Types of Boat Charters

Types of Boat Charter: Best For You in St. Thomas

Are you an outdoorsy person and are contemplating your next activity? Consider taking out a boat charter to explore the waters! You can easily spend your vacation fishing or traveling to various coastal or island destinations. Chartering a boat is also an ideal opportunity to develop and sharpen your boating skills. Besides, you could even settle on the perfect boat when you decide to purchase one.

Whether you have excellent boating skills to face the waves on your own or need the help of a professional crew, boat charters can be ideal. Different types of boat charters exist depending on the experience you seek, the specific activity, and your budget.

Bareboat Charters

A bareboat charter is the most common type of sailing charter. It involves reserving a boat from a charter company, whereby you provision, navigate, berth, and command it on your own — hence the name bareboat. You must have a level of sailing experience to reserve a bareboat charter for safety since you'll be at sea alone. Bareboat charter service often gives you various boat options to choose from:

• Sailing monohulls
• Catamarans
• Motor yachts
• Pontoon boats
• Bowriders

When taking a bareboat charter, the service company may help you select a vessel and even offer full or partial provisioning. You could also get a briefing on local must-visit attractions. The professionals' knowledge of hazards can come in handy, and you might also benefit from a tutorial on boat equipment.

Why choose a bareboat charter? You'll get to pick your vacation location and decide on the places to go and the amount of time to spend there. However, remember that you must know how to sail and have local knowledge to handle safety issues.

Crewed Charter

The crewed boat charter is the perfect option for you if you'd like to leave the driving and other boat details to someone else or want a professional crew by your side. This charter often includes provisioning, which is part of the charter cost. It may comprise a boat captain and chef.

With a captain on board, you can expect to visit the most popular parts of the sailing ground. Besides knowing how to sail, they can guide you on things to see and places to eat. Getting a crewed charter also lets you vacation without worry, as the captain will be responsible for any damages to the boat.

However, there's a bit of a downside to these charters. Your captain will always be on the boat as part of the vacation crew. You might also have to part with much more money with an expert captain.

Cabin Charter

If you love the crewed charter but find it expensive for your wallet, the cabin charter might be what you need. Here, you rent a cabin on a shared boat rather than charter the entire vessel. Like the crewed charter, cabin charters will likely have a professional captain who'll be your guide during your cruise. The captain can be a great addition to your boating trip, from offering basic boating knowledge to safety hacks.

Do you want to go on a boating expedition but have friends not willing to split the cost of the entire boat charter? Check out a cabin charter. You'll get to minimize the vacation cost and still get the most out of professional boat charter rides. Besides, you can relax without worrying about damaging the vessel.

This types of boat charter have a bit of a drawback, though. You'll be on a boat full of unfamiliar faces. The best could happen, and you make new friends, or the opposite happens, and you're stuck with people you don't like. You might also not get to visit your preferred destination as the captain may go for the majority's take.

Yacht Charter

Here comes a vessel that oozes luxury and class. You'll want to charter a yacht if you love the finer things in life. But don't mistake it for a 50-foot catamaran. Yachts typically range from small 60-feet vessels to large megayachts over 80 feet (24.38 meters.) You'll get to enjoy an all-inclusive deal with provisions such as food and alcohol.

Yacht charters usually include a crew. There'll be multiple people on board to ensure the trip runs smoothly, from a captain to a chef and even people assigned to attend to your specific needs! The good news is you'll get to know the entire cost of this types of boat charters plus expenses on board beforehand. The larger yachts generally cruise one location in one season before sailing to a different destination.

While it could be a bit expensive to rent a yacht charter, you'll have a memorable experience for sure. The weekly price may depend on factors like the boat size and amenities onboard and could shoot from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands if the yacht location changes.

Fishing Charter

Anyone who wants to fish can go for a fishing charter. But there's something to think about first. Do you want to charter a small, private boat or a party boat? A private vessel could include a maximum of six paying people, while the party boat accommodates up to 60 people.

A fishing charter often covers the cost of the entire vessel, fuel, and captain fees. Some may also include snacks and drinks for an extra charge. And if you're going on an overnight fishing trip, the boat will likely have bathrooms and beds. Once you've caught some fish, some charters will let you keep your catch if legal or even ice it for you.

Remember that fishing charter boats vary in size, equipment, and amenities. It's best to conduct due diligence and research various fishing charters to find the perfect one for your needs.

To Sum It Up

Going for a boat ride can be pretty exhilarating and fun. Place a boat ride on your next vacation, birthday, or surprise trip, and have a blast. And If you don't own a boat yet, chartering one can do the trick. When the time comes, look no further than Sonic Charters for an unmatched experience on your offshore quests.