The Party

One of the most important questions when planning your charter is WHO do you wish to experience this holiday with you?  Will it be a memorable family holiday or an escape with friends? Determine how many cabins you require & any special requirements on board. A family charter will require different components than a luxury getaway with a group of adults! If it's a group of couples you'll need equal cabins and if it's a family escape with children, a yacht outfitted with a lot of water sports & amenities and entertainment is a necessity! 

The Dates

Another important factor to guaranteeing the perfect charter experience is your dates! Certain destinations are better suited at certain times of the year! Knowing when you can charter, will also help determine the best destination that suits you and your companions! For instance, Christmas/New Year and January to April in general are ideal for the Caribbean while Summer is the best time for a jaunt in the Mediterranean. Are you into motor sports? Then you'll want to travel the Mediterranean route in May for the Monaco Grand Prix! Everything from weather patterns, to events help determine what is best! Furthermore, rates tend to vary during certain periods.

Rate Structure

What is included ? Charter rates may vary dependant on season, number of guests, destination.  Additionally some yachts offer all inclusive rates, others are plus expenses. It is important to fully understand each yacht’s rate structure, to ensure your charter’s success.

MYBA terms

Rate are mostly found on motor yachts operating in the Caribbean and Mediterranean.  The charter fee includes: Hire of the vessel, her equipment and insurance; crew wages; crew meals, and ship’s laundry. All other costs are paid by the charterer, such as: delivery/redelivery fees; all fuel costs for the vessel, generators, tenders and water-sports equipment; applicable local or national taxes; customs formalities; water and electricity taken from shore; harbor fees (dockage); pilots; applicable diving fees; food and beverages for the charterer’s party; guest laundry; all communications costs for the charter party; and crew gratuity. See APA - Advance Provisioning (Expense) Allowance.

APA

Advance Provisioning (Expense) Allowance. This is an amount collected on all charters with the MYBA structure  to offset the charterer’s expenses at cost to the yacht. APA is traditionally calculated at between twenty-five and thirty percent (25% to 30%) of the base charter rate; actual costs will vary depending on the yacht’s fuel consumption, itinerary, menu and other factors. APA is collected with the final payment and distributed to the yacht ahead of the charter so the crew can complete their provisioning. A full accounting, with as many receipts as possible, is presented to the charterer at the end of the charter, or at any time during the charter if the charterer requests an accounting. If there is a balance, the charterer will receive a refund. Shortfalls, however, must be settled with the Captain before disembarkation…in cash or travelelrs checks.

CT (Caribbean Terms)

A lot of sailing yachts and catamarans in the Caribbean use this structure. The charter fee includes the services of a Captain and Crew, meals, standard ship’s bar, fuel, and all expenses related to running of the vessel and use of on-board sports equipment. The charter fee does not include diving, scuba equipment, premium beverages and fine wines, excessive alcoholic consumption, off yacht excursions, dockage, cruising taxes and permits, telephone, airport transfers and crew gratuities, or similar expense incurred by the CHARTERER.

The Product

Understand the charter yacht product of your preferred yacht to ensure your expectations will be met & exceeded. What level of service & amenities will you require? Is the chef in line with your dietary preference & requirements? How often are linens changed? For inclusive charters, what's the standard bar? Is there a turndown service? With regards to watersports, please note whilst yachts may offer a variety of watersports, for some, a Certificate of Competency is required to participate (jet skis, wave runners and other mechanically propelled watercraft primarily) in many countries. Who in your party will want to participate? We may be able to arrange for an instructor to come on board. In some areas motorised water toys are prohibited altogether. Use of personal watercraft is only permitted subject to the operator having the appropriate license & meeting with local operating regulations. Any liability arising from non-compliance is entirely at the operator's risk. If the yacht has SCUBA equipment on board, it may only be used by certified divers holding a certified PADI license or equivalent.

Charter Party

Once you are set on the yacht, you will be issued with their preferred charter party, a contract between a vessel’s owner & the charterer for the use of a vessel for one or more voyages or for a specific period of time. Terms of the Charter Party govern the rights and obligations of each party. Standardized Charter Party agreements have simplified the booking process. Clients have become familiar with terms used & do not have to consult the family attorney before committing to every charter. Warren Yachting only works with the most reputable charter yachts & contracts. Whichever contract is used, we will work with guests to ensure complete understanding of all particulars including what is included, excluded, payment schedules, cancellation policies and the rights of each party. Although it may seem very detailed, as you can appreciate you will be guests on board an expensive investment. We will work with you to ensure that all specifics, inclusions and exclusions are understood including but not limited to:

Custom Procedures & Fees: The contract will detail inclusions and exclusions. One item that varies from destination to destination are specific customs procedures and fees. Don't worry we will go through all with you! 

Major expenses: Each contract will have different applicable expenses & most motor yachts exclude fuel. Understanding your itinerary & fuel consumption & perhaps selecting a fuel efficient yacht will ensure you are not surprised at the end of your charter!

Stakeholder: Understanding the security of charter funds. Within each contract, there is a stakeholder entrusted to hold a charterer’s payments & to eventually disburse them to the owner, according to the terms of the agreement.

Customization

Are your dates confirmed? Is your destination chosen? Have you decided on the perfect yacht? Now allow us to work with you to tailor the entire charter experience!

Cuisine and bar: We will issue a preference form which is a questionnaire that will enable you  to communicate preferred cuisine, bar & other requirements from dietary components to preferred activities! This form will assist the crew with preparing any necessary documents & to ensure the chef & crew are aware of any special likes & dislikes that your party may have. At this stage we can personalize an itinerary with you. However once on board, the beauty of chartering is that you can take each day as it comes. At most, the only items that may be set in stone are where you embark & where you disembark!

Activities: At this stage you can also indicate any sporting/recreational activities that may require special equipment being onboard, as well as any other special requests such as flowers on embarkation which should be renewed during your cruise. Any special events or specific items you would like the captain to purchase on your behalf, such as tobacco products, magazines, books, etc.

Creature comforts: Whilst it is customary for some yachts to provide sun lotions, standard soaps, shampoos, tissues etc. some clients at this point may like to request special brands/types be purchased at an additional expense.