The chartered yacht Check In /Check out Procedure can be a breeze and hassle-free if you know the procedure and get yourself to the Charter base in good time. However, if you don’t understand the process, the frustration that follows can easily rob the fun out of your sailing dream holiday. Here is a detailed look at some of the things you should know before proceeding to book your holiday yacht.
Check-In
Charter periods typically begin on Saturday and may last up to seven days. Boats are usually ready to sail the winds at your scheduled times, and the yacht charter company will let you know the exact time you’re expected back as per their policies.
If you’re flying in, you might want to organize transport from the airport to the Marina base in advance so you can arrive on time.
This is important because the Charter base can be quite busy on the arrival day. Parking spots are usually reserved for guests at the marina, so you shouldn’t have much trouble getting one when you arrive.
Documents
When you arrive at the marina offices, you will need to sort out some paperwork to kick things off. The authorities will typically require that you send in your list of crew and your telephone number in advance. The Crew list is the first thing they will check, and it’s mandatory for each chartered boat to have a complete list.
Some of the information that goes on the Crew list includes ID numbers, Nationality, and birth date for every crew member. The skipper and his license should also be included. This list will then be forwarded to the relevant authorities.
Tip: To ensure quick check-in, arrive at the Marina on time and visit the office first to process all the required paperwork.
Security Deposit
When you’re sailing the waters on your dream holiday, anything can happen to the yacht –the sail may break, it may touch the ground, or get a few scratches as your crew navigates within those scenic lagoons. Understandably, the yacht company often secures itself against these unpleasant surprises by charging a nominal fee in the form of a security deposit.
The deposit can be refundable or non-refundable.
A refundable deposit will be refunded to you when you get back to the marina from your dream holiday. But, this is after the charter staff has determined that there is no damage to the yacht -in case of damage, the yacht owner may retain some of the deposit to cover for the damages.
Refundable deposits are typically higher compared to non-refundable deposits and will depend on the size of the boat.
The non-refundable deposit, on the other hand, is not refundable and is usually used to cover any damages that might have happened to the yacht.
Renting Additional Equipment
Depending on the type of dream holiday and adventure you have in mind, you might need some extra equipment other than the standard offered safety and convenience items. This can be anything from snorkeling gear and safety nets to extra sheets, water toys, and towels.
You could order the extras in advance or pick them up right after your paperwork. But it is strongly recommended that you order them in advance during the yacht booking process (especially for things like snorkeling gear and safety nets) so that the company can have them ready and waiting for you. This could also save you a couple of minutes in your check-in process.
Checking the Boat
Once the paperwork has been fully processed, the skipper will also need to do a technical check-in. You may decide to come with your own skipper or have a skippered charter. If you opted for a skippered charter, chances are your skipper is already familiar with the process at this base, but they will still need to go through it with the charter staff.
The staff essentially explains and leads the skipper through the functions and systems of the yacht. As the skipper makes a technical check-in, you’re free to leave your luggage at the base and have some refreshments or simply wander around. You will then be taken through a safety and technical briefing, which will last about 30-45 minutes.
During this session, your crew will be introduced to onboard safety as well as the technical features of the yacht. Once all this is done, you’re free to board your yacht to where your sailing dreams take you.
Check Out
At the end of your sailing holiday and fun, you will be required to get back to the marina base. As mentioned earlier, here is also where the yacht charter check-out process will take place.
If you arrive at the base in the afternoon, you’re free to initiate the checkout process or sleep on board and disembark the following morning. In case of any delays, always let the Charter staff know of this in advance. There might be some fines for late arrival or check-in, depending on the policy of the yacht base.
Inspection of the Yacht
The yacht exanimation process during checkout is pretty much similar to check-in –except this time, they will be checking to see if you had a little too much fun and made a few scratches or dings on their yacht. If the yacht is in the same condition as when they surrendered it to your crew, and no equipment is damaged, they will refund your deposit. In the event of any damage, some amount of your deposit will be retained to cover this damage.
Fuel Tank
The yacht charter company will always give you the yacht when it has a full tank. So at the end of your fun-filled sailing holiday, it’s expected that you will return the yacht when it’s an equally full tank. This is because the yacht fuel is usually not included in the yacht charter fee.
Therefore, before handing in your boat, stop at the fuel station and top up the tank. Up to this point, you should not have any unnecessary stress or frustrations as long as you’ve followed these simple guidelines.
Security Deposit
The checkout process ends with checks and balances, where the charter staff returns your security deposit –if there is no damage done to the yacht and you signed for a refundable deposit. In the event of a damage, the cost will be calculated, deducted from the deposit and the rest of your deposit released.
After that, you’re free to spend the night on the yacht, hang around a little bit and enjoy the exquisite cuisines of the city for dinner. You will be expected to leave the yacht by a certain agreed time because it has to be fixed and cleaned for the next adventurer.
In conclusion
If this is your first time on a sailing holiday, chances are it will be your best holiday ever, and it will definitely not be the last one. As you can see, the check-in and check-out process isn’t as tedious and rigorous. All you need is to have your documents in order and get there on time, and the rest will be fun, merry and fond memories.
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Have you went through the check in and check out process? If so, you are welcome to share your experience in the comments below.
Daniella has been passionate about travel, the sea, and nature for many years. As a child, she frequently traveled throughout the Mediterranean and continued with her journeys throughout her adult life.
Her experiences have created the desire within her to share her love for traveling with other passionate and adventurers who want to discover beautiful horizons and new cultures.
Hey there! This is just the information I was looking for as I’m planning a fishing getaway for me and my family next summer. Your explanations are easy to understand and I feel well-informed about what to expect. Do you have any recommendations for the best type/style/model of yacht for fishing?
Thanks,
Marlinda
Hi Marlinda,
Great, it sounds fun! There are so many models and length that it will be difficult to answer this question. Please send an inquiry with all your requirements and within 24 hours, you’ll receive a charter quote, including all the information you are looking for.
I hope it helped and please, don’t hesitate to contact me with any question. I am always happy to help.
Thank you for the comment and wish you a fantastic day!
Thank you for the information. This has really cleared up alot of questions I had about this process. Taking a trip at sea would probably be one of the first things on my bucket list. The freedom of traveling the open sea has always been a dream of mine.
How much, on average does it cost for the skipper and crew for a week? And how many crew members would be needed to man a 35 ft yacht?
Hi Anthony,
You are very welcome!
I am glad you found this article useful. Prices vary depending on the type of yacht, destination, year, and other things. If you want to know how a yacht charter is evaluated, then you should take a look at this article. I am sure you’ll find it helpful.
As for a 35 ft yacht, a skipper will be enough to navigate it. It’s relatively a small.
I hope it helped!
Please let me know if you need any more info; I’ll be more than happy to assist.
Thank you for the comment and wish you all the best!
We are headed out on a cruise soon, and this has gotten me excited! But, I really want to charter a sailing trip. Wow, seems so much more personalized with less people…which is what I like. How many people are there usually on a sailing charter? Do they have on shore excursions as well to pick from?
Hi Matt,
Yes, there is more intimacy on a yacht charter than on a cruise:) No doubt about it! It depends on the length of the yacht, so it’s difficult to say. The biggest the yacht, the more it can accommodate.
Some companies such as Gadventure and Intrepid organize shore excursions, With a sailing yacht charter, you are the one who chooses where to spend time:)
I hope it helped. Please let me know if you need more info. I’ll be more than happy to help!
Thank you for the comment and wish you a lovely day!