Chartering a crewed Catamaran in Tortola, British Virgin Islands

Screen-Shot-2012-11-08-at-09.02.19Chartering in the BVI, in particular Tortola is arguably one of the best things to do on the planet, being one of the worlds most important sailing destinations. Nearly the entire economy of the Island is dedicated to the yachting industry. Despite being home to around 80% of the 27,800 residents of the British Virgin Islands, her white-sandy beaches remain quiet and understated, perfect for vacations with friends and family.

Road Town is the major centre for almost all commercial and administrative industries in the BVI and home to the Island’s only major international airport. This is where most of the boats are moored and is almost always the starting point for charters. The city offers the one of the largest collections of authentic Caribbean restaurants and bars, and a fantastic variety of entertainment in the evenings. Located to the southwest of Road Town is Mount Sage – a volcanic peak and the highest point in the BVI – which offers unrivaled panoramic views of the surrounding islands.

The north coast of the island is where you will find the best beaches, perfect for sailing, surfing, scuba diving and snorkeling. The turquoise waters of Smugglers Cove, on the western tip of the island, are particularly popular with snorkelers but never feel overly crowded.

However, Cane Garden Bay is arguably the most popular beach on the Island. Here you will find one of the Island’s most famous bars and restaurants. “Quito’s Gazebo”, owned by local recording artist Quito Rymer, not only serves great traditional Caribbean food but is also well known for its fantastic entertainment. Holidaymakers can listen to Quito’s acoustic set on Tuesday and Thursday nights, or to his band, “The Edge”, on Friday and Saturday’s.

The Lagoon 67, MARMOT is one of our favourite crewed catamaran charters available in the BVI. She provides accommodation for up to eight guests in four spacious cabins, as well as offering all of the latest technology that you could wish for whilst sailing around the BVI. She comes with diving and snorkeling equipment, as well as wakeboards, water ski’s and fishing rods to keep the whole family happy and entertained. She has been recently refitted and is looking better than ever, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to charter this luxury crewed cat with a fantastic crew.

Boatbookings.com has many other crewed and bareboat charter yachts available in the BVI. For more information on MARMOT or any other luxury yacht charters please follow the links provided or send an email to [email protected].

Get the Most from a Crewed Charter

We’ve compiled a few key things to remember when going on a crewed charter, for those who are thinking of charter, or those who have booked a charter for the first time and are wondering what exactly to expect. A full list of things to consider can be found here.

• Before going on a charter, it is always good to be clear with your broker exactly what you want to get out of your experience. Is it for a particular family event, or a business contract? The more you help the broker, the more fantastic they can arrange your charter to be, making sure you relax the most you can while on board. For the benefit of the crew, let your broker know of any medical issues, and of any expectations from your charter, including your hobbies, so that the broker can help the crew to prepare for your charter.

• The Captain should be your best friend. Remember, they is at the helm of the yacht, so it’s important to respect them and their crew. At the same time, the more friendly you are to the crew on board, the more willing to make your charter even more memorable they will be.

• It’s important to be flexible (to some extent) on your itinerary. If the captain doesn’t want to sail to a particular place because it will be difficult for any reason, keep an open mind. Remember that the crew on these yachts sail for a living, and they know exactly when and where to go, making sure that you have the charter of a lifetime.

• While enjoying yourself, safety is a concern. Always remember you’re on a yacht, and don’t go over board enjoying yourself (excuse the pun). There are lots of rules that guests have to deal with. Please don’t try and get the crew to bend them, they are there for a reason!

• Help your broker as much as possible. Mentioned above, it’s important to help your broker with any expectations you have, or anything in particular you want to get out of your charter. If you establish a trusting relationship with the broker, share your needs, and ask for their advice, you will find that the process is enjoyable and you may learn about new yachts or destinations that you hadn’t heard about.

For help organising a charter, please go to www.boatbookings.com or email us at [email protected].

Boatbookings reaches 1 million visits in 2012

We are proud to announce that charterers and yachting enthusiasts have visited Boatbookings.com over 1 million times this year, a new record for us.  People come to Boatbookings to charter yachts of course, and also for our itineraries, charter advice, destination guides, technology suggestions, and our famous route planner that allows you to plan the distance, fuel consumption and course of virtually any itinerary.

While 1 million visits is an important milestone for us, we know it is just the beginning – we have plenty of new content, yachts, features and site functionality coming in the next few months. Stay tuned to this blog for all the news.

And, of course, thanks for visiting!!