When considering Caribbean boat charters, there are a couple of essential elements. These include the type of boat to charter as well as the Destination. In this article, we want to help point you in the right direction for the best charter for you. Let’s jump right into it.
One of the fundamental factors, when one is considering a Caribbean boat charter, is the different types of boats themself. Often these charters are called Yacht Charters, Catamaran Charters, Sailing Charters, Inclusive Charters, and All Inclusive Charters.
Here at CKIM Group, we may use different types of language except “All” Inclusive Charters. We don’t like to use the word “All” as we feel it can mislead, primarily because the customary gratuity of 20% is not included and can consequently mislead one.
Now, let’s move deeper into the different types of boats. We will focus on Caribbean Sailing Catamarans, Motor Yachts, Traditional sailboats, “Monohulls,” and Power Catamarans. In addition, we’ll break each vessel type down into two factors: advantages and price differences.
Sailing Catamarans are probably the most popular and abundant type of Caribbean Yacht Charter. This is due to several reasons. One is that they are spacious and comfortable. If you are looking for a sailing experience, then a sailing catamaran may be perfect for your yacht charter vacation.
Sailing catamarans share their distribution between two hulls with a wide stance. This not only gives much more stability than a traditional monohull, but it also provides a great deal of spaciousness. Typically, the staterooms are disbursed within the two hulls, allowing for a large common area above the hulls. This area will have the galley and main salon area.
There are also other desirable features on sailing catamarans, such as easily accessible swim platforms at the aft and sunning trampolines at the front of the boat. Also, some sailing catamarans often have a flybridge lounge at the top of the vessel, providing an on-top-of-the-world feeling with a 360-degree view.
First, when speaking of price in any boat charter, please discuss with your CKIM Group charter broker what is included in the charter price and what is not.
Typically with Sailing Catamarans in the Caribbean, it will be “Inclusive.” Inclusive typically means that the essential items, such as provisions “food, beverage, and snacks,” as well as no additional fuel costs, are included in the price.
Remember that the customary gratuity of 20% is not included as a rule of thumb. Hence, we don’t like to use the language of “All Inclusive.”
Scuba Diving On Board
Scuba Diving On Board
Scuba Diving On Board
Scuba Diving On BoardMotor Yachts are, of course, a very popular type of Caribbean boat charter. A significant factor in this is the motor yachts’ speed and a more direct way to each destination. With its traveling source being its engine, it can reach faster to the next port with possibly more destinations within the window of your charter timeframe.
Ultimately a Caribbean Motor Yacht charter will probably end up with higher costs when compared to Sailing yachts. In addition to the charter rate, you may need to add the advanced provisioning allowance “APA.”
As mentioned, these additional costs would primarily include fuel and the provisioning you chose. The APA for a motor yacht charter in the Caribbean will typically be budgeted for approximately 30-40% of the charter rate if it is plus expenses.
Traditional Caribbean sailboat charters certainly have their appeal and demand. Many still speak about having their charter experience on a monohull sailboat as they feel it’s a more traditional sailing experience. Discover the pros and cons of sailing yacht charter.
To keep it simple, monohull sailboat charters in the Caribbean are typically the same as catamaran sailboat charters and are subsequently called “Inclusive.”
However, the larger monohulls are usually plus expenses. Currently, the demand seems higher than the supply for traditional sailboat charters, so if interested, you will want to plan early.
A power catamaran is a bit of a hybrid between a sailing catamaran charter and a motor yacht charter, with the price subsequently being affected that way. Power catamaran charters have the same travel ability while on charter as motor yachts. Therefore power catamaran charters in the Caribbean have their demand and are a popular choice among luxury yacht vacationers.
Regarding costs, power catamarans are a bit in between sailing catamaran charters and motor yacht charters. More times than not, they will have an additional APA. However, it should be lower than motor yachts due to the power catamarans’ more efficient fuel consumption.
So now, let’s dive into a somewhat broad breakdown of the popular destinations for boat charters in the Caribbean. In doing so, I’m going to divide the Caribbean into two areas you may have mentioned. The Leeward Islands are the Northern chain closer to Puerto Rico, and the Windward chain is a bit further south of the Leewards.
Click here for a map showing the Windward and Leeward Islands of the Caribbean.
We’ll start with the BVI, arguably the most popular boat charter destination in all of the Caribbean. This is for good reasons as follows. The BVI has a good sailing/cruising area since the islands form a necklace around the Sir Francis Drake channel.
Due to this, it’s pretty easy and accessible for boat charters to simply get to their exceptional tropical islands and hot spots. You’ll also enjoy many excellent diving and snorkeling areas with gorgeous coral reefs ready to explore.
These islands in the BVI include; Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Norman Island, Peter Island, and more. There’s so much to do and see when having a boat charter in the BVI.
The USVI is also a popular charter destination with its International airport making it a bit more convenient for Americans. In addition to this, no passport is needed for U.S. citizens. The main island of the USVI is St. Thomas. It has many beautiful sandy beaches canopied by palm trees, excellent shopping, and resorts.
Another very lovely island in the USVI is St. John; with its unspoiled national park area and many exceptional beaches, St. John is undoubtedly worth spending some time on.
For more information visit: St. Martin/St. Maarten
Also visit: St. Kitts.
The Windward Islands lie between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. They make up the southeastern edge of the Caribbean Sea and are a bit further south than the Leeward Islands.
They include Barbados, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines, Grenada with Carriacou and Petit Martinique, as well as Trinidad and Tobago, located northeast of Venezuela. These islands are called Windwards due to being more accustomed to winds on the Western side when traversing the Atlantic Ocean than those on the Eastern side – or Leewards.
There are some positive factors here, especially when considering one of the Caribbean boat charters during summer or winter. Many yachts move down to the Windwards island chain for the summer season because the islands are further south, making them considerably more out of the hurricane belt of late summer.
For more information on this, please visit our page here.
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