Choosing a Charter Company

Once you have decided which part of the world you would like to charter in you can use our guide to list all the charter companies that provide the type of charter you would like in that area. In many instances you will have hundreds of companies to choose from. So how do you decide which company is best for you?

Probably the best way is to get references from people who have chartered with that company before. They will be able to tell you what they liked about a company, and more importantly, what they did not like.

Charter companies vary from huge companies with many bases and huge fleets at every base to one man companies operating one boat. There are benefits of chartering from a larger company and benefits of chartering with a smaller, more personal, company. The main benefit of chartering from a larger company is that they usually have newer boats and are more able to come and fix any equipment failures you may have. Smaller companies can often offer more flexible dates and cheaper prices.

As far as equipment is concerned all charter companies offer different items as standard so it is a good idea to check what is supplied. Do you get an outboard motor for the dingy? Snorkel equipment? CD player? Similarly it is a good idea to check what their policy is about the “3 liquids” as we call them, ice, fresh water and fuel (and yes ice is technically a solid but it does not remain that way for long!).

Other things to bear in mind when choosing your company are whether you can have a first night ”sleep aboard”, what their payment and cancellation policies are and also if you think they will still be in business when you come to take your holiday.