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Booking | Documentation | Issues to Look At Closely | Things
to Check
After making up your mind about
the area, the boat and your vacation dates, you are now ready to
book your cruise.
If you have decided to use a charter
broker, you have to call him/her and explain your choices and
wishes, in details. He/she might suggest some minor changes and
then he/she will take care of your booking and get back to you after he/she
has contacted the charter company. After that, the process becomes the
same as with a direct booking.
1.
The Booking
If you are booking directly with the charter company, call their toll-free
number and you will talk to a booking agent. Very few companies -if any-
are equipped for online bookings, and we would not recommend it anyway,
since booking a charter cruise is never a clean-cut affair! If everything
goes ideally, the exact booking you wished is available. However, two
things might sometimes happen: either the exact dates you want are not
available, or the boat you want is not available. Therefore, before you
call, be prepared to have a little bit of flexibility, as you would for
any kind of leisure trip anyway. Now, the larger the charter company,
the better chance you have to get exactly what you need, for the simple
reason that they have lots of boats in their fleet.
 TIP:
At this point, you want to inquire about all current promotions. A few
examples: Sail 10 days, pay for 7 (summer in Caribbean, May and October
in the Med.) Group discounts. Kids discounts. Remember: Charter companies
typically give nice discounts during boat shows, if you book right there
and then.
Also, you can make your air travel reservation with the charter
company. The large ones, like Moorings and Sunsail, have privileged
agreements with airlines and very often, will get you unpublished
rates that may save you significant $$.
Note: If you make your booking with 2 to 3 weeks from departure,
expect to pay for the entire charter at the time of the booking.
2.
The Documentation
Once you have agreed on the dates, a base and a boat,
the charter company is going to send you a package with all the
travel and contractual information. Read everything and especially
the fine print. Here are the main documents you will find in this
package.
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Contractual documents,
explaining (usually in very small print) the general terms and
conditions of the chartering agreement. Read especially the
parts that describe your responsibilities, insurance clauses,
etc. Anything looks unclear or suspicious? Call the charter
company. See below for items you should look at closely.
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Invoice. Charter companies
will keep the charter for your party for a few days and then
you are requested to give a deposit, which usually amounts to
25% of the charter cruise. That will hold your reservation until
60 days before departure, at which time you will have to pay
the balance.
(Note: Those terms may vary depending on the companies.) We
strongly suggest that you pay all your charges with a major credit
card, which allows you to back-charge the services billed but not
rendered to you. Just in case. Additionally, most credit cards give
you travel benefits (life insurance, luggage loss etc.) you may be
a subscriber of.
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Transportation information:
If you have booked your tickets with the charter company, you
will receive a confirmation for that. Check also the status
of your transportation from the airport to the base and back.
Most charter companies will arrange your pickup.
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TIP:
We recommend that you arrive one day before your charter starts (unless
you are on a crewed yacht). I personally do not like the idea of casting
off on an unfamiliar boat in unfamiliar waters after a 10-hour trip.
Not a good idea. Plus it gives you time to provision, have a relaxed
chart/boat briefing, and do a little sight seeing to boot.
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Sailing experience questionnaire.
This document attempts to determine if you can safely handle
the boat you have chartered, with questions like: How many
times
have you anchored? What kind of sailing have you done: coastal,
inland, offshore? Do you own a boat? etc. See
the detailed article about your Sailing Resume.
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Food sheets: You may either
order your provisions from the charter company or provision
yourself. The former is less effort and more money, typically
$20/25 per day per person - the latter more effort and complications
but less expensive. If you are: a first timer, or going to an
area for the first time, or going to a very remote cruising
location, our advice is to take the charter company provisioning.
No headache here. If you are more experienced and going to an
area like the Med or the French Antilles, you know that you
will find plenty of stores there for your own shopping.
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Charter companies offer several kinds of provisioning packages:
full, all-meals provisioning, or minimal basic and everything in between
including complete "à la carte" provisioning. Whatever you choose,
make sure that your entire party gets involved in this process.
3.
Issues to Look At Closely
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Cancellation policy. Charter
companies' policies differ. If you have to cancel over 90 days
before departure, you will get your money back, usually less
a minor cancellation fee. Anywhere between 60 and 90 days before
departure date, you will probably lose whatever deposit you
paid. If you cancel within 60 days, you definitely lose your
money. However, charter companies offer cancellation insurance
coverage. You should check carefully what is not covered,
as most insurance companies will not reimburse you simply
because you changed your mind.
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Insurance. This is definitely a part you need to read carefully,
and understand exactly what you are potentially liable for.
Typically, charter companies will provide an insurance policy that
is included in your charter price. However, check in the contract
if you are liable for the deductible if any damage is done to the
boat. Also, you want to fully understand what is not covered. Example:
what happens if you damage the boat and are deemed to have been extremely
negligent? Or if you have sailed in an area that was clearly designed
as off-limits at the chart briefing and on the charts provided to
you? In any case, you are expected to follow the rules of good
seamanship, remember?
Note: If you intend to do a regatta during the charter, you have
to inform the charter company and you will be subject to a premium
for extra-insurance.
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Some companies offer medical insurance.
Check it out especially if your current medical coverage plan
does not include foreign occurrences.
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What happens if the boat is having problems
with no fault to you? Some companies guarantee you will be assisted
within 4 hours. If not, how are you compensated for lost charter
time? Have something in writing, if the contract is not clear.
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Security deposit. Most charter companies
require you to give a security deposit for potential damage to
the boat and/or the equipment, like the kayak, handheld GPS, dinghy
and outboard engine, cruising chute, etc. Usually, the security
deposit is given at the base either in cash (we do not recommend
that) or with a credit card imprint of anywhere between $500 to
$1,500. Make sure to note what the maximum amount is, and how
/ when it is refunded to you.
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What happens if your boat is not available when you arrive at the
base, for whatever reason? Don't be mistaken: those things happen
even to reputable companies. This situation should be clearly spelled
out in the contract. Large companies, because they have lots of boats,
should be able to provide you with a replacement boat immediately,
even if it is a larger one, at no extra-cost to you. If it is a small
company, even a reputable one, they might simply not have any other
boat. In that case, the contract should clearly say: a) that all monies
you expended will be refunded immediately if the charter company is
unable to provide another boat; b) which solution is provided. Ideally,
a good charter company will charter a boat at its own expense from
another company to accomodate you. c) how much is refunded if you
(likely case) lose one or more charter day. By the way, that is where
your travel insurance comes in handy, in case you have to go home
early or change your airline tickets.
Things
to check if included or not in your charter price: avoid surprises!
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Transfers to/from the base
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Dinghy and outboard engine
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Boat fuel / dinghy gasoline
- Who pays if you have to fill you water tanks
during the cruise?
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Snorkeling gear (how many
sets)
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Windscoops
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Beach "toys": Kayak, windsurf,
etc.
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Yacht cleaning at the end
of the charter
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Sales Taxes, for ex. VAT
in Europe. Other local taxes
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Beach towels
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Cruising permits, Marine
Park fees
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Moorings, marina fees
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Airport taxes
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Basic starter kit: paper
ware, dish soap, toilet paper, garbage bags, etc...
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Bags of ice (how many)
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Emergency service, chase
boat in case of a problem.
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