SuperYachtsMonaco Yacht Etiquette Tips
Have ever wandered what the right etiquette was on a superyacht? SuperYachtsMonaco’s broker, Chris Craven shares a set of tips. SuperYachtsMonaco is a successful Monaco headquartered with a global reach. Founded in 2008 with the goal of offering clear, tailored,sales, purchase and charter services for clients, the established team has expertise from the yachting industry. If you are yachting enthusiast or are looking to board a superyacht soon, Craven of SuperYachtsMonaco shares must-know etiquette tips.
Here are a few of our favourites…
With reference to the rules around smoking or vaping on a yacht?
“In principle smoking and vaping is never allowed in the interior of the yacht and guests are generally requested to smoke outside on the decks. If you do smoke, then ensure the doors are closed to the interior.”
On the no shoe rule applies, and heels being an absolute no go?
“Almost all yachts have a NO SHOES policy. During events where carpets and protection are laid to protect the teak and interior carpets, shoes are sometimes approved, but heels and teak are not the best of friends, so guests are strongly guided away from such footwear.”
About whether a pet can come on board with you?
“Yes, but you should always check the owner’s policy on pets. There are plenty of owners that bring their own dogs onboard but for charters, the usual process is to ask for permission. You must detail the breed and weight of your dog for example, and more often than not, be prepared to pay a refundable security deposit of anything from 20,000-50,000 euros.
“Crew are not expected to walk dogs, but they are often keen to get off the yacht for a stroll, so they might very well offer, but in most cases the owner of the dog takes them ashore.”
Should one be prepared to tip big?
“Tips and their size is a complicated topic, as it varies so much based on personal preference. The general rule within the yachting community is to provide a tip of 10% of the charter fee (not the total cost including VAT and APA) to the crew. The tip can come from the excess APA left at the end of the charter or is often sent directly to the yacht crew by wire transfer the week following the charter if the client wishes to leave more than what remains in the APA. Cash is seen far less now and so these two methods are the general norm.”
On how serious should guests take safety protocols?
“Surrounded by stunning interiors or seated on the aft deck of the yacht, at a calm anchorage with a glass of champagne in your hand, one can easily underestimate the importance of the safety brief on ‘Hour One’ of the charter at embarkation. However, when things go wrong at sea, they generally go wrong very quickly and with very serious consequences, normally at night for some reason! Whilst the general feel onboard a yacht is that the crew are there to look after you, and they certainly always make you feel special, they are principally there for your safety. The safety training provided and the strict guidelines followed by the flag state under which you are sailing, mean that you have exceptionally competent and well-trained crew there to guide you to safety, and to respect this is paramount of any yacht charterer. Despite how young and inexperienced they might appear to be in some cases, they know their way around the yacht in all circumstances and you must take what they say when it comes to safety seriously.
“Guests love to jump off yachts from different levels, or hop in for a swim off the back of the yacht. Letting a crew member know about your activity is vital, so they will radio the whole crew to let them know that guests are in the water.
“Guests often think that as the yacht comes with toys, you can use them all, but be aware that licences are required for jet skis and some other toys, so ask well in advance. Training can either be arranged onboard by the crew, or through a short course pre-charter to allow you full access to everything onboard ( apart from the tenders).”
We think these tips were excellent. It is good to know the right etiquette for every occasion and it is no different for the luxury of yachting. Discover SuperYachtMonaco where you can buy or charter a yacht.