Michael Sawyer, Infinity Yacht Charters

Many charterers focus on the yacht, which is easy to do as it is the largest and most visible element in the equation. However, I evaluate and then help charterers understand the entire charter experience, which certainly includes the yacht but also encompasses the crew, cuisine, service, and amenities. Things like establishing ideal starting and ending locations, plus an itinerary with reasonable distances between ports, will have an enormous impact on the charter.

Unfortunately, first-time clients rarely consider these factors. After a first charter, clients often return to say something like, “Now I see what you mean. The crew really makes the charter.” Repeat charter clients begin to see the whole picture of charter, as opposed to just the yacht.

Trina Howes, CharterWorld

I think one of the biggest mistakes that first-time charterers make is booking a yacht based solely on photographs. As we brokers know, sometimes the photos offer an accurate representation of the yacht—but many times they do not. There is so much that goes into the perfect charter, and sometimes a good-looking boat is just the “window dressing.”

A good broker will be able to tell you if the yacht is fairly represented, how it’s equipped, and, most important, what the quality of the crew is like. While a good boat is certainly an integral part of a pleasant charter, the ultimate success is almost always determined by the crew, and a good broker can tell you a lot about which boats are the best to book. 

Ami Ira, C U Yacht Charters

In my opinion, the biggest mistake that charter clients make is picking out the yacht from photographs before they’ve talked with their broker about exactly who is coming on the charter.

All yachts have a personality based on the crew’s ages, their nationalities, their experiences, and their interests. Likewise, yachts have unchangeable features like steep steps, narrow companionways, on-deck staterooms, unequal-sized cabins, and so on. When a client selects a yacht based primarily on pretty pictures, a number of things can happen. The grandfather, who really can’t do stairs well, should have an on-deck stateroom, but there isn’t one. The teenage son and his friend who came along don’t want to sleep in a queen-size bed together, but there are no twin-bed cabins. The yacht has no Wave Runners, which is the main thing the boys wanted. The formal dining area seats eight, yet there are 10 adults. The crew are young and active and are great at providing water sports, while the guests are interested in shopping and dining. The list goes on and on.

A good charter broker’s expertise is in knowing about the yachts available and matching the right yacht to the client. When I am only given basic details such as location, dates, and total number of guests, and then the guest selects a yacht from a photograph, my expertise isn’t fully utilized.  First-time charters should use their brokers to help them find a perfect match, not just a pretty yacht.