CHARTER A YACHT

5 TIPS ON CHARTERING A YACHT

Charter a yacht and enjoy life’s greatest vacation experience; however, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not as simple as selecting a great destination to ensure an epic yacht charter vacation experience – instead, it’s the caliber of yacht specialists who curate your experience, plan your itinerary, and guide you.

The best guidance comes from experts who have been to all the yacht charter destinations, have worked on superyachts for charter, and know the yachts. With over three decades of global superyacht experience, and guiding clients, we’ve come to know the biggest decision you’ll make on your yacht vacation is selecting the right experts to guide you.

Consulting with highly qualified yacht charter experts who know the yacht rental market, the crew, and every yacht for charter is where it all begins.

Simply put, regardless of yacht size, Luxury International Megayacht Experts (LIME) makes your search for a charter yacht and your yachting experience, no matter the requirements, simple and stress-free. Period. (read guide below)

When it comes to yacht charters, clients consistently turn to LIME superyacht charter specialists for unparalleled expertise and service. For yachts of all sizes around the globe, time and time again, clients rely upon their yacht charter expertise when they book their yachting vacation.

When it comes to the worldwide yacht charter fleet, we also have relationships with captains and crews who have worked on charter yachts for decades.

With yachts available from 80′ (24.3m) to 400′ (122m)+, we work with yacht charterers worldwide, before, during, and at the end of their yacht vacation.

We are regarded by industry experts and clients alike, as some of the most knowledgeable yacht sales and charter brokers in the yachting business. (view our Yacht Charter Guide below)

Simply put, we will provide the absolute best yacht intelligence available and rock-solid expertise to make your yacht-charter experience a fun, seamless, and stress-free process.

Because of our experience and unique skillset, we’re unlike any other yacht charter brokerage. We have been to every cruising region around the world many times aboard superyachts, have orchestrated countless yachting vacations, and know the best, and the worst, yachts and builders.

We have also managed, specified, built, operated, designed, brokered, and marketed some of the most recognized luxury yachts on the water.

We happily share our 30 years of real-world knowledge about yachts, along with the destinations they cruise,  and remain at your side as a valuable resource throughout all phases of your yacht charter, and beyond.

Yachts for Charter

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TOP 10 QUESTIONS ABOUT CHARTERING A YACHT

WHAT SHOULD I KNOW BEFORE RENTING A YACHT?

Many factors need to be taken into account before you charter a luxury yacht. For somebody not familiar with the process, it’s very easy to end up booking a yacht that does not meet their lifestyle or needs.

At the core of renting the right yacht, long before considering the yacht’s amenities and menu selection, a list of criteria needs to be considered and decided upon. (see 10 Steps to Charter a Luxury Yacht below)

When the time to charter a megayacht arrives, yacht experts at LIME have real-world expertise as superyacht crew. They have visited and cruised all major cruising grounds worldwide.

With their one-of-a-kind experience, they guide you every step of the way, explaining your options, and making it easier and more cost-efficient to decide upon.

12 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU RENT A YACHT

For insider yacht-charter information on yachts of all sizes and market knowledge, simply schedule your 10-minute introductory yacht-chartering consultation with a yacht charter expert.

For an instant reply, go ahead and send a message (or call) 24/7 at +1-954-507-2030 to a Luxury International Megayacht Expert (LIME).

CONTENTS – 10 STEPS TO RENT A YACHT

HOW TO CHARTER A YACHT IN 10 STEPS

1. Decide Who Will be Joining You
When you decide to charter a luxury yacht, knowing who or which type of guests will be joining you is job one. Knowing your guest list allows the yacht charter broker to identify the best charter yachts that suit the needs of your guests.

This may mean a yacht with all queen or king berths for a couples-only vacation or a yacht with a stateroom that allows for several children to share sleeping accommodations.

Knowing everything, from the type of toys your guests are interested in using or if the vessel needs to accommodate a wheelchair or must have an elevator, helps your yacht charter broker source the best yachts available, thus making your decision to book a yacht simple.

While many yacht brokers certainly jump at the opportunity to offer their services, only a few have cruised the destinations, visited the yachts, and personally met the crew.

For this reason, choosing a yacht charter specialist, especially someone with real-world experience like the ones from LIME, is the most important decision you’ll make.

To learn more about how to rent a yacht, download the Best Yacht Charter Broker Comparison Guide for free.

