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Travel and Trip Cancellation Insurance
How to Charter your Special Event Party
Boat or Dinner Cruise.
First it's usually advisable
to establish an overall budget of how much you would like to spend
on your very special event. It is not uncommon to pay between $100
to $200 or even more per person for a yacht and a fully catered
dinner or party with an open bar. The type of menu you select will
have a determining effect on the cost and clearly the more guests
you invite, the more expensive it becomes but the per person rate
comes down.
The next thing to determine, when you are looking for a boat, is
to make sure that the boat that you select is US Coast Guard
Inspected and certified for the number of guests you will be
placing on board for your special event. You must always think:
"What is the maximum number of guests that we could possibly
have?"
Buffet style lunches or dinners are most popular on yachts due
to the limited space for formal seating. Some of the larger yachts
can accommodate formal seating and you should always enquire what
the actual seating capacity is. Click here
to see our party and event boats, and click
here to see our intimate dinner boats and click here to see our Wedding guide.
There are two main elements to a special event
on the water:
1. the cost of the yacht itself, (usually
fixed) and
2. the food and beverage, element (variable
with the number of guests).
Make sure the cost of the yacht estimate includes the fuel, the
delivery fee, the dockage fee, the crew's salary, service fees and
any applicable taxes. The cost of the Yacht is fixed
and does not vary with the number of people on board. The catering
and beverages are variable costs and should be shown
separately on a per person basis and should also include any
service charges and taxes.
All BOATMIAMI proposals and estimates show
these hidden costs in a detailed breakdown.
Click here to use the special Contact
Form that provides us with important information about your
preferences.
Four ways to charter your
Vacation Yacht:
Basically, there are four
ways to charter a boat or luxury yacht for your vacation:
Charter a "bare-boat" without captain or crew. Under
this arrangement you and your party will be the captain and crew.
Of course, some prior experience will be necessary for your own
safety, and you and/or your guests will be required to fill out a
form known as a "sailing resume", (please click here for the form) take
out accident insurance and provide a security deposit before the
Charter Company turns you loose with their rather expensive piece
of equipment. Click here to see a
selection of bareboats available in South Florida and the Bahamas.
The second way to charter is with a captain-only arrangement
under which the charter company provides a qualified captain,
usually a person expressly chosen not only for their nautical
experience but more importantly for their "people-skills"
and ability to interact socially with a wide variety of guests. You
and your party will be expected to do the meal preparation or to
eat ashore at the many available local restaurants and watering
holes on the different islands. You will be responsible for the
captain's meals as well. Many of our bareboats and crewed yachts
can also be chartered as "Captain-only" vessels.
A third alternative, and arguably the best and most restful and
stress-free vacation, is to book a cruise on a fully crewed yacht,
where the boat is exclusively yours for the duration. The vessel
can be sail or power, and the crew will navigate, sail and prepare
the beverages and meals. This is definitely the lap of luxury or as
the Irish say: "Living the life of Riley". the whole boat
is yours to go wherever you like, your crew will be responsible for
serving you three meals a day plus preparing the many exotic or
traditional island beverages and magnificent gourmet dishes for
your evening meals. The chefs on board luxury yachts pride
themselves in the quality and variety of their meals; (Many of
these crews are husband and wife teams, others have less or no
personal relationship). This truly remarkable vacation has no equal
on earth: sailing on your own private yacht with an attentive and
knowledgeable crew to attend to your every need has to be the
ultimate experience. Click here to see a selection of crewed yachts
that operate in Florida and the Bahamas. Please use our special
contact form that will provide us with your charter preferences:
click here for the contact form.
A final alternative is to
book a cabin on a crewed yacht. Some of the larger private yachts
allow bookings by the cabin: boats will typically leave their port
of origin on a fixed timetable and itinerary, say, on Fridays at
mid-day and return to the same port on the following Thursday at
midday. You will be sharing the vessel with other guests and your
fellow passengers will be basically "Pot-Luck". This is a
more economical way to have the fun without paying for the whole
boat.
Motor Yacht or Sailing Vessel?
This is a matter of personal preference. Many people prefer the
silence of sailing, the closeness and oneness with the wind and the
sea, and the satisfaction of using nature to power your boat and
take you where you want to go. There is also a somewhat superior
level of skill required to successfully navigate and anchor a
sailing vessel. Power boats on the other hand, tend to be somewhat
easier to handle, especially for mooring and navigating in close
quarters if they have twin propellers. You are not dependent on the
wind to get to where you want to go, plus, power boats tend to have
more creature comforts like larger heads, and living
accommodations. When chartering a vessel, people tend to charter
what they are familiar with. Sail or power, you'll have a great
time. On a separate issue, it is quite fashionable these days to
charter catamaran type twin hull vessels because they tend to be
more stable.
Whether you prefer the luxury of a fully crewed yacht or
the freedom of a bareboat, chartering offers something for
everyone.
.* Honeymooners love being alone.
.* Parents enjoy the security of a safe area for their children.
. *Young children love the beaches and all the activity.
. *Teenagers enjoy the water sports, the night life and the chance to experience a different world.
. *Couples enjoy all the above, plus the opportunity to sail a
larger boat than they would normally own.
