Travel Documentation

Always ensure you have some form of acceptable identification, in legible condition and valid.

Medication

Double check that both you and other individuals in your group remember to bring important medications that you are currently being prescribed, accounting for the amount of time you will be at sea.

Money & Additional expenses

It would be prudent to budget for slightly over what you anticipate spending. Charter related expenses will be made known, however you never know whether you will need something once travelling.

Research

Set aside some time look up the areas you intend on visiting, both whilst chartering (as part of your anticipated itinerary) and whilst travelling to the location at which you will begin your charter.

Supplies

As with any journey or holiday, ensure you have adequate toiletries, perhaps some favored foods and snacks.

Clothing

Bring the types of clothing that will, in your estimation, suit the weather conditions of the location in which you will be chartering. It may be handy to spend some time researching a few sailing blogs and weather forecasts.

Equipment

All necessary equipment should be found already aboard (including safety equipment and anything required to properly operate the vessel. Though you may like to bring a few extra mod-cons to ensure you have the best of experiences.

Choosing the best vessel for you and those joining you on your yacht charter, would be dependent on your personal preference. Though we recommend considering the following points:

• Your level of experience
• Where you will be chartering
• The time of year and associated weather conditions
• The ages and competence of both yourself and those in your group

It would be very helpful for you to conduct some basic research pertaining to all of the above, by way of asking those who you know have chartered the type of vessel or been to the location you are considering, before. Yacht charter blogs and other relevant websites that will offer you an understanding of the key factors you should consider.

And of course, we are more than happy to help you with your decision.

That all depends on where you intend to charter. If you would like to charter a yacht within Europe, the answer would be yes. It is important to remember that the correct licencing and/or documentation for your charter is your responsibility and we would strongly advise you to enquire into the legal prerequisites of your chosen charter region, taking care to note any differences if you are to cross maritime boarders.

Regarding Europe, you will require an International Certificate of Competence, also known as the ICC.

As a rule of thumb, the fee you pay for your charter, includes the rental of the vessel and the necessary crew to operate it, all other expenses associated with the charter are separate and are financed by the APA, which stands for the Advance provisioning allowance.

The APA generally amounts to 30% of the total charter fee, though this may vary depending on the vessel.

Dockage fees, fuel, communications and food & beverages will all be financed by the APA. Any remaining money from the APA at the end of the charter, will be returned to you.

All boat owners are bound to have someone meeting charterers on the day of charter. It is important that you as a charterer notify us if there is something wrong with your charter. For more information read the charterer’s policy.

For those new to sailing or simply being aboard a vessel, or perhaps have young children; we would highly recommend taking a look at some of the catamarans we have to offer – especially if you intend to venture away from the shores.

Catamarans are well known for their stability, they are naturally buoyant, making it very unlikely for them to capsize. They typically offer a larger surface area, making them great for family charters.

Simply put, a bareboat charter is one in which the vessel is rented without a skipper or crew. Meaning you (or someone accompanying you on the charter) will need to posses the correct nautical licencing (and in some cases, relevant experience) to captain the vessel.

If you have never captained a vessel nor have the necessary experience (or would just rather have someone skipper the boat for you), no worries. You are able include a skipper with your charter.

The short answer is, no. However, it is important to keep in mind the majority of the prices you see displayed on www.book2sail.com are indeed for week long yacht charters. Though should you require a shorter charter duration, or an odd number of days, please do let us know as we are still able to assist you.

A crewed yacht charter is usually one in which there will be a number of staff aboard the vessel with you, managing and taking care of all requirements and responsibilities related to the charter, this can range from simply having a skipper to having a deckhand, hostess, chef, mechanical engineer, medical professional and even a masseuse, personal trainer or hairdresser – it all depends on the type of charter, vessel and of course, your requirements.

At that point in the process, you would be in direct communication with the skipper and/or owner of the vessel, of which would contact you to inform you if the weather was bad enough to cancel the charter. The captain would have analysed weather reports leading up to the charter and would make a decision to cancel or reschedule at the earliest possible time. Please bear in mind, the skipper reserves the right to cancel the any charter if he or she deems the weather to be unacceptable. Similarly, should the day of your charter arrive, and the weather not meet your expectations, you will not have the right to cancel based on this.

If weather does not permit, we would do our best to reschedule for you, failing that, you would receive a refund.

Once you have paid your initial deposit for the charter, we will exchange details between the skipper and/or owner in order for both parties to communicate efficiently.

It is at this point you will be able to put forward where you would like to sail on your charter and to see whether the skipper (assuming this is not a bareboat charter) agrees. The skipper will consider the weather, timing and any other associated difficulties or risks. He or she will also be able to recommend and advise you and your party regarding itineraries and points of interest.

On your charter, you are free to dock the vessel anywhere that is lawful, safe and in-line with both maritime regulations and any specific requests made by the owner of the vessel. With regards to the return of the vessel at the end of the charter, unless otherwise previously agreed by the owner, you are obligated to return it to the same place you embarked from.

This very much depends on the time of season and the duration of your charter. The owner may very well have already booked the vessel out again, to initiate a new charter on the day you return it. We would advise you discuss this as early as possible with the owner/captain to avoid any hiccups.

Both bareboat and skippered charters will require an obligatory refundable security deposit, to be paid prior to embarkation. The amount required is determined by the owner of the vessel and will be used to cover any loss and/or damage during your charter. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.

Your vessel must be returned to the previously agreed upon location of disembarkation prior to the time of which your charter should end. A late fee will be charged if the agreed upon time is not met.

A full refund will be issued for all cancellations within 24 hours of booking. For cancellations made 7 days or more after the booking has been confirmed, a refund will be issued less a 10% handling fee. All cancellations made up to 30 days prior to the date of charter will result in a refund of 50%, no refund will be offered for cancellations of bookings made less than 30 days from your first date of charter.

If you find the boat damaged; it is important to clearly communicate this to the captain, owner and/or your point of contact of the vessel, prior to initiating your charter.

We take payment via back transfer – if you are booking your charter more than 45 days prior to the start date, we will require 60% of the total fee, with the remaining 40% being due 45 days prior to the first day of charter. Any bookings made within 45 days away from your first day of charter; will require 100% of the total fee to be paid.

At the moment we do not offer insurance nor are we affiliated with any insurance broker or agent. The refundable security deposit required prior to embarkation is necessary to cover what the comprehensive vessel insurance does not. It is recommended to take out deposit insurance to secure your refundable security deposit.