A vacation to the Caribbean islands in a yacht charter is one of the most enchanting experiences one can have. This once-in-a-life-time experience for the exotic vacations can be made more entertaining with appropriate planning and execution.

Yacht charter in Caribbean islands is a thriving business. One can hire a yacht for a fee based on the size of the vessel hired for the travel as well as the period for which it is hired. The fee charged for yacht charter also includes the salary for the permanent crew members. In addition to the salary for the crew, the fee includes provisioning allowance that includes food and beverages, docking expenses at the various harbors, fuel expense and consumables. Usually a specified sum is collected in advance by the yacht charters and any unspent money from the advance is returned back at the conclusion of the trip.

As part of the planning process for the trip to the Caribbean yacht charter, one needs to find to a reliable broker who can guide us through the process and help in optimum utilization of the money at our disposal for spending on the vacation. One thing that needs to be borne in mind is cost should not compromise for the quality of the yacht charter and the appropriate one needs to be chosen to make the trip an enchanting one on all counts. A broker can help us achieve this goal. Among the various things that need to be considered serious thought is the type of yacht charter one needs to hire and the type of facilities one can have in each of the yacht charters that are being offered for the people on yacht charter.

There are a number of yacht charters on offer including the bareboat charter, crewed yacht charter, luxury yacht charter and corporate yacht charter. Even among the bareboat and crewed yacht charters, there are sub-types such as monohull, catamaran and motoryacht.

The exact type of charter one needs for the travel trip needs to be decided and booked in advance. A number of things need to be taken care of while deciding on the type of charter to hire on. A thorough investigation of the types on offer along with its salient features, cost impact and such other things needs to be assessed and finalized such that the exotic travel plan can be much more enchanting.

Monohull yacht charters come with a minimum size of 35 feet and a maximum size of more than 45 feet. Depending upon the number of members in the party, the number of state rooms, and the showers in the boat, appropriate monohull yacht charter can be selected from among the hundreds of models on offer.

Two tier and three-tier yacht charters can also be selected depending upon the size of the team planning a holiday vacation. The yacht charter typically has adequate space to move about, apart from provision for dining and rest rooms. The catamarans are one of the types of yacht charters that can offer more fun to the team. Most of the yacht charters have a speed of around 10 nautical miles that offers great fun for sailing.

The Cruising World magazine has recently rated the Gulf Coast of Florida the top yacht chartering destination in the whole of the US and for good reason. The immensely popular Fort Myers is a wonderful place to start your yacht charter in Florida. As relaxing as it is beautiful, Fort Myers offers the convenience of several top-notch marinas and is home to the City Yacht basin. This easy accessibility to Florida yacht charters marks Fort Meyers as a popular starting point. While there, be sure to take in the astonishing riverfront homes and peek at the estates of two of America’s shining stars – Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.

A yacht charter in Florida simply wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Naples. Touted as a hub for the wealthy, Naples has more than its fair share of five-star restaurants and other upscale amenities. Indeed, Naples is the place to be if you’re intent on treating yourself like a star. Luxurious day spas combined with the beautiful scenery and delectable dining may make Naples you’re favorite stop on your Florida yacht charter.

Another great stop you could chose to make while on your yacht charter in Florida would be St. Petersburg. This bustling city is a tourist’s dream come true, with a dazzling array of shopping areas and resorts, plus world class golf courses. While sailing in and around St. Petersburg, be sure to take note of the exotic wildlife. Bald eagles, manatees and osprey are just a few of the species that inhabit the region.

Indeed, the ease of chartering a yacht in Florida makes it perhaps the best choice for people who’ve never before experienced the joys of yachting. If you do chose to treat yourself to a yacht charter in Florida, you can rest assured that the relaxation and dreamlike memories you’ll gain will be with you for years to come.

When considering power yachts and sailing yachts you must realize that there are so many different models and designs of charter yachts. Consequently there will be so many different layouts of the cabins and living quarters on yachts along with the feel and ambiance that different designs generate. It is not possible to cover every option here so it will be better to state the basics that every yacht will have and to familiarize you with the terms that you need to know when booking your vacation to make sure you explain what you want.

