With hundreds of luxury yacht charters available to hire, choosing the right one for your needs can be tough. Whether you’re seasoned professional, or new to the yachting world, consideration needs to be taken before making a choice.
How many people will travel with you, how long is your trip, what is your budget and what amenities do you require? Yachting professionals like Asia Marine can help you make a decision if you struggle. Now, let’s take a look at the seven steps to choosing the best yacht charter for you.
1. Budget
Tell your yacht charter broker what your budget is and they can guide you in the right direction. Remember, your budget has to cover the hire of the yacht, fuel costs, food and drink and docking fees for places you may stop at. A smaller budget, cuts down on the amount of yachts available to you. But, if you have a large budget, there are many luxury sailing and motor yachts available with all the mod cons.
2. Bare Boat or Crewed Boat
If you have at least 3 years sailing experience, you can skipper a bare boat yourself. If you’re new to boat travel, a crewed boat is the best option, where you hire a yacht that comes with a captain and crew to do the work for you. Crewed charters still give you choice, allowing you to choose an itinerary and the types of amenities you require.
3. Itinerary
Where are you hoping to explore on your yacht charter? If you can’t decide, the Asia Marine team can advise on the best beaches, places to eat and not to miss experiences. Popular destinations include the Coral Islands Phuket, PhangNga Bay, Phi Phi Islands and the Similian Islands.
4. Guests
How many guests will cruise with you? Are they couples or will they need single bedrooms? Larger yachts provide more space for families and multiple couples. Plus, the number of guests on board will affect the amount of supplies you need to take.
5. Food
Food is an important part of any yacht charter. Making sure you have enough is essential! Plan out where you will stop and what restaurants are available. Decide if you’ll have a chef on board or if everyone will self-cater. And, make sure you talk to guests about whether they have any diet preferences.
6. Amenities
Different yachts, come with varying types of amenities. Decide which amenities are most important to you, such as deck space, a Jacuzzi, sun loungers and shaded space for example.
7. Watersports
Are you an avid snorkeler or scuba diver? How many guests will take part in watersports? You can either plan to take your own equipment if qualified, or meet a local dive company during the trip. Whatever you choose, talk with your yacht charter company who will organise what is needed for the activities you want to do.