responsibilities, etiquette, conditions

No pressure, no hurry, and no racing to cover great distances.
The accent is on clear water, beautiful surroundings, lazy time and stress meltdown.

Skipper and hostess Responsibilities

Our skipper/hostess services begin with the boat check-in procedure (usually on Saturday afternoon) and conclude with the boat check-out in the marina (usually on Friday afternoon). The skipper will follow a personalized itinerary based on your preferences. However, certain circumstances beyond their control may require adjustments. The skipper has the authority to modify the itinerary when necessary, prioritizing safety and responding to adverse weather conditions. For instance, strong or dangerous winds may necessitate changing the planned marina, port, or berth.

If the group collectively requests a change to the itinerary, the decision to accommodate it will be at the skipper’s discretion, always considering safety and feasibility.

You have the flexibility to choose either a skipper-only service or a skipper and hostess service, depending on your preferences and needs.

Skipper

The skipper plays a vital role in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable sailing experience. His responsibilities include steering the boat, navigation, route planning, ensuring safety on board, maintaining exterior cleanliness, and handling minor repairs. While he will tailor the route to your preferences whenever possible, safety is his top priority, and he will not compromise on it.

The skipper is also a valuable source of knowledge and guidance. He can offer practical advice, recommend interesting places to visit, suggest activities, answer your questions, and even teach you the basics of sailing and boat handling if you’re interested.

As the master of the crew and the yacht, the skipper has extensive knowledge of local conditions and closely monitors weather forecasts. Based on this information, he determines the safest routes and anchorages. His decisions should always be respected, as he carries the primary responsibility for everyone’s safety on board.

Hostess

The hostess is an integral part of your sailing experience, ensuring both comfort and convenience. Her duties include general cleaning, light cooking, and provisioning throughout the trip in coordination with the skipper. With her local knowledge and experience, she knows where to find the best products and can offer valuable tips and recommendations for both on-land and on-water activities. She’s also great with kids, making her an excellent choice for families, and assists the skipper during specific maneuvers when needed.

The hostess prepares two light meals daily – breakfast and lunch every day and dinner twice a week. On the other evenings, guests typically dine in local restaurants, but alternative arrangements can be made if desired. Dinner preparation is not usually part of the hostess’s services but is a special feature on our cruises. You can expect fresh, well-prepared local dishes, such as pasta and salads, but don’t be surprised if the hostess occasionally treats you to a two-course lunch with dessert!

With the hostess on board, you can relax and enjoy a seamless sailing holiday, filled with delicious meals, personalized care, and insider insights into your destination.

Guests

We take care of everything so you can relax and enjoy your sailing experience. However, there are just a few responsibilities on your part:

Listen to the skipper: This is for your safety and enjoyment, especially during mooring, anchoring, and other maneuvers.
Treat everyone with respect: Politeness and fairness go a long way in creating a great atmosphere on board.
Follow the charter company’s guidelines: This includes proper use of the onboard facilities, such as toilets, showers, and the kitchen, to ensure everything runs smoothly.

And most importantly:
Don’t worry, be happy!

Boating Etiquette Basics

Being at the sea gives you a unique sense of freedom, a luxury to wake up in a different place every day, an opportunity to explore hidden bays and coves, and a whole different perspective of the land surrounding you. Some places are just completely different, when you are entering their port and admiring them from the sea. We can all agree that spending your holiday on a sailing yacht is a special and unique experience, different from any ohter type of the accommodation on land. Being on a yacht, is a completely different social environment than anywhere else and carries with it its own set of rules. Whether it is your first time on a sailing yacht or you are an expert, there are some unwritten rules you should respect when onboard, and they are mainly the same despite some differences between different types of vessels

BE PREPARED PATIENT AND POLITE

Start your holiday in the right way by understanding that patience and manners go a long way. Etiquette begins the moment you arrive at check-in. We advise our guests to be on time and prepared by having all the necessary documents ready to make the process as smooth as possible. Be aware that during peak season, check-in can be very busy at the counter and for marina technicians. Allow a couple of people to deal with check-in (together with the skipper), so others can get provisions (if there is no hostess) or relax with a drink. If you use a cart to get your gear to the boat, get it back as soon as possible so others can use it too.

Living aboard means that the boat cabin, toilet and kitchen are shared with other crew members. Therefore understanding and tolerance are expected in this boat adventure. From experience, we know that cabins are only used for sleeping. Most of the time, you will spend outdoors on the deck.

