The preference sheet: how to tell your crew what you love

A few weeks before every crewed charter, guests fill in a preference sheet. It looks like a simple questionnaire, but it’s the most important document of the whole holiday. Your chef will plan menus and buy provisions from it; your captain will plan the itinerary around it; the crew will use it to understand who you are before you step aboard.

Islands like the BVI have limited shops, and many ingredients have to be ordered days in advance. What you write on the sheet is what’s on board. Here’s how to make the most of it.

When you’ll get it

We send the preference sheet once your charter is confirmed, and ask for it back about four to six weeks before you sail. For Christmas, New Year and Easter, or if anyone has serious allergies, the earlier the better.

Food

This is the heart of it. Chefs love detail.

• What you love. Favourite dishes, cuisines, restaurants at home. “We love Thai food and Sunday roasts” tells a chef far more than “anything”.
• What you don’t. Dislikes are as useful as likes. Coriander, mushrooms, very spicy food: say so.
• Breakfasts. Do you want a cooked breakfast every day, or fruit and coffee? Early or late?
• Lunches. Light and fresh, or a proper meal? Many guests prefer salads and fish at lunchtime and save themselves for dinner.
• Dinners. Three courses every night, or some simpler evenings? Formal or relaxed?
• Nights ashore. Tell us if you’d like to eat ashore once or twice; your captain will suggest the best places.
• Snacks. Children (and adults) often appreciate a well-stocked fruit bowl and crisps.

Allergies and dietary needs

Please be specific. A chef needs to know the difference between a dislike, an intolerance and a serious allergy.

• Serious allergies: tell us what, how severe, and whether anyone carries an adrenaline pen. Chefs can keep a galley safe, but they need to know in advance.
• Diets: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, halal, low-carb: all are possible with notice.
• Medical needs: anything the crew should know to look after you safely.

We use this information only to plan your charter and share it only with the crew who need it. Our privacy policy explains how.

Drinks

Charter yachts stock the bar from your list.

• Wine: red, white, rosé or champagne? Any favourites? Grape varieties or regions are more useful than labels, which may not be available on the islands.
• Beer and spirits: brands you like.
• Cocktails: your crew will make a painkiller or rum punch without being asked, but tell them your favourites.
• Soft drinks and water: sparkling or still, juices, any particular teas or coffees.

On all-inclusive yachts, a standard bar is included. Premium wines and spirits may be extra; we’ll explain what’s included for your yacht.

The kind of week you’d like

The second half of the sheet is about everything else.

• Pace. Do you want to see as much as possible, or stay put in a few lovely places?
• Sailing. Would you like to learn, or leave it entirely to the crew?
• Activities. Snorkelling, diving, watersports, hiking, beach bars, shopping.
• Quiet or lively. Busy anchorages with beach bars, or empty bays?
• Swimming ability of everyone aboard, especially children.

Celebrations

Birthdays, anniversaries, honeymoons, proposals: tell the crew. They love being part of it, and a little notice means a cake, a special dinner or a beach set-up can be arranged. Our guide to celebrating on board has ideas.

Small things that make a big difference

• How you take your coffee.
• Whether anyone gets seasick.
• Favourite music for the sound system.
• Whether you’d like the crew to wake you early for the best anchorages.
• Children’s bedtimes and what they’ll actually eat.

A tip from our crews

The best preference sheets read like a conversation, not a form. Write as if you were telling a friend about your family. It helps the crew picture who’s coming and what will make them happy.

Ready to start?

The preference sheet comes once your charter is confirmed. If you’re still at the planning stage, tell us about your party and we’ll help you find the yacht first. And if food matters to you as much as it does to us, read about eating and drinking in the Virgin Islands.