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Yacht Charter Guide
What is Yacht Chartering
Yacht chartering reffers to the deal when one party decides to rent/charter a yacht from another party (agency, yacht owner...). When we talk about chartering we imagine the perfect holliday for our clients. Imagine yourself discovering a world of enjoyment, relaxation, beauty of nature, islands, islets, small bays... Chartering gives you freedom to do what you like, it is a private access to a place of turquoise waters, balmy breezes, golden sunlight and cobalt skies. Chartering is a style of life, where you won't miss a thing.
If you desire a pure luxury contact us and we will provide you priceless days.
Types of Charters
We can divide charter yachts on three categories: fully crewed private yachts, superyachts and bareboats. Each category consists of 2 choices: sailing yachts and motor yachts. There are a lot of differences beatween each type of charter and choice among it, but there are also many similarities. Cro Yachting always acts according to the clients desires and also advises them to make the right choise. Every client is different, so their choise is sometime a bareboat, crewed yachts or superyachts depending on what their desires are at a particular time.
Fully Crewed Private Yacht Charters
The Fully Crewed Private Yachts are some of the finest examples of sailing and motor yachts in the world. These yachts are all privately owned and their crew is professionaly licensed, highly trained an experienced. Each charter guest will get a personal service and full attention. Discretion and security are guaranteed. A number of crew members who operate each yacht vary from 2 to 30. All the yachts range in size from 42ft/13m to 330ft/100m. If you charter a fully crewed private yacht, your choise will be high quality, top service and excellent crew. Among that crew will be experienced captain with extremly important local knowledge, a set of sailors, amazing chef along with hostesses that will tailor and cater all of your needs.
Superyacht Charters
Super Yachts are private crewed yachts, with all their features they will provide you a very special holiday which will take you to highest leveles imaginable when chartering.
All of these yachts give higher performances, they have an eye to fast cruising, offering solutions aimed at comfort on board. Their engineering and layout are in fact geared to safety in all weather conditions and enjoyable use while cruising. From the asthetic viewpoint Super Yachts are modern yachts notwhistanding the adoption of decisive lines and they offer numerous relaxation areas. Some of the characteristics of these majestic yachts are unsurpassed luxury and appointments. Super Yachts will offer you the ultimate in luxury private holidays and executive level corporate entertaining.
Bareboat Charters
A bareboat charter means you are the skipper and your friends are the crew. It gives you ultimate cruising independence and freedom. Each yacht is maintained and fully equipped for cruising.
If you decide to charter a bareboat, Cro Yachting will provide you pre-charter boat orientations and chart briefings.A bareboat charter will give you the freedom to cruise your own itinerary at your own pace, when sailing around in the worlds most beautiful and desired yacht charter cruising locations. If you would like, you can hire optional skipper/guides and cooks. This type of charter vacation is the most common worldwide.
Where Cro Yachting Operate
There are many interesting locations around the world. If you look at the aspect of yachting and sailing there are few to stand out: Caribbean, United States, Mexico, Europe, Africa and Asia.
If we look at destinations in detail they come as:
• Caribbean Yacht Charters (Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Sant Vincent and the Grenadies)
• United States Yacht Charters (Florida, California, Hawaii, Great Lakes...)
• Europe Yacht Charters (Croatia, France - Cote 'd Azure, Greece, Italy, United Kingdom...)
• And many other World Wide Yacht Charter destinations such as Africa, Asia, Canada, Central America, Mexico, South America and South Pacific, Galapagos, Australia, New Zeland, Thailand, The Seychells, The Maldives and Northern Europe.
On this matter we would have to be subjective and say that Croatia is our ultimate destination. There are many reasons to confirm this. As this said, looking at it objectively we are sure that Caribbean, Greece and Cote 'd Azure will satisfy all sailing and cruising needs.
Our offer is cruising the Mediterranean Sea with different types of yachts, gulets and catamarans.