BAREFOOT RULE

You should always take your shoes off before boarding the boat or, if you must, wear soft sole boat shoes.

WATER, GALLEY and ELECTRICITY

Understand that water on the boat is precious so use it accordingly , especially the shower. Chances for refilling are often very poor and expensive. The galley and refrigerators are “boat size”, so keep that in mind. Preparing complicated dishes is very difficult, so keep them simple but tasty. Electricity comes from batteries, which are charged by the engine and solar panels (but not on all boats). Do not overdo it with the lighting and the refrigerator.

LUGGAGE

Cabins on a sailing boat are beautifully designed and equipped for you and your comfort, but unfortunately, not for storage. It is always a precious commodity. We discourage bringing hard-shell luggage aboard as it ends up taking up valuable space. Please bring soft luggage that can be easily folded up.

SKIPPER & HOSTESS

It is important to remember that the skipper and hostess are there for two main reasons: safety and comfort. The skipper knows the boat’s limits and your safety is always a top priority. Besides your safety, the skipper and hostess want you to feel at home and to make sure you have a pleasurable experience. However, you should treat the crew with respect and understanding. Also, treat the boat itself as your home during your time onboard, keeping things orderly as best you can.

POLLUTION OF THE SEA

Be careful not to harm marine life. Do not throw cigarette butts or garbage overboard. Whenever possible, use natural, organic, and/or eco-friendly detergents, shampoos, soaps, and sunscreens that are not harmful. Don’t take anything from the sea and don’t walk in the water – swim whenever possible.

Charter bookings and terms of payment

Here is some general information you can use as a guideline. These conditions can vary depending on the charter company’s rules.

1. The price for yacht charter (accommodation rate) includes VAT on accommodation, the use of vessel and equipment according to the applicable Price list, bedlinen, auxiliary rowboat, gas, autopilot, GPS, usual services provided by the Charter base at the time of check-in and check-out, mooring expenses in the registry port.

2. Yacht charter price does not include fuel, marina and mooring expenses in ports outside the registry port, port taxes and other fees such as national park entry fees, food and beverages, and tourist tax.

3. After the yacht charter reservation has been confirmed, the payment is to be made as follows:
35% (can vary depending on the charter company) in 7 days after the booking is confirmed
65% not later than 30 days before the commencement of the accommodation
Taking the boat into possession is effective once the payment in full has been completed.

Skipper & hostess services - Conditions, Payment and Cancellation

30We provide skipper and hostess services only. Any problem regarding the boat must be addressed to the charter company. Our skipper/hostess service and responsibilities start with the boat check-in procedure (usually on Saturday afternoon) until boat check-out in the marina (usually on Friday afternoon). Your skipper will follow a personalised itinerary, however there may be circumstances out of his control where this may not be possible. The skipper has authority to change the itinerary when and where he deems fit. These will be for safety reasons or adverse weather conditions. Dangerous winds may dictate we take another marina/port/berth to the listed itinerary. If the group collectively requests a change to the itinerary, the decision to do so, will be at the skipper’s discretion.

RESERVATION AND PAYMENT

After the booking has been confirmed, the payment is to be made as follows:

Reservation – 30% in the period of 7 days after the booking is confirmed
Balance – not later than 7 days before the start of the service.
Or the entire amount can be paid at once.

After the payment of the reservation has been made, the client will receive a confirmation e-mail that obligates us to perform the service as described on this page. All specifics that are additionally agreed upon will be described in a separate email (which binds us regardless of the description on the page). If payment is not made in full within the requested period (no later than 7 days before the start of the service – as described above) we will not be obligated to the service, which will then be automatically cancelled.

CANCELLATION

In the event of the Client’s cancellation of the booked services due to any reason whatsoever, he/she shall be obligated to notify “Wesailcroatia.com” thereof in writing (e-mail) and, in respect, he shall be charged for amend as follows:

If the cancellation has been done more than 7 calendar days prior to the starting date of the service – reservation fee in full
If the cancellation has been done less than 7 calendar days prior to the starting date of the service – up to 100% of the amount paid. .

The date of the receipt of the cancellation notice in writing shall be the basis for the settlement of the stated cancellation charges.

Cancellation on the “Wesailcroatia.com” side is possible only due to major force (sickness). In that case, we will organise a skipper/hostess replacement for your cruise. You will not be entitled to any cancellation of the services or to demand a reduction of the price. In case that for unseen reasons, we must cancel our service (skipper&hostess), you will be refunded in total.

Skipper and hostess services in Croatia. Committed to Customer Satisfaction.

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