Can I Bring My Dog?

Most charter companies will not allow any pets whatsoever on board their boats, the main reason being that they need to keep all areas free of potential allergens. If you and your dog have your hearts set on a yacht charter vacation together though, don’t despair. Pet-friendly yacht charters do exist, it just takes a bit of research to find them. Most often, they are smaller companies, or even just a “one boat operation”. If you’re heading overseas, make sure to check well in advance what the requirements are to bring dogs into that specific country.

Charter A Luxury Yacht

Even if owning a luxury yacht is out of your budget, you can still enjoy the comforts of one for a week or two, and it can be surprisingly affordable. For around $4,000/week, you can charter a luxury sailing yacht (bareboat) in the Mediterranean, or a skippered one in South America. If you want a crew, it will cost a bit more, but you can still find deals around $5,000/week.

The Comforts Of Living On The Ocean

What can you expect to find on a luxury yacht? These days, nobody wants to leave the comforts of life on land behind, and large yachts can be compared to very luxurious floating hotels, with such amenities as: helicopters, grand pianos, wine cellars, hospitals, fitness centers, elevators, surround sound indoors and out, cinemas, Jacuzzis, steam rooms, spas, pools and all the water sports equipment you can imagine.

Skippered Or Not?

One of the decisions you have to make before chartering a yacht is which form of charter you want. Do you prefer bareboat, where you captain the boat and take responsibility for it and everything else, or is skippered more to your liking, where the charter company provide a skipper for you, but you and your guests are the crew? Or do you just want to kick back and relax while cruising the oceans and let an entire hired crew take care of everything while you enjoy your well-earned vacation? (I like the last option myself!)

Luxury Yacht Amenities

What is it about the ocean that has such a pull on so many of us? Is it the freedom and exhilaration of going fast over open waters with no land or other people in sight? Are we all explorers at heart, longing to find a lost continent we can call our own? Whatever the reason, these days there is no need to schlep around the oceans unshaven, with scurvy and dirty clothes. A luxury yacht is pretty much a penthouse afloat with en-suite bathrooms, walk-in closets, crew and chef, on-board laundry facilities and more. If only Marco Polo could see us now!