 Step by Step
Charter Vacation Planning Easy, Organized and Customized Shannon will take you step by step through the planning and booking phases of your next charter
 To Book a Charter: PLANNING PHASE
BOOKING PHASE
|
Not sailed before? Check out these notes before you get too engrossed in the romantic image of your “Dream Sailing Vacation” in the destination of your choice.
For those of you who are not familiar with sailing, these Q & A's should help give you a picture of what life on a sailboat is really like. Experienced sailors won't need all this—but there are still plenty of other useful details for you too! We can't count the number of times people have told us that this was their "best vacation ever", a "dream come true", it "totally surpassed expectations", and other such comments. BUT—sailing isn't for everyone—and maybe the reason why we get so many comments like this is that we are very down-to-earth in setting expectations. A sailing yacht is not a cruise ship; and if this type of vacation isn't going to suit you, it's better realized now—not in the middle of the ocean. We hope these notes will help. . .
Q. I’m concerned about having spending (the length of your trip) so much time on a boat with a bunch of people I don’t know very well. A: That’s a good point! But—the actual fact is that 95% of the time, everyone on board gets on just great, and ends up good friends. How does that happen? 1) A very effective self-selection process! By definition, anyone who would choose an adventure vacation like this generally is an independent, flexible type, with a sociable nature who enjoys the company of others at close quarters. And truthfully, a catamaran is very spacious, with plenty of room on the deck, in the salon, and each cabin has doors that close and private bathrooms. 2) The captain and crew have a great deal of experience in working with groups of charterers from various ages, nationalities and personalities. They know how to please and manage even the most discriminating vacationer as well as anticipate needs and find solutions so that any potential conflicts are intuitively and discretely taken care of behind the scenes. In most cases, if there is a potential problem, the solution has been found before you even knew one existed. That way, everyone’s sailing vacation flows smoothly and effortlessly. —and just to be QUITE sure, we go on . . . and on. . . at great length. . . to make sure that everyone who books with us totally understands what life on a sailboat is all about! We DO tell anyone who we don't think is really suited that they should reconsider. We're not doing anyone any favors by not being totally honest about this.
Q: So who really charters a by-the-cabin sailing vacation with Dream Yacht Charter? A: A wide age-range, from 18-73; though many tend to fall into the 30-to-late 60s bracket. Some very experienced sailors, some who'd literally never set foot on a sailboat before, some folks come with a friend/partner; some travel solo and while some people have travelled/worked all over the world, some had to get their very first passport issued to join us! Q: I think I'll like sailing—but I've never sailed/actually lived on board a yacht before, so I'm not totally sure ? A: One of our former clients came up with a perfect description for taking a by-the-cabin sailing cruise a few years ago; he said it's "Like having a floating 3 or 4 star hotel on the water, plus it’s all inclusive".
Q: I'm definitely an adventurous sort, love the concept so far—but I'm concerned about getting seasick? A: If you've gotten seasick being out on a boat for an afternoon—don't worry that this means you'll never make it as a sailor or a happy charterer! First of all, if you have never experience sailing on a catamaran, it is very stable and sails relatively flat, compared to monohull boats which tilt on their side (this is called “heeling” in nautical terms) It takes most of us (yes, including us skippers!) a day or so for the inner ear to adapt to the different motion. The vast majority of people are fine after that. If you are the type who gets motion sickness on everything: cars, planes, boats. . . bathtub. . . this is the time to wonder if a sailing vacation is for you. If you still really want to give it a go—that’s great, and reconfirm with your charter consultant about the sailing conditions. Q: So how much sailing experience do I need? A: Lots of people turn up on our boats never having sailed in their lives before. If you want to learn about sailing, we are delighted to teach you! However—there's no obligation to pull on ropes if you don't want to; if you'd rather just hang out on deck and soak up the sun—that's fine too! As for you experienced sailors out there who are thinking of sailing with us—don't think that having a professional skipper on board means that you won't get to do much of the sailing. You are more than welcome to come and take as active a part as you like…our skippers will be quite happy to sit back and work with you! Q: What is the usual group composition? A: It varies per trip. It can be a combination of a larger group of 6 to 8 people (a few couples that are friends, a family, or a group of singles and couples) with a few couples or individuals. Q. How many people in a group? A: That depends on the trip, destination and yacht you chose. It can be anywhere from 8 to 20 people depending on the cabins booked. The size of our cabin charter yachts range from 56 feet to 82 feet. A: (Links to our all inclusive, state room charter sailboats coming soon!)
Q: What's it like to live on board? A: We're pretty casual about most things, but there are a few basic rules that keep life on board happy for everyone. For instance, keeping the salon free of personal junk ... not partying on till the wee small hours when others are trying to sleep ... Other than that, the yachts are all-inclusive, there are always lots of activities and you get the chance to discover the islands and see spots that are not accessible by larger cruise ships or by ground transportation. Q: What are the sleeping arrangements / cabin assignments? A: There are no cabin assignments – you can choose your cabin in advance during the booking process. Our largest yacht sleeps up to 20 guests in 10 double cabins. The two aft cabins are double beds, the two forward cabins can be either single bunk beds or convert to double beds also. First to book, first to choose is our policy on who gets which cabin! Q: Is there a single supplement? A: Yes, for those who would really prefer a double cabin to themselves, we can sometimes offer this at 1.5 times the regular price. Check for updated pricing with your charter consultant. A: Many of our guests who are experienced sailors tell us they were surprised at how luxurious the boats are, compared to what they are used to sailing! So, yes there is indeed plenty of hot water. We also have two fridges on each boat, a stove w/oven, a great CD collection, novel library, snorkeling gear and all sorts of other toys. Q: What about food and drinks? A: A state-room charter is all inclusive. We keep the boats well-stocked with supplies for breakfasts, lunches, drinks, snacks, fresh fruit, etc ; and the bar is always open too! Q: So who does the cooking and keeps the boat in order? A: We have a chef on board who prepares all the meals. Many of our guests are impressed with the variety and quality. It’s like having five-star meals for every course. Q: Dinners ashore—do we eat out every night? What should I budget for this? A: No. You may choose to eat out at the various ports when we stop in the afternoons or evenings, but all meals and snacks are provided for you. If you do choose to each at a nice local restaurant you should budget anywhere from $30 to $100 per person. Q: What other costs should I expect? A: Very few! That's our whole philosophy of "once you're on board, it's all covered!" The only other spending money you'll need is if you decide to go on any alternative land excursions while you are on vacation with us. A: We suggest carrying a passport most of the time during your travels. It is important to keep it in a safe place. Q: When is the best time to go? A: Depends on many factors: how hot/or not you like it,..how much wind you're looking for, ...lively night life, …quieter times, etc. Ask your charter consultant about your destination and do your own research as well by looking at magazine articles and viewing photos, travel blogs, as well as looking at our videos on the website. Q: OK, I'm sold—I want to go!! What do I do? How do I get there? A: First of all, make sure you that you pre-plan, understand your contract, sign it, send a deposit and book it to reserve your spot on the yacht for the vacation of your dreams. Then of course, you need to get to your destination! If you already have frequent flyer miles, or a regular travel agent—great! If you'd like advice/suggestions from us, we are more than happy to help out. Q: Anything else I need to know? A: While there are some cabins that are handicapped accessible (ask your charter consultant) you may have to climb down stairs or a ladder in order to access your cabin. That covers most of the initial questions that people ask—if you have others, please do give us a call or send email! We're always happy to chat . . .
| ||||
 |
