Yacht Charter FAQ’s – Question about Yacht Charter?

How, when, where, why to charter, review the ?’s from customers of yacht charters, answered by professional yacht charter brokers.

Yacht Charter FAQ’s 101 – Why charter a yacht?

A yacht charter is a truly unique experience, and one that is reserved for a fortunate few. Experience the heights of luxury, immaculate service, serene surroundings and memories to treasure with a bespoke yacht charter. Every detail is tailored to your tastes, making every yacht charter truly special and unique. 212 Yachts put the extra degree in yachting, endeavouring to provide the perfect yacht charter experience to make your time on the water one to treasure.

How do I select the best charter yacht to suit my needs?

A good charter broker will guide you through the process of selecting the perfect yacht to charter, which meets your requirements. 212 Yachts will ask a series of questions to get a clear sense of your desires, tastes and plans, and will then carefully select a range of yachts best matching to your requirements. Each proposal is a selection of yachts that we believe may be suitable, to fit your needs – this requires a consultative approach. Your careful consideration and honest feedback is much appreciated, as this allows us to find the perfect yacht to suit your needs.

Where can I charter a yacht?

212 Yachts offer bespoke yacht charters around the globe. Based at the heart of the superyacht world in Cannes, we have particular expertise in the Western Med and Eastern Med. In recent years, our operations have expanded to Antarctica, the Caribbeanthe Bahamas, North America, the South Pacific and Australia. Whatever your location, 212 Yachts can tailor the perfect yacht charter to suit your needs.

No matter what destination you have in mind, 212 Yachts can help organise your dream charter in all corners of the globe.

Can I start a yacht charter in one country and disembark in another?

Absolutely, you can board your yacht charter in one port and end your yacht charter in another port in an entirely different country. Please be aware that delivery/redelivery fees may be applicable here.

Should I charter a motor yacht, sailing yacht or catamaran?

Each type of yacht for charter has different advantages and disadvantages.  read this guide outlining the key differences between motor, sail and cata. Do not hesitate to ask our team any questions you may have. We have motor yachts to chartersailing yachts to charter and catamarans to charter.

Do I need to bring my passport on my yacht charter?

Every passenger on-board a yacht must have their passport on-board at all times. Most professional, luxury yachts are commercially registered vessels, just like stepping on a plane, your passport is required. Ensure that you and all of your guests have their passports with them when preparing for your yacht charter, or your captain may have to refuse entry to the vessel.

Is VAT included in the price of a yacht charter?

VAT is usually not included in the yacht charter fee. The rate of VAT differs between countries, your yacht charter broker  will outline the applicable rate of VAT when proposing yacht charters.

Our expert team are always happy to advise and suggest carefully planned itineraries based on your desires and plans.

Yacht Charter itinerary suggestions

Our expert team are always happy to advise and suggest carefully planned itineraries based on your desires and plans. However, it is the yacht Captain that often knows the truly best spots to visit, and how weather may or may not affect your planning. Once you have booked your yacht, have a sense of the area you plan to cruise and what your desires for your yacht charter are, then we will begin to craft a bespoke itinerary just for you in conjunction with your captain.

How long can I charter a yacht for?

On most superyachts, the yacht owner usually opts for yacht charters that last a minimum of one week. Depending on availability, yachts can be chartered for as long as you wish. If you wish to charter a yacht for a prolonged period of time (+1 month), it is best to book well in advance to ensure availability.

Can I charter a yacht for just one or two days?

Most superyacht owners usually prioritise bookings of over a week. For some superyachts, owners are happy to charter their yacht for just one or two days. This will depend on the yacht and the time of booking. 212 Yachts has fantastic relationships with many captains and yacht owners, giving us the best chance to negotiate on your behalf. We will always do our absolute best to find the right solution for you.

On larger yachts, a dedicated chef will prepare divine cuisine to your taste

What is the cuisine like on a yacht charter?

The cuisine served varies from yacht to yacht. Every crew member has different specialities and styles, meaning that the style of cuisine can be different on every yacht. On smaller yachts, a steward/stewardess will prepare meals and serve drinks. On larger yachts, a dedicated chef will prepare divine cuisine to your taste. To ensure all meals are prepared to your taste, a good charter broker will require you to fill out a preference sheet prior to your yacht charter.

A member of the guest party suffers from food allergies, will this be a problem?

