Sailing the deep blue seas on a yacht with your loved ones is probably the most exciting, fun-filled and rewarding holiday experience. Cruising, while enable you to take a healthy break from the real world, offers you a chance to connect with yourself as well as with Mother Nature in all her glory.

Most people think of visiting famous, but overcrowded cities to spend their vacations. This is not a bad decision, but it is not clearly the wisest one. Cruising enables you to spend quality time and make most of your money. There are plenty of reasons why I recommend a cruising trip over any other way of spending holidays. While you get to enjoy the luxuries of a villa or a high-end resort, you also get to explore new beaches, islands, harbors and enjoy mesmerizing sunsets and whatnot.

Apart from spending holidays, you can also charter a yacht or a cruise to host an event such as a wedding, meeting, parties, etc. Moreover, this would not be too much of a burden on your pocket. However, it is important that you conduct research while chartering a yacht; and in order to get the best one, you might have to go an extra mile.

When it comes to chartering a yacht, selecting the best boat is not everything that counts. In fact, going for the most trusted and reliable yacht company is as important. But most people find it strenuous to get their hands on the best chartering companies.

In order to find a good charter, you must have your requirements well defined first as you can simply not get the right answer in absence of the right questions. Know what exactly you want in your yachting trip. This includes the number of people travelling with you, the number of bathrooms and bedrooms required, the cuisine, destinations, extra activities that you might like, total duration, etc. Once you have it all figured out and agreed upon by each person of the group, it is time for you start with the difficult part.

Here are the most important factors that you must consider in order to get your hands on the most suitable yacht chartering company:

Types and Condition of Yachts Offered

Depending on the type of yacht required, you must check multiple yachts and screen out a few. You must check out the rooms, bathrooms, lounge, kitchen and the overall condition of the yacht and see if it meets your demands. This will help you ensure none of your needs are being compromised and the boat can, in no way, cause any problems or malfunctions during your trip. If you want to go for a high-end boat with various features and amenities, you might want to go for one that is not more than two or three years old. On the other hand, if you are on a tight budget, you should choose a moderately older yacht.

Payment Procedure

It does not matter if you are going with a group of friends that are willing to equally chip in or if you are taking your family for a yachting trip, you must make sure the payment procedure offered by the company is smooth and hassle-free. Most chartering companies demand a 30%-50% advance payment. So it is better that you keep all the cash ready. Also make sure you go through the payment procedure thoroughly and ask if there are any hidden charges. If a company offers you very easy payment procedure, you might want to consider opting for its services.

Extra Activities Offered

There is no doubt that spending time on the yacht can be quite refreshing, but for how long can you do that? Not very long, I suppose. And what is the point of sailing if you do not go for a deep sea dive and explore coral reefs and swim along the marine life. You must look for a company that offers scuba diving or snorkeling or both. This will make your experience even better. However, you should also ensure if they provide the right equipment and gear and how much they charge for such activities.

Captain and Crew

To make your trip both interesting and safe, you must find a captain who is both friendly and extremely reliable. The captain must be highly experienced and must have the ability to wisely tackle the toughest of unexpected situations. Also, if the captain is friendly, you can talk with him and learn about various things about the sea and his experiences.

When it comes to the crew, it is as important to find an efficient crew as it to find a great captain. The crew must be experienced too and must have all the necessary knowledge about entertaining the guests and taking care of problematic situations. They should know how to work together in all sorts of scenarios and must be pleasant to the clients on board.

Rates

This is the most important factor while deciding which company to go with. You must make sure you choose the one that offers you most affordable rates. Don’t be attracted to extremely cheap rates as you may very well be swindled into a sub-par experience and poor service. Compare the prices of the companies that you screen and opt for the one that suit all your specifications.

Food and Snacks

Most cruises offer free meals as a part of the package. However, the menu offered by each company can be different. Compromising on great food for a few hundred bucks is not recommended. Since delicious meals and deserts and refreshing drinks can bring a smile on people’s face and make times even better, you can select a customized menu for your trip.

Safety

The company you go for must provide proper safety precautions including fire extinguishers, first aid kits, life jackets, etc. This will ensure maximum safety and security is provided to the clients onboard.

Now that you are aware of all the important factors while choosing a chartering company, you are all set to sail!