While direct booking of a self-drive bareboat is common and the norm, the same cannot be said for renting a crewed yacht. Organizing vacations on crewed yachts, especially ultra-expensive superyacht charter vessels, requires assistance. Intermediary experts are important since few owners have the time. Additionally, they do not have patience or interest in dealing directly with prospective charter customers. After all, few yacht owners became billionaires by chatting with strangers on the phone!
It’s hard to dispute the important role retail brokers play in arranging crewed private yacht charter vacations. Most have an extensive understanding of the industry. For instance, first-hand experience of inspecting charter yachts and interviewing the crews. In addition, preparing charter agreements. A good broker is key to a successful and unforgettable (The) Superyacht Experience™.
Using a retail yacht charter broker, however, is not a guarantee of a great yachting vacation. There are many misconceptions – some promulgated by the brokers themselves. Exposing these fallacies can save headaches and money. Let’s look at, and debunk, three common myths associated with the services of a retail charter broker.
This is the most common misconception. Subsequently, many brokers quickly use this line to encourage a prospective client not to call competitors. It is partially true. There is a published “rack rate” available to all retail brokers. As compared to upscale resorts, villas, and jets, sometimes there are multiple pricing options.
Jana Sheeder, President of 1-800 Yacht Charters explains,
“In situations where we have delivered multiple charters to a particular yacht owner, we are in a unique position to secure ‘best column pricing’ for our preferred clients – prices that other retails brokers cannot obtain.”
Sheeder goes on to explain how relationships and reputations also play a role in securing preferred pricing.
“If you’re honest and respectful, over the years, you build relationships with captains and yacht managers. I can’t tell you how many times we have reached out to a captain to ask for a professional courtesy discount for one of our clients. The captains have the ear of the owner and often can encourage an owner who would normally not offer any discounts, to give our client a special rate.”
The bottom line – the best brokers can, on occasion, secure rates not available to other brokers. When considering the hiring of your charter broker, directly ask the broker if all brokers gets the same prices. If he or she says “Yes,” move on and find another broker!
It serves as a great marketing phrase for many brokers. “My advice to you is free.” Consequently, it is simply untrue. Yes, the commission check received by the broker comes from the yacht owner’s account, but just as in real estate, the list prices have been adjusted to account for the fees earned by brokers.
Sheeder bristles at the notion of free advice. “Many brokers are quick to state their services are free, and you’ll see this marketing slogan prominently displayed on their websites. We have greater respect for our clients. While there is great value in the services we offer – nothing is free, and an educated consumer is aware that the prices offered by a yacht owner include the cost of the retail charter broker’s services.”
This is even more evident when booking a bareboat yacht charter, as bareboat companies take in direct reservations and will often give customers discounts of 10 to 15% – the amount they save if no charter broker is involved.
Sheeder feels complete transparency is the best course of action. “We tell our clients exactly how much our services cost in terms of a commission. We don’t apologize for what we earn, and we bend over backwards to deliver killer customer service. I believe our clients appreciate our confidence and our candor.”
Sample actual luxury yacht charter competitors’ promises to you:
“Our advice is free…”
“…provide you with free advice…”
“…THAT GIVES YOU FREE INDEPENDENT CHARTER ADVICE”
The bottom line. Don’t fall for flashy marketing terms and buzzwords. Nothing is for free, and you, the buyer, are paying the cost of the charter reservation services rendered to you.
Many brokers are employees of large yacht management companies. These companies, sometimes called “Central Agents,” handle crew placement, yacht sales, and charter management.
Sheeder explains how this multi-service model can lead to bias on the part of a retail broker: “A retail broker who is employed by a central agency is in a position to present a potential charterer with yachts that are managed in-house. Not only is a commission generated when an in-house managed yacht is booked for a charter, but an additional ‘management’ fee is earned by the central agency.”
In other words, a central agency makes more money when their own retail brokers book yachts in their own fleet. Those yachts are not necessarily the best choice for your customized charter.
The bottom line – To minimize bias, Sheeder recommends retaining an independent retail yacht charter broker. Similar to hiring an independent insurance agent who represents multiple product lines, an independent charter broker is more likely to present prospective clients with yacht selections from a multitude of Central Agency fleets.
