Why A Crewed Yacht?
Experience what a top broker calls The World's Greatest Vacation
There are many reasons why a luxury yacht with a crew is The World's Greatest Vacation. Think of the yacht as a floating five star resort whose view changes each day. With the atmosphere of a world class B & B, a yacht is the ultimate in luxury, privacy and service. The cuisine is what you requested and all meals are truly gourmet as they are prepared by a professional chef. You enjoy daily cabin service and you do what you want, when you want.
How does it compare to a "bareboat" charter?
First and foremost, you assume no responsibility or liability for the vessel. There are no security deposits.
Next, you get so much more boat with all the extras you would never find on a bareboat. There extras include air conditioning, TV/VCR, underwater cameras, GPS, fine china and crystal, and water "toys"; all included.
When you take a bareboat you can not leave until the morning after your arrival. Checkouts are in the morning and you can not reach the Caribbean in time. (You can arrive in the Mediterranean in the morning but only after being on a plane all night).
When you take a crewed charter, you are underway minutes after joining the vessel and meeting the crew. In the case of the Caribbean, you can land at mid-day, and after a short taxi ride, be enjoying drinks and lunch in less than an hour after your flight lands.
Best of all, you will find the costs are very close. The bareboats in the 50 to 55 foot range cost up to $6,000 per week. This is just the base price. Add to this all food, beverage, insurance, outboard for dinghy, cleaning fees, supplies, other incidentals, and the cost of the "night before" mentioned above, and the cost will exceed $8,000 before you know it. With eight in the party, that's over $1,000 per person, per week. And you are cooking and cleaning. And you are doing all the chores such as the anchor work which you better get right because you assumed responsibility for a $700,000 vessel.
Prices for a crewed charter start at $1,050 per person per week for a better yacht with better equipment and gourmet cuisine served to you just as it is in the world's finest restaurants.
We often hear, "but i own a boat and sail it myself all the time". As a client on a private yacht you can sail (or drive) the yacht all you want. Do as much or as little in the running of the yacht as you wish. You are the owner for the time you charter and you are treated just as the owner is treated when he or she is on the vessel. Do you enjoy the cooking and cleaning? Doesn't gourmet meals from fine china sound great? You are on deck enjoying a tropical sunset with a frozen drink when your personal chef calls you to another five star meal. After dinner you are back on deck with cordials and coffee talking about how many stars you can see.
Cost Comparison:
"Bareboat" vs. Luxury Crewed Charter
A Party of Six:
| Luxury Crewed Yacht | "Bareboat" | |
| Yacht | Beneteau 51 | Beneteau 51 |
| Cost: | $7,500 | $7525 (Winter) $5,600 (Low season) |
| Tip: | $750 | $0 |
| Food: | included | $1,260 ($30 pp, per day) |
| Beverage: | included | $252 ( $6 pp, per day) |
| Insurance: | included | $210 ($30 per day) |
| "Starter Kit": | included | $80 (basic supplies) |
| Sailboard: | included | $147 ($21 per day) |
| Downwind sail: | included | $210 ($30 per day) |
| Total: | $8,250 | $9,684 (Winter) $7,759 (Low season) |
A Party of Four:
| Luxury Crewed Yacht | "Bareboat" | |
| Yacht | Irwin 52 | Beneteau 45 |
| Cost: | $6,400 | $5,250 (Winter) $3,800 (Low season) |
| Tip: | $640 | $0 |
| Food: | included | $840 ($30 pp, per day) |
| Beverage: | included | $168 ( $6 pp, per day) |
| Insurance: | included | $210 ($30 per day) |
| "Starter Kit": | included | $60 (basic supplies) |
| Sailboard: | included | $147 ($21 per day) |
| Downwind sail: | included | $210 ($30 per day) |
| Total: | $7,040 | $6,885 (Winter) $5,435 (Low season) |
All bareboat prices are from the Sunsail '04 rate sheet.
Important Note
All bareboat firms require at least one member to attend a 9:00 am session before releasing the yacht. As there are no flights from the mainland that will put you at this session, at least one member of the party needs a hotel and breakfast the day before. This could be well over one hundred dollars.
Bareboats have cassettes; luxury crewed yachts have TV/VCR/Camcorders/CD/Cassette. Bareboats have a chart and a pencil; luxury crewed yachts have electronic navigation (G.P.S.), air-conditioning and many "toys" and gadgets not found on bareboats. A yachting holiday on a luxury crewed yacht is 100% holiday; on a bareboat there is cooking, cleaning, and responsibility for a large yacht.
The cost for The World's Greatest Vacation will vary according to yacht selected, season and number of guests. Motor Yachts cost more than Sailing Yachts (wind is free).
You work directly with a member of our staff in selecting the yacht which is perfect for your party. How many cabins do you need? Which "water toys" are important to you? Do you want full Scuba equipment including compressors and night lights? Is the crew good with kids? Do you care if they have 10 movies on tape, or would 200 be better? The list goes on.
What about the crew? Should we select a more formal staff? American, French, English or Australian? Old or young? Do you want a P.A.D.I. Dive Master or a sailing instructor? Should the chef be Continental, American, cook light style, ethnic favorites, etc.?
A sailing yacht in the 47 to 65 foot range, in peak season, for a party of four adults will cost from $1,250 to $1,900 per week, per person. Many offer a slight discount for children. The same yacht during low season (May 1 to December 19 each year) can be less. When the party is six or eight guests, the cost per person goes down and the yacht selected will be larger. Often there are yachts that can be as low as $999 per person, per week. And the terms are truly "all inclusive".
If there are only two guests in the party the cost of a sailing yacht will be between $1,825 and $2,250 each. A larger yacht for just two will cost even more.
To determine the cost of Motor Yachts add 30% to the above.
Charters of less than seven days are always welcomed. To find the rate divide the weekly rate by six, times the number of days requested. Charters can begin and end on any day. Charters longer than a week usually have a 10% discount from the weekly rate on the additional days. Off season is after May 1st in The Caribbean and Florida. There is no off season in New England. Off season in The Mediterranean is early spring and late fall.
Parties of 10 to 20 guests can charter private yachts with four to 10 double cabins for $1,250 to $1,800 per person, per week.
You should always check with us for any current specials available. A current special is offered by a 60 foot Oceans sailing yacht with four private guest cabins. A party of eight can enjoy this fine yacht in the Caribbean under "all inclusive" terms for $999 per person, per week in low Season. A wonderful English crew, gourmet meals, open bar, great yacht, great sailing and a new island every day, all for a great price.
For more information contact:
Ken Hecht
Port Yacht Charters
9 Belleview Ave.
Port Washington, NY 11050
Tel.: 800 213 0465
Fax: 516 883 0998
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.portyachtcharters.com
