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Frequently Asked Questions The following are questions that are frequently asked by clients seeking a charter: Where are the best places to charter? Which is the best yacht for my charter?
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| How
do I Book a charter? |
 You
book it well in advance, especially if you want Christmas and/or New Years
charter. August in the Med books a year in advance on popular boats. August
in Newport and New England is also very busy.
Once you put a deposit on your dates, we will 'lock' the vessel within 48 hours, which is your final confirmation. We will issue a charter contract detailing the yacht, the dates, the locations, the cruising area, and the all-inclusive price. The balance is normally sent to us 30-days before the charter. |
| What
do you do on a charter? |
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| Where
are the best places to Charter? |
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The up-and-coming
charter destinations are Alaska, Turkey, Thailand/Malaysia, the Sea
of Cortes and the Galapagos. There are fewer boats available, but it
also means that you will see less people when you cruise. Call us to
ask about opportunities in these areas. There are many events that people charter yachts for, such as the Monaco Grand Prix, the Cannes Film Festival, Super Bowl and PGA events. If you are a windsurfer, a treasure diver, a bone-fishing fan, or sailboat racer, the FIVE STAR FLEET has what you need. |
| Which
Yacht is best for my group? |
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When you look at the yachts in the Yacht Selection part of this site, be sure to study the layout of the cabins and the toys inventory of each yacht. For instance, if you scuba dive, you may want a yacht with a compressor. You may require satellite communication to stay in touch with the office.
Power Yachts are differentiated by size, speed and charter price. The charter price will very often reflect the age and condition of the vessel. A 12-knot vessel will cost less than one that tools along at 30-knots. Sailboats are generally the best value. They are usually more fun for kids. The crews will be real sailors and generally younger. (I must admit a bias here, as I grew up sailing.) On sailboats, you often get a 'cabin with a berth and a shower' (if you're lucky), on power yachts you can get a 'stateroom with a king or queen with a bath tub'. One of the many up-sides of sailing is that you are not paying for the wind that drives you along. Catamarans have tremendous advantages. First, they don't 'tip'. Second, you get tons of room, and lastly, they're very fast. They draw very little water and can often pull right up to beaches, sand bars, and land bars. These boats are gathering a significant following in the charter fleet and many of us consider them to be the future of yachting. |
| Charter
terms and costs? |
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Except
where indicated, pricing is for the charter of the entire yacht for
one week. Yachts accommodate various numbers of guests in various numbers
of cabins, as noted in each yacht description. Likewise charters for
periods other than one week are common and your charter specialist can
provide you rate information. Extra Costs and Charges: THE FIVE STAR FLEET is quoted online per week as a non-inclusive price. Additional expenses can include fuel, food, drinks, dockage, your charter specialist will confirm during the inquiry process. Not included in any quote are ship's cell phone, satellite communications, certain shoreside and rendezvous scuba diving excursions. Gratuities:
A 10% base crew gratuity is included. Happy charterers will usually
tip the crew an additional 5% of the charter fee in cash at the end
of the charter. This can be given to the Captain to be split up, or
individually. Charters in Europe will require an additional 20% VAT
tax on the published prices.
Leave your weapons at home. The crew is all the protection you will need. Smoking: Most yachts do not allow smoking inside the vessel. |
| Do
I need Charter insurance? |
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Yes and
it is included.
2.) Charterer's Liability Insurance. The charterer's are listed on the yacht's insurance policy as "additional insureds". Clients may want to take additional health insurance (especially for foreign coverage) or further liability coverage. |
| Do
I need a Visa? |
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Visa and Travel Information If you are not familiar with the destination, you may want to do additional research and the following links may be helpful:
U.S. Dept. of State Background Notes - Documents the State Department issues its personnel before they go to a country. The Notes are filled with statistical information and include a travel section that covers entry requirements; climate and recommended clothing; health and transportation notes; and national holidays. Britain's
Foreign Commonwealth Office Travel Advice |
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How
safe is yacht charter?
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A well-prepared
private yacht may be the safest way to travel today. |
Sunbath,
shop, surf, dive, sleep, jet-ski, eat, go to night clubs, fish, read,
drink, spinnaker-flying, dance, swim with dolphins, sail, relax, watch
whales, visit museums, sing sea chanties, interact with your significant
other (or not).
In
terms of popularity, the top charter areas are: the Caribbean (between
Puerto Rico and Trinidad), Greece, the Bahamas, the Med (south of France,
Sardinia, Corsica), and New England. These areas will have the most
yachts to choose from, and the widest range of price options, and the
easiest flight connections in and out.
The
most exotic charter destinations include Thailand, the Amazon, the Seychelles,
the Maldives, the Great Barrier Reef and French Polynesia.
It
depends on how many people, if you like sail or power, how fat your
checkbook is, what's available for your dates, etc....
The
Crew ends up being more important than the yacht, in many cases. The
best crews have the same charterers coming back year after year, regardless
of what boat they are running.
1.)
Charter Cancellation Insurance covers you if you are unable to do the
charter (remember that 50% deposit?). There are different kinds of insurance
for this, but most require a doctor's excuse for you, or any member
of the charter party, or their immediate family.