Useful information to read before your charter

Why to Charter

In today’s fast-paced world, the demands of daily life often overshadow our pursuit of true happiness. This is why chartering a yacht offers an unparalleled experience of luxury, privacy, and freedom. Imagine a place where opulence knows no bounds. Every desire meets impeccable precision, and tranquility is a given rather than a rarity. This is not a distant dream but a present reality. Explore and embrace it through the unique experience of yacht chartering.

Chartering a yacht reveals a sanctuary where luxury redefines itself. It blends the finest design, technology, and personalized service. Privacy isn’t just a promise but a fundamental cornerstone, ensuring that you enjoy every moment away from prying eyes. It is your place where freedom is absolute. It allows you to live life on your terms, unencumbered by limitations or constraints. Welcome to a world where luxury, privacy, and freedom converge to create a symphony of unparalleled splendor. Isn’t where yacht chartering comes the ultimate escape?

Why to Charter With Us

CBS Yachts is a proud member of the illustrious maritime MMC Group Holding. This is a maritime group with a +40 ship fleet management and collective experience since 1949. The new entity established in Piraeus revolutionizes in-house yachting services, overseeing the ISPS Pier. Our Luxmaritime brokers specialize in the sales and charter of Superyachts and PYC-compliant vessels. Backed by our maritime conglomerate, CBS Yachts epitomizes swift, top-tier concierge service available 24/7 at competitive rates.

Our Headquarters and branches seamlessly bridge yachting schemes between destinations:
From the calm blue seas of the Mediterranean to the azure waters of the Red Sea and its golden dunes. From the cosmopolitan allure of the UAE in the prestigious Arabian Gulf, and beyond. Our technical experts provide on-site services and our fly-team can access our management fleet at every destination.

Our ethos transcends tradition, championing sustainability innovations in every endeavor. We are pioneering new horizons, remaining steadfastly client-centric, and dedicated to delivering opulent euphoria.

Introduction

Here is an introduction to our company and why to charter a yacht with CBS YACHTS.

A luxury yacht charter offers boundless possibilities, allowing you to tailor your experience to your every desire. It’s a chance to craft an extraordinary holiday beyond imagination, with seasoned professionals dedicated to bringing your dreams to life. Whether you wish to explore specific destinations, or, indulge in gourmet cuisine, engage in thrilling sports activities, or discover historic landmarks and exclusive boutiques, a superyacht charter caters to every desire!

Imagine a hospitality ratio akin to a personal hotel. It is where attentive staff cater to your every need, or a dining experience offering a customizable gourmet menu. Picture embarking on a holiday journey where you dictate the destinations and pace. And always akin to a private resort on the water.

Step into the realm of yachting with CBS YACHTS, where the world becomes your playground. And the possibilities know no bounds. A superyacht serves as the ultimate platform for global exploration. Whether it’s diving in the crystal-clear waters of the Virgin Islands. Or, immersing yourself in the vibrant food markets of the Mediterranean. Or, practicing pilates on Caribbean beaches, or enjoying diving in the vibrant waters of the Red Sea.

Your broker stands ready to guide you in selecting the perfect yacht to fulfill your aspirations. And of course, your broker is crafting bespoke itineraries to optimize your charter experience. With a superyacht charter, the world’s most stunning and secluded destinations become within reach. And this promises an unforgettable journey of luxury and adventure.

Personal Relationships: Connected with the Owner’s Representatives and crew we keep an excellent relationship with the network in our industry. And this is to succeed efficiently in all negotiations and transactions.

Superyacht Shows Presence: Although CBS YACHTS is newly founded, our Brokers offer a longstanding experience. We always attend yacht shows to inspect yachts and crew teams. We, at CBS Yachts, have an unbiased recommendation for yachts and crew teams, suggesting the pros & cons for every yacht.

Fast & Dedicated Customer Care: We respond quickly and accurately, focusing on client-centric care. We craft your itinerary in collaboration with the Captain of each yacht. We remain with handy information acting as your concierge to the charter. 

Dedication to the Charterer: Thanks to 360º care of the customer’s needs, throughout the years we have consolidated services and solutions for every aspect of yacht life.

