For most of our vacations so far booking them hasn't been particularly hard - you go online to Expedia, Priceline, Hilton.com, etc, etc. You compare prices, amenities, and dates and pick where you want to go/stay.
When we decided we wanted to do a sailing trip to Croatia, we started Googling. We quickly learned that there is no "Expedia for boat charters". It was hard for us to understand the various players involved and how that factored into the price/process. So to start, we'll walk through who is generally involved in booking a sailing charter.
Who's involved in the chartering a sailboat?
The Broker: You can think of these almost as the travel agents of the chartering business. They get a 10% "finders fee" for any charter business they generate for the charter company. Our Googling led us to Daniel Asmus with DMA Yachting. More on this later.
The Charter Company: This is the organization that actually manages the boat, organizes the crew, coordinates the cleaning, and so on. We used Cata Sailing which we found out from our crew is one of the best (more on that in a future post). A good charter company is really important as it dictates the quality of the boat, the maintenance, the amenities, and even the type of people you'll be sailing with (if you don't do a private charter).
The Crew: The crew is usually made up of a skipper, a hostess, and [optionally] a cook. We opted for just the skipper and the hostess. The skipper is responsible for the boat and manages the sailing. The hostess helps the skipper, does light cooking (usually two meals a day) and keeps the boat tidy. They'll help you determine your route. The crew can be a mix of freelancers (as our hostess was) or employees of the charter company (as our skipper was). Generally, you'll get the CVs/resumes of the crew a few weeks ahead of your voyage so you can connect with them.
To use a broker or to not use a broker - that is the question:
As I mentioned above, using a broker was crucial for us doing this for the first time. They know the charter companies, inventory, and prices and can help coordinate all of this for you. They get their money from the charter company as a percent of the fee and so they don't cost you anything.
Given how important finding the right charter company is, this is makes using a broker very smart for the first time. Once you've found one you like though, it's probably easier to work directly with the charter company.
Our broker was very responsive to all our questions. The only drawback of working with a broker (who likely deals with locations all over the world, any may have never sailed in the location they're connecting you to) is that it's harder for them to paint a picture of what to expect and the details can fall through the cracks.
For example, we didn't find out until the week of the charter that we had a kayak and stand up paddle board included in the rental (we had been told we'd have to pay for any kayaks). We also thought our charter was leaving from a different place than it actually did.
Apparently, we're not alone in this frustration as our hostess (who spoke no fewer than 5 languages and had a law degree, but came back home to do this over the summers) is actually in the process of setting up her own agency. Her goal is to share a lot more on what to expect and how to prepare - something we would've really appreciated. We'll update this post once her agency goes live.
Tip: To avoid these issues, ask your broker to connect you to the charter company directly for any specific questions you have (e.g. what does the boat come with, where and when do we meet, currency preferences, etc). Questions around the agreement, prices, and so on can be routed to your broker.
Finding a broker & what to consider when reviewing quotes:
This is where Google can be your friend. We came across DMA Yachting through a Google search and were impressed with the reviews of the team. Once you've identified a location you'd like to visit, I'd suggest sending out a few requests for quotes. Compare the prices with the broker and ask for details about the charter companies they're working with.
Factors to consider when evaluating a charter:
- Price - see our post on budgeting for a sailing trip for more on how to get a realistic expectation of costs.
- Year of the boat - chartering is hard on boats. Newer boats will generally be nicer and have fewer issues while aboard.
- What are the costs of the crew?
- Charter Company (what are they known for? Do they specialize in booze cruises for spring breakers or something a bit more high end?).
- Location - is it where you want to go? Is it a one-way sailing or round trip?
- Dates - is it during peak season or the offseason? Does it work with your schedule?
- What's included? Does it come with water toys or are they extra?
Signing a contract & making the deposit:
Once you've found a date, a boat, a charter company, and a location you're ready to sign the agreement. Usually, you have a few days to do this before the hold on the boat is released.
Most charter companies use a standard template created by the MYBA Worldwide Yachting Association. You'll be expected to make a deposit (usually around 1/2 of the contract cost) to hold the boat and will pay the rest a few weeks out from the sailing.
Note: You'll need to wire the money. To avoid paying high fees on international wire transfers, check out point three of this post about Transferwise - it'll likely save you quite a bit of money.
Traveling solo? Looking for a party?
If you're not ready to charter your own sailboat there are other options for an amazing Croatian sailing charter. If you're looking for a party - Yacht Week may be more your style.
A closing note: book early!
Many charter companies will give you a discount for booking early. This can be as high as 15% if you book 6+ months in advance. That adds up to very real money depending on the size of your boat.
More from
European Travel
category
