Honeymoon Yacht Charter
Choose your crew arrangement, dates and budget before booking.
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A Honeymoon Aboard
Honeymoon yacht charter gives you time together, with the choice of sailing yourselves or taking a skipper or crew. For your honeymoon or anniversary, this page helps you settle the crew arrangement, season and charter budget, including the APA where it applies.
Before You Book
Neither of you needs sailing qualifications or experience on a skippered charter. For bareboat, one of you needs the right qualification for the country. We advise on crew levels, cabin layouts, routing and bad-weather plans. You make your own flight and hotel arrangements: SailChecker sells no packages and gives no advice on flights or hotels. Check the charter's start day and boarding time before booking flights, and consider whether you would like hotel nights before or after the charter.
Quick Navigation
- 1 Your Charter Type Crewed, Skippered or Bareboat
- 2 Choosing Your Crew Ask About the Arrangement
- 3 Choosing the Season Dates Before Routes
- 4 Understanding the APA Expenses Outside the Fee
- 5 Before and After Boarding Plan Around Boarding
1.Your Charter Type
Crewed, Skippered or Bareboat
A skippered charter needs no sailing qualifications or experience from either of you. If you want bareboat, one of you needs the right qualification for the country, and countries differ in what they accept. Check that qualification against the proposed destination before choosing bareboat.
A crewed charter can mean adding a cook or chef, a hostess, or both to a skippered charter. It also extends to yachts with a uniformed crew of ten or more. Ask which arrangement applies to each yacht you are considering.
2.Choosing Your Crew
Ask About the Arrangement
For a crewed yacht charter, ask whether the proposed crew includes a cook or chef, a hostess, or both alongside the skipper. Other yachts have a uniformed crew of ten or more. Start with the actual crew arrangement rather than assuming all crewed yachts offer the same staffing.
We advise on crew levels and cabin layouts, as well as routing and bad-weather plans. For a honeymoon or anniversary, tell us how you would like the holiday to work and ask us to check the details with the operator. Discuss the proposed crew and the layout before settling on a yacht. Catamarans have more space inside and out than monohulls; compare that space when discussing the layout you want.
3.Choosing the Season
Dates Before Routes
The Caribbean hurricane season arrives in late summer, and by November the Caribbean is back in action. If your honeymoon dates are fixed, start with the calendar. Most Mediterranean bareboat charters run Saturday to Saturday, with some exceptions, while any-day starts are normal in the British Virgin Islands. Charters run roughly noon to noon.
Check the proposed start day and boarding time before arranging flights. For Mediterranean bareboat charters in Greece, Croatia, Italy and Turkey, work from the usual Saturday-to-Saturday pattern when discussing dates. Ask us for routing and bad-weather advice before settling on a sailing plan, especially when your travel dates are already fixed.
Crewed Yachts in Greece
4.Understanding the APA
Expenses Outside the Fee
The Advance Provisioning Allowance, or APA, pays for expenses the charter fee does not include. These are fuel for engines and generators, food and drink, laundry, port fees and local taxes. The captain holds the allowance and pays fuel and mooring fees from it.
The APA is used mainly on crewed and other high-end charters. For sailing yachts and catamarans it is typically 25 to 35% of the charter fee; motor yachts run higher. Ask for the proposed yacht's APA percentage and charter fee before comparing options.
5.Before and After Boarding
Plan Around Boarding
You make your own flight and hotel arrangements. SailChecker sells no packages and gives no advice on flights or hotels. Check the charter's start day and boarding time before booking flights. Most Mediterranean bareboat charters run Saturday to Saturday, with some exceptions; in the British Virgin Islands, any-day starts are normal. Charters run roughly noon to noon, but confirm the timing for your booking.
You may like to plan hotel nights before or after the charter. If you would prefer to sleep aboard before the charter starts, ask us and we will check with the operator. Include your own travel and hotel arrangements when setting your holiday budget, alongside charter costs and any APA.
Crewed BVI Catamarans
Your Questions Answered
Can We Sail on Our Own As a Couple?
For bareboat, one of you needs the right sailing qualification for the country, and countries differ in what they require and accept. A skippered charter needs no qualifications or sailing experience from either of you.
What Is Included in a Crewed Charter?
Crew arrangements range from adding a cook or chef and a hostess to a skippered charter, up to a uniformed crew of ten or more. The APA pays for expenses outside the charter fee, including fuel, food and drink, laundry, port fees and local taxes.
How Much Is the APA?
For sailing yachts and catamarans, the APA is typically 25 to 35% of the charter fee. Motor yachts run higher, and the allowance is used mainly on crewed and other high-end charters.
When Is the Caribbean Season?
The Caribbean hurricane season arrives in late summer. By November, the Caribbean is back in action.
Who Arranges Our Flights and Hotels?
You make your own flight and hotel arrangements. SailChecker sells no packages and gives no advice on flights or hotels. Check the charter's start day and boarding time before booking flights. You may like to plan hotel nights before or after the charter.
Talk to us about the charter you have in mind. We have advised on charters since 2011 and are tied to no operator. The Art of Charter.
Christopher Lait
Chris founded Drake Academy, a sailing company that provides leadership training to businesses. Now the CEO of SailChecker.com you will find him handling many of your enquiries as he attempts to drive SailChecker.com forward as the company of choice for yacht charter and sailing by focusing on quality advice and great customer service.
