Why Use A Yacht Charter Broker and What Do They Do?

Chartering a yacht is about more than the boat you’re on; it’s an all-round, personalized experience that can be tailored to your specific needs. To make this happen, you need a top-notch broker to take care of the small details in planning your charter, to ensure your vacation runs smoothly along every step of the way. 

From boat selection to itinerary planning, contract negotiation, preparation prior to charter, and support during your trip, brokers draw from a collective pool of many years of personal experience to help clients navigate the intricacies of yacht charters across the world. In this article, we’ll discuss why you should use a broker and exactly the kind of work they do to guarantee you have a good time on your charter.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash.

Match You With the Perfect Crew

Charter brokers attend multiple yacht shows every year, acquiring knowledge about the different boats available and about the crews themselves. Brokers in particular know that the crew is half the experience, and have a keen eye for matching guests with the right crew. To guarantee an excellent time on your trip, brokers will look for the right group of professional crew members based on your precise expectations and requirements.

First-hand Knowledge of Inventory

Charter brokers are actively involved in the industry as part of their day-to-day work, which means they’ve accumulated a wealth of knowledge and expertise over the years. 

Besides attending yacht shows, brokers also participate in regular seminars to stay up-to-date with all the critical information involved behind the scenes of a charter, such as different yacht models and their respective layouts. With this knowledge in their arsenal, charter brokers are able to find the perfect yacht to suit their clients’ charter party and specific requirements for their trip. 

The boat shows are also a good opportunity to check up on recent maintenance work and generate trustworthy partners to gather precise information about the upkeep of individual yachts in the future. This added work from your broker ensures each yacht is in excellent condition for its next charter.

Provide Expert, Unbiased Advice to Protect your Interests

You can go to your broker for advice and any other requests you have during your vacation, as they offer impartial advice and selection based on their industry knowledge. They travel to charter destinations regularly, acquiring first-hand information that will be invaluable to you when planning your charter. 

Should anything unexpected happen during your charter, you’ll have direct contact with the broker to assist and help you resolve any issues you may have. Brokers can also assist with any licenses and permits, country entry requirements, continuously changing covid regulations, and advice on accommodation. 

Besides ensuring you get matched with the best available crew, brokers are uniquely positioned to negotiate contracts and terms on your behalf. They are also bound by their fiduciary responsibility to protect the interest of their clients and have a deep knowledge of the details and implications of your contract.

Having a broker is a fantastic way to cover any concerns that come up on your charter, as they have long-standing professional and personal relationships with industry contacts and yacht managers. Having a third-party negotiate terms and conditions of your contract will put your mind at ease, so you can rest easy knowing that your needs are being protected.

Logistics, Itinerary and Menu

Charter brokers work with a Preference Sheet, which is a form that gets completed by the entire chartering group. This sheet outlines clients’ preferences for the charter regarding food, drinks, allergies, itinerary, potential destinations to visit, and much more. 

As a client, this sheet is yours to provide as much detail as you like before your trip. 

The Preference Sheet is then shared with the entire crew of your boat, so they can prepare the best possible itinerary and menu for your charter to match your exact specifications. Often, clients will also get a copy of the menu ahead of their departure date, so they know in advance what to expect. This way, clients know what meals will be prepared during their charter and whether their dietary restrictions or requirements will be catered for. This, of course, includes menus for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free clients, and much more. 

It’s important to note that some charters are not all-inclusive. These charters are called ‘Plus Expenses’ charters. In these cases, the charter expenses will be calculated by your broker to help you plan the total cost of your trip, which will cover items like food, drinks, fuel, and more. 

Brokers will also inform the client if, once their charter is completed, there is a remaining Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA) balance that will be returned to them or, if on the contrary, the client needs to pay an additional to cover what the APA did not provide for.

Does it Cost More To Use A Broker?

Charter brokers work tirelessly behind the scenes, to ensure every guest is provided for during their chartering vacation. The best part: their advice and support have no additional cost for the client, as it is a service paid by the owner of the yacht. In this way, brokers offer free personalized attention through every step of the chartering process. 

Contact A Broker Today

If you want a wonderful vacation and a once in a lifetime yacht charter, booking through a broker is the way to go. Brokers have spent years executing hundreds of successful chartering experiences, and you can leverage their expertise and professional connections to your benefit, without paying a cent. 

Contact your broker at Ritzy today!