New to Charter?

Shannon Webster is a longtime AYCA member. She books yachts worldwide from 80 to 400 feet long. Email Shannon

Trina Howes has 10 years of experience in the charter industry finding great pleasure in creating the best yachting vacations possible. E-mail Trina

Sharon Bahmer is an expert at booking charters in the Americas, from Alaska to Brazil. She's also a member of FYBA and CYBA. E-mail Sharon

Michael Sawyer of Infinity Yacht Charters has unique access to charter yachts and crew from Alaska to Mexico. Contact Michael.

Nicole Caulfield is licensed, bonded, and a longtime member of FYBA and AYCA. She brings a unique perspective as a broker, having worked aboard yachts for nearly 10 years. Email Nicole

Gertrud Annevelink's many years of charter experience are your free local knowledge. E-mail Gertrud

Liz Howard joined Fraser Yachts as a charter broker in 2002 after more than 15 years in the maritime industry. E-mail Liz.

Beverly Parsons has been chartering since 1969. She is a licensed, bonded broker and a founding member of the professional groups AYCA and CYBA International. Contact Beverly.

Ed Hamilton has worked in every part of the charter industry over the last 37 years and heads one of the largest, most respected charter brokerages.

New to Charter?

Five Most Commonly Asked Questions about Yacht Charter Vacations

Do I have to share a small boat with people I don’t know?
Never. You cannot book a true private yacht by the cabin. Instead, you get to have the whole boat—and you get to decide who joins you onboard.

sailboat How can I possibly afford a private yacht charter vacation?
Actually, in many cases, a family of four will pay less for a charter than they would for a cruise ship vacation. Even couples used to traveling onboard high-end cruise ships can find comparable bargains when cruising onboard private yachts with their friends.

Do I have to know how to drive a boat?
Absolutely not. You can learn, if you want to, and you can act as your own captain if that appeals to you, but there are plenty of private yacht charter vacations that come with at least a licensed captain and sometimes a full-size crew to tend to your every wish.

Are those smaller boats as safe as the big cruise ships?
Private yachts are actually safer, for several reasons. They typically cruise far from the big tourist areas where pickpockets lay in wait. The only people onboard are you and your private crew—who are the yacht owner’s personal staff. Private yachts rarely cruise where professional pirates do, and their crews are trained to international standards in case of the rare emergency onboard. Private yachts are also less prone to spreading diseases, since so few people are onboard at any one time, and they do a heck of a lot less damage to the environment than gigantic cruise ships do. Check out our Special Report to learn more about these important safety issues.

If private yacht charters are so great, why hasn’t my travel agent suggested them?
Because she makes money selling cruise ship vacations. Charter is a unique segment of the travel industry that requires specialized knowledge of yachts and crews, and travel agents cannot compete with professional charter brokers in that area. To book a charter yacht properly, you need to work with a charter broker. A travel agent can’t help you, which is why yours always suggests cruise ships instead. She simply doesn’t know what you’ve been missing.