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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a crewed yacht charter?A crewed charter is a yachting vacation where a permanent crew will be taking care of you throughout the week as opposed to you sailing the yacht yourself. The crew will ensure that you have an excellent holiday, planning a custom itinerary and menu for the food and drinks on board to your preferences. Depending on the size of the boat you choose, it may just be a Captain and a Chef, however as you move up the scale, your yacht may also have a stewardess, deckhand and engineer on board!
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Do I need sailing experience for a crewed yacht charter?No sailing experience is required for Above Deck crewed yacht charters. Your yacht comes with a professional crew including a fully licensed captain and chef who handle all sailing, navigation, anchoring, and meal preparation. The captain takes full responsibility for the yacht's operation and your safety while you relax and enjoy the experience. Many of our clients are first-time charterers seeking luxury sailing without operational responsibility.
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Where can I sail?You can book a yacht charter in sailing charters all across the globe! Our most popular destinations are in the Caribbean and in the Mediterranean. Take a look at our Destinations page to learn more about where you can take your next sailing adventure! Our most popular destinations include: Caribbean Destinations: - British Virgin Islands - US Virgin Islands - Bahamas - St. Martin and St. Barths - The Grenadines Mediterranean Destinations: - Greece - Croatia - Italy Want to explore somewhere not listed? Get in touch and we can use our industry network and expertise to make it happen!
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How do I get to my destination?All our destinations have connections from all major transport hubs. Please use Skyscanner or Google Flights to find the best deals to your destination. Get in touch with us if you'd like assistance finding the best route to your yacht. Depending on your passport you may need a Visa to travel to certain destinations so please check.
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What will my chef do during my charter?Your Chef / First Mate on the yacht cooks all of the meals on board for you and your group. If you have booked a full-board charter, they will cook 3 meals a day during the week. They will also keep all common areas, including bathrooms, clean and tidy throughout the week. They will also provision the boat at the beginning of the week according to your preference sheet. Trust us, there is nothing like having an epic breakfast to wake up to every morning!
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Can I customize my itinerary?Customized itineraries are one of Above Deck's specialties, with your captain and crew creating the perfect route based on your interests, activity level, group preferences, and weather conditions. Sample customizations include snorkeling spots tailored to experience levels, and quiet anchorages for families versus social bays for groups. Your captain has extensive local knowledge and will suggest hidden gems while avoiding crowds. The itinerary remains flexible throughout your charter, with final routing decisions resting with the captain for safety considerations.
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How much luggage can I bring?We recommend using soft, collapsible luggage only because hard suitcases are difficult to store on yachts. Usually a medium size bag will suffice. Essential items include swimsuits, shorts, lightweight shirts, light sweater for evenings, comfortable sandals, sun hat, and sunglasses. Sunscreen is typically provided on board. Remember you'll be in swimwear most of the day with casual dress codes even for shore dinners.
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What safety equipment does the yacht have?All our charter yachts have the necessary safety equipment to meet all the legal and safety compliant requirements for Lifejackets, First Aid, Radios & Comms, GPS navigation, Dinghy, Life raft, Fire detection and Firefighting, and other safety equipment.
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Is there Wifi on board?Most of our boats are equipped with excellent Wifi and work almost everywhere you go. The signal strength is usually strong enough for checking emails, phone and video calling, and surfing the internet. There is also 4G phone signal in most destinations.
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Will my electronics work?Yes, all yachts have power on board for you to use to charge your devices. Yachts will have USB plugs on board and wall sockets. The type of socket will depend on your destination. Yachts in Europe typically have 220V outlets while yachts in the Caribbean typically have US 110V outlets. Most yachts have the possibility to connect your device to the sound system via bluetooth or Aux cable.
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What if I’m not a strong swimmer?If you are not a strong swimmer, that is okay! Please inform your Captain and crew if you are uncomfortable in the water. Our boats are equipped with lots of floating toys such a noodles so you can enjoy the water with everyone else. You may even be able to float in a lifejacket if you require!
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What if I get seasick?Seasickness is rarely an issue on Above Deck charters because we specialize in catamarans, which provide exceptional stability, and our destinations, like the British Virgin Islands and Saronic Gulf in Greece, feature very protected waters. If you do suffer from motion sickness, we suggest bringing some medication and we are happy to suggest remedies. Some of our past guests have gotten over their fear of seasickness forever while on their charter!
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Are small children allowed onboard?Children are welcome on most charters. We provide family-friendly yachts and crews experienced in hosting younger guests. Please inform us of the children’s ages in advance so we can prepare suitable safety equipment, activities, and meal options.
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What water activities are included?Water sports equipment like snorkeling gear, Stand up Paddle boards, floating mats & floaties, fishing gear are always included in our charters. Some yachts also have additional water toys including kayaks, Sea scooters & SeaBobs, E-Foil boards, towable tubes, wakeboards, water skis. If you are interested in SCUBA diving during your charter, some yachts have a crew member is who is a certified Divemaster or Dive Instructor and you can dive directly from the yacht. Others partner with a local diver operator. If you aren't dive certified, you can try diving with a trained instructor. If you are SCUBA certified, you can go on a guided dive with a Divemaster.
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