Crewed Yacht Charter Booking Process

What is the booking process for a Crewed Yacht Charter?

Neil and Sam at BlueFoot Travel will deliver a personalised booking process for you. We know your holiday time is precious and so we want to ensure you get the most out of your yacht charter vacation.

The best way to do that is to talk. Then we can follow up via email or continue to talk too if you so wish. That way we can really understand your holiday goals, share destination and itinerary ideas, and match your needs with the best crews and yachts we know.

You can trust our guidance as we have been yacht crew for the last five years ourselves. We know the yachts, crew, destinations, and itineraries like the back of our hand. Going forward we will continue to invest in learning about new yachts and crews as we will attend the major charter yacht shows to meet new and existing crews and yacht to ensure they meet the standards you deserve.

Our service is free for you. Yacht owners pay us, the yacht charter brokers, directly for our services. And industry standards ensure that all yacht charter brokers offer the same yacht rates no matter who you book with.

We believe our inside industry knowledge sets us apart from other brokers and we hope you choose us to make your yacht charter an unforgettable experience.

How do I get in touch with you to book a crewed yacht charter?

To start your booking, you can contact us in the following ways:

• Organise a to speak to us for 20 minutes on Zoom via our online booking system on 10to8.com
• Send us your questions via the Contact Us page
• Email us directly at neilandsam@bluefoottravel.com

Below are the steps we will take you through once you get in touch.

Step 1 - Who is in your group?

Whether you are a solo traveller, couple or group of friends and family, we have sailing vacation options for you.

If you are travelling solo or are a couple, we suggest you book a cabin charter and join fellow minded travellers on a pre-scheduled sailing trip.

If you are travelling with a group of family or friends, we suggest you book a crewed yacht charter. If you are a couple looking for a private charter, then a crewed yacht charter could be for you too.

The number of guests a yacht can accommodate is usually up to 8. Let us know who you will be travelling with – friends, family, couples, or children. If you can also let us know the groups general ages, energy levels and how adventurous your group is, we will then work on matching your group to the best yacht and crew.

Should you wish to have more than 8 guests we can also organise a tandem charter for you. During a tandem charter, two yachts will sail together, and guests sleep on one of the two yachts.

Step 2 - Do you want to sail on a Monohull or Catamaran?

There is quite a large debate within the industry between the advantages of sailing on a monohull or catamaran. Whichever vessel you decide to sail on, it will be an amazing trip.

• Monohull – best for experiencing what it is really like to sail. You will experience heeling (the boat will lean slightly to the side when sailing upwind). Depending on the size of the yacht the communal spaces may be slightly smaller.
• Catamaran – Are like floating hotels and as such have a lot more space. But as such the sailing experience is not quite as good.

Step 3 - Where do you want to sail and what do you want to experience?

Do you already have a destination in mind? Great! If not, think about some of these questions and then we can find the best destination for your crewed yacht charter.

Do you want to island-hop and relax as your crew sail to beautiful islands? Do you want to visit rustic beach bars or top-end bars and restaurants?  Do you want to dive from the boat, or meet a dive boat a couple of times during the trip? Perhaps you like fishing? Do you want to get hands-on experience and informal instruction when onboard? Are you celebrating an anniversary or birthday?

Whatever experience you would like to have, we will do our utmost to match these with the best yacht for you.

Step 4 - When do you want to go sailing?

We highly recommend planning ahead for your charter. School holidays, Easter, Christmas, and New Year can book up a year in advance. The earlier you book; the more yachts will be available and the better the match will be for your experience.

Please also be aware that the weeks of Christmas and New Year are considered premium dates and as such all boats will charge a 10-20% increase. Some boats will also require a minimum of 10 days or will be specific about your start and end date so that they can maximise their schedules.

Step 5 - What is your budget?

The price for all-inclusive crewed monohulls and catamarans is generally between $15,000 – $65,000 for 6 nights / 7 days.

A crewed yacht charter is like no other holiday you will ever have.

The crew on your yacht will be responsible for all your needs during a charter. Included in the price you are getting your accommodation, incredible food and drink and multiple destinations. In addition, you will have a wonderful crew who will be looking after you. They will be personalising your itinerary, planning meals to meet the whole groups’ dietary needs as well as likes and dislikes. They will also be your personal guides for tours, restaurants, and bars. They will be your taxi service to and from your boat to all the wonderful beaches and snorkel sites you want to visit. They will help you learn how to balance on a SUP, snorkel or take your first ever dive (if available). And they will always ensure your safety.

You will have a lot of fun with your crew, and they will want you to have the best holiday. The service you get will the best, and it is customary to recognise good service with a gratuity. The industry standard is 15-20% of the yacht charter rate. Payment is usually done in cash to the Captain at the end of the charter.

Please note that occasionally, a charter boat may have a crew change prior to the contracted date. These are out of our control but know that we only work with the highest calibre of yacht crew managers who will ensure a high standard of replacement crew.

Step 6 - Let’s Book A Yacht!  

Based on all the information above, Neil or Sam will find the best yacht and crew available for your trip. Once you have agreed to book a yacht, Neil or Sam will then put a ‘Hold’ on the charter yacht you have selected.

A Hold on a yacht means that you will then have 7-14 days to complete the contract and deposit payment.  Should the Hold be challenged by another yacht broker, we would have 48 hours to complete the contract and payment.

Step 7 - Contracts & Deposits

Once you select the Charter Yacht, we will make sure all of your questions are answered before you sign the contract.

The Central Yacht Agency representing the boat will have a standardized contract outlining the charter date, fee and payment process. You will have an opportunity to review and ask questions about the contract. Upon signing the contract, payment must be wired within a designated 24-48 hour period to validate the contract. Here is the payment schedule:

• If your charter date is more than 6 months away
  • 25% Deposit is due at Contract
  • 25% is due 6 months before your trip.
  • The final 50% is due 45 days prior to your charter date (may vary by boat)
• If your Charter date less than 6 months away.
  • 50% Deposit is due at Contract
  • The final 50% is due 45 days prior to your charter date (may vary by boat)
• Last-minute charters within 60 days of departure
  • 100% payment

Payments are made into an escrow account.

Step 8 - Other Documentation

• Trip or Travel Insurance – We always recommended getting insurance with a high-value holiday such as a yacht charter. Please remember to purchase your insurance at the contract signing stage.  You can see more here.
• Flights – Research your flights. Please do not book flights until your contract is finalised.
• Passport – Please check your passport is valid for at least six months after your yacht charter ends. If not, please renew.
• Vaccination – No matter how big a yacht is, you will be in close quarters with other guests and your crew. For the safety of yourself and your crew, we highly recommend you are fully vaccinated at least 4 weeks before your sailing trip. This will also significantly reduce any quarantine time you will have to do arriving for your sailing trip and if you are sailing between different countries – e.g. Grenada to St Vincent & The Grenadines or St Martin and Anguilla.
• Visas – Please check whether you require a visa for entry into the country or countries where you are chartering.

Step 9 - Meet Your Crew & Discuss Preferences

As we mentioned above, the crew on your yacht are 100% dedicated to making your trip the best it can be. About 6-8 weeks pre-charter we will ask you to complete a Preference Form and ideally chat with your crew to discuss any specific requirements you may have. As they work full-time on the yacht and will likely be on charter, this may need to be done via email.

Step 10 – Get ready for your charter!

About a month before your sailing trip we will share our packing tips and other fun ideas for your yacht charter.