Crewed vs Bareboat

1. Luxury

Most crewed yachts are tastefully decorated and come equipped with a number of luxuries that are uncommon on bareboats, such 110v power, TV, air conditioning, a watermaker, an ice maker, electric toilets, etc. Although these amenities can be available on some of our bareboats. A spacious flybridge, awnings, bean bags, or beach chairs are typical features of crewed yachts, along with nicer interior design. Their luxurious bed linens and custom-made mattresses will also help you sleep better. They feel much more luxurious than bareboat yachts since they also feature nicer furniture, lovely plates, and silverware for instance.

2. Larger Yacht

When you charter a bareboat, the size of your yacht is limited to the experience of the captain of your group. With a crewed yacht, you can charter a yacht that’s larger than you’re comfortable handling. Actually you do not have to have any sailing experience at all. The crewed yachts are in general much larger than what is available in our bareboat fleet. You can charter the yacht of your dreams! Of course, the size of your crewed charter yacht depends on your budget, but you will enjoy the extra space and luxury you can find on the larger crewed yachts.

3. Itinerary

Yacht crews are trained to create flexible itineraries. They will include island hopping to the most amazing places and offer a variety of activities based on what you like to do. Another benefit of booking a crewed charter is the crew’s extensive knowledge of the area you’ll be visiting. They will offer you the opportunity to discover “secret” areas off the beaten bath. And you can learn about local customs and culture. The captain’s knowledge is pure gold, as the Virgin Islands are made up of more than fifty islands! You don’t have to miss out on any one thing – you can see it all, and your crew will help make that possible. All anchorages and bays that are restricted for the bareboats are available for the crewed yachts.

5. Being Pampered

The crew makes sure you have all you need as you unwind entirely on your charter. you and your friends can enjoy every meal without having to worry about cooking or cleaning up. The crew will arrange for provisioning prior to your charter and will keep the yacht clean throughout your vacation. If you need a drink, a towel, watersports, or anything else, just ask, and the crew will make it happen. You will have a fresh bed or towels, because your linens, beach towels, and bath towels will be changed halfway through your charter.

4. Food and Drinks

This is maybe the most important advantage of a crewed charter: The food! We often receive reviews from clients who were amazed the food could be so incredible on board. All Breakfasts, lunches, 3 course dinners, snacks and drinks are included in your charter.

But it does not stop there! The chefs on these yachts are culinary professionals and many have trained in the best culinary schools and could be working in the top restaurants around the world. But they have decided to live on the water instead and serve a select group of guests. The chefs are truly amazing. You can expect gourmet meals, beautifully presented, coming out of their galleys. Chefs prepare meals precisely according to your preferences and dietary needs. Are you gluten-free vegetarian or vegan? No problem. Just let your chef know and he or she will create the most incredible meals you’ve ever eaten along with handpicked wines and desserts. Some of the crewed yachts offer half-board charters, which is the same as all-inclusive, but you take a few meals ashore at your own expense.

All-inclusive also means all of your drinks – alcoholic or non-alcoholic – are included and unlimited. Premium wines, champagne, and liqueurs are not included but can be arranged for cost price. The captain will make you cocktails like Mojito, Painkiller, and Bushwhackers at sunset (or all night long!)

6. Water Sports

Crewed yachts offer a wide variety of equipment for water sports. Snorkel gear, stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, and floating islands for lounging. You can enjoy a variety of more fast-paced activities behind the yacht’s fast tender. For example, water skiing, wakeboarding, knee-boarding, and tubing are available on most yachts. The crewed yachts have a large dinghy with a powerful outboard to make pulling tubes, knee-board or water skis easy and fun. The larger dinghy is also very comfortable for exploring the islands or going from bar to bar.

7. Diving

The diving and snorkeling in the Virgin Islands are regarded as some of the most beautiful in the world. For instance, Vertical walls, underwater pinnacles, coral reefs, tunnels, and wrecks can all be found here. The most famous wreck is the RMS Rhone, which sank in 1867. The crewed yachts have sometimes a dive master or dive instructor on board. If they do not offer diving from their yacht, the crew can arrange Rendez-Vous diving for you. In that case, the divers are picked up from the yacht by a dive school to have a 1 or 2 tank dive.

8. Sailing

You can do as much or as little sailing as you want on a crewed yacht. The captain will let you steer, hoist, and trim the sails. He or she will answer any questions about tacking, jibing or anything else you want to know. If you want, you can learn how to trim the sails, look at the wind direction and speed, wind shifts, and currents to optimize the boat speed. No question is off-limits, but keep in mind that the lessons don’t come with certification. In addition, some of the crewed yachts have a spinnaker, giving a lot more fun sailing downwind!

9. Start & End St Thomas

You probably can find better flights to St. Thomas (airport code STT) from the US and some of the crewed yachts can start and end your charter there. No need to take the ferry over.

You can add the beautiful bays of St. John, like Trunk Bay, in your itinerary before entering the BVI for the rest of your charter.