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- Captain, hostess, chef — who do you really need
- Provisioning for crew
- Privacy when crew is onboard
- Crew resumes and requests
- Cabin space for crew
- Tipping crew
Have you everwanted a truly relaxing private holiday where your every whim is catered to as you indulge in an ever-changing spectacular setting? Perhaps you have teenagers and you seek a family vacation that will be full of adventure for them, and provide bonding opportunities for you.
Do you want to tour a destination without being herded around like cattle on a hot and uncomfortable bus? All this is possible from a “crewed” yacht charter. If you have never sailed, taking on crew will open up a realm of possibilities. Take the time to consider a sailing vacation over a traditional
onshore tour. Nothing beats the appeal of a destination as approached from the sea.
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As you set sail, you may be a little bit apprehensive of the role the crew plays in your plans. Crew may consist of just a Captain or a Captain and a Hostess/Cook or you may even throw a real Chef into the mix. On the larger luxury yacht charter, crew can consist of anywhere between five to fifteen people. A crewed yacht charter with just a Captain to manage the boat, is a surprisingly affordable way to vacation compared to traditional onshore holidays. You may find that a crewed boat with just a Captain is less expensive than a "skippered yacht charter" which is when you take a bareboat and add a skipper and his fees to your charter bill. When an individual boat is skippered by her owner there are usually no additional fees tacked on for the skipper's salary and boat insurance. When the crewed boat comes with its own Captain and Cook team you do not have to worry about organizing their meals and their sleeping quarters. All these details have been configured to best receive the sailing guests in optimal comfort. Depending on your destination and itinerary consider carefully what crewmembers are truly essential. A hostess/chef may or may not be necessary.
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If you are planning on docking in ports and exploring cafes, restaurants or taverns, a hostess/cook may just be useful for serving drinks and making beds. Extra crew can take up valuable room on a tight ship. However, if you are planning on sailing long distances, a local cook couldbe responsible for your favorite memories as well as take care of provisioning and errands.
When taking crew aboard, you must be aware that you are responsible for providing all provisions for your family as well as the crew. Crew will be able to prepare their meals. You may give them extra cash to go on shore, when docked, if you have nothing in the pantry or if you want private time on the boat. You may find that some crewmembers are a welcome addition to your party and have them join you at the table. It is all up to you. You will certainly want to consult with your crew. They will have expert local knowledge and will know where the best anchorages, ports, beaches, walks and onshore activities are located. They will also know where to get the freshest local foods and what the best restaurants are.
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If you are planning a romantic trip for two you may unsure of what to do with a Captain on board. Don't worry that you must entertain the Captain and talk to him all the time. Crewmembers are professionals. This is their job and in their field, on the water, they have many colleagues. Your Captain may chat with another nearby Captain while at anchor or when you are swimming. They may meet up with their fellow skippers at a popular port side café, while you do your own thing. It is not your responsibility to entertain them although many passengers end up doing that as they enjoy their company so much. It is very rare that we have ever heard of a dilemma on crewed yacht charters. When we have heard of problems, they were with wild groups that irritated the captain and who felt snubbed in return. The most interesting predicament we heard of concerning crew was when a passenger tried to hire an Italian cook out from under the charter company in order to bring her and her cuisine home!
As professionals, Captains and cooks have resumes that you may request, depending on the location and size of the charter company. For luxury yacht charters, you have every right to make such a request. For the smaller charters, especially with the bigger companies, this request may be hard to fulfill. As sailing is seasonal in some areas, crew changes from year to year and often switch companies. Your “guarantee” is from your charter company — they are ultimately responsible for the professional nature of their crew. The dynamic nature of the staffing also makes it difficult to request a certain crewmember. When you are sailing “off the beaten track” or with an individual boat owner and resumes are not available (often times it is a question of translation), ask for an American reference and telephone number. |
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When hiring a chef, always make it clear what kind of cuisine you expect. You don’t want to get shifted with an inexperienced hostess in place of a professional chef. One particular group told us of their reluctance to include a chef as their “chef” from a previous charter, not arranged by us, was a local woman filling in at peak season, who had never sailed before. Unfortunately, she spent the entire time seasick below quarters. In order to avoid such a disaster, make it clear that you expect a chef who is a professional and has extensive sailing under his or her belt. To avoid any misunderstandings, be very thorough when filling out food preference surveys. The risk of this happening is greater on the “bareboat charters” where you add the Captain and the cook. Be very clear with your charter company.
Be sure when you plan your yacht charter that you choose a boat large enough to accommodate your guests and your crew. Crew can be placed in the tighter cabins, but they do require their own private cabins. You must allocate a Captain and a chef separate accommodations. Unless, they come as a husband/wife team, which happens more often than one would think (except with the bigger charter companies). Sometimes with the smaller charter companies, they have crew that work together all the time and are willing to share a cabin. When you have a bunk bed type of cabin, you may have two crewmembers share the cabin. Consult with your charter company about any cabin concerns. |
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At the end of a yacht charter, tipping is customary. You will want to thank the crew when they have done everything to ensure a fabulous sailing experience. Normally, if you have been pleased by the efforts of your crew, a gratuity equal to 10% of the charter fee is sufficient. You may give the tip to the Captain who will distribute it equally amongst the crew.
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The information provided in Sailing-Advisor.com is based on the opinion of the writers and is presented in good faith. All information is subject to change.
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