. *Everyone loves the freedom to do as they please
Bareboat Chartering
With no timetable, no crew, and an endless supply of beaches,
coves and unique islands to visit, bareboat chartering represents
the ultimate get away vacation. There are many bareboat companies
in the Caribbean but standards vary 
enormously and choosing the
right boat and company makes all the difference. There are many
enticing bareboat sites on the web, but in reality it is virtually
impossible to judge a boat's condition from a web site or a
magazine ad. As an independent brokerage that works with all
charter companies, we can tell you how they compare and describe
each boat's current condition. All companies have some boats that
are better than others. We specialize in Caribbean charters and
know from first hand experience and feedback which companies
regularly produce satisfied customers. If you are concerned that
your "bare-boating" experience may not be sufficient for
a Charter Company, please take the time to print and fill out the
Bareboat Pre-qualification form that is attached. Please click here for the
form and click here to
see a selection of bareboats and our famous worldwide bareboat
search-engine.
Choosing a Bare Boat Charter Company.
As part of our service, we send you an overview of ALL boats and
companies in the cruising grounds you select, including prices,
extra charges and specials, all presented in the same format. The
package also contains company brochures and useful information on
all aspects of chartering. We then discuss which companies and
boats best fit your requirements in your price range. We can give
an independent opinion on the boat you are considering and describe
its current condition from first hand experience.
Call us or fill out our Contact Form for more information or
literature, and see why we book more Caribbean charters. Sign up
for our on-line newsletter to hear about new boats and the latest
charter news.
The best way to see the real
Caribbean
is from the deck of your own private fully crewed Charter Yacht.
A FULLY CREWED YACHT comes
with a captain and cook. For the price of a cruise you and your
friends sail in comfort, with first class food and service, but you
decide the menu and where and when you sail. The emphasis is on
exploring just one group of islands in depth and visiting villages
and beaches that are often inaccessible to cruise ships or hotel
guests.
How we find the most suitable boat and crew for your
party.
A charter brokerage house, such as Boat BVI, matches you with a
boat that fits your requirements and a crew that has similar
interests. Rather than mailing long lists of boats, we send you an
initial selection of yachts we would recommend, based on the
preferences you give us. This package will contain our own
independent, detailed description of the boat and crew, as well as
each boat's brochure.
We then discuss the features that you like in both boat and
crew, sending you more selections as necessary. We have more than
500 crewed yachts on file and only recommend boats that we know
personally and feel would be suitable. Selecting the right crew is
often more important than the boat.
What it costs and how to get more information.
Prices typically run between $1100 and $2200 per person for a
week and normally include all meals and an open bar. The meals are
prepared to your preferences and are often comparable to the best
restaurants in the area.
Call us, or fill out our Contact Form for a package of
literature and a selection of suggested yachts and crews that fit
your preferences. Click Continue for more crewed yacht topics in
our web site. See why we book more Caribbean charters than any
other independent brokerage worldwide.
You might also like to check out the comments made by our most
recent crewed Charterers on their boat and crew, or visit the
Search Engine with crewed and bareboat boat descriptions with
specifications, photographs of over 400 yachts and crews. We also
hope you will sign up for our bi-monthly e-mail newsletter to hear the latest
charter news.
Where should we go, where are the best places?
There are marvelous places to tie up or
anchor all over the Bahamas and the Keys. We have tried to showcase
some of these places in the form of cruising itineraries. Please click here to go through to our
itineraries page and try not to drool over the keyboard...!!!
Here's how the whole booking
thing works in practice.
Our services are free. By booking your charter through us, you
pay no more than dealing with the boat, the clearing house or the
bareboat company directly, yet our literature, volume, unbiased
advice and 20 years experience provide additional security, more
information and lower airfares. We can quote instant on-line boat
availability and simplify the whole booking process.
After you have chosen the yacht that will be your floating
vacation home for a week or two, and after we have verified the
availability of the vessel for the dates that you need, you will be
mailed or faxed a charter agreement/contract and asked to provide a
deposit which is usually 50% of the value of the whole charter.
While we wait for the check or wire-transfer, we will place a
"working hold" on the vessel for a short period of time
and will be granted a "first option" or a "right of
first refusal" from the yacht's clearing house or the bareboat
charter company.
When we receive the deposit and the signed contract, we will
place a firm booking with the Clearing House or Charter Company,
transfer funds to them or to an escrow account and we will mail you
the Food and Beverage Preference sheets and the precise
instructions on where, when and how to pick up your charter vessel.
Upon boarding the vessel on your departure date, you will be
required to provide the captain with the 50% balance of the value
of the charter in cash or travelers checks.
After these formalities, you will be on the way to the best
vacation of your life..!!! Click
here to use the special Contact Form that provides us
with important information about your preferences. - or, call us at
305-758-2500 to talk to one of our charter
specialists.
Airfares to your starting Point
By all means use any method to
procure the most economical airfares to your charter starting
point. For your benefit we have included links to our affiliates
Orbitz and Travelocity. We have found that both these online
booking systems consistently provide the lowest airfares. Please click here to go through to our
airline links page..
Trip Cancellation and Medical Insurance.
We strongly recommend that you consider taking out a Trip
Cancellation Insurance Policy. Since the initial deposit is
non-refundable for obvious reasons, i.e. the boat has committed a
period of time to you and has essentially taken itself out of the
market for that period. Cancellation Insurance will allow you
recoup your deposit if you have to cancel your vacation for any
reason.
Some Trip Cancellation Policies can have medical insurance
included as well in case of accident while on vacation. Please
contact us for more information, we represent various insurance
companies that make these policies available. Click here to send us a Request
for Insurance Quote