Not at all! When filling in your preference sheet, you are welcomed to outline any allergies/intolerances. Food will be tailored to your desires and tastes.

Can I select the food and beverages to be served on a yacht charter?

Yes! When you charter a luxury private yacht, it becomes your home. You may request (at cost to you) any items, foods, drinks or other that you wish to have on-board.

As a yacht charter broker, we will do everything we can to ensure that all components of your yacht charter are suited to your tastes and the crew are briefed and prepared well in advance of your arrival. Prior to departure, we will send you a preference sheet, giving you the chance to outline your preferences in categories such as general cuisine (French, Italian, Thai etc.), meats, breads, fruits, coffee, wines, champagnes, soft drinks, magazines/newspapers and flowers. You can state a preference for the times meals are to be served at, the way drinks are prepared and the type of ingredients to be used. Any special dietary requirements can also be outlined here. Once on-board the yacht, the chief stew is ready to assist arrange any other details requested. A good chef will check in with you to see which meals you love etc…

If you want to spontaneously explore a pretty seaside town, communicate your desires with your captain who will do his/her best to accommodate

I want to explore a town/eat at a restaurant; can I disembark the yacht for a select period of time?

Yes, you can disembark at chosen towns to explore/eat/drink. Please communicate this with our team if you are aware of stops of interest prior to your yacht charter, or alternatively if you want to spontaneously explore a pretty seaside town, communicate your desires with your captain who will do his/her best to accommodate. To get to shore, your yacht can pull into a berth/you may travel by your superyacht tender to shore/a restaurant may organise a tender to collect you from anchorage and transfer you to their property.

Can you assist with restaurant recommendations and reservations?

Yacht crew often have a wealth of knowledge regarding the best places to dine and drink around the world. Inform us of your select dining spot and any special preferences that you may have (style of food, atmosphere etc.) and we will suggest a number of ideal options, or ask your crew to advise.

What is APA – Yacht Advanced Provisioning Allowance?

APA is a simple way of getting the yacht provisioned properly for your specific requests, so you can enjoy your yacht charter with minimal hassle. The APA is essentially a bank account for the Captain of your yacht charter to purchase fuel, food, drinks, mooring fees and other items on your behalf. Normally a percentage will be added on to the charter fee (allow an average of 25% to 30% depending on your itinerary). The Captain is obliged to keep all receipts and you can check the expenditure level at any time.

Note: the captain and/or charter operator will not pay for provisions on your behalf without a down payment of an APA. If during a yacht charter your APA begins to run low you will be informed of this and will be required to pay the captain in cash directly or organize a transfer of funds. Any money not used will be refunded to you at the end of the yacht charter period.

Yacht crew are carefully selected, highly skilled individuals who will join you on-board your yacht charter to ensure that you have the time of your life

What is the role of crew on a yacht charter?

Yacht crew are carefully selected, highly skilled individuals who will join you on-board your yacht charter to ensure that you have the time of your life. The number and organisation of crew varies from yacht to yacht, and we will outline the number of crew (and their positions) prior to booking. Your Captain will control the navigation of your vessel, and additional crewmembers will carry out tasks such as preparation of cuisine, serving of meals and drinks, cleaning, keeping all mechanical components in perfect running order, teaching water sport activities and many, many more. Crewmembers all have a broad array of skills and specialities, and are there to add the finishing touches to your yacht charter experience. It is widely recognised that crew members can be the defining factor of a successful yacht charter, with a good crew normally resulting in an unforgettable yacht charter to treasure.

Where will the crew sleep on-board?

The crew will have separate cabins / crew quarters, ensuring the privacy of you and your guests is respected at all times.

Why are a maximum of just 12 people allowed on most charter yachts?

International Marine regulation states that once a vessel carries more than 12 passengers, even if it is a private yacht, it is considered to be a passenger ship and therefore has to comply with the SOLAS convention (Safety of Life at Sea) set out by the IMO (International Maritime Organisation). This is to promote and encourage passenger safety.

212 Yachts do have a nice selection of yachts available for charter for parties of more than 12, including yachts available for wedding parties or other functions of up to 250 passengers. If your group amounts to more than 12 guests, do let us know and we will offer a selection of yachts that hold the rare license to cruise with larger groups.

212 Yachts have years of experience in working closely with events companies at high-profile events on the French Riviera.

