Party and Dinner Cruises
General Vacation
Charter Advice
Motor Yacht or Sailing
Vessel?
Bare Boat Charters
Crewed Yacht Charters
Booking your boat
How to Charter your Special
Event Party Boat or Dinner Cruise.
First
it's usually advisable to establish an overall budget
of how much you would like to spend on your very special
event. It is not uncommon to pay between $100 to $200
or even more per person for a yacht and a fully catered
dinner or party with an open bar. The type of menu
you select will have a determining effect on the cost
and clearly the more guests you invite, the more expensive
it becomes but the per person rate comes down.
The next thing to determine, when you are looking
for a boat, is to make sure that the boat that you
select is US Coast Guard Inspected and certified for
the number of guests you will be placing on board
for your special event. You must always think: "What
is the maximum number of guests that we could possibly
have?"
Buffet style lunches or dinners are most popular
on yachts due to the limited space for formal seating.
Some of the larger yachts can accommodate formal seating
and you should always enquire what the actual seating
capacity is. Click here to
see our party and event boats, and click
here to see our intimate dinner boats and click
here to see our Wedding guide.
There are two main elements to a
special event on the water:
1. the cost of the yacht itself,
(usually fixed) and
2. the food and beverage, element
(variable with the number of guests).
Make sure the cost of the yacht estimate includes
the fuel, the delivery fee, the dockage fee, the crew's
salary, service fees and any applicable taxes. The
cost of the Yacht is fixed and does
not vary with the number of people on board. The catering
and beverages are variable costs and should
be shown separately on a per person basis and should
also include any service charges and taxes.
All BOATMIAMI proposals and estimates
show these hidden costs in a detailed breakdown.
Click here to use the
special Contact Form that provides us with important
information about your preferences.
Four ways to charter
your Vacation Yacht:
Basically,
there are four ways to charter a boat or luxury yacht
for your vacation:
Charter a "bare-boat" without captain or
crew. Under this arrangement you and your party will
be the captain and crew. Of course, some prior experience
will be necessary for your own safety, and you and/or
your guests will be required to fill out a form known
as a "sailing resume", (please click
here for the form) take out accident insurance
and provide a security deposit before the Charter
Company turns you loose with their rather expensive
piece of equipment. Click
here to see a selection of bareboats available
in South Florida and the Bahamas.
The second way to charter is with a captain-only
arrangement under which the charter company provides
a qualified captain, usually a person expressly chosen
not only for their nautical experience but more importantly
for their "people-skills" and ability to
interact socially with a wide variety of guests. You
and your party will be expected to do the meal preparation
or to eat ashore at the many available local restaurants
and watering holes on the different islands. You will
be responsible for the captain's meals as well. Many
of our bareboats and crewed yachts can also be chartered
as "Captain-only" vessels.
A third alternative, and arguably the best and most
restful and stress-free vacation, is to book a cruise
on a fully crewed yacht, where the boat is exclusively
yours for the duration. The vessel can be sail or
power, and the crew will navigate, sail and prepare
the beverages and meals. This is definitely the lap
of luxury or as the Irish say: "Living the life
of Riley". the whole boat is yours to go wherever
you like, your crew will be responsible for serving
you three meals a day plus preparing the many exotic
or traditional island beverages and magnificent gourmet
dishes for your evening meals. The chefs on board
luxury yachts pride themselves in the quality and
variety of their meals; (Many of these crews are husband
and wife teams, others have less or no personal relationship).
This truly remarkable vacation has no equal on earth:
sailing on your own private yacht with an attentive
and knowledgeable crew to attend to your every need
has to be the ultimate experience. Click here to see
a selection of crewed yachts that operate in Florida
and the Bahamas. Please use our special contact form
that will provide us with your charter preferences:
click here for the contact form.
A
final alternative is to book a cabin on a crewed yacht.
Some of the larger private yachts allow bookings by
the cabin: boats will typically leave their port of
origin on a fixed timetable and itinerary, say, on
Fridays at mid-day and return to the same port on
the following Thursday at midday. You will be sharing
the vessel with other guests and your fellow passengers
will be basically "Pot-Luck". This is a
more economical way to have the fun without paying
for the whole boat.
Motor Yacht or Sailing
Vessel?
This is a matter of personal preference. Many people
prefer the silence of sailing, the closeness and oneness
with the wind and the sea, and the satisfaction of
using nature to power your boat and take you where
you want to go. There is also a somewhat superior
level of skill required to successfully navigate and
anchor a sailing vessel. Power boats on the other
hand, tend to be somewhat easier to handle, especially
for mooring and navigating in close quarters if they
have twin propellers. You are not dependent on the
wind to get to where you want to go, plus, power boats
tend to have more creature comforts like larger heads,
and living accommodations. When chartering a vessel,
people tend to charter what they are familiar with.
Sail or power, you'll have a great time. On a separate
issue, it is quite fashionable these days to charter
catamaran type twin hull vessels because they tend
to be more stable.
Whether you prefer the luxury of a fully
crewed yacht or the freedom of a bareboat, chartering
offers something for everyone.
. Honeymooners love being alone.
. Parents enjoy the security of a safe area for their
children.
. Young children love the beaches and all the activity.
. Teenagers enjoy the water sports, the night life
and the
chance to experience a different world.
. Couples enjoy all the above, plus the opportunity
to sail a larger
boat than they would normally own.
. Everyone loves the freedom to do as they please
Bareboat Chartering
With no timetable, no crew, and an endless supply
of beaches, coves and unique islands to visit, bareboat
chartering represents the ultimate get away vacation.
