BOOKING DETAILS
BOOKING DETAILS
Once you have found the right yacht for your charter, Taylor’d Yacht Charters will secure a contract package to secure your charter. The package will include information on the yacht, the crew, the destination, where you will be chartering, and a suggested itinerary. All the items covered on Designing Your Charter Vacation will be included here.
CHARTER AGREEMENT
When you are ready to reserve your yacht, we will ask you to review and sign a Charter Agreement (contract) which we will walk you through to assure you understand all details and are satisfied with the terms. The form of contract used will depend on the the yacht you book. Basically the yacht owners and managers decide which contract you will use based on factors like the yachts registration, location, etc. Usually these contracts are standard forms that have been developed by the various yacht charter associations, such as the Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association (MYBA-Charter-Agreement-Specimen 2014), or American Yacht Charter Association (AYCA Bareboat Demise Agreement, AYCA Services Agreement and AYCA Uninspected Passenger Vessel Charter Agreement). The Demise Contract is really 2 separate agreements: a “bareboat” contract where are chartering the yacht itself, and the “services” agreement where you are hiring the crew to run the yacht. Uninspected Passenger Vessel- Generally, operations that carry 6 or fewer passengers for hire are referred to as Uninspected Passenger Vessels (UPV), 6 Passenger (pax), or 6 Pack operations. These are your typical charter boat fishing guide or tour boat operations that may use a state numbered boat. UPV operations traveling on navigable waters of the United States under U.S. Coast Guard jurisdiction are not required to be inspected by the Coast Guard. They must comply with minimal federal standards for safety, navigation, pollution prevention and the vessel operator must hold (minimally) an Operator Uninspected Passenger Vessel (OUPV) license issued by the Coast Guard. The Florida Yacht Brokers Association (FYBA), and Charter Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA), each have addendum to cover variations from the standard agreement. Taylor’d Yacht Charters can give you guidance on contracts but you should consult with your lawyer on the legal meanings. The contacts text can not be modified as they are industry standard but “agreed to” addendum are acceptable..
DEPOSITS AND FINAL PAYMENT
Once you have reviewed the agreement and are ready to sign it, we will require a deposit. If the charter date is longer than 6 months from the date of signing the agreement, the deposit is 25 percent. If the charter is within 6 months from the date of signing the agreement, we will require a 50 percent deposit. The final payment, as well as the Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA) for non-inclusive charters, is made 45 days before the charter date begins. Your captain will keep a detailed account of fuel, dockage, food, and beverage expenses etc. that will be reconciled against your advance funds (APA) for you at the end of your charter.
FOOD
Each charter is a customized experience that includes your food and beverages; therefore, we will send you a detailed questionnaire about your preferences (preference sheet) for food and beverages, along with medical and dietary concerns, passport information if needed, flight details, ages of guests, and any other pertinent information for your “taylor’d” charter. It’s crucial the yacht crew has this specific information, so they can make the appropriate provisions before the start of the charter to assure they have everything you desire.
CANCELLATION/LIABILITY INSURANCE
Charter cancellation terms are detailed in the Charter Agreement form (contract). Charter cancellation/Liability insurance is an option we will discuss with you before you reserve your yacht.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUR CAPTAIN
Your captain is eager to make your charter a personalized adventure of a lifetime. He or she is responsible for the safety of the vessel and all on board. Therefore, when there are issues of safety, your captain will make final decisions.
GRATUITIES
At your discretion, it is customary to tip the captain and crew at the completion of a charter. The usual range for a tip is 5-20% of the base charter fee, depending on the level of service you have received.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Charter Terms explained
MYBA – WMT, SEMT, EMT, GRK & SCT (CTI)
It is important, in order to budget correctly for a charter, to understand the terms under which the yachts operate. Please do be confused by these terms. We will gladly explain in more detail. An outline of the terms is as follows:-
A. MYBA – WMT – Western Mediterranean Terms
The Charter Fee includes the charter of the yacht with all its equipment in working order, tools, stores, cleaning material and basic consumable stores for engine-room, deck and cabins, etc., the crew’s wages, food and the insurance of the yacht for marine risk and third party claims and the crew for employer’s liability insurance. (If the yacht is not on MYBA terms then crew food may be charged extra)
The Charterer will be charged extra, at cost to the yacht, for all other expenses. These include fuel for the yacht, fuel for the ski-boats or other tenders, food for the charterers, wines, beers, spirits and soft drinks for the Charterers, other consumable stores, berthing dues and other harbor charges away from the yacht’s own berth, including pilotage fees and charges for water and/or electricity taken from the shore, laundry, telephone, fax or telex via Satcom, Radio Telephone or telex costs, hire costs of special equipment placed on board at the request of the Charterer,
B. SEMT – Standard Eastern Mediterranean Terms
The Charter Fee includes the charter of the yacht with all its equipment in working order, tools, stores, spares, etc., the crew’s wages and the insurance of the yacht for marine risk and third party claims and the crew for employer’s liability insurance.
