CHARTER GUIDE

The charter rate includes the crew, their wages, uniforms, insurance, equipment on board, linen and towels, the regular change and cleaning of these, consumables, and necessary cleaning products or materials, needed for the yachts maintenance. The VAT and expenses, also called APA, will be charged separately, depending on the country and type of yacht. The VAT gets charged in the country of embarkation and is always due, even if you book the charter as an EU company. This is a frequently asked question but unfortunately, cannot be avoided. The APA is calculated on the base charter rate and is usually around 30% of this. It is an Advanced Provisioning Allowance, which is given to the Captain several weeks before the start of your charter, so the crew can prepare according to your preferences. 

An overview of the expenses of your yacht charter will be maintained by the Captain and you can ask him to see this at any given time. If you prefer not to worry about this during your holidays, you can also ask your charter broker to take care of this for you. Some of the following expenses can be expected to be paid out of your APA, but not limited to Food and Beverages, Mooring costs incl. water and electricity, Agent handling fees ( if applicable ), Fuel, the hire of additional equipment for your stay on board at your personal request. 

At the end of your yacht charter holiday, before disembarkation, you will be able to settle the accounts with your Captain. In the event of a shortfall, you will have to arrange the payment with him, agreeing on a bank transfer or other. Again, should you prefer not to worry about this yourself, ask your dedicated yacht charter broker to do this for you.

When all of the details, such as dates, rates, ports of embarkation, and disembarkation have been discussed, it is time to sign the contract. Don't be surprised about the length of the contract, it is an industry-standard contract ( MYBA ), prepared by maritime lawyers. The main details are to be found on pages 1 and 2. The first payment, which is usually 50% of the Charter Rate, is due upon signature. The other 50%, the VAT, and the APA are due one month prior to embarkation. However, should the contract be signed less than 4 weeks before the commencement of the charter, the full payment is due when signing the contract. 

It really depends on a few different factors, like how many items are you expecting to be cleaned, is it a delicate material, the size of the yacht etc. Especially the size of the yacht matters a lot, as many of the smaller yachts, for example, outsource the complete laundry. In any case, talk to your lovely crew on board, ask them if you need anything to be cleaned and if they can't do it for you onboard, they will certainly take care of outsourcing it for you. 

It is important that you clarify and ask this before booking any yachts, as they are all different. It all depends on their licenses, insurance, and so on. However, you might be surprised to hear, that most charter yachts, even the really big ones, are limited to 12 guests unless they have a special registration/exemption. 

In general, it is customary and this is also mentioned in the contract. The crew works really hard to make your holiday perfect, so if you are happy with their service, the food, the cleanliness, and so on, it is normal to leave around 10% of the charter fee. Nevertheless, it is not obligatory and at your total discretion. If you are unsure, don't hesitate to contact your dedicated charter broker and discuss the matter.

In some cases, the yachts home berth is included in the rate and as soon as you leave this, any other berths will be charged from the APA. Check with the broker before your booking - especially if you plan to charter in Ibiza, where berth fees can be very high. You will find that the yachts that are based in Ibiza are often offered with a berth included in the rate, and are therefore more expensive than a similar yacht in Mallorca. 

Most yachts carry a certain amount of water toys, some more some less, so check before your booking. If you are keen to have a sea bob or jetski during your charter and the yacht doesn't include this in the rate, we can arrange this for you with no problems. Keep in mind though that the Jetski can only be arranged and booked if you have the required licenses and the yacht has the necessary space for storage. In the case of a sea bob, it is much easier and usually not a problem. 

Once the contract has been completed and all details have been discussed, you will receive a Preference Sheet from your charter broker. You should dedicate as much time to this as possible and fill it in with as many details you can think of. Remember that this is the crew's only tool to prepare the yacht, the meals, and so on. The more information they have the better. It is also very important that you let them know about any medical conditions or allergies.