The top quality yachts: Access to a global fleet of Superyachts and boats for charter or sale. We do have the information to couple your inquiry with the most matching availabilities. We use contracts only through credible Brokers’ Associations.

Particular yachts: Thankfully there are some beautiful yachts to accommodate wheelchairs on board. Or provide an amended gangway width, and friendly access to the bathrooms. Or, with elevators to fit a wheelchair or make living between decks comfortable. Moreover, every yacht can provide on-request childproofing areas with nets around the rails and securing areas. This is to discuss in detail with your broker before booking a charter. In large-scale yachts, there could be an organized hospital. A dedicated nurse or any staff member is available on request. A kind reminder that extra hired staff, or the nannies you bring with you will have to use guest accommodation.

How to Charter

A luxury charter yacht experience is a world of endless possibilities. It is therefore essential to acquaint yourself with the myriad of beautiful yachts available to you. We offer comprehensive guidance at every step of your charter journey. Always complemented by insider insights from global experts, ensuring your holiday exceeds all expectations. Before you book a charter this is the Questionnaire you will respond to. This is how you inform us if this is a family & friends trip or a corporate venture and your prerequisites.

Questionnaire

What is important for your Broker to know from you, the Charterer?

We are keen to know as much as possible from you, the Charterer; thus to know the desire for which yachting destination, your yacht style, crew expectations, and all these elements help us find the perfect match with your requirements.

No. 1 Question: Yacht Style & Size
Power or Sail, or both, and Length. Length is guiding the charter rate considering enormous differences between +24m – +100m. The yacht selection should present you with ideal yachts for a family vacation or a corporate venture.

No. 2 Question: Budget
An indicative ceiling budget or as per previous experience other expenses help a lot.
Experienced charterers know that in addition to the weekly charter fee, they should budget approximately 50% more for regional taxes and additional expenses such as fuel and food before crew gratuity.

No 3. Question: Accommodation
How many guests on board you will be on board, the makeup of the group (family, or couples, if children, their ages, if staff members with the family). Experienced Charterers might describe more on accommodation, i.e., 4 double staterooms for couples, etc.

No. 4. Charter Destination and how flexible
Charter destination or alternative if accepted. We can design your charter itineraries, the required ones, and alternatives in case of other weather conditions. However, you must discuss this with the Captain on board who will be responsible for the final itinerary depending on the current or forthcoming weather conditions.

No. 5. Dates & Duration
Charter dates and how flexible, the charter duration is.
We offer all yachts on a weekly basis. For shorter durations, we will handle each case individually with the owner to fill the gap. According to MYBA (Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association) policy, for charters shorter than 7 days, we divide the weekly rate by 6 and multiply it by the total number of days.

The Highlights

Essential information to be comfortable with:

• Following the International Maritime Law, the maximum number of guests allowed on board is 12, unless a PYC-compliant /  passenger vessel, a special category of large yachts either too big in length or a more corporate profile with viewable safety equipment on the decks. Some exemptions could be on large yachts for 2 extra staff members on special agreements and procedures.
• If a corporate venue is on board, there are a few yachts that can accommodate over 12 guests on board. For daily ventures, a minimum number of days will likely apply. This is because the yacht must undergo preparation, including securing various items and textures along with the exterior decks.
• Each Owner approves the charter pending onto Client’s references or upon all information provided by the Retail Broker.
• Every charter is subject to availability at the time of firm interest, and all expenses might occur for any port of call other than agreed or the yacht is already there or is the home port.
• A charter secures only with the signed contract by the Owner, and the Charterer’s signature confirms the commitment.
• The charter rate includes the yacht and the crew with crew insurance, uniforms & provisions at the Owners’ cost.
• APA – Advanced Provisioning Allowance (additional expenses approx.40% of the charter fee).
• VAT – Tax percentage of the charter fee following the port of embarkation.
• Delivery fees or Relocation fees – Subject to the port of embarkation/disembarkation.
• Security Deposit – Requested by some Owners, especially on new yachts or when a Charterer has no references.

The Contract

Here are all the parties signing a contract and defining all about the contracted parties, special terms, addendums, and payments.

