Yacht Charters over Cruise Ships

Why it’s Time to Leave Cruise Ships Behind

There are two camps when it comes to cruise ships. There are those who swear by them; citing the endless food, the views, the entertainment, and the wonderful places they visit. And then there are those who absolutely hate them; citing the mass-produced food, the queues, the stressful disembarkations, and the lack of freedom to stop and explore where you please.

There are many great things about cruise liners, from the evening shows and shore excursions to the casinos and huge waterslides. But for those who would prefer something more luxurious, more personalised, and infinitely more special, it is time to leave cruise ships behind.

Welcome to the world of private yacht charter, where you get to call the shots and have the holiday of your dreams, rather than just be a tiny cog in a giant cruise ship machine.

But Surely Private Yachts Are Far Too Expensive to Compare the Two?

That’s a very common misconception- and it’s holding you back! Yes, there are private yachts that charter out for a million a week and are reserved for the ‘billionaire set’, but there are also luxurious private yachts that charter out starting at around $40,000 a week.* When you consider that you’ll be able to have between four and six couples or several families sharing that cost, you begin to realise that private yachts are a genuine option for those on decent incomes. In fact, for those cruise ship vacationers who are already spending $6000 per person on a sea view cabin with a butler, private yachts are actually a surprisingly affordable switch. And what an upgrade it is!

Sure, private yacht charter can’t compare price-wise to the cost of a single inside cabin on a mass cruise liner with thousands of guests, bunk beds, noisy crowds and buffet food made in steel vats…but the two experiences simply cannot be compared.

So if you’re starting to spend a fair bit on your cruise ship vacations, then you’ve got some thinking to do. There really is a better way to travel.

Private Yachts Versus Cruise Ships: Why You’ll Never Look Back

The Captain: On a private yacht, you have a private captain, who comes to you at breakfast each day to discuss your itinerary. Would you like to find a secluded anchorage for a lunch and some water sports? Would you like a masseuse to come out to the yacht, or would you like a helicopter ride above an extinct jungle volcano? Would you like a dinner reservation made, or would you prefer to host a glamorous cocktail party on the sundeck and then eat under the stars? You like this anchorage right here and want to stay an extra day?  On a private yacht, it’s all up to you.

On a cruise ship, how often do you even see the captain, let alone get to discuss the itinerary with him or her? Do you get to decide to stay in a pretty spot an extra day?

The Private Chef: On a private yacht, you have a private chef, who will discuss the day’s menu with you. He or she will have communicated with your yacht broker about your dining preferences before you arrived, and the fridges and cupboards are already stocked with your favourite things. Each day the chef will produce extraordinary meals tailored just to your tastes and dietary requirements. You’ll never forget the food experience on a private yacht.

On a cruise ship, how often do you speak with the chef? Do you get to control the menu? Are all your favourite foods known about and catered for? Can you invite friends on board for lunch?

The Deck Crew: On a private yacht, you have a whole private deck crew dedicated to teaching you water sports, and a private water-taxi service to drop you ashore or take you snorkelling on a nearby reef. You can even go night-diving if you feel like something special, or go up and sit in the bridge with the crew while they drive the yacht in the night.

On a cruise ship, can you do water sports whenever you feel like it? Can you just ask someone to take you ashore? Is there enough equipment for everyone and do the crew know your kids by name? Can you go for a spur-of-the-moment ocean swim at night, or can you go and sit with the crew in the bridge?

The Interior Crew: On a private yacht, the highly trained steward/esses are there just for you, providing seven-star service. They serve your meals at beautifully decorated tables, clean your cabins to spotless perfection throughout the day, do your laundry, play with your kids, and bring you champagne or iced tea while you’re reading on a deckchair. Yacht service is extremely personalised, while still being professional.

On a cruise ship, do the same dedicated people look after you wherever you go-whether it’s your cabin on the pool? Does the entire crew know your name, how you like your coffee and which cabin you’re in?

The Health Issue: On a private yacht, you never need to fear those ghastly viruses that sweep through cruise ships. When you step onboard a superyacht, you will be entering what is probably the most hygienic environment of your life. Superyachts are cleaned obsessively: each cabin cleaned with toothbrushes and cotton buds and an army of soft polishes and cleaning products. Germs have no chance on a private yacht.

On a cruise ship, how do you know how healthy the other guests are? Viruses are nigh-impossible to contain on a huge vessel, and cleaning standards are hard to maintain over hundreds of different cabins and staff.

The Manoeuvrability: Cruise ships are very, very big, so often have to stay far out at anchor in beautiful Mediterranean or Caribbean ports. Private yachts can anchor in beautiful small coves just off the beach, so you can just dive overboard and swim ashore if you like. Also, private yachts can fit into smaller marinas so you can just step off your boat and explore the town at your leisure.

On a cruise ship, can you just dive overboard when you feel like it and take a short swim into the beach? Can you step off the boat into town and just return whenever you feel like it?

The Privacy: On a private yacht, you have complete, total privacy- a time to just relax with family or close friends, with none of the pressures of the outside world intruding. There’s no queuing for food, or talking to strangers over dinner about their medical ailments or alarming political views, there’s no frenetic children screaming and splashing in the pool, and no people hogging the water sports equipment. Above all, there are no mass embarkations into those crowded orange boats, to go ashore for a set amount of hours, always checking your watch in case you miss the boat back.

Outside your cabin, where’s the privacy on a cruise ship? Do you have to hide in your cabin if you don’t want to spend your vacation with strangers? How do you avoid cruise ship passengers in town when you go ashore in your hundreds and even thousands?

For a whole week on a private yacht, that whole yacht is all about you, and only you.

How to Make the Switch

Call Denison Yachts to find out more about chartering a private yacht. Believe me, as you sit on the deck of your first charter yacht and look at a looming cruise ship in the distance, you’ll kick yourself for not making the switch sooner. 

*Remember that you will have to pay for fuel, food, berthing fees and tips on top of your private yacht charter cost. (We’re not in this to dupe you into thinking it’s a cheap holiday, because yachting is still an exclusive vacation- that’s what makes it so glamorous and fun. We can help you figure out how much these extras will cost you.)

Contact Jackie Guenther for Yacht Charter Opportunities: