
Interview with Italia by Natalia.
You chartered a yacht for the first time, where did the idea come from?
I have always been fascinated by yachts. Ever since I started travelling to Italy, I admired all the boats moored in the harbours, but I never thought I would ever sail one myself. It seemed to me that this kind of attraction was reserved only for very wealthy people. And then I came across Yachtic.com. It turned out that a holiday on a small yacht - especially during the low season and in a larger group - is within the reach of most people travelling to Italy.
What was most surprising to you?
Functionality of the boat. I honestly didn't think we would be so comfortable on it. I was surprised by the capacity and possibilities of the kitchen, the comfort of the bed and also the bathroom. I used a smaller one and thought it would be very tiring, yet taking a shower turned out to be really effortless.
What impressed you the most?
The last day of the cruise we had to return to home port despite very high waves. The boat was jumping a lot in the waves, it was rocking incredibly, and I had a great time. Interestingly, and hard to understand, but that day cured my husband of motion sickness. At the beginning of the cruise we had a situation where it rocked a little harder and Arthur was lying barely alive in the cabin. On the last day, the situation was so difficult that those on board had to be strapped in. Artur persevered and there was a miraculous turnaround. Not only was he already feeling well and enjoying the day to the full, he later found that riding the bus on winding roads felt good. Previously, any bus ride - even on a relatively straight road - had been an ordeal for him. Many hours of struggling with the waves had done a good job.
What do you think is the biggest advantage of a yacht holiday?
The opportunity to sail into places that are difficult to reach or completely inaccessible from land and to commune with the sea at all times. A wonderful experience for anyone who loves the sound of the waves and wildlife.
How would you encourage people who have never chartered a yacht to do so?
A charter is a great idea for a holiday with friends or to celebrate a special occasion. In my case, it was my fourteenth wedding anniversary.
How would you rate YACHTIC.com's support throughout the process?
Very high. Problems arose as soon as the yacht was handed over. The operator at the port informed me that there were no documents and we could not sail. This seemed strange to me, as I had completed all the paperwork with the Yachtic.com team two weeks before the cruise. I called the person who was monitoring my charter. Even though it was a Saturday afternoon, I received immediate support. The documents arrived within half an hour. It later turned out that this was an oversight by the operator. The main office had not forwarded everything to the port office. Had it not been for the prompt response of the Yachtic.com staff, we would not have sailed on time.
In your opinion, is yacht charter expensive and can only be afforded by a few?
I used to think so. Of course, large luxury yachts are very expensive, but a boat of about 14 metres in length for six or seven people costs as much as a good hotel. You can save a lot of money by just eating on the boat, plus if you have a limited budget it is worth considering a charter during the low season. We sailed in the first half of June and I very much appreciate the decision.
What was your experience with the skipper - I mean the question of spending a holiday with a person you didn't know before?
Very positive. I had concerns about whether we would like each other and how we would get along, but unnecessarily. Alessandro turned out to be a very warm and contactable person. For the first two or three hours he kept his distance, but I think he wanted to probe us. To see who he was dealing with, whether we would treat him as a service guy or as one of us. When it turned out that we were open and positive, it was Alessandro who shortened the distance in no time. He laughed, sang, danced, even cooked at the end, even though he was under no obligation to do so. We had a great time together.

What has been the most difficult for you?
My husband and I had a very big luggage. It wasn't just clothes, but also a lot of electronics and gadgets. I had to take work accessories on the cruise and create a surrogate office for myself. Besides, the cruise was only part of our trip lasting a total of three weeks. Although we occupied the largest cabin, we struggled to unpack our luggage and bury things. We found it very difficult to keep the cabin tidy.
Given the experience already gained, what would you change/prepare differently for your next charter?
First of all, I would have planned the pre-cruise shopping in detail. That was the plan, but when it came down to it, no one had time before we left and as a result we went on the spree in the supermarket. We bought too much food, which resulted in us giving it away to the port staff at the end of the cruise. Also, there was a funny situation when our towels got mixed up. On a small boat you can only dry them outside, and because they were all the same, no one was able to locate their own halfway through the cruise. Next time I would take towels from home to make them different from the others.
What do you think is the most important thing to look out for when planning a yacht charter for the first time?
Above all, calm down and adjust to the fact that the weather is unpredictable and, although you should have an outline plan, you should not plan anything in detail. Life and weather conditions will verify our plans anyway. Travelling by boat and travelling by land are two completely different tales.
With sailing greetings
The YACHTIC.com team