Here are all Stakeholders upfront or behind the scenes for a successful charter.
Charterer. Yacht Owner. Stakeholder representing the Owner. Captain. Retail Charter Broker representing the Charterer and negotiates on behalf of the Owner’s Rep.
Travel Agent representing the Charterer and negotiates on behalf. The Charterer talks with His/Her Travel Agent or His/Her Retail Broker. During logistics, the Charterer talks with the Captain and discusses all preferences and potential charter itineraries pending weather conditions. The Travel Agent or the Retail Broker talks with the Owner’s Representative and the Captain.

The Charter Agreement
The Charterer – if not familiar with chartering, can receive a draft before the process of the agreement to view the clauses on time. When serving a contract for signing all parties must act swiftly; since the yacht is committed under an option awaiting signatures. We operate the MYBA (Mediterranean Yacht Brokers Association) charter agreement with some more suitable contracts when needed, such as the ECPY, AYCA, HYCA.

The Special Terms
The special terms and conditions are located on the 2nd page of the contract in a dedicated section. And of course, these terms are customized for each charter and tailored to the yacht’s size or/and specific requirements. Most usual terms are as below but customized for every charter and yacht size or yacht’s necessities:
* Prohibition of smoking or vaping inside the yacht.
* Use of personal watercraft is permitted only if you, the operator, hold the appropriate license and comply with local regulations. Any liability arising from no compliance is entirely at the operator’s risk.
* All itineraries are suggestions and subject to approval by the Captain at the time of the charter, depending on weather and sea conditions.
* Charter yachts cannot be operated like cruise ships. Charter yachts may adjust their ports of call during the charter for safety and comfort reasons, especially yachts under 40m which may not receive permits to sail in 5 Beaufort conditions in certain countries.
* The APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) is not a lump sum. According to Clause 8, settle any outstanding accounts with the Captain in cash before disembarkation.
* A crew gratuity is customary but at the Charterer’s discretion and varies from 5-20%.
* It is highly recommended that the Charterer obtains Personal Travel Insurance. And this includes Cancellation/Curtailment Insurance and Charterer’s Liability Insurance, from their Insurance Broker.

The Addendums
Any changes to charter dates, hours, and locations for embarkation or disembarkation must be documented in an Addendum. This is following compulsory procedures with the Captain, proper authorities, tax agents, and others. We can issue this Addendum before or during the charter. During the Hurricane Season in the Bahamas and the Caribbean, we may draft a Hurricane Addendum prior to the charter. Similarly, a War Addendum or other types of Addendums can supplement the MOA and specify which terms prevail.

The Charter Fees & the Payments
The Charter Rate, always stated per week: This fee refers to one week of charter time and seasonal rates apply, i.e., Summer Charter Rate, Winter Charter Rate.
* Charter duration is one-week minimum, especially in high season.
*For a charter of less than a week, such as 5 days, divide the weekly charter rate by 6 and multiply it by the total number of charter days.This is a MYBA Association policy.
Please remember, every Owner has a different mindset, and negotiations or requirements change per owner.

APA (Additional Expenses): This fee is not a lump sum amount. It is an estimated amount including berth reservations, fuel, and gasoline consumption, lubricants, food & drinks consumed by the Charterer, communication fees, compulsory yacht agency fees, shore excursions, etc.  In the past, the percentage of the charter had been 20-30%. However, considering the rise of the fuel rate and living costs Owners and Captains standardized the ideal percentage to 30-40% of the published (or discounted on case-by-case) charter rate. This is a prepaid amount one month prior to the embarkation. Settle the balance based on the Captain’s accounting upon disembarkation. If not an efficient APA following a new requirement, the Captain will advise the Broker for additional funds during the charter.

VAT: This fee refers to the Governmental tax paid by the ownership company to the respective authorities and collected by the Charterer through the contract. Each country has a different VAT, i.e. Spain 21%, France 20%, Italy 22%, Croatia 13%, Turkey 0% or 22% for only Turkish flag yachts, Greece varies according to a new law reducing VAT significantly (40-60% of the 24%) and so on.

