Would you like to spend an unforgettable holiday on high seas? Try yacht rental!

Ordinary vacations are a stereotype that many people are currently subjected to. Going to the same vacation spots, crowded beaches, boring inflatable attractions for kids or no exploring the surroundings. Spice up your next vacation by yacht rental. Trust us, you’ll never enjoy your vacation as in the circle of great friends or family with a lot of privacy, which boat definitely offers . So, let's look at how to choose a charter company to rent a yacht, how the yacht is taken over, what condition the boat itself must be in and much more.

How to choose a charter company for yacht rental?

Good question. Try to choose according to references, experience, flexibility of services offered and willingness to solve possible problems. You’ll find out for yourself which company is willing to solve your requirements with you, and which will only rebuff you with the words "It’s not possible". There are several very good ones operating in the market companies that care about the satisfaction of their customers and offer a really top services and service. 

When it comes to off-boat services, you’re definitely wondering where to park your car before heading out to sea. Every driver wouldn’t be at will if his car stood abandoned for a week, two or more. Larger ports therefore offer parking spaces for their clients. Usually it is not for free. Weekly parking costs around 50 EUR per motor vehicle. We have also encountered that the port didn’t charge any fees for the car. Standing was free for the boat crew. If you arrive at the port early on the day of embarkation, there shouldn’t be problem with space for a car. However, it may happen that all available spots will be occupied. And what now? Near the port, you can find a place for your car in the yard of the locals, who will allow you to park your car on their land. It’s much cheaper than in the port. We only have positive experiences with this, so we can definitely recommend it.

Don't miss any detail

Checking the condition of the yacht is an integral part of taking over the yacht in the presence of the skipper and an employee of the charter company, who will go through the whole ship with you point by point and show you how the individual parts work. Everything needs to be thoroughly inspected, the ship should be in 100% condition. If you don’t like something or something from the list is missing or doesn’t work, ask about it and require the addition of the missing or repair of the damaged. At the end of the voyage, this may result in the loss of the deposit or its refundable parts. The takeover language is generally English.

You have to think of everything when taking over the ship. If you miss something, it can rebound during or after the cruise. The final settlement can therefore be quite stressful and expensive when handing over the ship. If you have an insured deposit, you do not have to worry about anything serious, but if you don’t, you may not be pleasantly surprised. Especially, if they want you charge for the damage that was not caused by you. Therefore is the checking of every detail so important.  

Each ship should’ve basic equipment. Cabins per number of persons equipped with bed linen and towels. The ship's lounge is like one common room with a small kitchen, which won’t be equipped like that at home, but it’s also good enough to bake a cake. Also ask about the gas bottle and its compensation, if you accidentally overdo it with the baking and cooking.

So, check the boat right at the beginning: sails, ropes, anchor, position lights, engine, starting, technical and control equipment of boat, controls, toilet and especially the functionality of the toilet. If something’s missing on the ship or there is something broken, as we mentioned, notify the staff. Also ask at everything that’s not clear to you. All questions will be answered.

Information that charter company needs for yacht rental

If you’ve already chosen the right boat and you know where you’ll sail and with who, the charter company or charterer will ask you in advance to send them a list of crew members. Namely: name, surname, date and place of birth, nationality, residence and identity card or passport number. From the ship's captain they want to have a copy of the catain's license and license of radiotelephone operator. You’ll send all documents by email. Usually, you just type them in pre-prepared form.

Condition of the ship before and after the voyage

The ship should be 100% functional and refueled. Ship equipment, rescue aids, bed linen and other equipment must be accurately calculated on the number of passengers. We have never put out to sea  with the mistakes we knew about when taking over the ship. If we found any errors, for example the pulled anchor chain slipped during pulling, we returned back to the port that day and the problem must have been fixed. It took long till the late night, but they completely replaced the anchor chain with a new one.

The charter company expects you to return the ship in a working order. You’re followed by another crew, which look forward to the cruise as much as you look forward to yours. You probably also wouldn't be very happy, if you didn't get on the ship in time due to damage that would make it impossible for you to board. When it comes to cleanliness, you don't have to worry. When ordering a boat, you automatically order the final boat cleaning. After your disembarkation, the  cleaning staff will run onto the boat and cleans it entirely to tbe fully prepared for the next crew. Don't forget one more important thing. The fuel should be refueled to 100%, just as when taking over. It's the same with water, but you don't have to fulfill it when you return.

We hope and believe that our advice and tips will help you with your future adventure, if you decide for yacht rental. Let's briefly summarise the main points:

• Select a charter company according to customers attitude and references
• Don't forget to find parking for your car during your stay at sea
• Check the condition of the entire ship and fuel
• Report any issues found and urge them to be resolved
• Enjoy your holiday at sea and at the end of it do not forget to refuel at 100%

We wish you a smooth takeover of the ship and an even more trouble-free voyage. With the MarinaTips application, your time will be spent at sea without any worries about the weather and with many attractive places and great experiences.

Your Marinatips Team