2. Pick Your Dates or Time of Year
Knowing when to charter, determining the best time to go or selecting optimal dates to charter can sometimes be confusing.

Whether you’re looking to escape the chilling winds of winter or the sweltering heat of summer, it’s important to become familiar with charter seasons and how they may have an effect on planning your private crewed yacht charter.

Charter seasons can be determined by a peak in charter activity, like chartering a yacht in the Mediterranean in summer, which is a very busy time, or it may refer to the weather pattern of a destination, like an Alaska yacht charter vacation.

Yacht charter seasons are normally divided by season (winter and summer) with high and low times that affect cost. The high season is more expensive and the busiest time, while the low season is less expensive and a slower time.

Within each season, there are weeks, which are often segmented around important dates.

For example, in winter, the 26th of December to the 1st of January is normally the highest cost and busiest time. Private yachts are often booked for a period of 7 or 10 days, which may include Christmas.

Booking between these dates is usually more difficult. Because of increased demand during certain periods, anything under one week means far fewer yachts to choose from.

3. Determine a Price Range
Now that you’ve decided to take a yacht charter vacation, there’s a lot to consider, and the price range is among the most important. Luxury charter yacht prices and rates are typically offered by the week, and like the yachts themselves, they differ enormously.

The yacht charter specialists at LIME are experts at booking yachts for charter and will guide you on everything you need to know about pricing. This includes the APA (Advanced Provisioning Allowance), relocation fees, taxes, crew gratuities, and more. They’ll know what yachts have a cinema and/or the latest toys.

By having their pulse on the global yacht charter fleet and knowing the crew and yachts available for charter around the world, they can advise you on what certain yachts cost, as well as the best destinations to visit.

4. Pick Your Destination
When it comes to questions about how to charter a luxury yacht, the most common question asked is, “Where is the best location to charter?”

A Mediterranean yacht charter offers a rich mixture of history, culture, and landscapes, comprising some of the most popular superyacht destinations in the world. It is often a top pick among seasoned and new yacht charterers in summer.

A Caribbean private superyacht charter offers pristine beaches, beautiful lush scenery, and warm tropical breezes. It is often the most popular yacht charter destination during the winter months.

For those looking to explore off of the beaten path, a megayacht yacht charter vacation in the South Pacific and/or Australia can offer an experience unlike any other.

Yacht charter brokers at LIME have traveled to all corners of the world as professional luxury yacht charter crew. With real-world experience under their belt, they simply guide you in selecting your ideal charter destination.

5. Search and Selection
Superyachts for charter are available through many sources. Because of this, working with a yacht charter vacation specialist has many benefits. Plus, there is no charge.

A qualified yacht broker has access to the global superyacht charter fleet and knows the charter managers.

But, the best superyacht charter brokers have also visited the yachts and know the crew that operates them. They have also cruised the destinations as professionals, making certain your search to find the right yacht includes only the best available yachts around the world.

Working with private charter broker specialists at LIME, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, your requirements are reviewed and refined. Then inquiries about the availability and costs associated with each yacht are made.

A well-versed charter broker knows the right questions to ask, many of which help you avoid hidden or unknown costs.

In many cases, yachts can also be previewed either at yacht shows or by appointment, so you’ll know exactly what amenities and toys will be available for your charter vacation.

Once a yacht and/or yachts are selected, inquiries are made by the charterer’s yacht charter broker, which can sometimes take up to a week for all questions to be answered and confirmed. Then a yacht is selected.

6. Base fee, Taxes, APA (Advanced Provisioning Allowance), Fuel, Dockage, Gratuities, etc.
Because there are various costs to consider when booking a yacht, it is important to be aware of what is included.

The base fee or rate refers to the cost of hiring the yacht and generally all of its equipment and crew for the duration of your charter vacation. The base rate of a charter may or may not include additional expenses such as taxes, fuel, and food, which are all subject to the terms and conditions of the charter contract.

The base rate also varies from one yacht to the next. It is primarily driven by its location, size, number of guests, and fit and finish. Price also depends on when events, such as the Monaco Grand Prix, and holidays, such as New Year’s Eve, are taking place or are being attended.

Advance Provisioning Allowance (commonly referred to as APA) is an important element of every charter contract. The APA has been designed to enable charterers to manage their expenses while allowing the yacht crew to prepare the yacht before the arrival of guests.