The Charter Fee also includes fuel for up to five hours cruising per day (averaged throughout the charter), food for the crew, berthing dues and other harbor charges (except Corinthian Canal dues), including water and/or electricity taken from the shore. The arrangements about fuel charges sometimes vary.
The Charterer will be charged extra, at cost to the yacht, for all other expenses, These include fuel for the ski-boats or other tenders, food, wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks for the Charterers, other consumable stores, berthing and harbor expenses outside the yacht’s normal cruising area, laundry, telephone, fax or telex via Satcom, Radio Telephone costs, hire costs of special equipment placed on board at the request of the Charterer.
C. EMT – Eastern Mediterranean Terms,- half board. (Found mostly in Turkey)
As with SEMT, the Charter Fee includes the charter of the yacht with all its equipment in working order, tools, stores, spares, etc., the crew’s wages and the insurance of the yacht for marine risk and third party claims and the crew for employer’s liability insurance.
The Charter Fee also includes fuel for up to three* to five hours cruising per day (*depending on yacht and averaged throughout the charter), half board for the guests (breakfast and lunch), food for the crew, berthing dues and other harbor charges (except Corinthian Canal dues), including water and/or electricity taken from the shore. The arrangements about fuel charges sometimes vary.
The Charterer will be charged extra, at cost to the yacht, for all other expenses, These include fuel for the ski-boats or other tenders, evening meal, if taken on board, wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks for the Charterers, other consumable stores, berthing and harbor expenses outside the yacht’s normal cruising area, laundry, telephone, fax or telex via Satcom, Radio Telephone costs, hire costs of special equipment placed on board at the request of the Charterer.
Some yachts offer more inclusive terms.
D.GRK – Greek Terms
The rate quoted includes the hire of the yacht, the crew’s salaries, the insurance of the yacht, the crew’s food, sufficient fuel and lubricants for 4 (four) hours cruising per twenty four hours, harbor dues and pilotage within Greek waters, water & ship’s laundry. Extra to the charterer’s account are guests food and drink, bar, Corinth Canal dues where applicable and port taxes & harbor dues outside Greek waters.
E.Gulet Terms (Gulet Charter in Turkey)
The rate quoted includes the hire of the yacht, the crew’s salaries, the insurance of the yacht, the crew’s food, sufficient fuel and lubricants for 4 (four) hours cruising per twenty four hours, harbor dues and pilotage within Turkish waters, water & ship’s laundry. Extra to the charterer’s account are guests food and bottled water (a set amount which may be paid in advance), bar, port taxes & harbor dues outside Turkish Waters.
F. SCT – Standard Caribbean Terms; Caribbean Terms Inclusive (CTI)
The Charter Fee includes all expenses listed under MYBA-WMT and SEMT plus all food. Some yachts also include wine and bar, excluding vintage wines and champagne.In the Caribbean this is normally referred to as ‘All inclusive (Full board, vessel fully equipped with fuel and staff), but excluding bar, communications and cruising taxes, if any’. [Extras include: communications (your use of the yacht’s satellite or mobile phone), marina-type berthing, rendezvous diving, shore excursions, cruising tax.]
G. Operating expenses.
These vary depending on the area you cruise and the yacht you choose. If fuel economy is important, discuss this with Taylor’d Yacht Charters at the beginning of your selection process. There also may be some harbor fees and positioning (delivery) charges if your charter involves meeting or leaving the yacht in a place other than it’s home port.
H. Harbor Fees.
Often called dues in Europe, these vary from port to port. Normally this is a small item in the charter budget, especially in the Caribbean or Pacific Northwest.
I. Gratuities.
Tipping yacht crews is both customary and discretionary. The standard practice is to award 5% – 20% of the charter fee, based on you level of satisfaction, at the close of the charter. It is customary for the charter party to leave the entire gratuity with the captain with suggestion as to how the gratuity should be distributed among the crew.
J. Deposits
Once you select a yacht, dates and location, Taylor’d Yacht Charters will provide you with a charter contract. When you approve the contract, you will be asked to provide a deposit – usually 50% of the charter fee. If it is a WMT – type charter, your expenses will be estimated for the purposes of the deposit. Usually the balance is due 45 in advance of the charter.
Charter Yacht Budget Estimations
See the Yacht Chartering Flow Process to know what happens from Start to Finish on your Luxury Yacht Vacation.
Taylor’d Yacht Charters is a subsidiary of Tom Taylor Corp.