norjus

We are looking for an affordable AI for a family of 4 in mid-April. Don't necessarily want over-commercialized but need a fun place for 16 and 18 yr olds to enjoy!

OR we are also considering a yacht charter...need suggestions of reputable and affordable charter companies. I'd do a catamaran but the kids are interested in motorized for waterskiing and wake boarding!
Any suggestions on both/either topic would be appreciated ASAP! MANY THANKS!

A_Traveller

For the largest yacht charterers in the Caribbean try www.moorings.com. You'll find their rates very competetive both for bareboat and crewed charters.

Also, if you do a google search for "yacht charters - Caribbean" you'll find tons of info. Finally check out www.traveltalkonline.com for a very active forum concerning chartering in the Caribbean.

Callaloo

I'd be surprised if you found a motor yacht to charter that would tow a waterskiier or wake-boarder; most of those boats are trawler types that don't go fast enough to do that. However, once your kids get going on a charter vacation -- be it a sailboat or motorboat -- they'll start enjoying the singular pleasures of a yacht vacation and forget all about waterskiing. There is nothing quite like living aboard and being able to go where you want to go whenever the fancy strikes.

Are you an experienced sailor/boater? If not, you're looking at a captained or crewed charter, which tends to be more expensive than a bareboat; this is particularly true of catamarans vs. monohulls. Check with a yacht charter broker (try Ed Hamilton or Sherry Yates) to get a sense of budget. Of course, a crewed charter is for all intents-and-purposes equivalent to all-inclusive, since the price includes almost all meals and drinks (and the cook to prepare them), activies, and permits, so it may be competitive with an all-inclusive.

If you are going bareboat, tell us where you'd like to go. There are many charter companies that are affordable. In the British Virgin Islands, top-of-the-line is considered to be the Moorings and Sunsail (now under common ownership), but there are many reputable second- and third-tier companies that offer reasonable prices.

By all means, visit www.traveltalkonline.com for many experienced voices.

norjus

Thanks, Callaloo! We have been corresposnding w/ Horizon Charters out of Tortolla...we really don't know what we're doing! I really don't feel comfortable w/ us sailing the yacht, although I want it to feel like it's kind of just our family. If we get a skipper will they cook or just do the sailing? If we go w/ MOORINGS charter we can get a Skipper and a Mate who will cook? Does having two additional people on board change the feel of the family vacation? The only reason we were Tortolla is because we have flights on hold but we really can go ANYWHERE and are very much open to affordable suggestions of AI on land or suggestions on whether to go catamaran vs. hull....we're neophytes with all of this!!

Callaloo

For starters, if you're considering a sailing vacation, there's no place better for beginners than the BVI. The sheer variety of natural and man-made attractions will ensure your older teens will not get bored.

Since you don't have much in the way of sailing experience, you can go one of two ways: a "captained" or "skippered" boat means you have someone running the boat. This means you're paying about $100 - $200 more per day than for a bareboat. It doesn't include provisions, and also means you might be getting a bigger boat than initially planned (to accomodate your skipper), as well as buying and cooking your own food (and feeding the captain). Some of these captains are great guys, most will be unobtrusive if you want them to be, and some will even teach you how to sail as you go along.

A "crewed" charter means you are getting a captain to run the boat and a professional chef to assist the captain and prepare all of your meals. This costs significantly more than a bareboat, but you're getting an all-inclusive packagae which covers gourmet meals made to your tastes. Again, the crew can be as involved in our trip as you want them to be, and will customize the trip to meet your goals. On every crewed boat I've ever sailed on, we've truly enjoyed the company of our crews and included them in our activities, but they certainly do not expect you to.

In both the captained and crewed settings, I would recommend using a yacht charter broker (at no cost to you) to match you with the best boat and crew for your needs and wishes, as well as meeting your budget.

Horizon, incidentally, is an excellent and reputable company, as is Moorings. I don't know whether Horizon offers fully-crewed boats (I am using them for a bareboat later this year), but do know (from personal experience) that Moorings offers captained and crewed boats, as well as bareboats.

Good luck planning your trip.