couple of winter weeks in tropical weather? A well planned yacht charter really is the vacation of a lifetime, and it offers something for everyone.
No one can put a price tag on precious memories and time spent with loved ones, but …how can you make sure you’re getting the best value for your precious yacht vacation time?
Be careful, web sites and digital photos can be deceiving, and falling for the temptation to plan your yacht vacation by price-shopping on the internet alone can cause your vacation of a lifetime to be truly unforgettable – for all the wrong reasons.
That’s why planning your yacht vacation is not something you should trust to just anyone.
Pick Your Yacht Vacation Dates and Book Early.
Do you plan your yacht vacation by season or around your children’s school schedule, or any other determining factor. Plan ahead and decide to book early. This is especially important for popular destinations and the best yachts. The more fixed your dates are, the earlier you should plan your yacht vacation.
How Many Guests Will Join Your Yacht Vacation?
Have an idea of how many guests will be joining you on your yacht vacation? A family of four perhaps? A business team of x amount? A honeymoon or an anniversary for just the two of you? A package complete with an island wedding and week long party afterward with friends? Yacht charter rates prices vary depending on the number of cabins aboard and the number of guests in the charter group. So it’s best to determine your group size before shopping for the right charter yacht for your party.
Which Type of Yacht is Best for Your Yacht Vacation?
There are Power Yachts, Sailing Yachts, Mega Yachts and Catamarans. Do you prefer a yacht that has a helicopter, jet skis, Jacuzzi, a pool, Scuba and snorkeling gear. Many people enjoy the speed a motor yacht affords, along with its roominess and luxury. Others prefer the excitement of sailing as much as arriving at new ports. Do you prefer a crewed yacht or one with just the qualified captain aboard? Note: You and your party will be expected to prepare your own meal planning or to eat ashore. You may also be responsible for the captain’s meals as well. If you’re a qualified operator you may enjoy the excitement and freedom of captaining your own craft on a bareboat charter.
Destination Anyone?
Many clients know exactly which part of the world they wish to explore. Others may need a little help from an experienced yacht vacation specialist. There are many factors to consider when choosing the right destination for your yacht vacation. Weather, travel options to and from your home base, availability of the type of yacht you prefer, shore and water based activities you may want to enjoy on your vacation are some of the factors to consider. An experienced yacht vacation specialist can help narrow your search by sending you suggested itineraries and activities and yachts available in specific areas.
What’s Your budget?
Probably one of the first questions an experienced yacht specialist will ask you, and for good reason. With yacht charter vacations available that suit such a wide variety of budgets and with literally thousands of charter yachts in the market…budget is a key factor in narrowing down the search for you. There’s no sense in an agent presenting you with yachts in the $50,000 per week budget if you have no intention of spending more than $12,000; likewise you probably won’t find the $8,000 per week yachts appealing if you’re accustomed to cruising on 100 foot and larger motoryachts that are more in the $25k and up price range. Be sure to clarify what is included in the rates quoted. Some fully crewed charters are quoted as all-inclusive and include everything from provisions, open bar and cruising fuel, other all-inclusive charters exclude bar, dockage and communications expenses. Typical crewed charters that are quoted as “plus-all” include the price of the yacht and fully staffed professional crew only. All expenses are additional and in most places of the world an average of 35% of the charter fee is collected in advance to pay for expenses. Taxes and cruising fees are seldom included in prices quoted and vary by region. Bareboat charters often require a daily damage deposit insurance fee as well as a refundable damage deposit to be paid prior to departure. In short, a good yacht charter specialist will be sure that you don’t have any hidden surprises on your charter. Full disclosure about any expenses you may have on your charter will ensure that you are well-prepared and budget accordingly.
Do I Need to Work with a Yacht Charter Broker?
Assistance from the right yacht charter professional can make the entire experience from booking to cruising enjoyable for you. There’s no cost to you as the yachts are more than happy to offer a commission to professional brokers who assist clients. The fact is the education that the broker provides to the clients is just as helpful to the crew in being sure that the guests are well informed, thorough information about the guests preferences are provided and that the yacht and the crew are properly matched.
Are you ready to plan your yacht vacation of a life time? Feel free to contact us for a FREE detailed consultation about your next yachting holiday.
