Why Crew are More Important Than the Charter Yacht

It’s a common maxim in the superyacht industry that “it’s the crew that makes the charter.”  But why is that? Admittedly it’s pretty difficult to have an unpleasant yacht charter under any circumstances — but the quality of the crew is the single most important factor in elevating your yachting vacation from fantastic to sublime. Here’s why:

How a good crew makes the difference

Let’s start with the obvious. A great charter crew operates like a well-oiled machine: efficient, hugely adaptable, and with a wide range of skills built up over years of serving many different guests.

In practice, this diversity and professionalism translates to a yacht chef who can turn their hand just as easily to delicious Asian street food as to French gastronomy, a captain that knows the cruising area like the back of his hand (including the most secluded anchorages and the maitre d’ at the A-list restaurant), and an interior team that creates spectacular table settings and always seems to know what you want even before you want it.

Yet it’s not only the crew you regularly interact with that are so vital to your enjoyment, such as the deckhand who leads your unforgettable night dive or teaches your daughter how to water ski.

It’s also the people behind the scenes, like the engineer who keeps the yacht running in perfect order or the housekeeping team who ensures your cabin is immaculate and returns your freshly laundered clothes. You may see these crew very rarely, but their professionalism is just as crucial to your holiday happiness as the captain driving the boat.

The yacht itself, while lovely, isn’t everything

The crew truly is what makes the difference between a good holiday and one your family and friends talk about forever. The crew is the reason why many of our repeat charterers who could easily charter much larger yachts instead charter the same yacht year after year.

They realize: this is the crew for me. They know my kids, they know how I like things, and they are the people I want looking after my family and friends for our holidays every single year. The yacht’s accommodation and facilities are important, but this crew is the one that goes the extra mile for us, and they make the yacht feel like home.

The superyacht itself is a luxurious vehicle, a stunning place to sleep and relax — but what truly makes yachting special is the 5-star service, the adventures, the escape across the ocean, the driving into exotic ports, the on-deck dinner parties and the adrenaline-pumping water sports. It’s the person that plays with your child and leads them on a Caribbean treasure hunt.

For all these things, you need crew. The better they are, the better your superyacht vacation will be.

Not all crews are created equal

Despite the fact that yacht crew are well-trained and professional across all departments, the truth is that different crews excel at different things and therefore deliver different kinds of charters. This is extremely important for you to know when you’re booking your charter.

Some crews have qualified watersports instructors or a personal trainer on board — often the dream scenario for active charterers, while an onboard masseuse and beautician might be just the thing for those that want to relax and be pampered. Certain charter yachts have award-winning chefs, which attracts ‘foodie’ charterers, whereas other crews have a strong reputation for looking after kids and making their trip exceptional.

Meanwhile, some captains have such superb reviews from past charter clients that they become known as a top charter captain who will deliver a fabulous time to all who come on board, while other yachts are famous for their extraordinary theme parties and high-end entertaining.

Of course, this is not to say that these yacht crews aren’t all-around performers (all yachts have water sports, a private chef and activities for the kids, for instance); rather that certain crews have a particular special skill that may make chartering that particular yacht the perfect choice for your group.

Let us find the right crew for you

The conversation with your yacht charter broker about what your family or group likes doing — what you love and what you want to take home from your charter — is imperative, so that we can match the perfect crew (and yacht) to your group. You might like a really friendly, young, and outgoing crew, or you might prefer a more formal, mature and unobtrusive style of service.

Is silver service a priority for you? Do you need a high crew to guest ratio? Are certain languages or nationalities preferable?

The culture onboard matters too: is it a tight crew who have worked together for a long time, or is at a talented newer crew just finding their way? All of this inside information isn’t in any a yacht marketing brochure, so that’s where we come in.

At Denison we know each of our yacht crews personally. If you’re considering booking a yacht charter, don’t just browse online and pick a yacht for its interior design or onboard cinema. These things are great, but we promise you: it’s the crew that will make your trip. Call us, and we’ll find the yacht with the cinema, and with the crew that will deliver the vacation of a lifetime.

To learn more about chartering a yacht with the perfect crew, contact Jackie Guenther: