We often speak to people who are looking to book their next charter, but keen to have everything included in the price. Usually this stems from a previous experience of appearing to be stung by a series of hidden extras on their arrival at the base.
LateSail is regularly booking with a number of different companies worldwide whose extras can vary massively. One of the many advantages of using LateSail’s experience is that we are fully aware of the variations in charging structure, and ensure this information is correctly conveyed from the base, to you, the customer, ensuring there are no nasty surprises and everyone is on the same page. Sometimes the “extras” can be included in the upfront costs, but often they are compulsory and payable locally. Our aim is to be as transparent as possible with these cost, so you will find every quote from us lists what is included, compulsory extras, and optional add-ons, along with charter start and finish times, as these can vary significantly, which of course affects the duration of the charter and the value on offer.
Such an example below:
There is an obvious attraction to an inclusive price. The booking can be completed and paid in advance with no need to double check details against charges the base staff are asking you to pay. The problem can often be that the much better value overall is with a company who will only allow extras to be paid at base.
We work constantly to maintain our records of each company’s extras, double checking them when sending each quote, guaranteeing the extras we have provided at the time of booking, are the total of extras required at base. If, in the unlikely event you find that it does not match what you have to pay at base, we will match the difference straight away. No blame games, no excuses, just your money back for any unexpected costs.
So what extras should you expect? Whether they are included, payable up front, or locally, the prices may vary between companies, but we are interested in breaking down the charges so you can work out the best total price including the yacht and its extras.
End cleaning – A standard extra throughout the Med, the price of which can vary quite substantially. For Exotic or Caribbean destination this is often included however it does vary according to charter company.
Outboard – Typically included as standard from exotic and Caribbean destinations but generally charged as an extra for Mediterranean charters
Bed linen and towels – Often an optional extra charge for Western Med destinations such as Spain, France and Italy. Some companies will charge in the Eastern Med but typically it is included. Exotic and Caribbean destinations typically include linens free of charge. Worth noting we still advise taking your own beach towel, as those provided are usually more designed for on board use.
Local cruising taxes – Turkey and Croatia call it a transit log payable per charter, plus in Croatia there is an accommodation tax per person per day. BVIs and Cuba have cruising taxes based on the number of people on board. North American charters subject to a sales tax, which varies from State to State. Other destinations either do not have such a tax, or it is included within the cost of the yacht hire.
Fuel – Some companies will offer a pre-pay fuel option, or if you are sailing as part of a flotilla it is often included in the charter fee. In the most part though, the yacht will be handed to you full of fuel and you need to refill the tanks before returning, much like a car hire. There are many factors that can determine the cost – weather conditions, sailing vs motoring time, local cost of fuel, size of the yacht, with or without a Generator. If you are unsure of what costs to expect please just ask us for a little more detail on how to estimate an approximate cost for your planned charter.
Insurance – all the yachts available to charter have a fully comprehensive insurance, but you will be asked to leave a refundable security deposit by credit card. The amount is typically held as an authorisation but not taken from your account. At the end of the charter it is released if there are no claims or damages. This amount is usually your maximum liability in the case of any incident, excluding gross negligence.
Damage waivers – some companies offer a compulsory damage waiver option (in some cases it is compulsory) to negate or reduce the refundable security deposit required. If the charter company in question do not have they own waiver available, you can always arrange cover with a third party insurer who offer deposit insurance. Ask us for more details.
Optional extras – typically they would include a skipper, cook or hostess, safety netting for children, kayaks, paddleboards or provisioning service.
Marina and mooring fees – your first and last night will be included free of charge in the yachts home port (note if you are arranging a one way charter moorings at the destination base, away from home port, will often be at your expense). Sometimes the home port is also free during any of the charter, but not always – check with us if this is important. Away from base you need to pay any local costs for mooring buoys or marinas, which can vary massively depending on the area you are sailing, the time of season and the size of yacht.
Airport Transfers – Typically your charter cost excludes providing transport to the charter base, however it can usually be arranged at additional cost. However if you are booking a flight inclusive charter, then airport transfers are generally included.
In short, when booking with LateSail there may be extras but none will be ‘HIDDEN’
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