Charter vs Cruise
Sun! Sea! Freedom! Privacy! Idyllic, hidden destinations!
It sounds a bit like a dream, doesn’t it, but that’s what you can get when you tailor a sailing vacation to your exact requirements.
- Can you imagine tiny, sun-kissed, sandy-beached islands, destinations that most cruise ships couldn’t even begin to try and reach?
- Can you imagine having your own chef, preparing the meals that you like for you every day?
- Can you imagine having a discreet, experienced crew that will take you wherever you want?
- And can you imagine a yacht packed with amenities and luxuries picked just to fit your specific needs?
A chartered yacht gives you the opportunity to set the pace, eat the finest food, receive sailing instruction, dive in the sea, write an itinerary – and then change it at will – and visit some of the most beautiful – and otherwise unreachable – places on earth.
A trip on a cruise-liner does not offer the same romantic charm. There you might have to wait for latecomers, listen to the gripes of those unhappy about various things, and mingle with thousands of other trippers in a confined space, prone to the spread of germs and viruses. It doesn’t have quite the same appeal as a charted yacht, does it?
Where a cruise offers visits to destinations with thousands of other visitors, the same beaches and the same few crowded islands, a chartered yacht can offer small, quaint islands and unique, remote beaches unreachable by cruise ship.
For the itinerary, you are tied to the cruise ship’s timetable – large ports and busy towns – whereas a yacht charter can be tailored to your pace and changed as you go.
The schedule of a cruise ship is set in a brochure months in advance and the duration of the trip is decided for you; the schedule of a yacht charter is up to you – pick the dates and duration that you’d like.
Where a cruise offers a buffet for which you have to queue or sit at assigned times in multiple sittings for food that lies around for many hours, on your yacht charter you have a chef who prepares food to your desires, and at times for your convenience. Additionally, if you have special dietary requirements, your yacht charter chef will take account of these, whereas on a cruise ship there is little consideration given to such needs.
A cruise ship offers some activities, but these are limited, subject to long queues and offer no flexibility, whereas on a yacht charter you can select from a wide and more exciting list of activities, do them when you like and at your pace.
Sailing is a vibrant, enlivening experience, and you can enjoy this and even be taught to sail on a yacht charter. On a giant cruise ship, there is no sailing, but more a feeling of a floating hotel rather than a sea-faring experience.
On a yacht charter, the yacht is yours – privacy is yours. Sunbathe in private on the deck, or hold a business meeting in the dining room. The crew is discreet and will respect your privacy. Contrast that with the hordes on a cruise ship, where the only privacy you’ll get is in your own cabin.
A yacht charter can offer you personalised instruction on several water sports, such as sailing, diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, jet skiing and kayaking. You won’t get that on a cruise ship; the best you might get is a talk in a lecture room with many others and handed equipment as you stand in line once again.
A cruise is out of necessity tied to the port where it can dock, but this may not be close to the restaurants and amenities on offer at the destination, but a yacht charter can take you much closer to fabulous restaurants with amazing sea-views.
Your personal attention on a yacht charter will be second to none! They are there for that purpose, but on a cruise ship, you will be asked to wait – the end of the queue is back there!
The excitement of a yacht chart vacation will take you closer to the water, the sailing experience, and the romantic bays. A cruise will give you views of the sea and coast from a height of 50 metres and hardly the feeling of being at sea at all.
Charter vs Cruise? What about the environment? Click here for more info.
Charter vs Cruise? Are cruise ships dangerous?
- Illness Outbreak: the outbreak of serious illnesses, such as the Norovirus, is a severe cause for concern on cruise ships, mainly because the confined spaces can easily allow these diseases to spread. Insufficient food safety standards, poor sanitation, and lack of medical staff can all contribute to these problems.
- Crew Assault: cruise ship lines are supposed to put their crew through rigorous screening procedures, but sometimes due to the vast numbers of crew, dangerous staff are nevertheless allowed onboard, putting the safety and well-being of passengers at risk.
- Slip and Fall Accidents: a wide range of factors make slip and fall accidents a severe injury concern on cruise ships. Slip and fall accidents can result in broken bones, spinal cord injuries, or serious injuries. Cruise ships have many levels, creating the potential for elevated fall hazards. Unnecessarily slippery surfaces and other factors can all create the potential for serious fall injuries.
Royalty Yachts is here to take care of your every need for your vacation, and that starts way before you’ve set a foot on board. With our help and guidance, you will get the yacht and crew that is right for you; you will be able to tailor the menu to your choices and requirements; you will be able to choose your holiday dates and duration; we will help you with flights to your starting point, and back home again; we will discuss any special needs with you. In fact, we will do everything we can to make sure that your yacht vacation goes as smoothly as it possibly can. At the end of your holiday, we ask you to complete an evaluation form to give your opinion on the yacht, crew and destinations so that we can continue to provide the best possible yacht charter vacations.
Does all this sound out of your reach? It’s probably not! Compare prices and quality to see that a charter yacht vacation can be very much within your reach and will give you an amazing experience.