It also provides a simple and easy way to account for expenses throughout the charter. The APA is generally calculated at 25% to 35% of the base charter rate. It is utilized to cover provisions, fuel, port fees, dockage, and other consumables throughout your yacht vacation.

Unless there is an allowance for several cruising hours per day, fuel, along with dockage fees, are normally above and beyond the base charter rate. This includes all fuel burned while cruising from port to port or fuel burned by the generators, tenders, and toys.

Dockage fees may vary greatly, from very little to huge amounts, depending on the events and ports you wish to visit, along with tipping to ensure entry and/or the best location in a certain port.

7. Contract Preparations & Submission
Once the charter particulars (charter rate, taxes, delivery fees (if any), amenities, toys, availability, and more) are confirmed, using an industry-standard yacht charter agreement, the booking request is drawn up by the charterer’s yacht charter broker, and presented to the yacht charter manager.

The industry standard charter agreement outlines the rate and costs, including the Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA) associated with the charter, deposit amounts, payment dates, the charter location, arrival and departure times and places, the number of guests, including force majeure, and additional terms.

By this point in time, while keeping both the yacht owner and charterer aware of the contract conditions, both the yacht charter broker and the yacht charter manager have ironed out the general terms of the contract for submission.

Once all the details are agreed upon, the contract is submitted to the charterer by the yacht charter broker for acceptance and signatures. The communication between the yacht charter broker and yacht charter manager keeps the acceptance process easy to understand and simple to follow.

8. Yacht Charter Contract and Acceptance
Upon submitting the contract to the charterer, all the costs, verification of staterooms and berths, deposits, and terms are identified and ready for acceptance.

Upon acceptance, it is normal to deposit 50% of the charter rate into escrow utilizing your charter broker firm’s trust account, usually within a certain period.

Fees for charter broker are deducted, and the balance of the deposit is then transferred to the charter manager’s trust account.

This first deposit secures the yacht and allows for the planning phase, which includes travel arrangements, trip itineraries, meal planning, and preference sheets that identify foods the guests like and dislike.

9. Planning and Remaining Deposits
Long before the charter goes to contract, itineraries and food are often discussed.

However, about 30 days from when the charter is scheduled to begin, the charterer receives preference sheets, which are to be completed and returned to the captain.

Guests need to itemize in detail any food allergies, favorite foods, and beverages, as well as their preferred itinerary.

If you are not sure what the best itinerary for your yacht vacation is, then ask the charter brokers at LIME, who have real-world experience cruising every major charter destination around the world as superyacht crew.

The more specific guests are with their needs, the better the service and the likelihood the guests’ requirements will be met.

At about the same time, the balance of the charter rate, taxes, and any other fees, along with the APA are dispersed by the charterer. Pre-charter planning and cooperation by both the charterer and the crew are vital, especially any specific requirements and events that need to be accounted for, such as birthdays, anniversaries, strict diets, and even wheelchair access.

10. Arrival and Departure
For your yacht vacation, whether you’re heading to a remote destination in the South Pacific or to the mini-metropolis of Monaco, our expert yacht charter brokers also have travel tips for getting there as easily as possible.

The yacht charter brokers at LIME have traveled extensively worldwide by air and can guide you when planning your travel. He has real-world experience with unique travel options, such as Around the World Tickets and Circle Pacific flights, the best routes to and from the biggest cities, as well as the best way to reach the most remote islands.

For those of you who travel by private aircraft and have air travel covered, what if you arrive and the yacht you chartered is anchored out or not accessible by road?

When it comes to arrivals and departures, helicopters and limo tenders are also more common than you might think. They are worth asking about when preparing to book a yachting family vacation.

The limousine tender ensures you’ll stay looking your best and offers the ultimate comfort. Being ushered directly to the yacht by helicopter is a great option to avoid traffic and/or maintain your privacy.

Also, for passport and visa information, visit the US DEPARTMENT OF STATE website before planning your trip.

You are well on your way to booking your best vacation ever!

Go ahead and schedule your complimentary introductory consultation with a charter broker at LIME for insider information, and how their proven yacht-chartering methods make booking a yacht charter simple.

Contact a Luxury International Megayacht Expert.

To begin your epic experience, take the next step and contact the yacht specialists of LIME. We are happy to talk about yachts at any time.

Simply use WhatsApp, call, or send a text 24/7 at +1-954-507-2030 for anything you’d like to know about chartering or renting a yacht.

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