ARRANGING, PAYMENT AND TERMS
Indigo Bay Yacht Charters takes both pride and a real pleasure in finding the best possible yacht for you, our discerning clients.
So… first of all – tell us your ideas and we’ll then help you choose the perfect boat and cruising area and send you a few brochures to look through while you fine-tune the dates. The earlier you book your charter, the better the choice, especially in peak season such as New Year and Christmas Caribbean cruising and New Year and summer sailing in the Mediterranean. The best yachts are highly sought after.
All the prices quoted are weekly and for all the people in your charter party. You may of course charter the yacht for as long as you like, though many have a three day minimum rate. Bear in mind that most sailing yachts and some smaller motor yachts in the Caribbean operate on an ‘all inclusive basis’. Larger yachts and most motor yachts operate on a ‘plus all expenses’ basis, giving maximum flexibility to the client when it comes to dining ashore and other entertaining. Yachts in the Mediterranean tend to operate on this ‘plus all expenses’ basis too, apart from many Turkish cruises which offer an ‘all-inclusive’ Charter option.
Firstly, let us explain BOOKING PROCEDURE – and then we’ll go on to CHARTER AGREEMENT, PAYMENT, and CHARTER TERMS.
BOOKING PROCEDURE
Once you have chosen your yacht and the area you would like to cruise, Indigo Bay Yacht Charters will send the client three copies of a Charter Agreement stating the name of the yacht, cruising dates, desired cruising area, price and Charter Terms. After signing and returning these to Indigo Bay Yacht Charters, they are forwarded to the owner of the yacht to countersign and a copy is forwarded back to the client along with Preference Sheets for food, wines, bar and Special Requests. These are sent on to the yacht in order to prepare your individually tailored cruise. With your agreement your contact details will also be given to the Captain so that you may be in touch prior to departure for any last minute details.
CHARTER AGREEMENT
This will be drawn up to encompass all Terms and Conditions agreed by both the Charterer and the Owner or Captain of the yacht. Signed by both parties it is then in place to refer to and protect each should there by any queries over arrangements. Please ask if you’d like us to send you a Sample Copy of one of these appropriate for the charter you have in mind.
PAYMENT
On signing this Charter Agreement a 50% deposit of the total charter fee is required to secure the yacht. This is held in a secure non-interest Client Escrow Account. The 50% balance of payment is usually payable 30 – 60 days prior to boarding.
STANDARD CARIBBEAN TERMS (ALL INCLUSIVE) –
The Charter Fee includes the total charter of the yacht, its crew and its fuel and water and the use of all water sports equipment (Scuba Diving sometimes charged extra and occasionally gasoline for waterskiing/wakeboarding if unusually high). It also includes all meals (apart from any that you choose to eat ashore). Many yachts include wine and bar except vintage wines and champagne. Extra charges will include communications used by charter party, marina berthing, local cruising taxes (mostly very minimal) and hire costs of special equipment and activities, such as rendezvous diving or helicopter trips.
WEST MEDITERRANEAN TERMS –
The Charter Fee includes exclusive charter of the yacht with all its equipment in working order, tools, stores, cleaning materials, basic consumable stores for engine-room, deck and cabins etc.; the crew’s wages, food; the insurance of the yacht for marine risk and third party claims and the crew for employer’s liability.
The charter guests will be charged, at cost, for all other extras. You will be asked to pay an APA (Advanced Provisioning Allowance) of 25 – 30% of the charter fee. This is given to the yacht in cash prior to your charter to allow the captain to buy fuel, provision the yacht with food and drink as per your requests and cover any other expenses relating to the cost of your charter (including fuel for RIB and other tenders or jet skis, fuel for generators; consumable stores; berthing dues and other harbour charges away from the yacht’s own berth, including pilotage fees and charges for water and electricity taken from the shore; laundry, telephone, fax or telex via radio or Inmarsat). At the end of the charter the captain will produce full accounts of all expenditure. You will either be refunded any money not used or asked to pay any additional costs not covered by the APA. This is usually payable along with the balance of charter fee.
EAST MEDITERRANEAN TERMS –
The Charter Fee includes the charter of the yacht and it’s crew and equipment, and insurance of the yacht and of guests for third party claims as per West Med Terms. The charter fee ALSO includes fuel for a pre specified number of hours per day (normally adequate for a day’s worth of cruising), berthing dues and most other harbour charges, including water and/or electricity taken from the shore.
The charter client will be charged at cost to the yacht for all other expenses including food and beverages, laundry and communications and fuel for the ski- boats or other tenders. This will be payable with an APA as per the West Med Terms.
PLEASE NOTE HOWEVER THAT MANY TURKISH YACHTS OPERATE UNDER AN ‘ALL INCLUSIVE’ PACKAGE SIMILAR TO CARIBBEAN TERMS WITH ALL MEALS INCLUDED IN THE CHARTER FEE.
INSURANCE
We recommend that you take suitable Cancellation and Curtailment Insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances.
GRATUITIES
An excellent crew will work extremely hard for very long hours to make sure your charter is a total success. A gratuity (or tip) is not mandatory but it is very much appreciated. A customary guideline is 10% – 20% of the charter fee dependent on whereabout the vessel is chartering. This should be given to the captain for disbursement to the rest of the crew.