Delivery or Redelivery Fees: If a yacht is delivered outside the home port – or far from the previous disembarkation port, the Owner may require additional fees to cover fuel consumption. In the case of a far-distant destination, charges for extra time might also apply. Please note that the yacht according to the MYBA contract must be close to the next embarkation port two days in advance.

Security Deposit: If a Charterer does not have references, during a corporate event/party, or due to the nature of the charter, i.e. Maybe an Owner agrees with pets on board, then a Security Deposit is totally refundable if no damages apply. Moreover, if you organize a corporate venue or a big party on board with more guests than the yacht can accommodate, this standard procedure applies. Such parties are usually during various global events such as the Grand Prix F1, or corporate venues.

Crew Gratuity: This fee is not compulsory, but the Charterer typically offers it at their discretion. A guideline could be 5-20% of the charter fee depending on the Charterer’s satisfaction with the service on board and either wired to the yacht’s account or the Captain’s. The Captain distributes this according to their arrangement with the company and crew (each yacht has different rules).

The Procedure

Please find a summary of the charter procedure.

1. References by the Charterer, by knowing more about previous experience if any, all KYC documentation such as the Source of Wealth and the QUESTIONNAIRE.
2. Your Broker processes all information received.
3. Your Broker will present a tailored Superyacht selection and you can discuss your options about your charter itinerary at the chosen yachting destination.
4. Narrowed choices of the most favorable yachts considering to charter.
5. If you are a first-time Charterer you can view the draft charter agreement on time and before asking to commit to a yacht and discuss clauses with your Broker about everything before a binding agreement.
6. Discuss with your Broker for your choices and your Broker will reconfirm availability at this stage, negotiate the final rate, and provide all necessary information.
7. We enter the contract phase once you confirm the final yacht choice and accept the rate (or the Owner accepts the offered rate).
8. First, you (the Charterer) sign, then the Broker signs, followed by the Owner’s Rep, and finally, the Owner reviews the terms, as every charter is ‘subject to Owner’s approval’.
   || NOTE: The Charterer’s signature has a legal effect as the Owner commits his asset during the period agreed.
9. Upon signature by the Owner, the charter is secure if payments follow the mentioned schedule contracted.
10. We, your Retail Brokers are in charge of Customer Care and invite all parties in a Zoom call or a meeting along with the crew to discuss your Preferences.
    Please ensure you receive the Preference Form promptly and arrange for your PA or a family member to deliver the completed form as soon as possible. We strongly advise discussing the Preference Form with the Captain and crew on time as well.
11. The payment schedule is the deposit of 50% of the charter fee upon signing the contract, and the balance 50% of the charter fee plus VAT & APA or other expenses 4-6 weeks prior to the charter however agreed with the Owner’s rep.
12. In last-minute charters, full payment takes immediate effect securing the charter. Then, the APA is handled by the Captain as by the Stakeholder.
13. An Addendum to the MOA is drafted if any changes affect the charter. These could be the location of embarkation or/and disembarkation, date or/and hours of embarkation or disembarkation, and not limited to them. The Addendum is useful for the Captain to communicate a new Passenger List with the port authorities, commit fuel vendors on transit rate, and ownership companies to declare to tax agents where needed.

Getting Ready

Kindly note that there is restrictive storage space on board a luxury charter yacht, therefore ensure to take some soft-sided luggage easy to fold away.
Pack light and use only duffel bags for easy storage. Hard suitcases are difficult to store and may even scratch and damage the paint and woodwork.

Consider the temperature and climate of your chosen destination, and make sure to pack clothes to keep you cool whether you are on board or stroll ashore and have shore experiences such as a “smart casual” dress code for restaurants. Wear a few old t-shirts to protect your skin from the sun during water toy sessions. Do not wear shoes on board; stiletto heels damage the teak deck, and black-soled shoes leave scuff marks. If you need to wear shoes on board then buy a dedicated clean pair of shoes for the teak and white carpet. Don’t forget your sunglasses, waterproof camera, all travel documents & passport/visa where applicable, and your hats.

View our Charter Fleet and choose your dream yacht. Have an idea of all yachting destinations to consider for your summer or winter escape. Contact Us today for more. Would you like to know more? Give us the joy to be working for you and your charter vacation and let’s discuss more. Find Inspiration on our Instagram!