Thinking about a private charter vacation? Speak to the industry team with more than 30 years’ experience. Call 1-800 Yacht Charters today at 1-800-922-4824 or 305-253-7245, or fill out our convenient online contact form at https://1800yachtcharters.com/book-now-contact-us/
This entry was posted in Yacht Charter News Frequently Asked Questions Educational and tagged Ask The Pro's, pricing options, retail yacht charter broker, myth busting, yacht charter costs, preferred pricing, yacht charter commission, why use a yacht charter broker, what myths exist about yacht charters?, Education, are yacht charter brokers important?, Trivia, bareboat vs. crewed yacht, Superyacht, rack rates
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Please be an eco-hero and remove trash from our waterways
This is a photo from the beautiful Yachts Miami Beach Boat Show. Our inspections included several private luxury yacht charter vessels docked at the Deep Harbour Island Gardens marina, near downtown Miami, Florida. As we walked along the docks, I noticed our company President, Jana Sheeder, often pausing, bending down, picking up something, and putting it in her “Eco-Hero” tote bag. I asked Jana what she was picking up, and she paused and poured a few of the contents of her bag onto a locker box on the dock.
“Take a look,” she sighed. “This debris can easily end up in the water where it becomes part of the ocean pollution problem, as well as a threat to birds and marine life.”
So, I snapped the photo you see here.
When I look at this photo, I see beautiful superyachts that serve as a gateway to experience the wonders of our oceans. I see a segment of the tourism industry – private luxury yacht charter – that generates millions of dollars of revenue annually. I see a support network of thousands of crewmembers, dockhands, marina workers, and maintenance and repair staff. They all support their families from a livelihood that is inextricably dependent upon healthy oceans.
For me, the trash in the photo is a harsh reminder that the refuse we see floating in marinas and along the seawalls and walkways is a direct threat to the health of our waterways. It is also, therefore, a threat to our own livelihood.
As you read this blog, I can guess what some of you are thinking. “I’m not part of the problem – I would never throw trash in the water.” Good intention, but you or someone you know might still be directly responsible for pollution in our waterways.
It’s a common misconception that most trash comes from people throwing things directly into the water.
“Believe it or not, much to the trash in our waterways comes from litter thrown out of cars, litter that blows from surrounding areas into the waterways, illegal dumping, and this item really irks me – cigarettes left on the ground,” says Jana. “During a big rainstorm, all that junk ends up in the watershed, and some of it eventually makes its way down to the bays, harbors, marinas, beaches, and worse – onto our fragile coral reefs and into the stomachs of marine life (like fish and turtles) and shorebirds.”
Efforts are underway to rid our waterways of trash. In Baltimore, Maryland, two (rather cute) trash wheels are pulling debris from the harbor before it flows into Chesapeake Bay. “Mr. Trash Wheel” (male) and “Professor Trash Wheel” (female with eyelashes) are solar and hydro-powered trash interceptors in place in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Over a million pounds of trash has been pulled out of the water by Mr. Trash Wheel since it was installed in May 2014 (Professor Trash Wheel was installed in December 2016).
John Kellett (a true ECO-HERO!) invented the trash wheels and tracks the debris collected. Since May 2014, when Mr Trash Wheel went operational, almost nine million cigarette butts and over 300,000 plastic bags have been collected. Additionally, Mr. Trash Wheel picks up an average of 14,000 Styrofoam containers a month – second only to cigarettes.
Kellett echoes Jana’s thoughts that the problem starts on shore. “I thought we were being ambitious with the harbor, but now people are talking about cleaning up the ocean,” Kellett said. “But I think the most effective solution is to get the trash before it gets there.”
No matter where you live, you CAN make a difference and help protect our natural resources. Let’s review some simple steps we can all take:
What do I hope will happen? I look forward to the day that Mr. Trash Wheel and Professor Trash Wheel are forced to take days off because there is no debris for them to clean up!
Jana Sheeder, President of 1-800 Yacht Charters and 1-800 BAREBOAT, with Eco-Hero Reusable Tote Bag
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If you are ready to make a difference, text HERO to 305-720-7245 and we’ll send you an “Eco-Hero” tote bag – just like the ones Jana carries with her and also uses at boat shows. It’s Jana’s gift to you – from Jana and our team at 1-800 Yacht Charters!
This entry was posted in News Educational and tagged ocean plastic, hydro-powered, Make A Difference, eco-totes, Baltimore, random acts of kindness, tourism, Maryland, Be the Change, trash in marinas, say no to plastic bags, solar, responsibility, feel the churn, eco-hero, be a role model, Mr. Trash Wheel, myth busting, John Kellett, Professor Trash Wheel, protect the ocean, female trash wheel, free gift, eco-tote, styrofoam, karma, RAK, cigarette butts, Yacht Shows, good karma, Yachts Miami Beach Show, fishing line
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