Planning Your Charter
A process of planning a perfect vacation starts with making a decision where would you like to go. First you have to choose the destination and then what type of a yacht will be the best solution for you.
If you need an advise, Cro Yachting will be at your disposal. As you can see on our pages our offer includes: Luxury Yachts, Mega Yachts, Motor Yachts, Sailing Yachts, Gulets and Catamarans.
Than you have to see how many people will go to cruise with you. The nexts steps would be: according to number of people-what are your cabin requirements, what are you interested in doing or seeing-what type of holiday would you like and of course what is your budget.
And then comes the last but not less important decision which refferes to time of the year you would like to charter and for how long. This process will help you achieve the best possible result and the best vacation ever. Upon your request to insure that procedure runs smoothly we will send you Yacht Charter Procedure document containing all of the information above in the right timeline an order.
Where to Start
The first step we recommend you to do is to read all the informations from the artcle above- planning process. If you doubt your choise, just tell us what kind of a holiday you would like to have. According to your wishes, we will offer you the best yachts (their bases and marinas), rutes and programs.
Some of the interesting events that we offer You are: • Exclusive food, restaurants, bars, pubs... • Nightlife- clubs, discotecs, partys... • Water sports: windsurfing, diving, jet skiing... • Visits to national parks... • Hidden bays and maximum privacy...
After our discussion we will prepare a list of yachts and crews best suited to your needs, and then we will try to realize all the details you require.
Booking Your Yacht - Booking procedure
The whole procedure and planning can be as enjoyable as cruising itself. Remember that our clients’ happiness is our first concern. Five easy steps to your cruise vacation:
- Choose a starting marina (base)
- Choose a boat type
- Send us your request to check availability
- Confirm the charter
- Sign the contract and follow the payment procedure
More on your vacation planning:
01 Starting marina (base) depend of your decision, flight connection, type of charter (one-way or standard charter) and boat availability in particular marina.
02 Once determined the starting base, you need to choose your type of boat according to your preferences and experience. Whether you charter a sailing boat, a motor boat, a catamaran, a gulet or a luxury motor yacht, it would be best for you to do some research before making your choice. There are several factors to be considered; purpose of your charter holiday, be it for pleasure, business, activity, or you are interested in simply learning some basic navigation or participating in racing events; charter type which mostly depends on your navigational skills, bareboat, skippered or fully crewed charter; number of passengers and cabins; charter duration, comfort and your budget.
03 Once you have outlined your preferred base and your type of boat, send us an email with your request or fill in the booking form to check the availability and to get more information.
The request should contain following information: your personal data including your name, address, phone and fax number; information on charter including boat type, number of passengers and cabins, starting base and charter period. Give as many information as possible, especially if there should be any special interests, whether you want additional equipment on board, you need a skipper and a hostess or you are interested in a fully crewed charter.
Remember that bareboat charter requires a valid nautical certificate of competence in navigation and a VHF certificate. We shall provide you with all necessary information regarding your charter.
Our offer includes boat details, photos, prices, information on required certificates, payment conditions, check-in and check-out. We offer our full support to all our clients, providing suggestions and advice on boat types, periods, itineraries and more.
04 When you receive our offer, which usually consists of several boats, you will be given a few days to think about the offer. In the meantime, we shall hold the boat for you. Pay attention to the option; boats can be held for a short period of time, usually up to seven days, at the most. Once you make the final decision, your next step is to confirm your reservation by email. A short, simple email would be just fine.
05 When we receive your confirmation, we shall fax or email you the contract and charter conditions. Simply fax back the signed contract and follow the payment procedure from the contract. The deposit payment is to be done immediately after signing the contract, while the balance payment should be settled at the latest one month prior to your charter. Once we receive all the funds onto our account, we shall send you the booking confirmaton, approximately two weeks prior to your charter start date.
Feel free to contact us for all the extras including transfer, hotel accommodation, additional services and information.
