Many of our clients choose to spend all or part of their island vacation aboard a luxury yacht. Here at Blue Sky Luxury Travels, we are experts in yacht charters, so we know how to pair our clients with the perfect luxury yacht. We consider the age makeup of the group: whether it’s all adults, families with kids, or a multigenerational family reunion. Your ideal level of vacation activity is also important: some people just want to lay in the sun relaxing with a beautiful view, while others look for adrenaline-filled days of diving, fishing, jet-skiing, and kayaking. We always ask our clients how high a priority they place on fine dining, since some yacht charters offer elegant meals in refined dining rooms, while others focus on grilling up the catch of the day and taking meals on the deck. We present our clients with a curated selection of ideally matched luxury yachts for their consideration. When you’re making the decision of what yacht charter is right for your island vacation, here are the 5 most important questions to consider:
1. Where do you want to go?
The Riviera, Italy, Fiji, The Greek Isles, the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas are all hotspots for luxury yacht vacations. One benefit of chartering your own yacht vs. taking a cruise ship is that you don’t have to stick to a fixed schedule. You can choose the timing and location of where you want to begin and finish your voyage. Blue Sky Luxury Travels can help you find the right luxury yacht charter for the destinations you choose.
If you have a large group and want an experience that’s more like a private cruise voyage, you may prefer a motor yacht. They travel faster so you can cover more ground and are suitable for larger groups seeking elegance and luxury. Sailing yachts, including catamarans and trimarans, are also luxurious but can be available for smaller groups at a lower price point. They offer a closer to the sea experience and are wonderful for family and couples vacations. Often with sailing yacht charters, the price includes your fuel and meals. Gratuity is additional and is usually around 15%. For motor yacht charters, they typically charge for meals and fuel in addition to the base yacht charter fee.
Both motor yacht and sailing yacht charters include the services of a crew unless you order a bareboat charter. Crews typically stay with the boat for several years at a time, so they know the vessel and itineraries well. Your yacht charter crew will be made up of a captain and additional trained crew including a chef, a concierge, deckhands, housekeepers, engineers, and sometimes even masseuses and beauticians on some larger yachts. Their goal is to make sure you don’t have to lift a finger while you enjoy your luxury yacht vacation.
4. Do you get to choose the food?
Provisioning is a vital part of the yacht charter experience. Your yacht chef will prepare meals for your group throughout your vacation, but since there’s no grocery store in the water, everything has to be purchased in advance. Prior to your luxury yacht vacation, you’ll fill out a questionnaire where you can provide the chef with your food and beverage preferences along with any dietary or medical conditions in your party. Then the yacht chef will work their magic to prepare gourmet meals for you to enjoy!
5. What should you pack?
Planning for your yacht charter vacation is half the fun! Your yacht will come fully provisioned with everything needed for sailing, safety, and meal preparations. It’s a good idea to pack your things in a soft-sided bag, ideally something collapsible like a duffle, since closet space is at a premium. Of course, you’ll want to remember the basics like passport, prescription medication, reef safe sunblock (we can recommend some great ones as well as chemical-free if you like), lip balm, and insect repellent. “Dry Bags” are super useful for keeping your money and electronics dry and safe. Bring along some seasickness pills or patches just in case.
When it comes to clothing, of course, you’ll want several cute swimsuits with coverups, and casual clothes for days on the water, sunglasses, a hat, and a light raincoat. Guests are usually asked to go barefoot on the boat to keep it clean, but you’ll want a pair of shoes with non-marking soles and a good grip that you can wear either onboard or ashore. Flip-flops are always good for beach excursions and bring along some water shoes for diving.
Here at Blue Sky Luxury Travels, we are at your service to create the ultimate yacht charter vacation. We personally visit several yachts in charter destinations worldwide to make sure we know what’s out there. Let us help you choose the perfect luxury yacht charter for your next dream vacation!