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| Adventure Sailing on Ibis V |
For the price of a reasonable guest house room in the Caribbean, you could be on board your own charter yacht cruising far flung islands and remote anchorages off the beaten path.
Like everything, there are good and bad charter agents, charter companies, yachts, skippers and crew, and it's important to do a little research to find the best option for you and/or your group. The most expensive is not necessarily the best, and the cheapest is not always the best value, however there are exceptions; for example Sailing School Courses offer exceptional value for hands-on sailors.
Budget & Experience
A good starting point is to establish your budget and your level of experience. Whilst it's possible to undertake any type of sailing holiday with no experience at all, two options such as Bareboat Charter and Flotilla Holidays normally require one of your party to hold a certificate of competence before the company will let you loose.....with their valuable asset! In fact, you should question the company ethics if they are willing to let you sail off in their boat without checking your experience as they are essentially putting your life at risk! You can get around the requirements by hiring a recommended or reputable Skipper/Captain for part or all of your holiday, but this will add to the overall cost in the region of USD $150 or more per day plus gratuities.
Hands On of Hands Off?
Consider the group you're travelling with.....do they like to participate in sports or sun themselves on deck...or a combination of both? Will your group be happy to prepare their own meals and clean up after themselves or do they prefer to be waited on?Gather All Cost Information
When comparing options in your budget, be sure to assimilate all of the boat costs before making your choice. The different types of holiday typically offer different contract terms and what's included in the price of one option may well be specifically excluded in another. Be sure you're comparing like with like.Be Careful with Insurance
Pay particular attention to the clause in the charter contract related to insurance, especially if you are undertaking a Bareboat Charter or Flotilla Holiday. Some companies offer a fixed damage bond and others offer an insurance premium to cover all and any damage (subject to an excess payment as with your car).Don't Dismiss the Human Factors
Personality matters when you're sharing a small space during your quality time! Take a look at the resumes and reviews of your crew and/or skipper to see that they're likely to gel with the needs of your group. Are you looking for discreet & inobtrusive or an activity leader or sailing teacher?Options by Budget
The following table indicates sailing holiday options within a given budget:Typical Price per Person per Week | |||
Type of Holiday | USD >4,000 | USD 1,500 to 4,000 | USD <1,500 |
Crewed Charter | Y | Y | |
Freelance Charter (Crewed or Skippered) | Y | Y | |
Flotilla Holiday | Y | Y | |
Bareboat Charter | Y | Y | |
Sailing School Course | Y | ||
* Hands On holiday - expect to do all of the sailing & domestics yourself
** Opportunities to get involved in the sailing
Options by Group Size / Couples / Singles
Groups of 4 and above tend to have a greater pick of options than couples or single travellers. When there are two of you and you prefer not to pay the full cost of a boat to yourselves, you need to find charter operators offering a "per person" or "per cabin" option. This is possible with Freelance Charter, Flotilla Holiday and Sailing School operators only. Single travellers are limited to this choice, too.The following links take a closer look at each of the sailing holiday options in more detail, together with example suppliers:
Luxury Crewed Charter
Freelance Charter
Flotilla Holidays
Bareboat Charter
Sailing School Courses
Yacht Ibis offers adventure sailing holidays with relaxed tuition for singles, couples or groups & families of up to 5 people. You can book a single berth or the whole boat and your Captain, Samantha Bartlett can teach the RYA syllabus to Day Skipper Level or ASA to Basic Coastal Cruising standards.
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