What ever the yacht the following terms are the same. The largest and nicest cabin on board is the master cabin, and in most cases has an attached en suite bathroom and will have the largest bed and fittings such as closets and drawers. On larger yachts that might well be a VIP cabin which would be the next nicest cabin. The next level of cabins would be the guest cabins, with double or twin beds. The twin beds might in fact be bunk beds so you must clarify this point when booking to save any disappointments later on. Bunk beds are ideal for kids but may not appeal to adults.

The beds will typically be arranged ‘fore and aft’ in the yacht. It might mean that you will roll around in your bed as the yacht moves in the sea but this is the best arrangement. If the sailing yacht is heeled over under sail then you will gravitate to one side of the bed. This is not uncomfortable, just different to what you are used to. The alternative arrangement is athwart ships which is not so comfortable because as the ship rolls your head is one moment above the level of your feet and the next moment below them. Please keep this in mind when looking at the bed arrangement on any yacht you are thinking of chartering.

Smaller yachts mean smaller cabins and smaller cabins mean smaller beds. The size of yacht that you will charter as a bareboat charter will be at the smaller end of the market and so will have less space and features than a larger crewed charter yacht. The master cabin on a bareboat yacht will often have a three quarter size double bed with two or three sides open to access. The bed could be of a step up island design where it is raised a step up from the cabin floor. This is due to the design of the yacht as the space under the bed is used for other functions of the yacht. The island bed looks grand but can be difficult for taller people who may need to bend more to avoid touching the ceiling when stepping up to get into bed.

The master cabin should have a full length closet, but possibly a half closet and adequate drawers for your clothes and possessions. In the guest cabins with bunk beds be aware the height above each bed may be restricted and more suitable for children than tall adults. The bunks will be quite narrow but you will soon get used to them and in fact they will be quite comfortable if the yacht is rolling as it is easy to brace yourself. In some twin cabins such as the ‘vee’ cabin in the bow of the yacht the length of the bed might be restricted and a tall person will be unable to stretch out completely. This might also be the case with the bunk beds. This will not be a problem with the master bed as the bottom of the bed will be open.

The closet and draws in guest cabins will be limited in size so do not pack too many possessions. However there will be enough space if the space is managed sensibly. Some yachts have the facility to convert the dining table and couches into a bunk but it is not a good idea to hire a charter yacht with a view to this bed being used by members of the party. This is inconvenient and can cause tension with late risers or untidy guests. It might seem a good idea in the first instance to save money on your sailing vacation but you really should have a fixed bed for every guest.

The real benefits of a yacht charter are the freedom to go where you want, within the cruising area of the yacht, and do what you want and when you want. There are no ‘Ship Sails At’ boards to read before you leave your yacht as on a cruise ship because you, the charterer, will be making the decisions. You will be living in a private world that yacht charter can offer you, even in some crowded areas. Imagine having a Caribbean Yacht Charter all to yourself and watching the thousands of people pouring down the gangway, ‘Ship Sails At 1800′, from a newly arrived cruise ship.

It is fair to say that the world is yours when talking yacht charter. If you are wealthy enough then you can charter a yacht that can travel far and wide while you are aboard. Otherwise you can travel within the area of operation during your two week or so charter period. However charter yachts operate all over the world so once you have been bitten then maybe you will want to fly abroad and join your yacht in Tahiti or Thailand or some other exotic location. The yacht charter industry is growing all the time and new yachts and locations are being added to meet increasing demand.

Unlike cruise ships, yachts are more variable with a lot more choice. There are big players with world wide fleets of yachts but equally there are small operators or even an owner with one yacht who will offer you no less an experience than the big players. So how do you find these yachts and why isn’t your local travel agent offering them. You will need the services of a specialist, a charter broker, to find you the right boat at the right price without any effort on your part or you can spend your time surfing the net to visit all the online sites. The charter broker really is very knowledgeable about this industry and will help you to ensure that you have a perfect vacation. As you read through the pages on this site you will find many links and recommendations to help and guide you to make the right choice for your charter yacht and vacation location.

There are several types of yacht charter. You can choose to cruise aboard a bareboat yacht with your family and friends if you have the required knowledge. Otherwise you can employ a skipper who will instruct you as you go. If you so wish you can also have a chef to make life that little easier. With a larger budget you can charter a fully crewed yacht to pamper and serve you. Want to be the skipper and have some experience but would feel more confident with other people nearby then a flotilla charter is the way to go.