common question answer
There are two categories: either “Plus All” or “All-inclusive”. Both include the yacht itself, a full compliment of crew including a chef, and all amenities aboard unless specifically identified as an extra. Most yacht charters are Plus All, which means that the charterer pays separately for all consumables including food, beverages, alcohol, fuel, dockage, communications charges, taxis, special deliveries, and anything that is not already aboard the boat. There are no charges for use of the yacht’s amenities except for special equipment like helicopters or submarines. At your request the captain can keep you apprised of your expenses, and will always provide you with a final accounting at the end. These expenses usually amount to between 25% and 35% of the base charter rate. All-inclusive is just that, everything that is considered “plus all” in the list above is included in the base rate. Note that some extras may not be included, such as super-premium beverages, certain caviars and unusual specialty foods, rendezvous scuba diving, ground transportation, or certain special requests. Regardless of which type of charter you choose, you are given a preference list to complete. From this document the crew will know what foods you like, beverages you drink, areas you want to cruise, your likes, dislikes, must-haves, don’t-wants, special dates to be celebrated, and anything that we can learn to help insure that you have the experience of a lifetime.
Yes. Anytime a US citizen leaves the country, Homeland Security and Customs require a valid passport. If traveling from abroad, a valid passport and visas must be arranged for all guests for all countries being visited during your charter.
The earlier you book the better the options, but you can book a charter with fairly short notice, a week or less in some cases. However, if you are planning your trip during the high season, it is strongly recommended that you book as far in advance as possible, a year is ideal.
Most yacht owners request a minimum of one week, but many will accept less, especially in the off-season. Some will even accept day charters, however, the daily rate generally increases as the term shortens. On average, the cost per day will be about one-sixth of the weekly rate for any charter that is less than seven days. Some yachts will not offer a shorter term during the peak season, which is July and August in the Mediterranean and New England, and December and January in The Bahamas and Caribbean.
Charter fees are usually paid by wire transfer or check. Prior to making a payment you will receive an invoice that identifies the payment amounts and due dates in the appropriate currency. If the charter is booked over thirty days in advance, 50% is due upon signing of the contract, and the balance thirty days prior to the start of your charter.
The activities vary depending on the cruising area and your interests. The pace and length of the charter is set by you. You can snorkel or dive coral reefs, water ski, walk the beaches, ride Waverunners, enjoy bustling night life, take a walk through a rain forest, explore ancient ruins, or just relax on the sundeck and let the crew serve you while you and soak it all in.
Most yachts’ amenities are listed in the marketing material. Generally included are a tender (small motorboat), snorkeling gear, water toys like kayaks and jet skis, and sometimes a ski boat or sailboat. The yacht may also have scooters, bicycles and other modes of transportation. Larger yachts may include a gym and even a helicopter or submarine. Most yacht also have provisions for Internet access, WiFi, and satellite television. Land transportation is generally done by taxi or limousine. If you have any special needs, desires, or requirements please let us know and we’ll make sure you have it aboard when you arrive.
Everything you would expect from a five-star hotel, but with a level of service that can only be delivered from a professional team who know your personal interests. Most yacht crew are highly trained and very personable. They know when to be available and how to be invisible. You can expect to be treated the exact same way as the yacht’s owner. The entire crew is always at your disposal and hoping to exceed your expectations.
As with most vacations, the less baggage the better, but you also want to be prepared. If you are cruising in a warm climate obviously casual summer attire will be the staple, but don’t forget to take something more formal as well if you intend to hit the town. One of the most useful items you can have when summer cruising are inexpensive rubber water shoes. Evenings can get chilly, so also bring a sweater, windbreaker or sweatshirt; and unfortunately rain gear is sometimes needed.What you won’t need are fins, masks, water toys, suntan lotions, towels or virtually anything for the beach, as they will all be provided. And unless you are an absolute die-hard scuba diver, it is recommended that you leave your personal dive gear behind. It’s a nuisance to lug around, and is often provided aboard or available through a rendezvous diving company. Soft luggage is strongly suggested for fitting into the storage areas on a yacht. You are unlikely to find a luggage rack aboard. Don’t forget your camera, personal music player, passport and visas as well as any medications you may need. Most yachts have connections for I-pods and other players and carry their own wide selection of tunes and movies with private entertainment systems in every room. If you are doing an adventure charter you will be informed about any specific items needed.
You will usually incur some fee for cancelling. The following charges will generally apply depending on when you cancel: If you cancel more than 70 days before departure you will forfeit the insurance premium and any deposit paid. Between 40 and 70 days you forfeit the insurance premium and 60% of the total charter rate. Between 15 and 39 days you will lose the insurance premium and 85% of the base rate. With less than 15 days you sacrifice the insurance premium and 100% of the charter rate.
The reference “bareboat” has two meanings; one is legal and the other functional. Since Chamberlain Yachts only offers crewed charters, we are only concerned with the legal application of this term. There are companies that provide yachts with no crew aboard; this is a true bareboat-only charter which we do not offer.Legally, bareboat refers to the type of contract used. In a bareboat charter the charterer only contracts with the owner for the yacht itself and does not include any crew. The crew are contracted separately. This is done in order to provide charter service in certain areas where the yacht may otherwise be precluded from operating. The charterer’s experience is identical to a fully-crewed charter, only the contract document itself is different.
This is the Advance Provisioning Allowance. The APA essentially creates a bank account for the Captain to purchase provisions, fuel, dockage, and other consumables on the charterer’s behalf. It is generally estimated as a percentage of the base charter fee, usually between 25% to 35% depending on your itinerary. The Captain will keep all receipts and a running balance of your account, so you can check expenditures at any time. Any amount not used will be refunded to you at the end of the charter. All purchases are transparent and nothing is marked up. The APA is used purely for your provisions and charter-related expenses.
ust as in a restaurant or other service organization, yacht crew often count of tips as part of their annual income, and clients will pay a gratuity based on the quality of service. Industry standard is 10% to 20%, at the discretion of the charterer. You can either take the gratuity in cash or traveler’s checks and give it to the captain to distribute among the crew, or send the funds to Chamberlain Yachts in advance, and notify us when and how much you want released.