The Charter Agreement
When it comes to legal issues and paper work we are nothing than punctual and accurate. The Charter Agreement is an outline that protects both parties included in Yacht Charter process. It consists of two entites: the Charteree (agency) and the Charterer (client or end user)along with legal terms and conditions that clearly state both commitements and responsabilities.
They are written in such manner that protect both parties on their mutual satisfaction.
Most crewed charter yachts use a charter agreement sponsored by MYBA (Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association) and adopted by CYBA (Charter Yacht Brokers Association) and AYCA (American Yacht Charter Association). The agreement specifies the particulars of the charter, payment schedules, cancellation policies and defines the rights and obligations of all parties in contingencies.
Make sure with your broker that you understand the terms and provisions of the charter agreement.
Rates
Charter rates are seasonal and variate of Yachts type, Size and the Region where they operate.
Items that are included in the charter rate and items that are additional expenses and fees vary according to the terms under which the yacht operates. The charter agreement clearly defines the terms and the charter rate.
Please note that rates in this web site are subject to change without notice until the booking is confirmed.
Fees and Expenses
It is important from the outset to understand the terms and conditions under which charter yachts operate as well as what additional fees and expenses may be incurred on your charter. This will allow you to have a realistic assessment of your budget needs and to compare value when researching your vacation options. If there are any items you do not understand please ask us for clarification.
Operating Expenses
Crewed charter yachts include different items in their rate depending on their type, size and the cruising area. The operating expenses (food, fuel, etc.) included or not included are determined by the operating "terms" under which a yacht is chartered. Following is a simple explanation of the common terms. The operating terms for most yachts fall into two general categories; "plus all expenses" (MYBA terms) and "inclusive" (CTI). For yachts operating under inclusive terms the meals and many operating expenses are included. Beverages are often not included but may be for some yachts, especially in the Virgin Islands. For yachts operating under plus all expenses terms a general rule for estimating expenses is to add 20% to 35% of the base charter rate. Motor yacht expenses are generally greater than those for sailing yachts.
Operating Terms
The "terms" under which a yacht operates set forth what items are or are not included in the charter rate.
MYBA
MYBA terms or WMT (Western Mediterranean Terms) - WMT are
now often referred to as "MYBA terms" (Mediterranean
Yacht Brokers Association). Under MYBA terms the charter
fee includes charter of the yacht and equipment, crew
wages and food, ship's laundry, basic operating consumables,
and insurance of the yacht for marine risk, third party
claims, and the crew for employer's liability insurance.
The charterer will be charged extra, and at cost to
the yacht, for all other expenses. These expenses include
food and all beverages for the charter guests, fuel
for the yacht and auxiliary craft, dockage, VAT if applicable,
taxes, harbor fees, communications, guest laundry and
shore-side electricity and water.
Most Superyachts and larger luxury crewed charter yachts operate under MYBA terms at all times and in any region. Yachts of all sizes chartering outside of the Caribbean, especially in the Mediterranean, will usually operate on a MYBA terms basis.
CTI
(Caribbean Terms Inclusive) - For yachts operating under CTI, sometimes referred to as SCT (Standard Caribbean Terms), the charter fee includes all items on the MYBA terms plus three meals per day and fuel for four hours' cruising daily averaged over the charter. Some yachts operating under Caribbean Terms include all beverages except vintage wines and champagnes. This occurs mainly in the Virgin Islands.
With the exception of most Superyachts and larger crewed charter yachts, most crewed charter yachts in the Caribbean operate under CTI.
EMT
(Eastern Mediterranean Terms) - The charter fee includes charter of the yacht and equipment, crew wages and food, ship's laundry, basic operating consumables, fuel for four hours' cruising daily averaged over the charter, breakfast and lunch, and insurance of the yacht for marine risk, third party claims, and the crew for employer's liability insurance.
