Caribbean Vacation Planning and Yacht Charter Guide for a BVI
fully crewed or bareboat luxury yacht sailing vacation and holiday
charter guide. British Virgin Islands Caribbean cruise on a charter
yacht. Grenadines crewed and bareboat yachts.
Different ways to charter a Yacht:
 There are several ways to charter a boat or a luxury
yacht: Undoubtedly the best and most restful and stress-free
vacation, is to book a cruise on a fully crewed yacht, where the
boat is exclusively yours for the duration. The vessel can be sail or
power, and the crew will navigate, sail and prepare the
beverages and meals. This is definitely the lap of luxury or as the
Irish say: "Living the life of Riley". the whole boat is
yours to go wherever you like, your crew will be responsible for
serving you three meals a day plus preparing the many exotic or
traditional island beverages and magnificent gourmet dishes for your
evening meals. The chefs on board luxury yachts pride themselves in
the quality and variety of their meals; (Many of these crews are
husband and wife teams, others have less or no personal relationship).
This truly remarkable vacation has no equal on earth: sailing on your
own private yacht with an attentive and knowledgeable crew to attend
to your every need has to be the ultimate experience. You can view a short list of our finest crewed
yachts, both power and sail, or go to our state-of-the-art crewed yacht search engine.
For a sample Caribbean Yacht Charter Agreement Click Here.
You can also charter a bare-boat without
captain or crew. Under this arrangement you and your party will be the
captain and crew. Of course, some prior experience will be necessary
for your own safety, and you and/or your guests will be required to
fill out a form known as a “sailing resume”, (click here for the form)
take out accident insurance and/or provide a security deposit before
the Charter Company turns you loose with their rather expensive piece
of equipment.
As a kind of "off-shoot" of the bareboat charter, you can
also charter a bareboat with a skipper or a captain-only arrangement
under which the charter company provides a qualified captain, usually
a person expressly chosen not only for their nautical experience but
more importantly for their “people-skills” and ability to interact
socially with a wide variety of guests. You and your party will be
expected to do the meal preparation or to eat ashore at the many
available local restaurants and watering holes on the different
islands. You will be responsible for the captain’s meals as well.
Many of the bareboats on our site are also available with an
experienced captain. Also, some of the fully crewed yachts can be
chartered as "captain-only" vessels.
A final alternative is to book a cabin on a crewed
yacht. Some of the larger private yachts allow bookings by the cabin:
boats will typically leave their port of origin on a fixed timetable
and itinerary, say, on Fridays at mid-day and return to the same port
on the following Thursday at midday. You will be sharing the vessel
with other guests and your fellow passengers will be basically
"Pot-Luck". This is a more economical way to have the
fun without paying for the whole boat.
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 Motor Yacht or Sailing Vessel?
This is a matter of personal preference. Many people prefer
the silence of sailing, the closeness and intimacy of the wind and the
sea, and the primal satisfaction of using the elements to power your
boat and take you where you want to go. There is also a somewhat
superior level of skill required to successfully navigate, maneuver
and anchor a sailing vessel. Power boats on the other hand, tend
to be somewhat easier to handle, especially for mooring and navigating
in close quarters if they have twin propellers. You are not dependent
on the wind to get to where you want to go, plus, power boats tend to
have more creature comforts like larger heads, and living
accommodations. When chartering a vessel, people tend to charter what
they are familiar with. Either way, Sail or power, you’ll have a
great time. On a separate issue, it is quite fashionable these days to
charter catamaran type twin hull or tri-maran vessels because they
tend to travel in a more upright position and be laterally stable.
Whether you prefer the luxury of a fully crewed yacht or the
freedom of a bareboat, chartering offers something for everyone.
- Honeymooners love being alone.
- Parents enjoy the security of a safe area for their children.
- Young children love the beaches and all the activity.
- Teenagers enjoy the water sports, the night life and the
chance to experience a different world.
- Couples enjoy all the above, plus the opportunity to sail a
larger
boat than they would normally own.
- Everyone loves the freedom to do as they please
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 Bareboat Chartering
With no timetable, no crew, and an endless supply of beaches, coves
and unique islands to visit, bareboat chartering represents the
ultimate get away vacation. There are many bareboat companies in the
Caribbean but standards vary enormously and choosing the right boat
and company makes all the difference. There are many enticing bareboat
sites on the web, but in reality it is virtually impossible to judge a
boat's condition from a web site or a magazine ad. As an independent
brokerage that works with all charter companies, we can tell you how
they compare and describe each boat's current condition. All
companies have some boats that are better than others. We specialize
in Caribbean charters and know from first hand experience and feedback
which companies regularly produce satisfied customers. This is why we
book preferentially from the major and well know charter companies- to
see a list of these companies please click
here. If you are concerned that your "bare-boating"
experience may not be sufficient for a Charter Company, please take
the time to print and fill out the Bareboat Pre-qualification form
that is attached. For most charter companies, it is important that you
have experience in a boat of similar size to the one you wish to
charter. Please click here
for the pre-qualification form. If you would like to see a
selection of our finest Power and Sailing Bareboats, please click here. Bareboats can also be
chartered with a captain if you would just like to kick-back and relax
without the responsibility. Remember that your party will be
responsible for all food preparation that will be required, including
the captain's food and beverages.
