The itinerary is flexible on any private charter and will be customized based on your preferences. The crew will know the area well and will make recommendations and any adjustments necessary based on wind and weather.
We can provide a sample itinerary for you to review before you book your charter.
A crewed charter typically has a skipper and cook aboard, and it has all-inclusive pricing.
All your meals, drinks, and the boat operating expenses are included in the rate. The only thing not included is a crew gratuity.
If you know how to captain a boat, then you can book a “Bareboat” charter and be your own captain for the week!
With a bareboat charter, the yacht comes “bare,” and you stock everything from dish soap to toilet paper, and all your food and drink for the week. You can buy the provisions when you arrive at a local grocery store, or you can order in and advance and have it delivered to the yacht.You can always add a captain to a bareboat charter for the whole trip or just the first day or two.
In the Caribbean and most other destinations, a sailing resume, with experience on a yacht similar to what you are booking, will be sufficient to captain the yacht yourself.
In the Mediterranean, a sailing license is usually required and strictly enforced. In the Med, you are docking most days, so the potential to hit something is much higher than in the Caribbean where you drop anchor most nights; therefore, they require a sailing license or certificate.
Here are the two sailing certificates I recommend for sailing in European Waters:
American Sailing Association International Proficiency Certificate
or
US Sailing International Proficiency Certificate
If you have a lot of experience but have never taken a sailing course, suggest contacting a local sailing school and asking if you can do a one-day lesson to “test-out” of the course.Scuba Charters
Some yachts specialize in Scuba Charters with at least one member of the crew, a divemaster or dive instructor, and some diving gear included. What scuba gear is included varies greatly between yachts, so with a quick discussion on what your group is looking for, we can help you find the right yacht to meet your needs.
Kite Boarding Charters
Kite Boarding trips are another specialty offering. These are typically designed for people that already have experience kiteboarding, but some offer instruction. Some yachts offer kites and boards to use, so you don’t need to pack yours with you, while others simply provide guidance while using your own gear.
Honeymoon Charters and Romantic Getaways
Charters for two! Book your honeymoon or anniversary trip aboard a yacht. Myst Yacht Charters can recommend several top yachts and crews that specifically cater to honeymoon and anniversary couples, some occasionally providing extra discount incentives or perhaps extra services for romantic charters.
Corporate Retreats
Are you looking for an alternative to a resort? Contact our experts to plan the best trip, and we will make sure everyone is treated like a VIP.
Twelve people are typically the maximum on any charter yachts, and if your group is larger, you’ll need to book two yachts. This is due to SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) restrictions that are expensive to implement. Furthermore, most yachts aren’t built with more than 8-12 guest beds, even when you get into mega yachts.
In the Mediterranean, you can sometimes book a “Gulet” that is a traditional wooden sailing vessel most that will be licensed to carry more people. They vary greatly in luxury, and some are set up as “backpacker boats,” while others are a five-star experience.
With Caribbean crewed yachts the crew gratuity is typically 15-20% of the charter fee. So you should factor this into the cost of the trip.
With Mediterranean crewed yachts and most other destinations, the gratuity is typically 5-15% of the charter fee.
With bareboat yachts you are adding a crew too, people typically tip $30-50 per day per person. Since the crew don’t get to choose what size yacht they are assigned to, it’s a flat rate. Just keep in mind to adjust the trip based on the number of people that are aboard.
This might seem like a lot, but crew is working 24/7 to make your vacation go smoothly.
We highly recommend travel insurance to protect your charter investment against a variety of unexpected situations, such as medical emergencies, trip cancellation, trip delay, etc.
The most comprehensive policies are “Cancel for any reason” policies.
We recommend buying travel insurance within 14 days or paying your deposit for the most policy options and features, but you can also buy it the day before you leave.
You can get a free quote here. Or call Insure My Trip at 1-800-487-4722 and please mention you were referred by “Luxury Yacht Charter”
Most people book a yacht for one week or more.
You can book a yacht for less time, but some yachts might have a minimum charter length, especially during peak season.
