Chartering: Bareboat or Bare + Captain?
Just about everyone who has ever driven a boat has dreams of captaining an idyllic island cruise in an expansive and comfortable chartered yacht, but when it comes to actually taking on the task of operating a boat much larger and with much different systems than we are used to on waters we do not know and docking or anchoring in unfamiliar harbors, the reality can be a bit daunting.
That’s why a crewed charter makes sense for so many families.
You don’t worry about navigation, about daily engine maintenance, about the difference in the way a catamaran handles compared to the monohull you’re used to, or about anchoring or docking. And a good captain likely will know a lot of great spots in the cruising location you’d never find on your own.
Add that a chef (or at least a cook) can be part of a crewed boat charter and whoever handles that chore at home, down to cleaning up the dishes, will be much happier to go along on the charter.
The Costs, Compared
Of course, a crewed boat is more expensive for a charter than a “bare boat” or one you will operate yourself. The cost of the pro is added on top of the price of the boat and all other fees.
Fees for a skipper might range from $1,200 to $2,000 a week, and for a chef $1,000 to $1,500. But remember these professionals are on board with you 24 hours a day for the full week so they are well worth the investment. (You’ll want to tip them, too—typically 15 to 20 percent on this side of the Atlantic.)
Do You Need a Captain?
An honest self-assessment of your skill levels is critical here. If you’ve never run anything but a dinghy with a tiller outboard on your own, suddenly finding yourself behind the wheel of a 50’ twin-engine catamaran is probably not going to go well. The charter service will ask you about your experience, and when you arrive for the charter, they will take you out on the water for an instructional system that is also an informal test of your abilities.
If you don’t have a clue, they’re not going to put their boat in your hands. And not only that, your second-in-command has to know the basics as well.
If you can’t meet the basic capability requirements, you are not going to have a choice—you either go on a crewed charter or you don’t go.
An honest assessment of your boating skills is a must before deciding whether you’d like to try bareboat chartering, or whether it might be best to leave the driving to an experienced pro.
On the other hand, if you’re used to handling a boat with twin engines and have some offshore experience as well as are knowledgeable about basic navigation, docking and anchoring, you probably can drive your own after getting the walk-through all bareboat charter operations give their customers.
Most will put a pro on board with you for several hours to get you up to speed on tasks like daily diesel engine maintenance checks before sending you on your way.
The Pluses of Crewed Charters
Chartering a yacht with crew not only takes away the stress of operating a boat you’re not familiar with but also can add measurably to the depth of your experience by taking you to hidden anchorages you’d miss otherwise, mixing you some great drinks you’d never think of and maybe even serenading you at sundown.
Some are husband and wife teams, and most of them know each other. They’re all carefully vetted at the better known charter operations, not only for boat skills but for their character and background.
If you’d rather be sitting on the bow sipping a cold one as the sun goes down than driving the boat, a paid skipper can take care of the chores for you.
Tell the charter operation what you want and you just might get it—a guitar-playing, joke-telling entertainer might be just right for one family, while others might want the crew to just do their job and otherwise be invisible—although being invisible is a lot harder on a 45-footer than it might be on a super-yacht.
All Inclusive Crewed Charters
If you hate being nickel-and-dimed, an “All-Inclusive Charter” like those from BVI Yacht Charters might be right for you. These include pretty much every cost that you’ll incur from the moment you arrive on-island until your return flight home. “All Inclusive” means the fee includes the yacht, captain, chef, all meals, snacks, open bar, use of all water toys and amenities listed for that yacht, fuel, water and ice.
They are more expensive than the piecemeal approach, but not that much more when you add up all the costs. For example, a 56’ Lagoon from BVI Yacht Charters is $31,500 for a week, all-inclusive for six—not bad if split among multiple couples when you consider that this price includes your accommodations, crew, food and a lot of your entertainment.
Disadvantages of Crewed Chartering
Cost is higher, of course, as we’ve seen above. But there are some other considerations as well.
Privacy is the major sticking point for many potential charterers. For those not used to living with paid professionals in their daily life, the idea of having a “stranger” or two in their midst just about every waking hour can put them off.
The paid captain also takes away the satisfaction of operating your own boat, charting your own course and dealing with sea conditions, anchoring and all the other challenges that are also the pleasures and satisfactions of boating. You get to learn a completely new boat and run it for a week (or longer) on your own if you bareboat—but not with a paid captain.
Also, you will have to charter a larger yacht for a crewed charter than otherwise.
This is because the captain and the chef have to have someplace to bunk. The cost of a yacht with four staterooms rather than three will be somewhat higher, and fuel costs will also increase, but many chartering families find the added expense well worth it.
What’s Included
Most crewed charter base fees are for the boat plus the crew. The food you choose to take along will be ordered in advance, delivered to the boat and paid for separately, or you can shop for your own on arrival.
The fuel used during the trip may also be a separate item, so the cost will depend on how efficient the boat you choose is and how far you go. You have to return the boat with full tanks or, as with rental cars, the charter company will charge you extra for refueling it.
Fuel charges can be substantial—a typical 46’ power catamaran carries 500 gallons of fuel, and in some charter locations prices can be significantly higher than you’re used to stateside. On the other hand, they can be reasonable—as this is written, BVI prices are around $4.50 per gallon for diesel.
Some all inclusive charters may include “open bar” so you save on drinks aboard, but don’t expect to stay smashed or your charter may come to an abrupt early end. And most charters in most places will terminate your charter if you bring any sort of illegal drugs aboard because they could lose their boat over this sort of transgression.
Travel Insurance
Stuff happens—you might come down with Covid a few days before your scheduled cruise date, have an accident or some family emergency. Travel insurance is a must to avoid losing the entire cost of the charter.
In hurricane latitudes from June through November, buying insurance specifically to cover you in case a storm pops up is wise. (You have to buy it before a storm is “named”, so can’t wait until the last minute.)
For most companies, two weeks is the cutoff date—if you cancel earlier, you’ll get more or most back but inside that two-week window you get bupkus. Buy the insurance and take away the worry.
Charters in the Med and the Caribbean
Here are some of the better-known operations offering crewed charters for yachts from 40 to 60 feet long. Larger “superyacht” charters, particularly abundant in the Mediterranean, are a whole other world reserved for very few:
BVI Yacht Charters: https://www.bviyachtcharters.com
Caribbean Yachts International: https://cyicharters.com.
SunSail: https://www.sunsail.com
The Moorings: https://www.moorings.com
Voyage Charters: https://www.voyagecharters.com
Yaaty Charters: https://yaaty.com