Choosing a Bare Boat Charter Company.
As part of our service, we send you an
overview of ALL boats and companies in the cruising ground you select,
including prices, extra charges and specials, all presented in the
same format. The package also contains company brochures and useful
information on all aspects of chartering. We then discuss which
companies and boats best fit your requirements in your price range. We
can give an independent opinion on the boat you are considering and
its current condition. We are booking agents for over 15 established
charter companies and we can offer these superlative vessels wherever
these companies have bases: Tortola in the BVI, Marsh Harbour in the Abacos, Bahamas,
Canouan in the Grenadines,
Belize in Central America plus all their Mediterranean Locations like
Greece, Turkey, Croatia and the Pacific favorites like Tahiti and
Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Call us at (305) 758-2500 or email us for a
personalized quote or to book a boat.
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The best way to see the real Caribbean
is from the deck of your own private fully crewed Charter Yacht.
 A FULLY CREWED YACHT comes at a minimum with
captain and chef. For the price you would normally pay a
cruise-line, you and your friends sail in comfort on your own
yacht, with first class food and service, but you decide the menu and
where and when you sail. The emphasis is on exploring just one group
of islands in depth and visiting villages and beaches that are often
inaccessible to cruise ships or hotel guests.
How we find the most suitable boat and crew for your party:
A charter brokerage house, such as Boat BVI, matches you with
a boat that fits your requirements and a crew that has similar
interests. Rather than mailing long lists of boats, we send you an
initial selection of yachts we would recommend, based on the
preferences you give us. This package will contain our own
independent, detailed description of the boat and crew, as well as
each boat's brochure.
We then discuss the features that you like in both boat and crew,
sending you more selections as necessary. We have more than 500 crewed
yachts on file and only recommend boats that we know personally and
feel would be suitable. Selecting the right crew is often more
important than the boat. You can view a list of our
finest crewed yachts, both power and sail, or go to the crewed
yacht Search
Engine.
What it costs and how to get more information.
Prices typically run between $1100 and $2200 per person for a week
and normally include all meals and an open bar. The meals are prepared
to your preferences and are often comparable, or better than, the best
restaurants in the area. Click Here
for a sample Caribbean Charter Contract.
Call us, or fill out our Contact Form
for a package of literature and a selection of suggested yachts and
crews that fit your profile and preferences. You might also like
to visit the Search Engine with crewed and bareboat boat descriptions
with specifications, photographs of over 400 yachts and crews. We also
hope you will sign up for our quarterly e-mail newsletter to
read the latest charter news.
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Here’s how the whole booking thing works in practice.
First of all, our services are free. By booking your charter
through us, you pay no more than dealing with the boat, clearing
house, or the bareboat company directly, yet our literature, volume,
unbiased advice and 20 years charter experience provide
additional security, more information and lower airfares. We can quote
instant on-line boat availability and simplify the whole booking
process. Call us or fill out our Contact Form
for more information or literature, and see why we book more Caribbean
charters. Sign up for our on-line newsletter to hear about new boats
and the latest charter news.
After you have chosen the yacht that will be your floating home for
a week or two, and after we have verified the availability of the
vessel for the dates that you need, you will be mailed or faxed a charter
agreement/contract and asked to provide a deposit which
can be between 25% and 50% of the charter value. While we wait
for the check or wire-transfer, we will place a “working hold” on
the vessel for a predetermined period of time and will be granted a
“first option” or a “right of first refusal” from the yacht’s
clearing house or the bareboat charter company.
When we receive the deposit and the signed contract, we will place
a firm booking with the Clearing House or Charter Company, transfer
funds to them or to an escrow account and e mail you the Food and
Beverage Preference sheets and the precise instructions on where, when
and how to pick up your charter vessel.
30 to 45 days before your departure date, you will be required to
provide us with the 50% balance of the value of the charter.
With the formalities behind you, you will be on the way to
the best vacation of your life….!!!
Trip Cancellation and Medical Insurance.
We strongly recommend that you consider taking out a Trip
Cancellation Insurance Policy. Since the initial deposit is
non-refundable for obvious reasons, i.e. the boat has committed a
period of time to you and has essentially taken itself off the market
for that period of time. Cancellation Insurance will allow you recoup
your deposit if you have to cancel your vacation for a valid reason.
Some Trip Cancellation Policies can have medical insurance included
as well in case of accident while on vacation. Please contact us for more
information, we represent various insurance companies that sell these
policies.
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