Be the best guest on board

There are a number of rules to remember when chartering a yacht.

Consider the Yacht as a home away from home, and there are a number of rules to remember when boarding and chartering a yacht. Gulet yachts are not a place to go wild and destroy private property. In most cases, the yachts are owned by a private investor that offers the use of the yacht on certain occasions to help with maintaining it and generating income, sort of like an Airbnb for yachts. On some occasions, a yacht is owned by a company that specializes in charters.

Now consider another aspect, the yacht crew, these are hardworking individuals that come on board for a number of tests, these include piloting, maintenance, and engineering as well as customer relations, cooking and cleaning. The head of the crew is the Captain, and this is an official title that holds rank and meaning on the sea. A Captain is responsible for the safety of the people on board as well as the yacht. The Captain and crew are always employees of the yacht owner.

Polite

Always be polite to the crew, these people are not slaves, they are professionals that offer service and provide access to the private property of the yacht owner. Treat them with the same respect and courtesy you would expect to receive in return. Also, if you are unsure how to accept the crew's attention, since their work is to provide you with bespoke personalized service, just treat them as you would a friend, but remember they are there to pamper you and you can ask them for anything at any time.

Shoes

Never walk on deck with high heels or hard soled shoes. The deck can be scratched and then requires maintenance and in some extreme instances refinishing. Use deck shoes or go barefoot. IN fact, you have come on a charter holiday, so enjoy the barefoot comfort of a yacht.

Privacy

There are crew quarters that are out of bounds, and yes, the yacht is not yours, you are not even renting it, you are chartering it which means there are rules to follow. You should respect the privacy of the crew, and also respect the safety requirements. This means no wandering around in undesignated areas. These areas could end up in the engine room or private quarters which are out of bounds to passengers.

Smoking

Take note that most yachts prohibit smoking indoors. This means you can smoke on deck, but not in your stateroom or anywhere that is below deck.If you are not sure where you can smoke, ask your Stewardess. Also, for your comfort, if you or anyone in your party smokes, let this be known to the charter broker when picking a yacht.

Drugs

If there is one big no-no on charter yachts its drugs, if you or anyone on the party is found with even a mild drug, not only will they be confiscated but the Captain will take you in and report you to the local authorities. If you use or require medical Cannabis, discuss this with the charter broker beforehand and check the laws of the locations you are visiting.

Complaints

If you have grievances, the Captain is the person to talk to directly. The Captain is the law on the sea, and all issues must be directed to him/her. The Captain is also in charge of the crew and can hire and fire at will.