The charterer will be charged extra, and at cost to the yacht, for all other expenses. These expenses include dinners if taken aboard and all beverages for the charter guests, fuel for the yacht and auxiliary craft, dockage, VAT if applicable, taxes, harbor fees, communications, guest laundry and shore-side electricity and water.
GT
(Greek Terms) - The charter fee includes charter of the yacht and equipment, crew wages and food, ship's laundry, basic operating consumables, water, harbor dues within Greek waters, and insurance of the yacht for marine risk, third party claims, and the crew for employer's liability insurance. The charterer will be charged extra, and at cost to the yacht, for all other expenses. These expenses include food and all beverages for the charter guests, fuel for the yacht and auxiliary craft, dockage, VAT if applicable, taxes, communications, guest laundry and shore-side electricity.
Occasionally there are differences between what some yachts may include or exclude. If you are not sure what is included in the charter fee, please say so and we will clarify the issue.
Please remember that all charters booked will be confirmed by a charter agreement signed by both the charterer and the owner. It is this agreement that stipulates the terms. Please ask us if you have questions. Be assured that we do not book yachts that do not operate under industry-recognized terms or that do not operate within the standards set forth by CYBA, MYBA and AYCA.
The Reasoning for "plus all expenses" Explained
When exploring luxury yacht charters for the first time one often hears the charter rate referred to as "plus all expenses". At first glance the fact that almost every item a guest will consume is an extra cost may raise an eyebrow. However, plus all expense terms are common on the larger yachts and serve to ensure that every item of your holiday is crafted to your specifications and delivered at a good value. Food and beverage provisions are custom ordered according to your direction. You select the expense level. Fuel is charged on consumption. You pay for what you use. You are free to be as extravagant as you choose. After all it is your holiday and you live it according to your budget and tastes, not someone else's. Also remember, expenses are charged to you at cost to the yacht. There is no markup. When you think about it, plus all expenses is an excellent system for a luxury yachting vacation.
Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA)
When chartering a yacht under plus all expenses terms an Advance Provisioning Allowance of 20%-25% of the charter fee is sent to the yacht ahead of time. These funds are used to provision the yacht according to your preferences. The Captain will advise you periodically as to the disbursement of the APA. Prior to disembarkation at the end of the charter, the Captain shall present a detailed account of expenditure. The Captain shall return any unused funds in cash. Should the APA balance become insufficient during the cruise, you will be expected to pay to the Captain in cash a sufficient sum to maintain an adequate balance.
Taxes and Harbor Fees
Most countries and island nations impose some type of cruising tax or harbor fees on charter yachts. These expenses are for the account of the charter guest but are usually only a small item in the charter budget. An exception would be the VAT imposed by European Union nations. VAT can vary between 16% and 20% of the charter fee. Not all yachts are subject to VAT. Specifics of VAT will be discussed directly with you in situations where it might be applicable.
Gratuities
Customary crew gratuity is 10%-20% of the charter fee based on service received and at your discretion. The gratuity should be handed to the Captain for distribution to the crewmembers.
Payment Schedules
Normally a 50% payment of the charter fee is due with the charter agreement to confirm the booking. Final payment and any other monies due for provisioning or other items is due in advance of the charter.
Cancellation Policies
Depending on the type of yacht booked, cancellation by the charterer can result in loss of deposit or loss of entire charter fee. In the event of cancellation by the owner substantial protection for the charterer is incorporated into the charter agreement for refund and penalty payments to the charterer.
Insurance
Trip cancellation insurance is available to cover the loss of the charter fee if the charter is cancelled or curtailed for valid reasons. It is recommended that you consider the merits of cancellation insurance at the time of booking your yacht. Certain benefits may only apply if insurance is purchased at the time of booking.
Liability, personal accident, medical and personal effects insurance specific to the charter guest is generally not covered in the owners charter insurance. Please seek the advice of your insurance professional. Meridian can arrange coverage through specialized industry recognized companies.