There are many bareboat companies in the Caribbean
but standards vary 
enormously
and choosing the right boat and company makes all
the difference. There are many enticing bareboat sites
on the web, but in reality it is virtually impossible
to judge a boat's condition from a web site or a magazine
ad. As an independent brokerage that works with all
charter companies, we can tell you how they compare
and describe each boat's current condition. All companies
have some boats that are better than others. We specialize
in Caribbean charters and know from first hand experience
and feedback which companies regularly produce satisfied
customers. If you are concerned that your "bare-boating"
experience may not be sufficient for a Charter Company,
please take the time to print and fill out the Bareboat
Pre-qualification form that is attached. Please click
here for the form and click
here to see a selection of bareboats
and our famous worldwide bareboat search-engine.
Choosing a Bare Boat Charter Company.
As part of our service, we send you an overview
of ALL boats and companies in the cruising grounds
you select, including prices, extra charges and specials,
all presented in the same format. The package also
contains company brochures and useful information
on all aspects of chartering. We then discuss which
companies and boats best fit your requirements in
your price range. We can give an independent opinion
on the boat you are considering and describe its current
condition from first hand experience.
Call us or fill out our Contact Form for more information
or literature, and see why we book more Caribbean
charters. Sign up for our on-line newsletter to hear
about new boats and the latest charter news.
The best way to see
the real Caribbean
is from the deck of your own private fully crewed
Charter Yacht.
A
FULLY CREWED YACHT comes with a captain and
cook. For the price of a cruise you and your friends
sail in comfort, with first class food and service,
but you decide the menu and where and when you sail.
The emphasis is on exploring just one group of islands
in depth and visiting villages and beaches that are
often inaccessible to cruise ships or hotel guests.
How we find the most suitable boat and crew
for your party.
A charter brokerage house, such as Boat BVI, matches
you with a boat that fits your requirements and a
crew that has similar interests. Rather than mailing
long lists of boats, we send you an initial selection
of yachts we would recommend, based on the preferences
you give us. This package will contain our own independent,
detailed description of the boat and crew, as well
as each boat's brochure.
We then discuss the features that you like in both
boat and crew, sending you more selections as necessary.
We have more than 500 crewed yachts on file and only
recommend boats that we know personally and feel would
be suitable. Selecting the right crew is often more
important than the boat.
What it costs and how to get more information.
Prices typically run between $1100 and $2200 per
person for a week and normally include all meals and
an open bar. The meals are prepared to your preferences
and are often comparable to the best restaurants in
the area.
Call us, or fill out our Contact Form for a package
of literature and a selection of suggested yachts
and crews that fit your preferences. Click Continue
for more crewed yacht topics in our web site. See
why we book more Caribbean charters than any other
independent brokerage worldwide.
You might also like to check out the comments made
by our most recent crewed Charterers on their boat
and crew, or visit the Search Engine with crewed and
bareboat boat descriptions with specifications, photographs
of over 400 yachts and crews. We also hope you will
sign up for our bi-monthly e-mail newsletter
to hear the latest charter news.
Where should we go, where are the best places?
There
are marvelous places to tie up or anchor all over
the Bahamas and the Keys. We have tried to showcase
some of these places in the form of cruising itineraries.
Please click here
to go through to our itineraries page and try not
to drool over the keyboard...!!!
Here's how the whole
booking thing works in practice.
Our services are free. By booking your charter through
us, you pay no more than dealing with the boat, the
clearing house or the bareboat company directly, yet
our literature, volume, unbiased advice and 20 years
experience provide additional security, more information
and lower airfares. We can quote instant on-line boat
availability and simplify the whole booking process.
After you have chosen the yacht that will be your
floating vacation home for a week or two, and after
we have verified the availability of the vessel for
the dates that you need, you will be mailed or faxed
a charter agreement/contract and asked to provide
a deposit which is usually 50% of the value of the
whole charter. While we wait for the check or wire-transfer,
we will place a "working hold" on the vessel
for a short period of time and will be granted a "first
option" or a "right of first refusal"
from the yacht's clearing house or the bareboat charter
company.
When we receive the deposit and the signed contract,
we will place a firm booking with the Clearing House
or Charter Company, transfer funds to them or to an
escrow account and we will mail you the Food and Beverage
Preference sheets and the precise instructions on
where, when and how to pick up your charter vessel.
Upon boarding the vessel on your departure date,
you will be required to provide the captain with the
50% balance of the value of the charter in cash or
travelers checks.
After these formalities, you will be on the way to
the best vacation of your life..!!! Click
here to use the special Contact Form
that provides us with important information about
your preferences. - or, call us at 305-758-2500
to talk to one of our charter specialists.
Airfares to your starting Point
By
all means use any method to procure the most economical
airfares to your charter starting point. For your
benefit we have included links to our affiliates Orbitz
and Travelocity. We have found that both these online
booking systems consistently provide the lowest airfares.
Please click here
to go through to our airline links page..
Trip Cancellation and Medical Insurance.
We strongly recommend that you consider taking out
a Trip Cancellation Insurance Policy. Since the initial
deposit is non-refundable for obvious reasons, i.e.
the boat has committed a period of time to you and
has essentially taken itself out of the market for
that period. Cancellation Insurance will allow you
recoup your deposit if you have to cancel your vacation
for any reason.
Some Trip Cancellation Policies can have medical
insurance included as well in case of accident while
on vacation. Please contact us for more information,
we represent various insurance companies that make
these policies available. Click
here to send us a Request for Insurance
Quote
