You may have several Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) when organizing a luxurious yacht vacation can often seem like a substantial undertaking! Don’t sweat it!
We aim to streamline every step and ensure a seamless and effortless experience for you!
How do I reserve a charter, and what are the payment terms?
The Caribbean – Once you decide on the yacht you would like to book, Epic puts on a complimentary reservation. Next, a contract is drawn up, and details to proceed with the booking are solidified. Your deposit is also required at this time. If you are more than 6 months away from your charter dates, a 25% deposit is required. 25% at 6 months out, and the final 50% is due 60 days before the charter. Your monies are held in escrow, and the yacht is paid for right before your charter.
The Bahamas – Same payment terms as the Caribbean except the VAT and Charter Tax is added to your final payment along with any APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance). Some yachts in the Bahamas include the APA in their rate.
Greece and Croatia – Once you decide which yacht you would like to charter, you need to be ready to sign your contract and submit your deposit within 48 hours. The deposit is 50% of the charter fee. 6 Weeks before your charter, we will invoice you for the other 50%, the VAT and the APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance).
Who owns the yachts?
Yachts, whether privately owned or part of a fleet, are a reflection of their owners’ vision and passion. When an owner decides to offer their yacht for charter, they are taking a significant step that requires careful planning and execution. The owner’s role in this decision-making process is crucial, and their input is invaluable in preparing the yacht.Â
1) Which region of the world are they.
2) If they will run it themselves (more common in the smaller yachts) or hire a crew to run the boat.
3) Are they going to manage it or hire a management company to represent the yacht and handle the business side?
4) Then, charter-ready boats need websites, photography, marketing material, pricing, and a charter program. They also need the appropriate licenses, flags, and manning requirements to enable them to charter in the desired area.
5) The next step is getting the information to the brokers who sell crewed yacht charters and vacations and the online industry-specific databases.
What is the average gratuity for the crew?
Your crew is on call 24/7, working hard to ensure you have the vacation of your dreams. They begin preparing for your charter from the moment they receive your requests. The crew’s goal is also to provide you with exemplary service. The gratuity is given to the crew at the end of the charter in cash or wire transfer.
For the Caribbean and the Bahamas charters, 15-20% based on the cost of the charter.
For Greece and Croatia charters, all plus expenses charters may change the percentage of 15%, and based on the cost of the charter.
Do charters have to start or stop on specific days of the week?
No, not usually. Usually, it’s just a matter of where the gaps are in the yacht’s booking calendar. The only exceptions are:
1) Christmas and New Year’s weeks. Crewed Charter Yachts always book both these normally in weeks (7 days), so they have a specific changeover date from the Christmas charter to the New Year’s charter. Yachts may also want ten nights minimum over this period. They don’t do under a seven-night trip. Super Yachts may ask for ten nights, and some exceptions are made with the crew for less than 7 nights.
2) In Greece and Croatia, fully crewed catamarans tend to do Saturday-to-Saturday charters in the main summer season but can be very flexible with shorter charters.
How do the Charter Yacht Brokers know the yachts?
In simple form, Boat Shows!
Good yacht brokers attend at least several boat shows every year. Here, we can board the yachts, meet the crew, and see if they match the online brochures.
These are typically B2B (business-to-business) events. In the US and British Virgin Islands, November is the time for them, and December is in Antigua for Caribbean Yachts. The spring and fall see many Mediterranean Boat Shows, including Greece, Croatia. We take photographs, videos and meet the crews in depth. We do not rely on glossy websites and brochures.
For example, many yachts say they have fishing on board, but when asked, many professional Captains don’t encourage fishing as they don’t want the mess on the back deck. Or you can fish, but they will make sure you troll in an area where you won’t catch much. SCUBA diving options and requirements are often discussed.
We also have Industry Associations and a vast network of charter brokers and crews that we can count on.
What is included in my yacht charter fee?
The Caribbean yachts (not large motor yachts) are all-inclusive with a professional captain and private chef. Larger vessels may have additional crew, such as deckhands and steward(ess). All meals, snacks, standard ship’s bar (liquor, wine, beer, and soft drinks), fuel for the vessel and tender, insurance for the vessel and crews, all water sports activities, and SCUBA diving on some vessels are part of your package.
Not included are crew gratuities (15%-20%), optional marina docking/berthing for an overnight stay, excursions and meals ashore, port fees in the BVI, special requests for top-shelf liquor, wine, or excessive alcohol consumption, and transfers to and from the airport.
Greece and Croatia yachts include the use of the charter yacht, professional crew, and onboard equipment and water Sports gear and activities.
All other daily expenses will be covered with an Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA). This is typically 25%-40% of the charter fee, which can vary according to the yacht type, itinerary, and possible charter requests and requirements. The APA payment is collected with the final balance
APA expenses include fuel for both the yacht and tender, provisions, marina fees, moorings, airport transfers, cruising permits, canal fees, scuba diving, onshore excursions, electronic communications, and local taxes
Your yacht will be fully fuelled and provisioned, according to your preferences, when you step onboard. The Captain will keep all receipts, along with a running log of expenses, which can be viewed at any time during your charter
Any APA that has not been spent will be returned to you at the end of the charter. If expenses exceed the APA during your charter, additional funds will need to be submitted. Your captain will update and advise you if any further payment is required. This will need to be paid before you disembark
Crew Gratuity is separate and is typically 10%-15% of the charter rate. This should be given to your captain at the end of your charter
What happens if I have to cancel my yacht charter vacation?
This depends on the area of the world and the contract that the particular yacht uses. Sometimes, we can find someone else to fill in the dates, and you could receive a partial refund. Cancel For Any Reason or other types of insurance are always recommended.
In some cases, a yacht will be happy to change the dates for you with no penalty. Each case is different.
So that you know, you will only be responsible for payments that you have made.
Should we bring the kids?
ABSOLUTELY! A yacht vacation is great for families. Children have a blast snorkeling, running on the beach, playing with water toys, and swimming in the warm waters. Just bear in mind that the crew cannot take responsibility for the children’s welfare, and young children will need to be supervised. Some yachts have age requirements for children. We will check with the yacht’s crew before booking.
Help And Advice
Team Epic is available anytime to help you with any questions you may have about your crewed yacht charter. We are happy to help and advise you with the best way to get to your crewed yacht, recommend hotels to stay in the night before or after your trip, help with trip insurance, advise you on what to pack, and anything else you can think of.Â
