Choosing the Right Yacht Charter – Find Out All About It!

Choosing the right yacht charter is a really important decision to spend time on once you have decided this is the holiday option for you this year.

Yachts that are available for charter around the world can be either mono-hull or multi-hull and sail or power. Knowledge is essential for choosing the appropriate yacht to charter to meet your requirements.

As well as deciding where you want to go, you need to decide on which type of yacht you want.

If you are choosing a crew option e.g., skipper and/or chef, then you will need to make sure your charter boat has enough cabins for the crew to live on board too.

How Many Cabins

Yachts vary in how many people can sleep comfortably on board, depending on the size of the yacht. Most yachts available for charter will have between 2 and 6 bedrooms or cabins, with each cabin being comfortable for two adults in either a twin or double bed arrangement.

Some of the larger yachts even have king beds in enormous staterooms! Take a look at the number of people in your group and decide how many cabins you need, check the layout and plans to see how the beds are configured in the yacht.

Boats are not as soundproof as hotels, and if beds share a thin internal wall you may well be able to hear the heavy snorer in the cabin beside you!

Some boats have cabins with an additional bed in the same cabin; these can be great for a couple with a young child. Just check as age restrictions may apply. Remember to allow beds/cabins for your intended crew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Many Bathrooms

There may only be one bathroom on board, or every cabin may have its own ensuite with a toilet and shower. If you are friends holidaying together, then private bathrooms are probably a good idea.

A family sharing the same yacht may not see additional bathrooms as a priority, but toilets may be. Generally, the bigger the boat, the more space there will be so likely to have more bathrooms.

Yacht Age

Charter yachts vary in age; they are not usually brand new! The newer models available to charter are usually younger than 3 years old.

The older a boat, the more likely the chance of an equipment failure or breakage. Don’t panic. All charter yachts undergo regular maintenance checks, but you have to be aware that charter yachts are subjected to more wear and tear than a private yacht would be.

Generally, the older the boat, the cheaper it is to charter. You will find that some charter companies classify their yachts into modern, economy, and class.

A modern yacht will likely be less than 3 years old, class no more than 5 years old and economy yachts are usually older than 6 years old.

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The Length

Charter yachts vary in length, but generally, the longer a boat, the more deck space there is for sunbathing and the larger the lounge, kitchen, and cabins will be.

A 33-foot yacht and a 54-foot yacht may both only have 3 cabins; that’s a lot of extra space on the 54-foot yacht!

When looking at yacht charter listings the number in the name of the boat is an indication of its length e.g. Bavaria 36 s approximately 36 feet long.

A longer yacht (or wide in the case of catamarans) will have more room for extras such as kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, and scuba diving gear for example. Check what toys or activity equipment are included or available to add-on to your hire.

Sailing Yacht

A sailing yacht will afford a peaceful cruise around your chosen destination, using the wind rather than power to explore the waters.

Don’t worry though. They have motors for days when the wind just isn’t blowing and to get in and out of marinas!

Sailing charter yachts may be mono-hull (single hull) or catamaran (multi-hull or twin hull).

Mono-hulls heel (or lean) whilst sailing, whereas a catamaran remains much more level, so you can put your wine glass down!

Catamaran

Catamarans are twin-hulled boats that stay relatively level even whilst sailing. A more level sailing experience is great if your group includes young children or if you just want to put your Gin & Tonic down while you change the page in your book or take in the view and take a photo of the passing dolphins!

Catamarans have an advantage over monohulls in that they can go to shallower water, so getting much closer to beaches, even landing on them if the tide is right for getting back off again.

Catamarans are wide across the two hulls and as such, are much wider and have a larger deck area than the equivalent length monohull.

Motor Yacht

A motor yacht has no sails and relies entirely on engines to get around; they are usually faster than sailing yachts. Fuel may or not be included in your charter, so check before booking.

A daily allowance may be included to allow island hopping or day sails, but if you want to sail more than the allowed nautical miles, you may need to pay for extra.

Motor yachts are noisier than sailing yachts but can usually get you to your destination a little faster.

Luxury Yacht

Luxury yachts are in a league of their own and much more expensive than a regular charter yacht. However, they are often booked out by couples sharing the cost of hire or businesses rewarding employees with incentive holidays.

Business meetings are increasingly conducted aboard a luxury yacht in the charter to impress the clients. Luxury yachts spare no expense when it comes to fittings, fixtures, equipment, and toys.

The bigger the yacht, the more facilities, including helidecks, jacuzzis, swimming pools and gyms on the largest luxury charter yachts.

Luxury yachts have lots more cabins as they need a crew to run them smoothly, although the crew cabins are much less impressive than the luxury staterooms.

Cabin Charter

A cabin charter is an option if you don’t have a group of people to charter with but cannot afford to book out a whole yacht to yourself.

Choose your starting destination and look forward to getting to know new people as you live in close proximity for the duration of your vacation.

There are many companies worldwide that offer scheduled sailings on yachts of all sizes, where you can book a cabin and get to experience a much larger yacht than perhaps you could afford on your own.

In Conclusion

When selecting the right yacht charter for your vacation, you need to decide how many cabins your group needs.

From there, you can choose bathroom facilities to make a decision on length, taking into account the variation in price because of age and length.

Choose from sail or power, mono-hull or multi-hull, crewed or bareboat charter. For advice on your next yacht charter vacation and to discuss suitable yachts and destinations with your yacht charter compny.

Feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.