Advice
Practical, unhurried notes on chartering well: choosing a yacht, life aboard and the islands.
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Celebrating on board: birthdays, anniversaries and proposals at sea
Milestone birthdays, honeymoons, anniversaries and proposals: how a crewed yacht charter makes an occasion unforgettable, and how to plan the surprises.
Seven quiet anchorages in the Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands can be busy in the high season. Seven less-crowded anchorages in the BVI and on St John, and how to get the best from them.
Painkillers, lobster and fungi: eating and drinking in the Virgin Islands
From the painkiller and Anegada lobster to fungi and fish, johnnycakes and rum from a centuries-old distillery: what to eat and drink on a Virgin Islands charter.
Chartering with children: a parent's guide
Is a yacht charter right for your family? Ages, safety, life jackets, keeping children busy, and why the crew you choose matters most.
When to charter in the Virgin Islands: a month-by-month guide
Weather, wind, crowds and prices through the year in the British and US Virgin Islands, and how far ahead to book for Christmas, Easter and half term.
Crewed or bareboat? Choosing the right charter
What you get with a crewed yacht, what you need for a bareboat, how the costs compare, and the questions that decide which suits your party.
Cruise ship or yacht charter? An honest comparison
Cost per person, privacy, food, itineraries and the islands you'll actually see: how a private yacht charter compares with a Caribbean cruise.
The preference sheet: how to tell your crew what you love
The form that shapes your whole charter: food, drink, allergies, activities and celebrations. What to put on it, and the details that make a crew's week.
Catamaran, monohull or motor yacht? Choosing your charter yacht
Space, stability, speed and the feeling of sailing: an honest comparison of sailing catamarans, monohulls, motor yachts and power catamarans for a Caribbean charter.
Snorkelling and diving in the Virgin Islands from a yacht
The RMS Rhone, The Indians, The Caves, turtles at Maho Bay and the Trunk Bay trail: the best underwater sites in the BVI and USVI, and how to dive on a charter.
Your first crewed charter, day by day
From the moment you step aboard to the last morning: what a week on a crewed yacht in the Caribbean is really like, and how to get the most from it.
Tipping your yacht crew: what's customary and why
Crew gratuities explained: the usual percentage in the Caribbean, how it's shared, when and how to give it, and what to do if something wasn't right.
Holds, contracts and deposits: how booking a charter works
What a hold is, who your charter contract is with, when you pay, what an advance on expenses covers and how cancellation works: booking a charter, explained.
What to pack for a Caribbean yacht charter
Soft bags, reef-safe sunscreen and less than you think: a practical packing list for a week on a yacht in the Caribbean, from clothes to documents.