What is a Crewed Charter?
Out of all types of charters, Crewed Charters offer the best service one can get from any single yacht. Crewed Charters are performed by yachts cared for year round, by a permanently employed professional crew so as to ensure that the yacht is maintained in excellent condition and the crew is properly qualified & experienced - a properly bonded team familiarized to the detail with the technical workings, routines and other attributes of their yacht, working harmoniously with each other so as to provide you with upscale charter services.
What Does the Charter Fee Include?
Crewed yachts in the Mediterranean are quoted on ‘Plus Expenses’ basis; such terms stipulate that the charter fee includes hire of the yacht and her equipment in working order, crew wages, uniform and food, ship's linen and laundry of ship’s linen, tools, cleaning materials and basic operating consumables, insurance of the yacht for marine risk, third party claims, and insurance of the crew for employer's liability insurance.
What is not included in the Charter Fee?
Yachts quoted as ‘plus expenses’ means that the Charterer will be charged at cost for all operating expenses associated with the charter. These expenses include but are not limited to food and drink provisions, fuel consumed for the yacht, her auxiliary craft(s) and water toys, berthing fees, harbor and pilot fees, customs charges (if any), divers' fees (if required), communication charges, VAT & taxes (if and where applicable), shore-side electricity and water, onshore transfers and tours, any credit card or banking fees associated with Charterer’s payments and anything else not specifically included in the charter fee. Paying for your expenses separately from the charter fee enables you to have a fully customized experience with better control over your expenses.Is there anything else I should be paying for?
Simply no. "NO extra charges, NO hidden fees!” is a fundamental business principle for Istion. There are no extra commissions applicable on top of the Charter Fee quoted to you. A gratuity for the Crew is customary but it remains entirely at your personal discretion; if at the end of your charter you feel you have received excellent service and choose to express your appreciation this way, you are free to do so.What is APA?
The moment you arrive at your yacht she will be ready to set sail! She will be full in fuel and running water, provisioned as per your personal food and drink preferences and with any additional water toys you may have requested to hire! To facilitate such preparation in advance of your arrival, in crewed charters, the Charterer pays upfront an estimated amount for their charter expenses called Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA). This is collected with the last payment before your charter and its purpose is to enhance the level of services rendered, by allowing you to remain un-distracted during your holiday from managing day-to-day expenses aboard.
Soon before your charter your APA is forwarded to the Captain who will organize for you custom food and drink provisions as per your preferences, in advance of your arrival. During your charter the Captain will be making payments as necessary, accounting with receipts for your expenses aboard and advising you periodically on the disbursement of your APA.
Being an estimated allowance, APA is usually calculated at between 20 and 35% of the charter fee varying as per each yacht’s particulars. Depending on your actual cruising performed, provisions along your charter etc. the final, actual expenses accrued may be less or more than your initial allowance; if considering foreseeable expenses for the remaining of your charter the Captain deems that your APA starts running low, he will advise you so you may always feel relaxed that even if you spend more than your initial estimated expense allowance, you can always arrange for additional funds so as to settle all accounts at the end of your charter. At the end of your charter the Captain will in any case be presenting to you the final breakdown of your APA and receipts and of course any unspent APA will be refunded to you.
What are the governing terms for my Yacht Charter?
Once you have decided to book a yacht and before you make any payment for your booking, a proper contract, your Charter Agreement, will be provided to you detailing all particulars of your charter and all agreed terms, rights and obligations (such as what is included in the charter fee, payment terms, cancellation policy etc.). Istion Yachting ensures that your charter terms are compliant with the terms laid out as industry standard by the most credibly and widely recognized institutions of the charter industry worldwide always in conformity with applicable local legislation. Should you require so , please feel free to ask us for a sample charter agreement.
Do I have to follow a fixed itinerary?
Of course not! Part of the beauty of a private yacht charter is that you get to alter your itinerary to match your desires and prevailing weather, so assuming sufficient time and suitable weather you simply do as you please! As your personal broker I can provide you with plenty of ideas in the form of sample itineraries before you book, then upon embarkation, the Captain will discuss with you the prevailing weather conditions at the time and the best alternatives so as to ensure your safety and comfort. Then, along the way you can always decide if you want to stay more at one place you loved or skip another!
What about other arrangements pertinent to my Yacht Charter?
When in Greece you should consider yourself our Guest! We will happily arrange your pickup from your hotel or the airport and your transfers to and from the yacht. Occasionally our clients also require air charter services while during your trip, your Captain will be happy to assist with reservations and arrangements at the wonderful Greek islands you will be visiting. Of course any such additional services are free of any surcharge or commission and are only charged at cost, while if you so require, they can be deducted from your APA. So go on, just think about your dream yachting vacation and let us handle the rest!
Ready to Book?
All you have to do is let us know so we can hold the yacht for you enough to schedule your flights, have your charter contract signed and wire your deposit of 50% of the charter fee (net of taxes) to confirm your booking! We will then send you a booking confirmation and a preference sheet to fill in so we may best tailor your trip to your requirements. Your balance to be paid (balance of charter fee + APA + taxes) as stated on your charter contract will be due four weeks before your charter commencing date, no matter how early you book.
