
What does a yacht charter stand for?
If you have never rented a yacht from its shipowner, then you are probably wondering what is it like and how, step by step, a yacht charter looks like. Let's start from the very beginning.
Chartering, in other words, a contract between a charterer (that is, you) and a charter company (that is, the yacht operator in the marina).This agreement includes a particular yacht rent, at a specific time, from a specific location for a certain amount. Chartering a yacht, you can be sure to go on a cruise exactly on the yacht you have chosen along with the equipment recorded in the unit specification.
Rest on board of a chartered yacht
Having passed through the check-in procedure with all the necessary documentation... it is time to relax, weigh the anchor and go on a cruise! If you have a professional captain aboard, then remember that for this week, two or three weeks he will be your captain, which means that the entire crew must follow his orders. Your safety and sailing comfort depend on it. If you are a freshman, it is worth talking about the basic safety rules, such as “one hand is for a yacht, another one is for you” or jump into the water only while anchoring. The yacht and all its objects are usually too solid and it is difficult to damage them, but be careful in order not to break a single plastic element or to lose small parts such as a bracket or a handle. Such kind of losses can cost a lot, which will affect your deposit.
What does a yacht charter stand for?
From a pre-booking to a yacht check-in
A yacht charter starts with the initial booking. After the preliminary booking, you have 5 days to make a final decision and cover the advanced payment. You can do it, of course, instantly. Then you transfer a certain amount, and cover the remaining amount, normally, in a few weeks before the cruise. On the day of your departure you gather together with your crew in a port specified. If you have chosen a yacht with a skipper, he will most likely already be waiting for you. Then you go to the operator’s office and settle all the formalities of a yacht charter. During the check-in, it is worth checking all the equipment, including sails, rigging or capstans. Usually no problem arises with it, however, as the old saying goes: "Better safe than sorry." After a thorough yacht checking, we go to the office with the shipowner’s representative, where we sign the acceptance certificate, make a deposit (and possible deposit insurance) and get all necessary yacht documentation.