Planning a Charter

There's no one way to go about planning a vacation. Priorities vary with individual personalities, but here are some tips.

Have an idea of how many will be traveling together. Four couples who golf together regularly, a honeymoon - just the two of you, or a package complete with an island wedding and week long party afterwards with friends. Are you a family of four -- or are your kids going to want to bring a friend? Yachts are priced according to the number of guests they best suit. We at Regency will provide detailed information on boats in that size category. Remember also that if the party of eight shrinks to a group of four, we should give you some other choices in the four-person market so you don't go over budget. Just ask. Dates: Want to spend a couple of weeks in November in warmer weather or a week in the summer where it's cool? Do you plan by season or are your dates set in stone-- dictated by your children's school vacation? Does your boss need to approve your vacation dates six months in advance? The more fixed you are in dates, the earlier you should start to plan your trip. Let us know your restrictions so we can find the right boat and crew. Charters can start any day of the week the vessel is open; so use those frequent flyer miles mid-week (when it's easier to find frequent flyer seats) if you want! Rates are quoted on a seven night basis, but feel free to stay longer. Nine, ten or fourteen days are all possible. Many yachts will also do less than a week although five nights or fewer have a rate surcharge. A charter yacht vacation is one you design to suit your ideas ... just let us know your preferences.

Budget: charter yachts come in a huge array of types & sizes and so do their prices. On average an all-inclusive charter will run between $1,500 to $2,000 per person for a seven night trip. The only items not included are port & cruising fees and the customary crew gratuity. Power yachts are slightly more expensive at $2,000 to $3,000 per person minimum. Remember every time you ask for 'more' (cabins/baths/toys/crew), the price will be 'more' also. If your family budget is tight, let us recommend a great boat and crew where maybe three kids share a cabin, or baths are shared. You'll have every bit as much fun -- which is the point of a vacation. The exception to these generalities are the luxury mega yachts, both power & sail, and cruising in the Mediterranean. These higher rates cover yacht & crew with all expenses being charged as extras. You can spend upwards of $20,000 per person for the luxury vacation of a lifetime!

You probably won't know exactly what kind of a boat you want to charter, but you probably have an idea of critical items. Are you the kind of person who wouldn't dream of sharing a bathroom (called a 'head' aboard ship) with crew? Want to have every toy under the sun aboard? Dive, dive, dive? Like to party all night long? Or really look forward to watching the sunrise with that first cup of coffee in hand? The more we know about your style the better we can be at suggesting the right yacht and (as important) crew who will make this a vacation to remember. A little background about the group helps us tremendously in matching you with crew who will tailor your week's activities to your preferences. This isn't a 'cookie cutter' vacation -- no two charters are exactly the same. Your trip is dictated only by your desires, as well as time, tide & the wind.

Remember Trip Cancellation Insurance! Because each vessel is privately owned and operated, the deposit required to reserve one of these mini resorts is nonrefundable unless the time period is rebooked.