Public vs. Real Bareboat Charter Rates

[BlueBuddha]

Hi all, we have never charted before in the BVIs so we have a very silly and simple question:

In general, are the weekly bareboat charter prices published on the companies' websites (The Moorings, TTM, etc) fixed, or do most people end up paying less than the published rates (as it used to be with cruise vacations if you booked with a broker etc)?

I know there are extra costs (insurance, fuel, etc) that need to be added. My question is about the base cost. I'm curious whether the published rates are actually the rates that most people pay. Thanks!
BB.

[Sailmonkey]

It's always been what we paid.....less any promotions,etc.


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[BlueBuddha]

Thanks. Good to know.


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[belizesailor]

Not much motivation for a major charter company to negotiate with you...and undermine the market value of their service, but owners do sometimes sell their "owners time" at discounted rates.

[BostonFlicka]

Anyone have any experience booking through late sail?

[kansasdes]

My husband and I went through LateSail this year for our BVI charter and are using them again for next year. This year our monohull came from SunSail, next year a small charter company for a Cat. I contacted numerous brokers both times and LateSail always came up with the best price. Their service was good and they do seem to negotiate for the best price.

[contrail]

Late Sail is a reputable company/broker, but from the charter operator side of the business (and I operate in the BVI), I doubt very much that they "negotiate". What they do is encourage everyone to keep them abreast of any specials, and they really try to stay on top of it, which is a valuable service that not all brokers duplicate. But negotiate anything that is unavailable to other brokers? I serious doubt it! That would totally screw up the relationship that operators have with the other brokers. Wouldn't fly. Too small a community where information flows freely.

When you are pricing things, however, it is imperative to find out what the "base price" includes. You can spend a lot of money on extras that are included by someone else. A good broker can help here. And check other options. You can often get a "fully crewed" yacht, which has lots and lots of extras and is in top shape, but that also goes out as a "captain only" (in other words, all the extras but plus all expenses) for significantly less than a comparable bareboat. IF you need all the cabins, that won't work because the captain, (who is the regular live-aboard captain) will have his. But if you don't need every cabin, you will get a better boat, better equipment, someone to take care of the boat and the weather, and a tour guide who knows the local waters and can give you sailing tips, all for less than that bareboat. So, it pays to widen your view a bit. Not all brokers will suggest this, so ask.

Good luck, and good chartering.

[kansasdes]

Originally Posted by contrail

Late Sail is a reputable company/broker, but from the charter operator side of the business (and I operate in the BVI), I doubt very much that they "negotiate". What they do is encourage everyone to keep them abreast of any specials, and they really try to stay on top of it, which is a valuable service that not all brokers duplicate. But negotiate anything that is unavailable to other brokers? I serious doubt it! That would totally screw up the relationship that operators have with the other brokers. Wouldn't fly. Too small a community where information flows freely.

When you are pricing things, however, it is imperative to find out what the "base price" includes. You can spend a lot of money on extras that are included by someone else. A good broker can help here. And check other options. You can often get a "fully crewed" yacht, which has lots and lots of extras and is in top shape, but that also goes out as a "captain only" (in other words, all the extras but plus all expenses) for significantly less than a comparable bareboat. IF you need all the cabins, that won't work because the captain, (who is the regular live-aboard captain) will have his. But if you don't need every cabin, you will get a better boat, better equipment, someone to take care of the boat and the weather, and a tour guide who knows the local waters and can give you sailing tips, all for less than that bareboat. So, it pays to widen your view a bit. Not all brokers will suggest this, so ask.

Good luck, and good chartering.

You are so right about the extras. I did find that we had to be very specific about our expectations and what we would and would not consider paying for in the way of "extras." (The 1st few quotes we received this year were way off base but once we clarified we got what we were looking for.) And I'm sure you're right about the "negotiation" part. Maybe I should have said, so far they seem to be the best at finding "specials". That being said, they HAVE "negotiated" with regards to the amount of initial payment required both times with the yacht companies and have aggressive in making things work for us personally.

[Vasco]

I paid list the first time I chartered in BVI. That was with a first tier company. Since then I have chartered more than twenty times (with second tier outfits) and always negotiated the price. I usually chartered for two to three weeks. The boats don't make money sitting at the dock and some companies make money by managing and chartering boats rather than selling boats to be put in charter.

[KnotCrazy]

We have chartered with Sunsail and Moorings and several outfits in Florida. The items that are included vary greatly so get a list. What time you get on the boat deviates. Fuel charges (or not). The travel insurance portion is kind of a mess right now (if you wish to have it) and READ the policies. Some cover shipping your body back if necessary and some don't (I've seen it happen first hand). It is like anything else - do your due diligence. Fair Winds!!