Yacht Cruises: Bareboat, Skippered and Cabin Charter
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A Bareboat charter is a good solution for all sea lovers who want to and have the license to skipper a boat by themselves. The charterer/skipper and their guests will in this case be responsible for all aspects of managing the yacht: from sailing, navigating and anchoring to provisioning, cooking, cleaning. Finding a worthy itinerary and having fun in the meantime will also be full time occupation, the agenda is your own, you are free to sail as preferred.
Should you have the ability and an adventurous spirit, then a bareboat charter is the best option for you!
In a bareboat charter all responsibility rest upon the charterer shoulder: finding an agency through which to contact a fleet operator or finding one to contact yourself without mediation from a third party, choosing the right sailing yacht for the group (generally family members and/or friends) and most importantly having the financial possibilities and being by law responsible for any accident that may happen on a yacht: from small things like the loss of one piece of equipment to possible accident caused by wrong maneuvers or even just bad chance in the weather conditions making you tear a sail. So, in short, all the fun of being autonomous in your itinerary and timetable, the excitement of sailing on your own with the wind as your sole master, but also all the responsibility that comes with being the captain.
A responsibility that is assisted by leaving a security deposit or signing for an insurance on the deposit. This is the norm for chartering a bareboat as both the charterer and the lessor are protected by the insurance for any accidents that might happen. A security deposit in the bareboat charter industry works in a similar way to leaving a deposit for an apartment, the money will be returned in total or in part, if you opt for an insurance on the deposit to leave a lesser amount, at the end of your charter when you check-out the sailing boat without damages or losses being contested. Or it is returned partially or not at all in case of damages to the yacht or the sail and major equipment items, though you will never pay more than the total of the deposit requested for the boat even if the cost of the repairs exceed that amount.
There is then the possibility to do something similar, but with a licensed skipper hired for the occasion.
If you are not completely sure to be able to captain on your own, or prefer the knowledge of a local skipper, or if you do not posses a sailing license but prefer the company of your friend and family, then you can still charter a bareboat, but with the comfort of an hired skipper, which will also halve your responsibilities. In the same manner if you would rather not cook or clean during your sailing vacation, you have the option to request a chef or hostess and have all of your meals prepared for you and no cleaning to think about on your free time.
This, of course will affect not only your budget but also on the type of sailing boat or catamaran you will charter, as bert place and hiring fees for the crew, that generally vary from 100€ to 150€ per day, will have to be taken in consideration.
The costs of such kind of yacht charters vary greatly. Factors to be considered are many, starting from the kind of boat.
For example there is a difference of at least 500€ to 1000€ if you want to rent a sailing boat or a catamaran in the same period for a week long sailing cruise in the Mediterranean sea. The age of the yacht too plays an important role, as a younger boat or even better a new one just out of the shipyard has a greater cost than an older more used boat. Taking in consideration the market a 40 ft to 48 ft yacht ( i.e. a 12 m to 14 m long)might need a budget of at least 2,000€ to 3,500€ in the central summer months with slight variation in excess or in defect given the periods of high and low season that might intercur, a bigger sailing boat of 50 ft to 56 ft (i.e. 15 m to 17 m long) might cost 4,000€ to 6,000€ depending on length, age and amenities at disposal: like air conditioning or a generator to have more electricity available on board. A similar or slightly higher price would be asked for a four cabins catamaran of the larger variety from 44 ft to 45 ft (i.e about 13/14 m). Even more of a generous budget should be at your disposal if you want a more spacious or newer model.
This said age should not be a totally discriminating factor, charter companies are normally very meticulous in the maintenance of their yachts as all are required to perform to high standards. Not all charterers have the budget for a shiny new boat with cook, hostess and skipper on board, but this is not say that fun, comfort and a good sailing adventure cannot be had on an older or smaller model. A happy medium between spending possibilities and the actual needs of the chartering guest is always the best solution.
Another solution to planning the perfect sailing vacation, especially if you are alone or a couple or just in a small group of friends is joining a cabin charter.
Having become quite popular in the last few years cabin charters represent the ideal solution to enjoy a sailing vacation for all those sea lovers who don’t yet have the skills for bareboat charter, people who simply wish to relax and have no responsibility regarding itinerary and sailing, or those who want to have their sailing vacation aboard a crewed luxury yacht, but can’t justify the cost.
These charters are both memorable and affordable.
You will just pay for the cost of a berth aboard the yacht and the costs for provisioning both for you and the boat, so that costs are really reduced. You might then share the cabin with a friend, or enjoy on your own if you want to splurge and pay the whole fee or even share the cabin with travel mate that you met on board, but You are always guaranteed the expertise and knowledge of a local skipper and there is no caution to be paid for eventual damages to the yacht.
The costs vary a lot: from very little like 500€ for a week aboard a medium sized yacht, where you will still have to help with the cooking and cleaning and share a bathroom with the other guests, to more luxury oriented offers starting from 700€ where each cabin has its own private bathroom and the crew on board will take on all cooking ( often with very good chefs) and cleaning duties. Here the destination and the kind of yacht and how much it is considered a luxury boat will play a fundamental role in the budget, but even should you decide to treat yourself to a vacation in the Caribbean sea and spend up to 1.500€, the fee for such a yacht cruise will never exceed what you might spend for a one week vacation on land with hotel and restaurants and taxi or bus transfer cost from one town to another or even within the same city to be accounted for, with the added bonus of it being a sailing tour, that will allow you to reach all the best bays and hidden creeks to enjoy the sea and will also give you the opportunity to meet new friends coming from every corner of the world, while the crew takes care of all aspects of the yacht, and a gourmet chef prepares your meals!
So if you might be interested in this kind of yacht cruises just explore the many destinations and cruises scattered all over the world: from the Mediterranean Sea, to Myanmar and the blue of the Andaman sea, but also to the Caribbean with the majestic archipelago of San Blas, that are offered by Intersailclub and its partners.
