First timers guide to booking The Yacht Week

We’re well aware that not everyone is born a refined Yacht Weeker. We’ve all gotta start somewhere, right? We’re going to break the booking process down, helping you transition from complete novice in these waters to tide-riding pro.

1. Choose your destination

The first step is always the hardest. But only because our 6 destinations are each as fabulous as the next. Our events are staged in 6 different locations, each hand picked for their smooth sailing, stunning scenery and cultural diversity. The world is your oyster. ?

 

2. Select dates

The next step is selecting dates. In this instance, the world does revolve around you. Like sunflowers, we follow the sun and we like to keep the party going all year round. All our events are seven days long and typically start and end on a Saturday. Every day you’ll be sailing to somewhere new. ⛵️

 

3. To yacht or to cabin?

Think of living on a yacht for a week as a floating glamping trip with friends and you may get a better idea of the experience. The ball is entirely in your court when it comes to deciding between a yacht or a cabin. There’s the option to book a yacht for up to 11 guests, or a cabin for 2. Take note: when inviting friends, remember the minimum age for the event is 20 years old. ?

If a yacht is for you, you’ve got numbers between 3 and 12 to work with. Our yachts have 3-5 cabins depending on the size. All are equipped with a fully fitted kitchen including a fridge (stocked by you to your heart’s content) and oven; double and single cabins, bathrooms with showers and a comfortable sized saloon (living room) which can double up as a cabin. All yachts come with a skipper to drive the yacht.

If a cabin is for you, then it’s simply you and a friend. In which case, you’ll be joining a yacht of other cabin bookers. All our cabins accommodate  2 people, in the form of a double or bunk bed. Cabin bookings include the price of a skipper, hostess etc.

   

3a. Browsing yachts

We have four different classifications of yachts to suit all crew and wallet sizes. Although, availability of yachts will depend on your preferred gender ratio, crew size and yacht capacity in destinations.

Economy: Represent good value for money. Highly practical sailing yachts. Slightly older than standard yachts and have less equipment but fitted with all the essentials.

Standard: Balance of luxury and affordability. Slightly newer than economy yachts with better quality equipment. More internal space than economy yachts.

Premium: Modern and spacious. Premium yachts have more internal and external space, perfect for tanning on the deck. Fitted with large bathrooms and powerful showers. Some come with AC and upgraded sound systems.

Premium Plus: First-class luxury sailing yachts. An upgrade from premium, with more spacious cabins and bathrooms. State of the art equipment and most are fitted with AC. Very limited availability and usually get snatched up first.

If you have a good sense of where you want to go and when, it’s better to book straight away and then invite your crew. The sooner the booking, the more likely you are to secure the yacht and the week of your dreams. ✨

   

4. Gather your crew

If you’ve got your A-team psyched up and sold, then you’re pretty much good to go. If, however, you’re struggling to gather a squad then fear not sailor, you shall have your adventure on the open-waters. Thanks to our handy crew finder and Facebook group you can browse through yachts that are already booked, but with crews that are looking for more people to join them. Smooth sailing.

We aim for an overall equal gender balance across all weeks because variety is the spice of life. Don’t fear, this doesn’t mean you need 50/50 on your yacht. We’ll keep track of how many guys and girls have already booked, and any ratio requirements will be made clear on booking.✌️

 

5. Make a plan

If you’re struggling to coordinate your destination, week and yacht with friends, you can use our planner feature to create your ideal trip and then invite your crew to join you. It’s a great way to synchronise everyone’s dates and see price estimators. Organisation is key. ?

 

6. Paying with ease

Wondering whether you can book now and pay later? Well, yes. Yes, you can. You can guarantee the week of your life without splashing all the cash at once. You can pay for your yacht or your cabin over 3 instalments, with just 10% on booking.

The yacht or cabin is booked by one person online and one person only. If you’re the lead booker, you can invite friends to the crew list where each person can create their own profile and pay their share of the payment. Handy, huh? Please note that the lead booker is responsible for making sure payments are made on time. If only it were acceptable to have such things on your resume.

What's the dealio? This is what’s included. ?

 

7. Know the score

By this point, your excitement is reaching next level. You’ll get the complete runthrough of your finalised route just three weeks before the anchor is raised!

 

8. Set sail

Embrace life at sea and remember, some sailors are born great, some sailors achieve greatness, and some sailors have greatness thrust upon ‘em.

There you have it. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy. Your turn ?