I’m visiting a high-profile event on the French Riviera; can you assist in finding a yacht for my corporate event?

Absolutely and with pleasure. 212 Yachts has years of experience in assisting events companies and private individuals. With access to thousands of yachts and expertise in this specialised service, we are well equipped to assist in finding the perfect yacht for your corporate event.

Do you have experience working with events companies to organise yacht charters?

212 Yachts have years of experience in working closely with events companies at high-profile events on the French Riviera. Annually, we assist in organising events at festivals including MIPIM, MIPTV, the Monaco Grand Prix, the Cannes LIONS, the Cannes Film Festival, MIPCOM and many more.

Can I charter a yacht for a quayside event / static yacht charter?

Yes, yachts can be chartered to host events at quayside. This is a popular practice during high-profile and corporate events. Yachts at quayside can host much more guests than yachts at sea, and are a great venue for impressing guests and hosting truly memorable events.

I want to arrange a static charter (quayside event), how do I arrange a berth?

212 Yachts will assist with organising a berth for your event on the French Riviera. Please be aware that competition for berths in highly sought-after ports is high, thus applying early is advised. This is particularly applicable if you plan to charter a yacht during an event. We will assist throughout this process.

How many guests can I invite to my corporate event?

Every yacht has a different capacity depending on size and the preference of the yacht owner. Furthermore, the number of persons permitted on-board at sea is different to the number of guests permitted on-board at quayside. Please inform of us how many guests you would like to invite to your corporate event on a yacht, and whether you plan to go to sea or not, and we will propose yachts to best suit your needs.

How far in advance of events should I organise a yacht charter?

If you wish to charter a yacht for a week during a high-profile event, it is best to organise a yacht charter as early as possible. Very popular yachts may be booked a year in advance of certain events. Despite this, each year yachts are available last minute, so do not hesitate to contact us in last minute situations and we will do our best to find the perfect last minute yacht charter. For day yacht charter during high-profile events, yacht owners have a preference for weeklong yacht charters. In this situation, we advise informing us of your enquiry as early as possible, and we will negotiate with captains and owners in the run-up to events to attempt to secure day charters. 212 Yachts have great relationships and will negotiate on your behalf to find the right solution for you.

It is best to organise a yacht charter as early as possible...Despite this, each year yachts are available last minute.

How do I pay for a yacht charter?

Once you decide to book a yacht charter we will do our best to provisionally hold that yacht for you, however it is not confirmed ‘booked’ until contracts are signed and an initial deposit payment is received. The most common ways of paying for your yacht charter is by bank transfer. Before you make a payment, we will give you a full invoice that shows the payments due in the currency of your charter.

Can I get a discount on a yacht charter if I go directly to a yacht operator?

212 Yachts acts an agent, so the yacht owner pays us a commission out of the charter fee for finding the customer, answering their questions, taking care of the paperwork and payments. Our prices are the same as the prices that the charter operator offers to the general public. Normally a charter operator will not reduce these prices for individuals. As a result the price that we propose to you is normally the best price you will receive.

Multiple companies are offering me the same prices on yachts, why is this?

Prices are usually set as standard in advance of seasons. Discounts can sometimes be arranged, however in most cases, companies will offer yacht charters at the same public price.

Should I tip the crew on-board a yacht charter?

If your captain and crew have been very helpful and professional during your yacht charter and you therefore would like to give a tip, then it is customary to pay 5% to 15% of the total charter amount. Present your tip to the captain, who will share it out to the crew for you.

How much will fuel cost?

Fuel costs depend on a number of factors, including engine size, engine consumption, the distance travelled and weather conditions.

What is a MYBA contract?

A MYBA contract is a respected and widely used yacht charter contract in the Mediterranean region. It is utilised to protect all stakeholders.

I would like to hire a superyacht tender with my yacht charter; is this possible, can you assist?

On superyachts, often guests wish to have a larger tender to support the vessel. This can be arranged.

212 Yachts has a great selection of superyacht tenders to rent. When you chose to charter a yacht, if you require a tender rental in any location on the Mediterranean please inform our team and we will assist.

Other yacht charter faqs / questions?

If you have any questions regarding a yacht charter, then please do not hesitate to contact 212 Yachts and we will be delighted to assist you.

If you would like to add content to this article with further yacht charter faqs, please do reach out to us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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