Chartering a Yacht for Newbies
February 20, 2017When you come to Neptune Group Yachting and ask for a yacht charter vacation, we will do most of the work for you. We cover the planning, the prep and the execution. After the forms are signed, your job is to pack and mentally prepare for relaxation and carefree cruising.
Yet, if you’ve never experienced a yacht charter vacation before, you likely have some questions about how the process works. We’ve got you covered. Neptune Group Yachting has charted thousands (if not more) yacht vacations. The steps roughly break down as follows:
#1 Pick a Vacation Destination
Luxury yacht charters are not all created equal. While they all offer sunshine, great views and relaxation, there are many qualities that make some trips much different than others. For example, international yacht charters tend to be longer than domestic yacht charters – keep the length of your vacation in mind when selecting a destination.
Popular international yachting destinations include:
- Italy
- Greece
- Croatia
- French Riviera
- Australia
- Turkey
- France
- British Virgin Islands
For shorter vacations, popular U.S. yachting destinations include:
- South Florida (Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Florida Keys)
- San Francisco
- San Diego
- Los Angeles
- Long Island
- Cape Code
- Boston
- New England
- Myrtle Beach
- Tampa
#2 Set a Budget
The budget of your yacht vacation is dependent on a number of factors. When pricing luxury yacht charters keep in mind that the prices are all inclusive, with the exception of gratuity. For example, much like when you book a ticket on a cruise line, your yacht charter vacation includes food, beverages, accommodations, etc.
Factors that influence the price of a yacht vacation include:
- Alcohol preferences (top shelf vs. the cheap stuff vs. no booze at all)
- Destination (international vs. domestic)
- Season (winter vs. summer)
- Number of passengers
- Special requests from the captain and crew (ex: food allergies, sea sickness)
- Desired recreational activities
Yachts have a maximum passenger and crew capacity. If you book your yacht charter at maximum capacity, then the cost of your vacation will be lower since you are typically splitting the cost evenly amongst all participants.
#3 Complete the Paperwork
To finalize your yacht vacation, you will need to sign some paperwork that outlines the payment agreements, dates/times of departures and arrivals and basic personal information about each passenger – this is essentially your contract.
In addition, you will likely be asked to complete paperwork about your sailing/yachting history, preferences regarding boat activities, and food preferences/allergies.
If your boating destination is international you should also plan to share flight numbers and passport copies for all those on board. Other important factors to consider that might impact the amount of paperwork required to confirm a reservation include transportation arrangements, land accommodations (if needed), currency exchange rates, customs, visas (if required), etc.
Reserving a Yacht Charter with Neptune Group Yachting
Neptune Group Yachting creates custom yachting vacations from the boating capital of the world, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We believe that chartering knows no boundaries and we make it our mission to find, plan and execute the yachting adventure of your dreams. Learn more about our vacation packages and find your dream yacht charter.