Old money sails, new money accelerates
When it comes to luxury yacht charters, you're entering the realm of the ultimate vacation experience. A luxury crewed yacht charter essentially entails any sailing getaway where a captain and a hostess or stewardess are on board, meticulously taking care of all your desires. This scenario could unfold aboard a modest 40-45 ft sailing catamaran or even on an owner version of a 55 ft monohull. However, the same definition holds true for a charter of a 200 ft superyacht, where the crew might actually outnumber the guests. For the purpose of this piece, let's assume that all luxury yacht charters imply service levels akin to a 5-star hotel, for smaller yachts, or even 6 or 7-star service on 100 ft yacht charter boats or the largest mega yachts. The golden rule here, irrespective of whether you're a guest or have chartered a yacht, is to treat the crew with unwavering respect. Another pertinent query pertains to the art of tipping a charter boat crew.
In the realm of charter boat tipping etiquette, the service crew is the one you're likely to interact with most and spend the most time with. The simple pleasures like receiving a fresh towel every morning, enjoying an extra refreshing beverage during breakfast, or sipping on a tailor-made cocktail in the afternoon can truly enhance your experience and bring a smile to your face. Meanwhile, the work of an engineer resolving a significant yacht issue, which could potentially undermine your carefully curated yachting holiday, is arguably a far more crucial service. Yet, you might not even be aware of such heroic efforts, given that any unnecessary alarm of this nature could disrupt the quality of living aboard for you and your guests. This brings us to the question of whether to tip only the charter boat captain or the entire crew individually as well.
The answer varies based on multiple factors, but the unspoken rule tends to lean towards leaving around 10% of the paid charter fee as a gratuity. This guideline applies consistently, whether you've chartered a 60 ft catamaran, a 70 ft charter boat, or even a Sunseeker 28-meter charter yacht. For instance, for a charter rate of 20,000 euros, a tip of 2,000 euros would be customary, and for a charter rate of 50,000 euros, a gratuity of 5,000 euros would be considered appropriate. This rule functions as a general recommendation, contingent on your satisfaction with the yacht charter vacation. This etiquette is largely followed across most yachts and major sailing destinations. To ascertain the precise amount to tip a charter boat crew, you might prefer to wait until the end of your sailing vacation to assess the overall experience. In the event you're not entirely content with your exclusive yachting holiday or luxury yacht charter experience, and the crew's service has not met your expectations, you have the prerogative to reduce the tip amount. Conversely, if your yacht charter cruise on board a selected 100 ft yacht or a 60 ft monohull, or any other chosen yacht for that matter, has been an awe-inspiring and transformative experience, there's no upper limit to the gratuity you can generously bestow upon the crew. In all scenarios, seeking advice from one of our charter agents is highly recommended, as they can provide valuable guidance on the most suitable course of action.
We are happy to help you make the amazing life-changing trip, where you can request information via this link for booking your own charter.
